Ethan sat at his desk, reviewing the notes he had taken during the meeting. His mind wandered back to the principal's message. A reshuffle of rankings... a battle royale... hidden objectives during the outing. The stakes were higher than ever, and he knew he couldn't afford to underestimate any of his fellow Tyrants.
A sudden knock at his door interrupted his thoughts. Ethan opened it to find Clara standing there, looking a bit flustered.
"Hey," she said, her voice softer than usual. "I heard about what happened in the meeting. Are you okay?"
Ethan gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Clara. Just some power plays and challenges. Nothing I don't think can't handle."
Clara stepped inside, closing the door behind her. "Still, you should be careful. Leon isn't the only one who sees you as a threat. Some of the third and fourth years are already gunning for you. They see your rapid rise as... unfair."
