Ezra's eyes barely had a chance to close when his door burst open with a resounding clang. Startled, he leaped from his bed, his senses instantly alert. Standing in the doorway, her face a mask of intensity, was Captain Hinata. Her usual calm demeanor had vanished, replaced by something far more menacing. Without hesitation, she drew her sword, the blade gleaming in the dim light, and pointed it directly at Ezra's face.
"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice sharp as steel. "Why can you wield two abilities?"
Ezra blinked, stunned. "What? What do you mean?" he stammered, confusion clouding his thoughts.
"Don't play dumb with me," Hinata snapped, stepping closer, her blade inches from his nose. "In the dungeon, you showed your *Weapon Construction* ability. Today, I've heard that you consumed potion. I thought maybe you had gained the ability before enrolling, perhaps from one of the Unbound. But when I reviewed the data of new recruits who have drunk the potion —" her eyes narrowed dangerously—"I found your name among them. So, I'll ask again: how can you possess two abilities?"
Ezra's pulse quickened, panic rising. How could he explain this? How could he make her understand without exposing too much?
He took a breath, commanding his grimoire to reveal itself. In an instant, the air shimmered and the ancient tome materialized before him, its spectral pages flipping slowly, glowing faintly in the dim room.
Hinata's expression shifted from anger to shock, her sword lowering as she took a step back. "A... grimoire?" she whispered. "Only the Unbound have grimoires, and there are only six grimoires... for six Unbound. What does this mean?"
Ezra sat back down on his bed, the weight of the moment pressing heavily on him. "I don't know what it means," he began quietly, "but I swear I didn't ask for this." He looked up at her, his eyes pleading for understanding. "It just… appeared one day. Out of nowhere. When I was attacked by a group of monsters with my friend. The grimoire fell in front of me like it had been waiting."
He paused, gauging her reaction, but she was silent, her eyes wide with disbelief. "I haven't told anyone because I don't know what this means for me… If the world finds out that there's a seventh Unbound, I don't know what they'll do. Not just to me, but to everyone around me. Even the six Unbound who exist today—they don't like each other, Hinata. They're always vying for power. If they find out about this, I'll be hunted, or worse."
Hinata's eyes softened as she took in his words. She sheathed her sword, pacing slowly, her mind clearly racing. After a long moment, she turned to face him again, her voice much calmer. "I understand, Ezra. I won't say a word to anyone. But you need to understand something too—this secret won't stay hidden forever. Someone *will* find out, and when that happens, you have to be strong enough to protect yourself. This world won't show mercy just because you didn't ask for this power."
Ezra nodded, grateful yet anxious. "I'll do everything I can to be ready."
Hinata's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer, her sharp eyes seeming to pierce right through him. Then, as if a weight had been lifted, she relaxed, and the tension in the room eased. She moved to sit across from him, folding her arms.
"Let's talk about the facility," she said, changing the subject. "You'll need to get familiar with the place, and with the people who run it."
Ezra exhaled slowly, relieved that the worst of the confrontation was over. "Yeah, sure. I've already seen a bit of it today."
Hinata smiled faintly. "That's just the surface. You'll get to know the real heart of this place soon enough. And one of the people you'll need to keep an eye on is Isaac."
Ezra perked up at the mention of Isaac, the soldier he'd met earlier. "Isaac... what's his deal? He seems powerful."
Hinata chuckled softly. "Isaac Itadory is one of our best. He's a year older than you, but he's already risen to the rank of vice-captain. That's no small feat. He became an Unbound soldier about a year ago, and he's the second best fighter in Japan, right behind me. But honestly," she hesitated, her expression softening, "if he keeps training the way he does, I wouldn't be surprised if he surpasses me one day. The guy's a prodigy."
Ezra raised an eyebrow. "A prodigy, huh? What makes him so special?"
Hinata leaned back, her eyes flicking toward the window. "He's just... different. He's got this natural talent for combat, and his energy manipulation is off the charts. But more than that, he's got a drive that you don't see in many people. He wants to be the best, and he works for it. He's also someone who cares about his squad, which is rare for someone with that kind of power."
Ezra nodded thoughtfully, filing away the information. "Sounds like someone worth learning from."
"You'll get your chance," Hinata said. "But don't get too comfortable. If he sees potential in you, he'll push you harder than anyone else."
---
The rest of the night passed in a blur. By the time Ezra finally lay back down, his mind was swirling with everything that had happened. The secret of his grimoire, the pressure to train harder, the looming presence of the Unbound—everything was starting to feel like a giant weight pressing down on him.
---
The next morning, Ezra woke early and began exploring the sub-quarter. He moved through the sprawling complex, marveling at the scale of the facilities. Everywhere he looked, soldiers were training—running drills, practicing their combat skills, and honing their abilities. Each section of the quarter was dedicated to different aspects of training. There was the *Arena*, a massive open-air stadium where high-level sparring took place. The *Energy Labs*, where soldiers worked on mastering their Qi manipulation, were abuzz with activity.
Ezra spent most of the morning observing, absorbing the culture of the sub-quarter. He ran into a few other recruits, some of whom were friendly, others distant, clearly more focused on their own training. He was introduced to several key figures, including Kaito, a swordsman known for his lightning-fast strikes, and Leila, a sniper with deadly precision. Both were rising stars in the sub-quarter, and Ezra found himself eager to learn from them as well.
After a few hours of exploring, Ezra headed to the training grounds to work on his abilities. He focused on his *Weapon Construction*, forging weapons out of pure fire, testing their strength and durability. His movements felt more fluid than before, his mind sharper. The grimoire's presence, though silent, was a constant reminder of the power he possessed.
As he trained, his stats continued to rise, his body growing stronger and more attuned to his abilities.
---
**Ezra's Level-ups:**
- **Speed**: +5
- **Strength**: +5
- **Agility**: +5
- **Energy Capacity**: +500 units
---
He could feel his body adapting to the power, his mind racing as new abilities began to unlock. One of the most notable upgrades was to his *Flash Walk*, which now allowed him to cover even greater distances in the blink of an eye. His control over his fire-based weapons was improving, and he began experimenting with new forms—longer swords, shields, even a fiery whip that crackled with energy.
By the end of the day, Ezra was exhausted but exhilarated. He had made progress, not just physically but mentally. He was beginning to understand the depth of the power he wielded, and with Hinata's words still echoing in his mind, he knew that he had to continue pushing himself.
As he walked back to his quarters, the sun setting behind the distant mountains, he couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement for what was to come. There was still so much to learn, so much to discover.
And he would be ready for it all.
---
*End of Chapter 8*
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