The moon hung high in the sky, casting pale light over the training grounds as Arthur Pendragon swung his sword in relentless repetition. Each strike felt heavier than the last, but he refused to stop. Sweat poured down his face, his muscles screamed for rest, yet the fire in his chest burned brighter. Hinata's loss replayed in his mind, but it wasn't her defeat that truly gnawed at him it was Josuke.
The speed, the precision, the ease with which Josuke had intervened in Eira's outburst was something Arthur couldn't ignore. Josuke's strength was undeniable, and the gap between them was enormous. The realization stung, not because he envied Josuke, but because he was supposed to be a Pendragon the last true blood of Camelot. A legacy of kings and warriors rested on his shoulders, yet here he was, falling short.
Arthur gritted his teeth, gripping his sword tighter. "I will close this gap," he muttered, swinging his blade again.
As the sound of metal cutting through the air echoed in the quiet night, a voice whispered in his mind, low and insidious. "You'll never surpass that Josuke boy."
Arthur froze mid-swing, his breath hitching. "Who's there?" he demanded, his voice steady but laced with unease. He scanned the empty training grounds, but no one was there.
"I'm closer than you think," the voice purred, almost taunting. "I've been watching you, Arthur. Watching you struggle, watching you fall behind. I can help you unlock your potential."
Arthur's eyes narrowed. "Who are you? Where are you speaking from? Answer me!"
The voice chuckled, a sound that sent chills down his spine. "I am an ally. A friend who wants to help you achieve greatness. Let me in, Arthur. Let me show you what you're truly capable of."
Arthur staggered back, clutching his head as a sudden, searing pain lanced through his skull. He fell to his knees, his breathing ragged. "Get out of my head!" he shouted, but the voice persisted.
"Why resist? You've felt it, haven't you? The power within you. The strength waiting to be unleashed. All you have to do is let me in."
Black marks began to snake across Arthur's arms and neck, faint at first but growing darker with each passing second. He gritted his teeth, fighting against the overwhelming pain, but his body betrayed him. The marks burned like fire, and the world around him blurred.
With one final, agonized gasp, Arthur collapsed onto the ground, unconscious. The training grounds fell silent once more, the only sign of his struggle being the faint scorch marks etched into the dirt around his body.
Meanwhile, in the nursing room, Hinata stirred awake, her body still sore from the match. She blinked, adjusting to the dim light, and saw Josuke sitting in a chair beside her bed, his head tilted back, fast asleep. A small smile tugged at her lips, though her cheeks reddened when she remembered how close they had been earlier.
The door creaked open, and Kyle and Maya stepped in quietly, though their entrance wasn't exactly subtle.
"Hey, kiddo," Kyle greeted with a grin, his voice cheerful but soft. "How're you holding up? Sorry for waking you though it looks like your boyfriend is keeping you company."
At his words, Hinata's face turned bright red. She waved her hands frantically, her voice rising in embarrassment. "J-Josuke is NOT my boyfriend!"
Kyle burst out laughing, and even Maya smirked. "Relax, we're just messing with you," Maya said, giving Hinata a teasing look. "But honestly, it's good to see you two getting along. Everyone was worried about you, so we thought we'd check in."
Kyle, meanwhile, had pulled out his phone and was snapping pictures of the sleeping Josuke and the blushing Hinata. "Man, this is priceless," he muttered, grinning mischievously.
"Kyle!" Maya hissed, smacking him on the back of the head. "Be serious for once!"
"Right, right," Kyle grumbled, rubbing the spot where she'd hit him. "Anyway, like I was saying, everyone was worried. Even Arthur seemed concerned. He's been training nonstop since the match ended."
Hinata tilted her head. "What about the others?"
"Lily and Ace went back to the dorms," Kyle said. "And as for Silver… well, that kid's a mystery. No one knows where he went. Probably off doing his own thing, as usual." He gestured toward Josuke. "And then we've got this bundle of surprises resting beside you."
Hinata smiled faintly, her embarrassment fading as she glanced at Josuke again. Despite everything, she felt a sense of comfort knowing he was there.
While the others were gathered in the nursing room, Silver walked alone through the dark forest on the island, his footsteps silent against the soft ground. He moved with purpose, his usual air of laziness replaced by something far more deliberate.
He approached a clearing where an elder of the council stood waiting, their robes glowing faintly in the moonlight. Silver gave a lazy wave as he stepped into the clearing. "Yo."
The elder regarded him with a stern expression. "You're late."
Silver shrugged, his tone as nonchalant as ever. "Had to keep up appearances. Wouldn't want the others to suspect anything, now would we?"
The elder's gaze hardened. "And how is the mission progressing, 007?"
Silver smirked, leaning casually against a tree. "Smoothly. They don't suspect a thing. That devil brat Josuke and that Pendragon scum? They're completely in the dark."
The elder nodded approvingly. "Good. Once the mission is complete, and they are eliminated, we can proceed with the revival of your precious creator Glenda."
Silver's smirk faltered for a brief moment, his eyes flickering with an unreadable emotion. But he quickly recovered, his lazy demeanor returning. "Yeah, yeah. Don't worry about it. I've got it under control."
As the elder turned to leave, Silver glanced up at the moon, his expression unreadable. The light cast sharp shadows across his mask, making it impossible to tell what he was truly thinking.
Back in the nursing room, Josuke stirred awake, sensing a strange unease in the air. He looked at Hinata, who had fallen asleep again, and then at Maya and Kyle, who were chatting quietly. The feeling in his chest didn't go away, but he pushed it aside, focusing on the moment.
Unbeknownst to him, the night's events were already setting the stage for something far more dangerous than any of them could have anticipated.