As Zaryth and Nico walked together through the academy grounds, Zaryth glanced at his little brother, a rare hesitation showing in his usually calm demeanor.
"Hey, Nico…" Zaryth began slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Would you… mind if I kissed your cheek? Just once?"
Nico blinked, his face turning red. "W-What?" he stammered, taken completely off guard.
"Come on, just a small one," Zaryth teased with a playful grin. "It's been a while since I've had my little brother around. I missed you, you know."
Nico narrowed his eyes but couldn't help the faint smile creeping onto his face. "You're weird, you know that?"
Zaryth chuckled, lightly pecking Nico's cheek. Nico groaned in mock disgust, pushing his brother away. "Okay, that's enough! If you do that again, I swear I'll punch you."
Laughing, Zaryth gave him a gentle nudge. "Alright, alright. Let's go find Ruby."
At the mention of their sister, Nico's smile faded. "We need to find her quickly. I saw her crying the other day," Nico said softly. "Her friends were mocking her. She tries to act strong, but she was really upset. I've never seen her like that."
Zaryth's playful demeanor vanished in an instant, his expression darkening. A cold anger stirred inside him, and his jaw tightened. "Where is she?"
Nico pointed toward the activity grounds. "She's probably there with the others."
Without another word, Zaryth picked up his pace, a sense of urgency filling him.
---
The Scene at the Activity Grounds
As Zaryth and Nico neared the large, open field where students gathered between lessons, Zaryth spotted Ruby in the distance. His heart swelled with joy for a moment, seeing her familiar silhouette among the crowd.
He ran toward her, eager to greet her and tell her that everything would be fine now that he was back. But as he drew closer, the scene before him shifted into something much darker—a sight that shattered his happiness into anger.
Ruby was surrounded by a group of students—both boys and girls—who were sneering and laughing cruelly. Ruby stood in the middle, her eyes red and swollen from crying.
To Zaryth's growing horror, a mana-restricting chain was fastened around her neck, glowing faintly as it sapped her magical strength. One of the boys yanked on the chain, pulling her forward like a pet.
"You're nothing but a dog," one of the girls sneered. "A dog's sister is a dog too."
As Ruby wiped her tears, a boy from the group smirked maliciously and took a step closer. "You know, I bet she'd bark if I touched her the right way," he whispered to his friends.
Before anyone could react, the boy reached out to touch Ruby's waist inappropriately. Ruby flinched, panic flashing in her eyes—but before the boy's hand could reach her, Zaryth's hand shot forward like lightning, gripping the boy's wrist with bone-crushing force.
The boy yelped in pain, his smug expression replaced with sheer terror. "W-Who—"
"I'll give you one second to regret that decision," Zaryth said softly, his voice eerily calm.
"Let go, man! I-I didn't mean—"
CRACK.
Zaryth tightened his grip until the bones in the boy's wrist snapped audibly. The boy screamed, clutching his arm in agony.
But Zaryth wasn't done. His purple eyes burned with cold fury. "You think I'll let scum like you touch my sister?"
In one fluid motion, Zaryth unsheathed a small, glowing dagger from his side and, without hesitation, sliced the boy's arm off at the elbow. Blood splattered onto the ground as the severed limb fell with a sickening thud.
The crowd gasped, paralyzed by fear, as the boy collapsed, wailing in pain.
Zaryth didn't even blink. He flicked the blood from his dagger and returned it to its sheath. "Next time, think twice before touching something that doesn't belong to you."
---
The Devil Awakened
Nico saw the change in his brother's expression—something terrifying, like the calm before a storm. Zaryth's eyes, usually distant and quiet, now burned with an intensity that sent shivers down Nico's spine.
"Zaryth..." Nico whispered, sensing the fury bubbling beneath the surface.
Zaryth's voice was still calm—too calm. "Stay back, Nico."
He walked toward the remaining students, each step deliberate and slow. They didn't dare move, paralyzed by fear as they watched Zaryth approach.
"You must think you're clever," Zaryth said, his tone chilling.
The boy holding the chain stammered, "W-We were just joking—"
Zaryth smiled coldly, though his eyes remained devoid of humor. "Let me give you a hint: I don't find this funny."
Without another word, Zaryth grabbed the chain around Ruby's neck and crushed it with his bare hand. The mana restriction shattered into dust, freeing her.
The other students stood frozen in disbelief.
"You think humiliating someone makes you strong?" Zaryth asked, his voice dangerously soft. "Let's see how strong you are when you're the one being humiliated."
In one swift motion, Zaryth grabbed the boy by his collar and lifted him off the ground effortlessly, as if he weighed nothing.
The boy's face turned pale. "W-Wait! I-I didn't mean it!"
Zaryth's cold smile didn't waver. "Oh, but I do."
With a flick of his wrist, Zaryth threw the boy across the field. He landed with a heavy thud, groaning in pain.
The remaining students stumbled over each other as they scrambled to get away.
---
Ruby and Nico's Reaction
Ruby stared at Zaryth, her tears still falling, but now from relief. "Zaryth..." she whispered, her voice trembling.
Zaryth knelt beside her and gently wiped away her tears. "It's over," he whispered. "They won't hurt you again. I promise."
Ruby threw her arms around him, sobbing into his shoulder. Zaryth held her close, guilt weighing heavily on him for not being there when she needed him the most.
"I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner," Zaryth whispered. "But I'm here now. No one will ever hurt you again."
Nico stood beside them, a proud grin spreading across his face. "That was awesome! You showed them!"
Zaryth gave a small chuckle and ruffled Nico's hair. "Had to remind them who the real devil is, right?"
Ruby sniffled, wiping her eyes as she pulled away slightly. "You've really changed..."
Zaryth gave her a soft smile. "I just grew up a little."
---