Chapter Twenty-Two: Rumors in the Ranks
The sun began to rise over the academy, its warm rays piercing through the dense mist that lingered after the previous night's chaos. Rin sat on the edge of his dorm room bed, his fingers absentmindedly fidgeting with a pen. His mind replayed the events of the previous night—the smoke, the scuffle, the magic, and the unsettling calm that followed.
Keon, slumped on the bed across from him, was still out cold. Exhaustion had overtaken the kid as soon as they'd made it back to the safety of the dorms. Rin envied him. Sleep had evaded him entirely.
A faint knock at the door pulled Rin from his thoughts. He stood and opened it to find Lila, her expression guarded.
"May I come in?" she asked quietly.
Rin stepped aside without a word. She entered, glancing at the snoring Keon before looking back at Rin.
"How's he doing?" she asked.
"He'll live," Rin said flatly, leaning against the wall. "Kid had a rough night, but he's tougher than he looks."
Lila hesitated, her hands clasping the edge of her skirt. "I… I wanted to thank you again. For saving me."
"Don't," Rin said, cutting her off. "If you're here to apologize, save it. You're alive, and that's what matters. Just don't expect me to play hero for you again."
Lila's face fell slightly, but she nodded. "I understand."
For a moment, there was silence between them, the weight of unspoken words hanging heavy in the air. Finally, Lila spoke again.
"There's something you should know," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Rin raised an eyebrow. "What?"
---
A New Threat
Lila sat down on Keon's bed, careful not to disturb him. "The students you fought last night… they're part of something much bigger. You might have stopped them, but they won't forget what you did. And they won't let it go."
Rin folded his arms, his gaze steady. "I figured as much. People like them don't just walk away from a bruised ego."
"It's not just about ego," Lila said, her voice trembling. "They're part of a secret faction within the academy. They call themselves the Crimson Circle."
Rin frowned. "The Crimson Circle? Sounds like a bad cult name."
"It might as well be," Lila replied. "They're students from influential families, the kind who think they're untouchable. They dabble in forbidden magic and have connections that go far beyond the academy walls."
Rin let out a low whistle. "Great. Just what I needed—another group of entitled brats playing god."
"It's not a joke," Lila said sharply. "They're dangerous. And now you've made yourself a target."
Rin shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Wouldn't be the first time. Besides, I'm just a nobody F-rank, remember? Hardly worth their trouble."
Lila shook her head. "You don't understand. It's not about rank. It's about defiance. You humiliated them. That's something they won't forgive."
---
The Rumor Mill
By the time Keon stirred awake, Rin and Lila were already locked in a heated discussion about what to do next. Keon groaned, rubbing his eyes as he sat up.
"Morning already?" he muttered.
"Technically, yes," Rin said, throwing him a bottle of water. "Drink up. We've got problems."
Keon caught the bottle clumsily and frowned. "What kind of problems?"
"The kind that come with secret societies and revenge plots," Rin replied dryly.
Lila filled Keon in on the Crimson Circle, her words growing more urgent as she explained the potential danger they were in. Keon's face paled with every sentence.
"So, what do we do?" Keon asked, his voice trembling.
"We lay low," Rin said firmly. "Let them think we're not a threat. If they come after us, we deal with it. Until then, we keep our heads down."
Keon didn't look convinced, but he nodded anyway. Lila, however, seemed less certain.
"That might work for now," she said, "but it won't stop them forever. They'll come for you, Rin. It's only a matter of time."
"Then I'll be ready," Rin said simply.
---
A Ripple in the Academy
News of the previous night's events spread through the academy like wildfire, though the details were muddled. Some students whispered about a brawl in the woods, others claimed there was a magical explosion. By midday, Rin found himself the subject of countless rumors.
"Did you hear? That F-rank guy took on an entire group of upper-class students and won!"
"No way. F-ranks don't stand a chance against them. It's probably just a story."
"I heard he used some kind of forbidden magic. That's how he beat them."
Rin sighed as he walked through the crowded cafeteria, trying to ignore the stares and whispers. Keon trailed behind him, looking equally uncomfortable.
"This is bad," Keon muttered. "Everyone's talking about you."
"Let them talk," Rin said. "They'll get bored eventually."
As they sat down at an empty table, Rin noticed a group of upper-class students glaring at him from across the room. He met their gaze without flinching, his expression calm but unreadable.
Keon followed his gaze and swallowed hard. "Uh, Rin? I think they're planning something."
"Let them," Rin said, taking a bite of his sandwich. "If they want to waste their time on me, that's their problem."
---
A Warning
Later that evening, Rin returned to his dorm room to find a folded note slipped under the door. He picked it up, frowning as he unfolded it. The message was written in elegant script, but the words were anything but polite.
"You've made a mistake. You'll regret crossing the Crimson Circle."
Rin crumpled the note in his hand, his jaw tightening. He had expected retaliation, but the directness of the threat still grated on him.
Keon looked up from his desk, his eyes widening as he saw Rin's expression. "What is it?"
"Nothing important," Rin said, tossing the crumpled note into the trash.
Keon didn't look convinced, but he didn't press the issue.
---
Preparing for the Worst
As night fell, Rin sat by the window, staring out at the academy grounds. The faint glow of streetlights illuminated the paths below, casting long shadows that seemed to dance in the darkness.
He knew the Crimson Circle wouldn't stop. They would come for him eventually, and when they did, he needed to be ready.
Rin leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. He wasn't a hero. He wasn't even particularly strong. But he had survived worse situations before.
"Let them come," he muttered to himself. "I'll show them what an F-rank can do."
---
End of Chapter 22