Two Steps Behind

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r: Whispers

pty training mats. Aiko tightened the straps of her sparring gloves, then glanced at Ren,

"You've been intense to

I'm not stopping until m

proval. "Alright. Ba

handheld buzzer they used for timing combos. Each sound p

Beep

t dripped steadily, but she didn't flinch. Her ey

for exhaustion. When the final tone sounded,

gently, stepping forward

d took a long sip,

t here," he said. "Co

nked. "

re reaching a threshold he hasn't seen in year

her chest-not just from e

over the edge of the campus wall. The early evening fog w

You ever think about why you re

im. "Of course I

the scholarship

ve I'm not weak. That I can s

more than just c

le expect me to mess up, or fade away. I want t

"What about you? Why do you s

or a moment. Then he said, "Becau

t. She was saved from having to respond by th

stood quic

r creak

raped over his shoulder, his gaze ca

ow. "We were finis

es settled on Aiko. "Mo

er head. "Wha

. "You're trying to fight more than opponents. You

pause. Aiko

Why a combat instructor with no official credenti

ed. "We assumed yo

unteered. After

s attention. "Ret

ecial units. The kind that didn't le

hill. "You we

g. That story's not for today. But I will say this: I've seen people thrown away because

emies. Not in the ring-but outsid

ard. "Do you kno

now won't help you. What you need is

ek, I'll introduce you to Phase Two

o and Ren stood i

ecting that,"

t makes sense. The way he move

silence, tension

in his pockets. "I don't want to scare you, but... I've heard a few rumors too. A

. "We'll fi

d the dormi

sabotage," Ren said. "And the foota

Ren. I

mall smile. "Yo

en reached out and touched his shoul

ut pleased. "Then I'll

moment, the shadows a

ll felt it-that flicker of unea

ng else lurking j

would have t

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