Jelo was shocked—genuinely, completely shocked—that Atlas could guess his intention so accurately. The surprise hit him like a physical blow, and in that mont of vulnerability, the truth slipped out before he could stop it.
"Yes," Jelo admitted, the word coming out almost as a whisper. "Yes, I’m going after Garin."
Atlas’s expression didn’t change, as if he’d already known the answer and had just been waiting for confirmation. But his next question caught Jelo off guard.
"Why can’t you just let it go?" Atlas asked, his tone genuinely curious rather than judgntal. "Garin got humiliated in front of the entire class when you threw him into a wall. His arm is in a sling. He’s already been punished, in a way. Why do you need to take it further?"
Jelo opened his mouth, then closed it again. How could he explain the system? How could he explain that there was sothing inside him—sothing that had been implanted by the dragon transformation—that was driving him toward revenge with an intensity he couldn’t control even if he wanted to?
"I can’t explain," Jelo said finally, his voice strained. "But I can’t just let it go. Even if I wanted to—and part of does want to—I couldn’t. There’s sothing... sothing that won’t let walk away from this."
The words sounded inadequate even to his own ears, but they were the closest he could co to the truth without revealing everything.
Ken, who had been listening to this exchange with growing interest, suddenly leaned forward with an expression of genuine admiration. "That’s actually really inspirational, man," he said, his voice filled with respect. "That you feel so strongly about standing up against injustice that you can’t just walk away. That you’re willing to put yourself at risk to make things right, to protect people who can’t protect themselves. That’s the kind of hero ntality that this academy should be promoting instead of all that hierarchy bullshit."
Jelo blinked, caught completely off guard by Ken’s interpretation. He hadn’t ant it that way at all—he was literally being driven by a system quest that rewarded him for revenge—but Ken had sohow twisted his words into sothing noble and selfless.
"I... that’s not exactly..." Jelo started, but he couldn’t finish the sentence without admitting the truth he was trying to hide.
Atlas was still watching him with that unnervingly perceptive expression. "How did you figure it out?" Jelo asked, deflecting from Ken’s misguided praise. "How did you know I was planning to go after Garin?"
Atlas’s expression shifted slightly, sothing like concern mixed with understanding crossing his features. "You did the sa thing before you went after Xino," he said quietly. "You asked for his na first. Just like you asked for Garin’s na just now. When you did it with Xino, I thought maybe it was just curiosity or you wanted to know who to avoid in the future. But then you disappeared that sa evening, and we found you beaten up in that empty classroom."
He paused, his eyes never leaving Jelo’s face. "When you asked for Garin’s na just now, with that sa intense look in your eyes, the bell clicked. I realized it wasn’t curiosity last ti. It was targeting. You were marking him."
Jelo felt a chill run down his spine. Atlas had connected dots that Jelo hadn’t even realized were visible. His roommate was far more observant than he’d given him credit for.
"So," Atlas continued, his voice becoming more firm, more resolved, "we’ll go get revenge together. All three of us."
"What?" Jelo said, his shock evident. "No. Absolutely not. I’m not putting you guys in danger—"
"You saved ," Atlas interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argunt. "Back in weapons class. When Garin was attacking even after I’d surrendered, even after I’d yielded, you didn’t hesitate. You rushed in and protected . You threw him across the room and put yourself at risk with the teachers to defend ."
Atlas’s eyes were intense now, burning with conviction. "So now it’s my turn. You protected when I needed it. Now I’m going to stand beside you when you need it. That’s what friends do."
Jelo wanted to argue. He wanted to tell Atlas that things were different now, that he was stronger than he’d been before. The truth was, when Atlas had helped him against Xino’s group, Jelo had still been level one—weak, barely able to fight, desperately in need of backup. But now he was level two. He’d eaten a Dabba heart. His stats had increased. He was faster, stronger, more capable.
But he couldn’t say any of that without revealing the system, without explaining the transformation happening inside him.
Before Jelo could formulate a response that wouldn’t expose his secrets, Ken jumped in.
"And I’ll be there too," Ken said firmly, his usual easygoing smile replaced by sothing more serious, more determined. "With involved, I guarantee you won’t get into any real trouble. My family has... influence. If things go wrong, if teachers get involved, I can make sure the consequences aren’t too severe. I can’t make them disappear entirely, but I can soften them significantly."
He leaned back in his chair, his expression confident. "Besides, three against one—or three against however many friends Garin brings—is much better odds than you going alone. Even if you’re stronger than you were before."
That last comnt made Jelo’s eyes widen slightly. Had Ken noticed sothing too? Could he tell that Jelo had gotten stronger?
But Ken didn’t elaborate, just kept looking at him with that determined expression.
Jelo looked between his two friends—Atlas with his bandaged arms and fierce loyalty, Ken with his easy confidence and family connections that could keep them safe. They were both willing to put themselves on the line for him. Both willing to face consequences to stand by his side.
He’d been alone for so long. Weak and isolated and constantly afraid. Having friends who would stand with him like this... it ant more than he knew how to express.
"Alright," Jelo finally agreed, his voice quiet but firm. "Together."
"Excellent!" Ken said, his enthusiasm returning. "So what’s the plan? Are we jumping him in a hallway? Cornering him sowhere private? Challenging him to an official duel?"
"We follow him first," Jelo said, his mind already shifting into planning mode. "See where he goes, who he’s with, find the right mont. We can’t do this in a crowded corridor where people might see. We need sowhere isolated."
Then they began to follow, keeping their distance, staying just out of sight as they tracked Garin through the winding corridors of the academy.
The hunt had begun.
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