While the Duke prepared the information he had gathered, Kazuki, Elara, Garron, Rinara, along with Drake and Arin, waited in silence in the garden. The tranquility was broken when Garron finally spoke up, his voice laced with frustration.

  "Kazuki," Garron said, his tone serious, "we need answers. You've been acting differently, colder, distant. You weren't like this before. And don't even get me started on the burden you're carrying, whatever it is. You keep everything to yourself—R.I.S.K., your past, your plans… it's all too much. I want to know everything."

  Drake, standing nearby, nodded in agreement. "I don’t understand it either. It’s like you're not even the same person anymore."

  Kazuki’s expression remained unchanged, his eyes focused ahead, cold and unreadable. But the tension in the air was palpable.

  Garron turned to the group. "If I win this duel, Kazuki will have to tell us everything. All of it. No more secrets." He took a deep breath, a determined look in his eyes. "If he’s not willing to share willingly, then we’ll get it out of him, one way or another."

  Drake stepped forward, his fists clenched. "I’m in too. We’re all in this together."

  Kazuki remained silent, but the air around him seemed to grow colder, more oppressive. His aura, a quiet storm of power, pulsed with each passing second.

  "Fine," Kazuki finally said, his voice flat. "But understand this: you won’t learn anything by force."

  The challenge was accepted, and the battle began.

  The Duel

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Kazuki stood in the center of the garden, facing the five of them. Garron, Drake, Elara, Rinara, and even Arin prepared to fight. Kazuki's stance was calm, almost nonchalant, as if he had nothing to prove. The others, however, were on edge, determined to win.

  Elara raised her hand, and Rinara quickly followed suit, both chanting the incantations for their strongest spells. Elara fired a barrage of fireballs, while Rinara conjured a massive wave of light. Kazuki didn’t move. With a flick of his wrist, the spells dissipated into nothing, the heat and light vanishing before they could even touch him.

  Garron charged first, his sword aimed straight at Kazuki’s heart. Kazuki sidestepped with a fluid motion, effortlessly dodging the attack. Before Garron could turn around, Kazuki was behind him, his blade stopping just short of his back.

  "Too slow," Kazuki murmured.

  Drake, fuming with anger, lunged at Kazuki next, swinging his fists with raw power. Kazuki didn’t flinch. He ducked under Drake's punch and struck out with precise speed, knocking Drake to the ground with a single tap to his chest.

  Rinara summoned a blinding shield of light, attempting to trap Kazuki within. But with a swift swipe of his daggers, the shield shattered, and Kazuki moved effortlessly toward her. Rinara gasped as Kazuki appeared in front of her in an instant, only to be disarmed and knocked to the ground.

  Arin hesitated, unsure whether to join the fight, but Kazuki’s gaze was enough to freeze her in place. She felt a chill in her bones, a deep, unsettling feeling that reminded her of the coldness she had once witnessed in his eyes.

  It was down to Garron and Drake. Fueled by fury, they attacked in unison, their movements synchronized as they pushed toward Kazuki with relentless force.

  The battle had reshaped the once peaceful garden into a chaotic wasteland. Trees were uprooted, the earth cracked beneath their feet, and the very air seemed to hum with tension. Kazuki stood at the center of it all, his face emotionless, his eyes locked on his opponents.

  Drake, out of breath, lunged at Kazuki with everything he had left, his anger blinding him. He threw a punch, but Kazuki’s gaze pierced through him. It was as though Kazuki could see into Drake’s soul.

  In that moment, Drake faltered, his confidence evaporating like mist. Kazuki’s aura crushed his will, and in a blink, he was on the ground, knocked out cold.

  Garron wasn’t done yet, though. He refused to back down, even as his body ached from the onslaught. He recalled the Kazuki he had known—the boy who smiled, who fought alongside him. But now, all he saw was a monster. The memory of Kazuki’s smile sparked something deep within Garron.

  His body glowed with a golden aura as he charged at Kazuki, his determination unwavering. "I’ll never let you carry this burden alone!" he shouted, his voice full of resolve.

  Kazuki’s gaze hardened as he whispered, almost too quietly for anyone to hear, "Not yet."

  In an instant, Kazuki was behind Garron, his daggers flashing through the air. With a swift motion, he knocked Garron to the ground, his body collapsing from the sheer force. Garron lay still, unconscious.

  Kazuki stood over his fallen friends, his expression unchanged. The dust settled around him, the garden now a ruined battleground. He didn’t look at them, not with pity or regret. He simply turned, his cold, distant aura enveloping him once more.