The sound of laughter filled the air as Benito, Junine, Jerry, and Rider strolled out of the cafeteria. Rider, as usual, was talking a mile a minute about his latest obsession—whether horses should be considered mythical beasts. His passionate argument about how his summoned horse could easily defeat a dragon had everyone else rolling their eyes.

  "I'm telling you, no fire-breathing lizard can beat Thunderhoof!" Rider insisted, puffing out his chest.

  "Yeah, yeah," Jerry replied with a smirk. "If Thunderhoof can even keep up with my cutting speed, maybe then we'll talk."

  Junine giggled. "You two are ridiculous."

  Benny, smiling absentmindedly, trailed a little behind, lost in thought. He couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed after his sparring match with Jerry. William Dangerfield's cryptic words still echoed in his mind: You remind me of someone.

  Before he could dwell on it much longer, Rider suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Hold up. I'm starving again. You guys head back to the dorms. I'm getting seconds."

  "Seriously?" Junine raised an eyebrow. "You just ate an entire tray of food."

  Rider gave her a grin. "What can I say? Big horse summons, big appetite."

  "Alright, but don't blame us when you fall into a food coma," Jerry called after him as Rider disappeared back toward the cafeteria.

  The three of them continued toward the dorms, the chatter dying down a bit as they walked through the sunlit campus. It was a peaceful afternoon at Super Duper Academy, the academy grounds buzzing with students testing their abilities or chatting in groups. It still felt strange to Benny, being in such a place where powers were the norm. He had never been surrounded by so many people like him before—people who had abilities that could change the world.

  Once they reached the dorm, they headed to the game room, where a few students were relaxing after classes. Jerry immediately grabbed a controller to challenge another student at some fighting game, while Benny and Junine took a seat nearby.

  Junine leaned over to Benny, nudging him slightly. "You've been quiet today. Something on your mind?"

  Benny shrugged, trying to shake off the weird feeling. "It's nothing. Just... trying to get used to all of this, I guess."

  Junine gave him a warm smile. "You'll get the hang of it. And if you ever need help, you've got us."

  Before Benny could respond, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw Rider's name flashing on the screen.

  "Rider? What does he want now?" Benny said, answering the call.

  At first, all Benny heard was heavy breathing on the other end, then Rider's panicked voice cut through the silence.

  "Benny... help. Please... help me."

  Benny shot up from his seat, his pulse racing. "Rider? What's going on?"

  The line crackled, and Rider's voice became more frantic. "I-I don't know who he is. He just showed up—"

  The call abruptly cut off. Benny stared at the phone, his heart pounding.

  "Rider?" he called into the phone, but there was only silence.

  Junine stood up next to him, her expression shifting to concern. "What's wrong?"

  Benny looked at her, panic rising in his chest. "It's Rider. He sounded... scared. We need to go find him. Now."

  Jerry dropped the controller, suddenly serious. "Where was he?"

  "The cafeteria. He said someone was after him."

  Without wasting another second, the three of them bolted out of the game room, sprinting across the academy grounds toward the cafeteria. Benny's mind raced with possibilities. Who could be targeting Rider? And why?

  As they neared the cafeteria, the atmosphere shifted. The usual energy of the academy felt off, like the air was heavier. When they arrived, the cafeteria doors were wide open, but the place was eerily quiet. Benny pushed through the doors, and they entered cautiously.

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  Then, they saw him.

  Rider was lying on the ground, unconscious, a faint bruise on his forehead. Standing over him was a man Benny didn't recognize. He was tall and cloaked in a long dark coat, his posture relaxed as if he didn't have a care in the world. His arms were crossed, but Benny noticed the faint glow of energy around his wrists.

  The man looked up as the three students entered, a cold smile crossing his face. His eyes, piercing and full of malice, locked onto Benny.

  "Ah, Benito Velasquez," the man said in a mocking tone. "I've been looking for you."

  "Who the hell are you?" Jerry demanded, stepping forward, his hand already glowing with the energy of his cutting ability.

  The man ignored him, his gaze never leaving Benny. "I go by Kurru. The name won't mean much to you now, but it will soon enough."

  Benny clenched his fists, his purple balls already beginning to form on his fingertips. "What did you do to Rider?"

  Kurru glanced down at Rider's unconscious form. "Oh, don't worry. He's not dead. Yet."

  Junine's eyes narrowed, and purple ropes began to glow in her hands, ready to strike. "If you hurt him—"

  Kurru chuckled darkly. "Hurt him? No. But if you don't come with me, Benito, I can promise things will get much worse for him. And for your friends here."

  Benny's heart sank. Kurru's threat hung in the air like a noose tightening around him. His mind raced with options, but none of them seemed good. He had no idea what this guy wanted with him, and the fact that Kurru had found him here, of all places, made it clear that this wasn't random.

  "What do you want with me?" Benny asked, taking a step forward, the balls on his fingers pulsing with power.

  Kurru tilted his head, a sinister smile still plastered on his face. "Let's just say... your father left behind some unfinished business. And now it's time for you to clean it up."

  Benny froze, his blood running cold. My father? He didn't know much about the man who had disappeared from his life before he was even born. But for Kurru to know...

  "Come with me," Kurru said again, his voice dripping with menace. "Or I'll kill your friends right here."

  The weight of the situation pressed down on Benny. He looked back at Junine and Jerry, both of them ready to fight, but he could see the worry in their eyes. Rider, unconscious on the floor, didn't have the luxury of fighting back.

  Benny had no choice. Not yet. He had to buy time, figure out who this Kurru was, and why he seemed so obsessed with his father.

  He took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll come with you. But don't hurt them."

  Kurru's smile widened, pleased with Benny's surrender. "Smart choice, boy."

  Benito's heart raced as he stepped forward, his mind torn between the overwhelming desire to fight and the safety of his friends. Kurru's cold, calculating smile made him sick to his stomach, but Benny had no choice. He had to protect them. Even if it meant surrendering.

  Junine and Jerry stood behind him, tense and ready, but Benny gave them a small shake of his head as if to say, Not yet. He wasn't sure what Kurru's full plan was, but Benny knew he'd have to go along with it—at least for now.

  Kurru motioned for Benny to follow, his fingers twitching as if preparing to fire one of his deadly wrist arrows. "Let's go, boy," Kurru hissed, turning his back on Junine and Jerry as if daring them to act.

  For a few tense moments, Benny took a step forward, keeping his face neutral. He glanced over at Rider, who was still unconscious on the floor, and guilt twisted in his chest. He had to find a way to stop Kurru—fast.

  Suddenly, without warning, a sharp whip cracked through the air. Benny spun around just in time to see Junine's purple ropes lashing out, wrapping tightly around Kurru's legs before he could react.

  "What the—!" Kurru growled, stumbling as the ropes pulled taut, tangling him in place.

  "Now!" Junine shouted.

  Jerry was already in motion, his hand glowing with the faint shimmer of his cutting ability. He dashed forward with lightning speed and slashed across Kurru's back with a quick swipe. The impact sent Kurru staggering forward, gasping in pain, his coat shredded.

  "You little—" Kurru spat, but before he could finish, Benito had already formed a purple ball on his fingertip, the energy swirling rapidly. He flung it straight at Kurru's chest.

  The ball hit Kurru with a thud, knocking the wind out of him as he stumbled back again, his legs still bound by Junine's ropes.

  Kurru gritted his teeth and raised his arms, shooting a volley of arrows from his wrists. But his aim was wild, and the arrows scattered across the room, embedding into walls and tables but missing his targets.

  "Damn it!" Kurru cursed. He tried to break free from the ropes, but Junine's hold was too strong, and Jerry was already preparing for another strike.

  "You're outnumbered," Benito said, his voice steady, though his heart still pounded in his chest. "You can't win this."

  Kurru's eyes darted between them, calculating his next move. He snarled, realizing that he was at a clear disadvantage. His plan had been to grab Benny and get out quietly, but now the element of surprise was gone. If he stayed any longer, he'd be overwhelmed.

  "You're lucky this time," Kurru spat, glaring at Benito. "But this isn't over, boy. Not by a long shot."

  With one final, frustrated growl, Kurru raised his arms and shot a concentrated blast of arrows at the ceiling. The debris from the shattered tiles rained down, giving him just enough cover to tear through Junine's ropes and make a break for it. By the time the dust settled, Kurru was already gone, disappearing into the shadows.

  The tension in the room remained thick as the three of them caught their breath. Benny glanced around, half-expecting Kurru to come back for a second round, but there was nothing. Only silence.

  Jerry exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "That guy... he's dangerous."

  "No kidding," Junine muttered, her ropes slowly fading into the air as she released her power. "Who was he, Benny? Why was he after you?"

  Benny shook his head, feeling the weight of the question bearing down on him. He didn't have an answer—not a clear one, anyway. All he knew was that Kurru had mentioned his father, and that alone made Benny's stomach twist with dread.

  "I don't know... yet," Benny said softly. "But we need to get Rider out of here before anything else happens."

  They hurried over to Rider, who was still unconscious but breathing steadily. Jerry and Benny hoisted him up, supporting his weight between them as they started back toward the dorms.

  As they walked, Benito couldn't help but feel a gnawing sense of unease. This was supposed to be a new chapter of his life—a fresh start at Super Duper Academy. But now, the shadow of his father's past had caught up with him. Kurru was part of something bigger, something connected to a world Benny barely understood.

  They finally made it back to the dorm, laying Rider down on one of the couches in the common room. Benny sank into a chair nearby, running a hand through his messy hair.

  "Are you okay?" Junine asked, sitting beside him.

  "I don't know," Benny admitted, staring down at his hands. The purple energy from his power still lingered faintly on his fingertips, but for the first time, he felt like he didn't have control over his own life. His ability was strong—maybe too strong. And now, people were coming after him because of who his father was.

  "We'll figure it out," Junine said softly, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We'll stick together. Whatever's coming... we'll handle it. All of us."

  Benny looked up at her and nodded, though deep down, he knew this was just the beginning. Kurru's words echoed in his mind: This isn't over, boy. Not by a long shot.

  As the sun began to set outside the dorm window, casting long shadows across the room, Benny realized that he couldn't hide from the truth forever. Whoever his father had been, whatever he'd done—it was Benny's problem now. And sooner or later, Kurru—or worse—would be back.

  But for now, they were safe. And that would have to be enough.

  To be continued...