"Do you believe yourself beneath Alaric?

  Hearing that, Adira froze. Did she truly see herself as someone’s inferior? Maybe. Alaric had cast a long shadow over her heart—one she struggled to escape. No matter what she did, it felt like she would never reach his level.

  Being confronted with such a direct question, especially in front of her peers, nearly broke her. Something long buried beneath her outgoing fa?ade clawed its way to the surface.

  “N-No… b-but—” she stammered, desperately grasping for an explanation—anything to justify the storm inside her. But how could she? She couldn’t let them see the truth. Couldn’t let them glimpse the tangled mess of emotions she barely understood herself.

  Was it pride? Shame? Perhaps both. But then, which of the seven generals wasn’t prideful? They were among the strongest people on Earth. Even the humblest soul would feel a flicker of pride in their position. And who among them could stomach such a question—especially from their own boss—without their pride taking a hit?

  From the sidelines, Alaric clenched his fists. He had no reason to feel guilty, and yet, the weight of it settled in his chest like a stone. He had only ever done his best to meet Nova’s expectations as leader of the generals. And yet, his mere existence had become a source of suffering for one of his friends.

  “Adi—”

  Alaric barely got a syllable out before he felt it—Nova’s gaze locking onto him, cold and sharp. It was a silent warning, a challenge daring him to finish his sentence.

  He didn’t.

  He had no desire to become the target of that cold stare. Instead, he shut his mouth and lowered his gaze, slipping back into the role of a silent observer.

  The other five generals beside him had also noticed the exchange. None of them spoke. They knew better. If they tried, the same thing would happen to them—and if it happened one too many times, they risked angering Nova. That was something they had no intention of doing, for two reasons.

  One: He was their leader, and they respected him.

  Two: Sometimes… he was simply too unpredictable.

  Shira’s intel on Nova’s friends had revealed more about his personality, shedding light on some of his more questionable actions. Yet, despite the uncertainty that surrounded him, they all knew one thing for certain—he would never hurt Adira.

  So they watched in silence as the scene continued to unfold.

  Nova shifted his gaze back to Adira, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade.

  “Did he shatter your confidence?”

  Struggling to steady herself, Adira met her boss’s gaze and whispered, “What if he did?”

  Nova’s expression remained unreadable. “Then it means you’re weak,” he said flatly.

  The words struck like a slap, making Adira’s body tense. A slight quiver betrayed her reaction, but Nova wasn’t finished.

  “I’m not talking about strength,” he continued, his voice cold and measured. “No. What I mean is… your mentality is weak.”

  Adira’s jaw tightened. Anger surged through her, a sharp rebuttal forming on her tongue, but before she could speak, Nova pressed on.

  “I expected to see your egos inflated when I heard six months had passed, yet here you are—an exception.” His eyes bore into hers, unwavering. “Tell me, haven’t you ever felt what it’s like to be admired? How many people out there see you as untouchable? How many train relentlessly, believing that if they push hard enough, they might one day stand where you do?”

  Her hands clenched into fists. “They don’t know the difference between monsters and normal people!” she spat, her body trembling with frustration. “They don’t understand that some people are simply out of reach! That no matter how hard they—”

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  Laughter.

  It cut through the air like a blade—sharp, unexpected, unsettling. But it wasn’t amusement that laced Nova’s voice. It was something darker.

  Adira froze, her words dying in her throat as she stared at him. His laughter wasn’t one of joy, nor was it mocking. It was madness—provoked by the absurdity of her claim.

  And in that moment, she had no idea why.

  The other generals didn’t understand either, but they could only speculate.

  Nova’s laughter faded, replaced by an icy calm. His gaze locked onto Adira as he spoke, his voice slow and deliberate.

  “Instead of striving to surpass him, you chose to crumble beneath him. And now, you justify it with this ‘monster’ nonsense.” He exhaled, shaking his head slightly. “This is my fault. Six months away, and I left you all unchecked. Very well—I’ll help you solve your problem. But I expect those pathetic words to never come from any of my generals again.”

  His eyes swept over the others, and though he hadn’t raised his voice, they dared not take his words lightly. Involuntarily, they nodded in silent agreement.

  Then, his gaze returned to Adira.

  She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Could it really be so simple? A problem that had plagued her for months—something that had consumed her thoughts, robbed her of sleep, and worn her down—was it something that could just… be fixed?

  She refused to accept it so easily. If it were that simple, then what had all her suffering been for?

  Even so, she waited, watching Nova, unwilling to let go of her doubts just yet.

  “Tell me, Adira—do you think Alaric is perfect?” Nova’s tone remained as indifferent as before. He didn’t wait for her to answer before continuing.

  “Have you ever asked him about his insecurities? I made him the leader of the generals and ordered him to master each of your skills. If you all train four hours a day, then he has to train twenty-four just to keep up with you six.”

  At Nova’s words, the generals—including Adira—turned to look at Alaric. He stood still, head bowed, seemingly lost in thought. It had never crossed their minds before. Alaric was always there when they gathered, always composed, always carrying himself as if everything was fine.

  Nova’s voice cut through the silence once more.

  “Did you take breaks in your training? I’m talking about entire days.”

  A wave of unease settled over Adira. She could feel a cold sweat forming as a sense of guilt crept in. Her voice wavered. “Y-Yes…”

  Nova shifted his attention to Alaric. “And you? How many breaks have you taken?”

  Alaric inhaled deeply before answering. “None.”

  The weight of that single word crashed over the six generals like a tidal wave.

  They had all taken breaks—some more, some less—but in the end, they all had. Darius and Nox were the ones who pushed themselves the hardest, rarely skipping a day, and their relentless effort had solidified their place among the top three.

  But Alaric? He hadn’t rested at all.

  And suddenly, the gap between them made sense.

  Shira was more of a spy than a frontline fighter. While her close combat skills were exceptional, she couldn’t match her peers who had dedicated themselves entirely to mastering it.

  Malachi was beyond reproach—he had balanced his responsibilities and training perfectly. Nova couldn’t ask more from him.

  Hector, on the other hand, had been managing the guards, training them while reserving just enough time for himself to avoid falling too far behind the others.

  But Adira…

  She had taken the most days off.

  They all knew she was responsible for training her faction, but looking back, it was clear—she had deliberately skipped her own training under the guise of mentoring new members. At the time, none of them had questioned it. But now, the truth was painfully obvious.

  Nova’s gaze returned to Adira, whose face had turned pale as a sheet. His voice was calm, but his words struck like daggers.

  “You wanted to compare yourself to someone who never takes a single day off… while you do?”

  He took a step closer.

  “You picked the class ‘None.’ Maybe by accident, maybe on purpose. But once you made that choice, you must have realized its true potential—along with its consequences.”

  Adira felt the weight of reality crash down on her, nearly bringing her to her knees. The truth was undeniable now—she had been squandering her potential for months. She had convinced herself that others were simply better, never once questioning why they had become so strong while she had remained stagnant.

  But now, not even able to lie to herself, she saw the reason.

  Nova’s voice cut through her spiraling thoughts. “I don’t want to hear excuses like that anymore. From now on, you won’t take a single day off. I’ll have someone personally check on you.” His lips curled into a slight smile, as if he derived some twisted satisfaction from the thought of someone else enduring hours of relentless training every day.

  “We’ll see how strong you’ll be in a month’s time.”

  At first, Adira might have found this approach overwhelming. But instead, she felt something she hadn’t in a long time: a sense of clarity. A purpose. A routine she could follow, and accountability—something she had sorely lacked.

  “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice filled with a quiet resolve.

  Nova’s gaze softened, but only slightly. “Don’t thank me yet. Thank me when you’ve surpassed Alaric in your field.” He exhaled a long, weary sigh before adding, “Now go back. You’re not in the right state of mind to spar.”

  Adira nodded, mind filled with thoughts. She made her way toward her friends, they acknowledged her silently, each offering a small nod of support. Alaric, though, gave her a brief word of encouragement, his quiet words lifting her spirits just enough to coax a faint smile from her.

  Seeing the scene unfold before him, Nova allowed himself a moment of quiet reflection. ‘At least they’re united,’ he thought, before his voice rang out once more.

  “Nox, you’re up.”

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