For nearly a week, Kai had felt it. A presence. Subtle, constant, unwavering.
At first, he thought it was paranoia. A lingering anxiety after his duel with Emille, a heightened awareness from the transition to E-class. But no, this was something else entirely.
Whoever was watching him wasn't sloppy. There were no footsteps out of place, no stray breaths too close, no flicker of mana to track. It was as if a phantom followed his every move, always just beyond his perception, yet there.
In the cafeteria, the feeling lingered behind him while he ate. Each bite felt heavier than usual, and he found himself keeping his back to the wall. He tested his senses, tried to hone in on the presence, but nothing.
He tested it in subtle ways. Dropping a spoon in the cafeteria, pretending to stretch while sneaking glances over his shoulder, even weaving a whisper of shadow magic behind him to see if it caught on anything. Nothing. No flicker of mana, no footsteps, no sign that anyone was there.
