In the span of a few tense breaths, Jaxton stood frozen, staring at Raven. Even without touching him, she radiated a pressure that made it hard to breathe.


    But he clenched his fists tightly, forcing himself to lift his chin and meet her gaze.


    "I said something wrong? What are you, exactly? What right do you have to threaten someone''s future at Regalhold, or block a qualified candidate from entering the Hundred-Man Unit?"


    He didn''t get an answer. He got a kick to the chest.


    The dull thud of impact echoed sharply across the field.


    Jaxton, who had only just managed to sit up moments before, was sent crashing back to the ground.


    Pain surged through his chest like a tidal wave, blood rising fast and spilling from the corner of his mouth.


    Raven lowered her foot, calm as ever, and looked down at him.


    "You want to talk about qualifications?" she said softly. "Stand up first. Then we''ll talk."


    Jaxton''s left hand curled into a fist.


    The hatred in his eyes had turned razor-sharp.


    He didn''t just want to kill her.


    He wanted her to suffer. He wanted to drag her through every nightmare imaginable before he let her die.


    "I''m a direct heir of the Barrera family," he growled. "If you touch me again, you''d better be ready for the wrath of my entire bloodline."


    Ravenughed. "The Barrera family?"


    Before he could react, she took a single, casual step forward-and stomped down on his right leg.


    The sound of bone shattering rang out, followed immediately by Jaxton''s shriek of agony.


    "You should be grateful," Raven said coldly. "If I weren''t trying to keep things clean inside the academy, what you''d lose today wouldn''t just be a hand and a leg."


    She turned her head slightly and called out, "Leopard, I don''t want to see this trash anywhere near the academy again."


    Leopard, still struggling to breathe under the weight of her presence, instinctively nodded.


    "Y... Yes, ma''am."


    He scrambled to his feet, then hauled Jaxton''s limp body off the ground and dragged him toward the academy gates.


    Nearly a hundred trainees in ss Six stood frozen, staring at Jaxton''s mangled form as he was dragged away.


    None of them missed the pain on his face-or the terrifying ease with which Raven had destroyed him.


    The fear in their eyes deepened.


    Meanwhile, Steve-still among the standing-felt an inexplicable sense of relief.


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    +50)


    22:50 Sun, 20 Apr A.


    Thank God he hadn''t said out loud what he''d been thinking just moments earlier.


    the had, it might''ve been him being dragged out right now.


    But the gratitude faded quickly, reced by a colder re.


    She''s just some low-born nobody from a backwater city. What right does she


    have to humiliate heirs from noble houses like this? Let me get out of this squad. Just once. And I''ll make her pay


    As he swore vengeance in his heart, Raven''s gaze suddenly flicked to him.


    Steve flinched, his body reacting before his mind could catch up.


    But Raven didn''t move. She didn''t speak.


    Instead, her phone buzzed in her pocket.


    She pulled it out and nced at the screen.


    It was a message from "Big Baby" on WhatsApp. [Seventh Teaching Building. Room 302.]


    Raven blinked.


    Then she remembered-she''d sent a message earlier: [Wannae find me?]


    No reply.


    Now, this? Short. Cold. Pouting. Clearly, Cassian was still sulking.


    If he weren''t, he''d have shown up at the training ground all smug and smugger.


    But instead, he was making her go to him.


    Still... if it was the man she liked, even if he throws a tantrum, she would spoil him like royalty. Even if she had to crawl.


    Just then, Leopard returned from dumping Jaxton outside.


    Raven gave him a few instructions for the next two hours of training, then headed toward the teaching wing.


    While the new recruits were sweating through military drills, the upperssmen had already started their semester,


    It was ss time.


    As she approached the Seventh Teaching Building, students streamed in through the main entrance.


    Snippets of gossip floated through the air.


    "Are you guys here for Cassian too?"


    "Obviously. You think I''de to ss early on my day off if it wasn''t for him?"


    "I literally ditched a ss to be here. Ugh. I heard he''s dating I now. At least today she''s not on campus, so we can actually


    look at him


    "Yeah, they say Cassian and I are the perfect couple, but honestly? I don''t see


    it."


    "Right? In my heart, no one deserves him. Cassian is like... a masterpiece. You admire from afar, but you don''t touch."


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    22:50 Sun, 20 Apr