Chapter 9: Echoes and First Impressions


    <hr>


    The Aftermath


    Axel’s entire body ached.


    His ribs throbbed, his legs felt like bricks, and his arms were about as useful as wet noodles. But despite losing, despite the brutal beating he’d taken…


    He felt damn good.


    He was still lying on the ground of the sparring arena, staring up at the academy’s neon-lit ceiling while Tempo lay sprawled across his chest, occasionally twitching.


    “Dude,” Axel groaned. “Next time, we should maybe… not get hit by lightning.”


    Tempo’s tail weakly flopped onto Axel’s face.


    Ryder loomed over him a second later, grinning. “Well. That could’ve gone worse.”


    Axel scoffed. “We lost, Voss.”


    “Yeah, but you didn’t get totally annihilated.” Ryder knelt down, offering Axel a hand. “People actually think you’re legit now.”


    Axel hesitated, then grabbed his hand, letting Ryder pull him up. The second he was standing, a wave of dizziness hit.


    Rook cackled from the sidelines. “That was a work of art.”


    Axel shot him a glare. “You set me up.”


    Rook shrugged, completely unrepentant. “Of course I did. Best way to learn is to get your ass kicked in front of an audience.”


    Axel groaned. “You’re the worst.”


    Rook grinned. “And you’re improving. So I’d say we’re even.”


    Ryder nudged him. “Seriously, man. Look around.”


    Axel glanced up.


    And sure enough—people weren’t mocking him anymore.


    They were talking.


    Murmuring.


    Jace had won, sure—but Axel had lasted way longer than anyone expected. And that mattered.


    It meant his name wasn’t a joke anymore.


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    Axel smirked. “Not bad for a dude with a monkey.”


    Tempo, still draped over his shoulder, raised a shaky fist. "Heh. Heh."


    <hr>


    The Rival’s Response


    Jace, meanwhile, was standing at the far end of the arena, arms crossed, watching Axel.


    “Never thought I’d see the day,” said a voice beside him.


    Jace glanced to his right.


    Sienna Vale—one of the top-ranking first-years—leaned casually against the barrier, watching Axel with mild interest.


    “You actually looked like you had to try for a second there,” she said, smirking.


    Jace exhaled. “He’s still nowhere near my level.”


    Sienna raised an eyebrow. “Maybe. But he’s getting there.”


    Jace didn’t answer.


    Because that was exactly what bothered him.


    Axel Mercer was supposed to be a non-threat. A weakling.


    And yet, for the first time in years, Jace had felt it—


    That tiny spark of uncertainty.


    He didn’t like it.


    <hr>


    The Girl in the Library


    After dragging himself to his dorm for a very necessary nap, Axel woke up to the realization that—oh yeah—he still had actual schoolwork to do.


    Helix Academy wasn’t just about fighting. Cipher Training was important, but so was theoretical coursework. Students had to study Cipher Evolution Theory, Combat Strategy, Battle Mechanics… all things Axel had mostly been ignoring.


    So, begrudgingly, he dragged himself to the academy library.


    It was a massive, multi-floor structure—quiet, dimly lit, filled with holographic bookshelves that hovered in the air, shifting based on user requests.


    Axel wasn’t even sure where to start.


    Until someone cleared their throat behind him.


    He turned.


    A girl stood there—petite, nervous-looking, clutching a tablet to her chest.


    She had dark auburn hair tied into a low ponytail, oversized glasses, and a Helix Academy jacket that looked slightly too big for her. She shifted awkwardly under Axel’s gaze, eyes flicking to the side before she spoke.


    “U-Um.” She adjusted her glasses. “You’re Axel Mercer… right?”


    Axel blinked. “Uh. Yeah?”


    Her fingers fidgeted against her tablet. “I, um… saw your match earlier.”


    Axel braced himself for the usual ‘Wow, you got your ass kicked’ comments.


    But instead, she smiled—small, but genuine.


    “I thought you were… really impressive.”


    Axel froze.


    “…Wait. What?”


    She flushed slightly, looking down. “I mean, you lost, but… the way you and your Cipher Beast moved together? That was amazing.”


    Axel blinked. This was… new.


    Most of the time, people either laughed at him or ignored him completely.


    This girl?


    She actually looked… impressed.


    He rubbed the back of his neck. “Uh, thanks.”


    She hesitated, then nervously held out her hand.


    “I—I’m Iris, by the way.”


    Axel glanced down at her hand, then shook it. “Nice to meet you, Iris.”


    Tempo, still perched on his shoulder, tilted his head.


    Then, after a beat, he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.


    Axel elbowed him.


    Iris laughed softly. “Your Cipher Beast is… really funny.”


    Axel exhaled. “Yeah. He’s something.”


    There was a pause.


    Then, hesitantly, Iris asked—


    “…Do you want some help with your coursework?”


    Axel blinked.


    She was… offering to help him?


    That was definitely new.


    And considering the fact that he was completely failing Cipher Theory, maybe he should actually—


    “Yeah,” Axel said, grinning. “That’d be cool.”


    Iris smiled.


    And just like that, Axel had made his first friend that wasn’t actively trying to kill him.