Ascension: Rebirth in a World of Powers-Chapter 30 - : Shadows of Betrayal

Eren paced back and forth in the abandoned training hall, his mind racing with everything that had happened. The battle with Darius had been costly, but they had survived. The Shard was still in his possession, glowing faintly with its otherworldly energy. Yet, despite their victory, a nagging unease settled in his chest.

Kaelena leaned against the wall, her arms crossed. "You're overthinking things," she said, watching him.

Eren stopped, rubbing his temple. "Am I? We barely made it out of that fight, and now the academy is in chaos. Darius might be out of the picture for now, but that doesn't mean we've won."

She let out a sigh. "No, but we've bought ourselves time. And we have allies now. That counts for something."

Eren wasn't so sure. Something about the last fight didn't sit right with him. He thought back to the moment when the Shard had reacted, when he had tapped into something deeper than just his flames. The raw power had surged through him, but it had come at a cost—his body was still recovering from the strain.

Elara and Kain entered the training hall, looking grim. "We have a problem," Elara said, holding up a crumpled note.

Eren took it, his stomach twisting as he read the words:

The real enemy is closer than you think. Trust no one.

His fingers clenched around the paper. "Where did you get this?"

Kain crossed his arms. "It was slipped under our door. No signature, no sign of who left it."

Kaelena's eyes darkened. "Great. Just what we needed—more paranoia."

Eren exhaled slowly. "This isn't random. Someone is trying to warn us." He looked at the others. "We need to be careful. If there's a traitor among us..."

Elara nodded. "We should keep our guard up. But we also need to find out who sent this."

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Eren agreed. They had already fought one battle, but it seemed their war was just beginning.

As the night deepened, Eren lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. His mind replayed every interaction he had with their allies. Could one of them be a spy? Or was this note meant to sow distrust among them?

The next morning, the academy was buzzing with tension. The courtyard, once filled with students practicing their powers, now held an air of suspicion. Whispers spread like wildfire about Darius's defeat, but also about Eren's growing strength.

Professor Aldric, one of the academy's senior instructors, called for an emergency assembly. Eren and his allies gathered in the grand hall, watching as the staff took their positions on the stage.

Aldric's sharp eyes scanned the room before he spoke. "The events of the past days have not gone unnoticed. The academy cannot allow unchecked battles among students. Order must be maintained."

Kaelena whispered, "This doesn't sound good."

Eren frowned. "No, it doesn't."

Aldric continued, "Effective immediately, all students will undergo an evaluation to assess their combat potential and ensure balance within the academy."

Murmurs erupted across the hall. Evaluation? This was nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt at control.

One student spoke up. "And if we refuse?"

Aldric's expression darkened. "Then you will be removed from the academy."

Eren clenched his fists. This was worse than he had expected. Someone was pulling the strings behind the scenes. Whether it was the staff or a hidden force, they were trying to weed out threats.

Elara leaned in. "We need to be careful. If they suspect us of working against them, they could separate us."

Kain gritted his teeth. "Let them try."

Eren wasn't willing to risk everything just yet. "We'll go through the evaluations, but we need to be ready for anything."

Later that night, as Eren returned to his dorm, a faint knock echoed through the hall. He cautiously opened the door, only to find another note on the floor.

This one was different.

The storm is coming. Prepare yourself.

Eren's grip tightened on the paper. The academy was changing, and soon, no one would be safe.