The morning sun shone over the garden of sunflowers, casting a golden glow across the swaying blooms as Arthur exhaled, a slow stream of smoke curling from his mouth.
After yesterday's exam, the morale of everyone had plummeted. Most of the remaining teams stayed indoors, while others tried to grasp the bigger picture amidst the trauma.
Arthur took some time for a smoke break outside, when suddenly he heard footsteps crunching on the gravel path.
Joseph stood at the edge of the path, hands in his pockets, his usual composed demeanor softened, "Mind if I join you?"
Arthur flicked ash with a casual flick, "Knock yourself out."
Joseph settled beside him on the stone bench, "How's your team?" he asked.
After a quick drag, Arthur exhaled, "Miles wanted to stay behind in our dorm room for a bit. Gwin had to do something. Overall, we're doing okay. What about you? How was it yesterday?"
"Violet got crushed," Joseph said abruptly, "Armageddon increased her gravity. One second she was beside me, the next she was screaming in pain as her bones were crushed. Jackie tried to counter by transcending lightning speed, but Armageddon outsmarted him—reversed Jackie's mass and shot him all the way out of orbit."
After listening, Arthur untied his hair, letting it fall loose, "I see."
"And you?" Joseph pressed.
"Gwin died. After Sin knocked her through a building, her Trigger turned her into a puppet as a last-ditch effort, but he blasted her with some energy wave." His grip on the cigarette tightened, "Miles barely got the hostage out, but his Trigger went on a rampage. Didn't last long until Sin destroyed it."
Joseph's gaze sharpened, cutting through the smoke, "But you won."
"Yeah." Arthur took a final drag before crushing the cigarette underfoot, "Not sure it counts as winning."
A breeze rustled the sunflowers in front of them, their petals dancing in the wind.
"These tests lately…" Joseph mused, his voice low, "Are completely different from what the previous years' exams have been. I'm surprised so many of us are still in this."
Arthur side-eyed him, "My mom and siblings told me how the exam went for them. I must say that either we're over-leveled for this, or they're making it easier on purpose. Yesterday's exam was the hardest part so far, in my opinion."
"Could be because of me," Joseph admitted, "The Elders would most likely want me to become like my grandfather. They could influence the way these tests have been conducted."
Arthur lightly chuckled, "I find it unlikely. I see it as a way to learn how everyone's Trigger—especially complex users—works in different environments. Since we're considered the strongest form of Trigger users, learning how we use them in varied settings will benefit them in the future."
Joseph leaned forward to pick up a sunflower, "Are you implying that this whole exam is a front so they can test out their future cogs in this mechanism?"
"Wouldn't you?" Arthur replied.
Joseph remained quiet, not giving an answer. Arthur averted his gaze toward the sky.
"Did you read the book?" Joseph asked casually.
Arthur nodded slightly, "What happened to the ending?"
"I simply ripped it out," Joseph said, "From my point of view, the reader creates the ending of the story. I see you as the Blue, while I'm the Red, under the same principle of the book's new ending conditions. I wanted to create an ending where the Red Oni won." He crushed the sunflower in his palm, its petals disintegrating into dust that scattered on the breeze.
Arthur's pulse spiked slightly.
"But you decided to change the Blue Oni character completely," Joseph continued, standing up and staring toward the sky as he recalled the voices that had shaped his life—Get revenge, avenge your grandfather, bring back his honor. "Making it harder to see myself as the rightful winner of this feud."
He turned and locked eyes with Arthur with an intense, "My entire life's purpose has been to get strong enough so that if you were to become a villain, I would be the only one to put you down. So I'll ask you once: Did you believe you were innocent?"
Arthur got up, never breaking Joseph's stare, "For the longest time, I wanted an excuse so it wouldn't be my fault. I started blaming gods, devils, and fate's children, Absurdity and Blessings. But no matter how hard I tried, it was my fault that your grandfather died." He continued, his voice laced with regret, "When Empire Gold and Kaizer fought… I was watching their final showdown. It was incredible. Little old me was jumping up and down, feeling my heart about to burst out of my chest. Then my Trigger activated at the worst time. Just a second later, his Trigger was gone." He looked regretful toward Joseph, his eyes heavy, "Kaizer didn't hesitate and killed him, right in front of me."
Joseph didn't move, but his golden eyes glowed brightly, "I see. So it was an accident, then."
"I still carry that sin with me," Arthur replied, "Accident or not, I was the cause, and the effect was his life."
Silence stretched between them.
Then Joseph laughed, "Damn it." He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, "I wish I could hate you. It'd be simpler."
Arthur said nothing, his expression softening, "Believe me, I wish you could too."