Whispers of Omniscience

Zero stretched as he entered the classroom, feigning a yawn while subtly scanning the room.

Zero (thoughts): Three possible watchers. Maybe four.

His eyes flickered across the students.

Arlen Vale – Son of a noble warrior family, too straightforward to be the one tailing him.

Sorin Greaves – Always quiet, always watching. But his interest seemed more academic than suspicious.

Caius Renn – A schemer. Smiles too much. His family had ties to the royal court—potentially dangerous.

Reina Vaughn – A prodigy in battle formations. Observant. If she were a spy, she'd be an excellent one.

None of them reacted when he entered, but someone in this academy was watching him closely.

And then there was Lyra, still isolated at the back of the room. She kept her head down, but Zero had noticed it before—she was listening, always aware.

Zero (thoughts): If anyone else is getting these notes, it might be her.

The instructor clapped their hands, drawing the class's attention.

Instructor: "Today, we move beyond the Four Pillars. Combat is more than just strength, agility, focus, and control. It is also about strategy and deception."

Zero's fingers tapped idly on his desk.

Instructor: "We will study Feint Theory—the art of misleading your opponent. A battle is often decided before the first strike. A well-placed feint can determine the victor before a single clash of blades."

Instructor: "We will study how misdirection shapes battle. Some of history's greatest warriors never needed overwhelming strength—they simply made their enemies believe what they wanted."

Zero chuckled internally.

Zero (thoughts): Now that's a lesson worth paying attention to.

The instructor called up Arlen for strength and Zero for deception. The students laughed, underestimating him once more.

Arlen stood confidently, cracking his knuckles.

Arlen: "You should just surrender now. We both know how this ends."

Zero tilted his head, frowning slightly.

Zero: "Huh? Oh, right, yeah. Totally. Let's get this over with."

The instructor raised her hand.

Instructor: "Begin."

Arlen lunged forward, his attack swift and precise. Zero stumbled sideways at the last second, narrowly avoiding the strike.

Zero: "Whoa! Almost lost my balance!"

The students laughed, but Arlen scowled. He attacked again.

Zero ducked to fix his sandal, and the punch flew harmlessly overhead.

Arlen growled in frustration, launching a roundhouse kick. This time, Zero leaned back to stretch, and the kick whiffed past his face.

The class erupted into hysterics.

Student 1: "Is he dodging… on accident?"

Student 2: "This can't be real."

Arlen clenched his fists.

Arlen: "Stop messing around and fight me!"

Zero blinked.

Zero: "I am fighting? Kinda."

Arlen lunged one last time—full force, no holding back.

Zero's foot accidentally slipped on a loose tile, making him fall under Arlen's punch. His momentum sent him barreling straight into Arlen's legs, tripping him over.

A heavy thud echoed through the hall as Arlen crashed onto his back.

Silence.

Then, an eruption of laughter.

Student 1: "Did he just… win? By tripping?"

Student 2: "This is ridiculous!"

Zero sat up, rubbing his head.

Zero: "Ow. I think I lost."

The instructor pinched the bridge of her nose.

Instructor: "…Winner: Zero."

Arlen looked humiliated. 

Zero stood up, dusting himself off.

Zero (thoughts): Now, let's see if my little act fooled them or if they're already seeing through me.

From the shadows, the unseen observer's suspicions deepened.

Among the watching students, Caius Renn was grinning. Too much.

Zero (thoughts): He's either entertained or he's seeing through me.

Meanwhile, Reina Vaughn frowned, tapping her fingers against her desk in thought.

Unmasking the Spy

After the sparring match, Zero leaned back in his chair, pretending to doze off. His classmates were still laughing over Arlen's loss, but Zero was focused elsewhere.

Zero (thoughts): Someone's been watching me too closely.

He replayed every glance, every hesitation, every shift in movement. Then it clicked.

They never reacted too strongly. When others laughed at him, they only observed.

They never spoke much. A planted spy couldn't risk giving away too much information.

During the spar, they didn't laugh at all. They were too focused—analyzing, assessing.

His eyes flickered toward a specific student.

Zero (thoughts): There. Found you.

But he didn't stare for too long. Instead, he let out an exaggerated snore and slumped forward, playing the fool once more.

Now that he knew someone was feeding information to an unknown force, the next step was clear.

Zero (thoughts): Time to turn the game around.

That night, Zero returned to his room, half-expecting another note. He wasn't disappointed.

A folded slip of parchment rested beneath his pillow. But this time, it wasn't a warning.

It was a riddle.

"The wind speaks to those who listen, yet you hear nothing.

The blind see what you do not.

Seek the answer, or be swallowed by the storm."

Zero's grin faded slightly.

Zero (thoughts): This isn't just a threat. This is a game.

Someone wanted him to figure something out. Someone believed he was still capable of thinking at his kin's level. And worst of all… someone wanted to test him.

Zero placed the note under his candlelight, watching the ink glisten. A hidden message? He held it to the flame. No change.

Zero (thoughts): Who are you?

For now, he'd play along. But when he found out who was toying with him—whether an ally or an enemy—he'd make sure the game ended on his terms.