Chapter 16: Fracture
Late at night, the wind had stilled.
Nie Shi jolted awake from a dream, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead.
The forest had appeared again.
This time, the blurred figure stepped closer. He tried to see its face, but every time he focused, the entire scene would ripple and dissolve like disturbed water.
Void—that black spear—seemed to be drawing something from that dream.
He looked down at the synchronization meter by his bedside. The icy-blue digits glowed clearly: 62%.
It had been 47% just the day before.
"…It's rising too fast."
Such a surge wasn't normal. Not for any Armament.
Void sat quietly by the desk. Compared to when it first manifested, its form had changed: faint violet-black lines now ran along the spearhead, like memories—foreign and wild—were threading their way through it.
He reached out to touch it, but just as his fingers neared the surface, a subtle tremor pulsed from the weapon—
As if an emotion was waiting to be set free.
—
The next morning, the air in Class E3 felt heavier than usual.
Zhong Lan stood at the front of the classroom, her expression unreadable as she swept her gaze across the students.
"Following your return from the trial zone, the system detected anomalous resonance feedback."
She paused. "Over half the class saw a synchronization rate increase of more than twenty percent within twenty-four hours. Three students experienced minor emotional outbursts."
Su Xu frowned. "Wait, so… Armaments can throw tantrums now?"
Meng Yao shrugged. "Like pets. Feed them too many feelings and they bite."
"Don't compare them to pets," Lin Kui whispered. Only Nie Shi, seated beside her, could hear. "They're… another version of you."
"Enough," Zhong Lan cut in coldly. "Today's lesson is about Armament growth paths."
She turned and wrote three terms on the board:
• Emotional Anchor
• Memory Fill
• Armament Evolution
"These determine whether your Armament can truly grow," she said, scanning the room. "You think running missions will make you stronger? You don't even understand what you're wielding."
"An Emotional Anchor is your initial link to your Armament. It doesn't have to be love or hate. Sometimes… it's just an unfinished wish."
"A Memory Fill is its food. The more pieces it's missing, the harder it is to grow—"
Nie Shi's chest tightened.
"What if… the Armament's memories weren't mine to begin with?" Meng Yao raised his hand, eyes bright.
Zhong Lan glanced at him but offered no reply.
The room fell silent.
"Finally, Armament Evolution. Every Armament has a potential path. Your task is to help it awaken."
Lin Kui leaned slightly toward Nie Shi, voice like mist. "When you were playing piano yesterday… I think Void was listening."
"It felt like… it was searching for its melody."
—
Later that day, in the piano room.
Nie Shi sat by the window, the light outside dappled and scattered. He had just finished a classical piece; his fingertips still tingled with resonance. Lin Kui's words kept echoing in his mind.
He still didn't understand Void. Sometimes, it was quiet as stone. Other times, it was like a beast waiting to strike. He didn't know if it trusted him.
Or if he trusted it.
Footsteps approached softly.
Lin Kui entered.
"This is for you." She handed him a folded piece of paper. "I wrote it as a kid… no one's ever heard it. Maybe Void will listen."
He opened it.
If I could forget, then you wouldn't have to hurt.
The handwriting was messy, but the words hit like a nail to the heart.
"…Thanks."
Her cheeks turned pink. "I just… think you're not alone."
—
The next morning, the classroom door opened again.
Zhong Lan walked in, holding a thin file in her hand.
"Announcement," she said calmly. "We'll be welcoming a new transfer student today."
The room erupted instantly.
"A transfer? Into E3?"
"Is that even allowed?"
"Bet it's another freak."
Zhong Lan didn't explain. "She passed system verification."
A soft knock came from outside.
"Come in."
The door opened slowly.
A girl stepped in.
She wore the standard uniform, tall and composed. Her gait was light, confident without being aggressive. Softly curled black hair framed a serene expression.
Standing before the class, she smiled politely.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Luo Jia—Jia with the 'king' radical. I transferred from the Southern Division. I'll be joining Class E3. Nice to meet you."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried effortlessly through the room. Like ink dropped into clear water—it spread, naturally.
In the front row, Su Xu smirked and leaned toward Lin Kui. "Wow. Knows how to make an entrance."
Lin Kui said nothing, eyes resting on the girl's fingers—long and steady. Trained.
Meng Yao reclined in his seat, eyes narrowing.
"She doesn't feel like a transfer…" he murmured. "She feels like an observer."
A few boys in the back muttered among themselves:
"Whoa. She's hot."
"Guess our average beauty score just jumped."
"She looks like the type to kill you with a smile."
One girl snapped her pen shut with a click, clearly annoyed. "Great. Another overachiever. Can't wait to feel useless."
Then, Zhong Lan spoke again.
"Luo Jia, you'll be sitting next to Lu Jingxing."
The room went quiet for a beat.
Luo Jia gave a small nod. "Understood, instructor."
She walked down from the podium, steps light and unhurried—not slow, but deliberate. Her gaze moved across the rows of students like she was scanning them, not for names, but for worth.
She reached the back row, took her seat beside Lu Jingxing, and placed her bag down.
Lu Jingxing gave her a sidelong glance, lips curling into a faint smirk.
"A transfer student dares to sit next to me?" he said lazily. "Hope you're not annoying."
Luo Jia turned slightly, smiling softly. "Then don't annoy me either. I sit quietly."
Zhong Lan watched them from the podium, something calculating flickering in her eyes.
"Try to get along," she said flatly, turning to write the day's lesson title.