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THE MURDER OF CROWS CRIED FIERCELY OVERHEAD, a stark contrast to the laughter and chatter that rippled through the group, their hard-earned lunch spread out like a feast. Plates passed from hand to hand, shared bites met with approving hums, and the occasional teasing banter lightened the air. Yet, on the jagged rocks a few feet away, Kwon and y/n remained locked in silent penance. Their knuckles pressed against unforgiving stone, bodies trembling with effort.

Their fight earlier had been brutal, not because of its intensity but because of what it revealed. The girl's attacks had been predictable, sluggish; her blocks barely sufficient. Yet she'd held her ground, refusing to yield to the exhaustion that threatened to drag her under. Kwon could've ended it swiftly-should've ended it swiftly-but something faltered.

It happened when her gaze slipped past him, landing on the yawning expanse of the valley below. Her expression changed in an instant. The fight drained from her face, replaced by something rampant and haunted. Her hands, once poised to strike, dropped slightly. And then, as if in a trance, she froze.

Kwon had noticed it too late. She was no longer looking at him but through him, her pupils blown wide with terror. Her knees buckled slightly, her chest heaving like she couldn't breathe. His instincts screamed to attack-capitalize on her weakness and claim victory. Yet he hesitated.

Her trembling form stirred something deep and unwelcome within him, a feeling that mocked his training and principles. Instead of striking, he shifted his stance, drawing her attention back with a feigned lunge. It worked. She blinked, startled, her body jerking into motion. The distraction cost him a punch to his chest, a kick to his jaw, and a final blow that sent him staggering back.

The group had cheered for her triumph, oblivious to the silent storm brewing in the aftermath. Yoon's gaze lingered on her a beat too long, his brows furrowing like he'd pieced together a puzzle no one else could see. Kwon had locked eyes with him for a fraction of a second, and in that exchange, an unspoken understanding passed between them.

Sensei Kim, however, had shown no such insight-or patience. "Both of you," she had barked, "No food. No water. You've brought this on yourselves," she snapped, her eyes cold and unyielding. "Mercy is a disease. Emotion is a crutch. And I don't train the weak." Her gaze had burned into both of them, sharp and merciless as always. "If you think you're worthy of leading my grandfather's legacy-if you dare to believe you have what it takes-then prove it."

The air was thick with tension as the two of them struggled through their punishment, the sound of their knuckles grinding against the craggy rocks muted by the jokes and chuckles from their teammates nearby, enjoying their meals without any care in this world. Among them, sat Kim Da-eun with an air of rare calm, her usually frigid demeanor softened-if only slightly-as she portioned out some of her homemade kimchi into the boys' meal boxes.

Her movements were precise, almost delicate, as she used her chopsticks to place the fiery red cabbage into their bowls. The boys expressed their thanks, their expressions a mixture of excitement and greed, knowing this was a fleeting moment of warmth from the otherwise icy woman. Despite her stoic face, there was a glimmer in her eyes-a kind of maternal fondness she would never voice aloud.

But when her gaze flickered to the two figures struggling on the rocks, her lips tightened. Her voice cut through the hum of camaraderie like a blade.

"Remember this moment," she said flatly to the group, gesturing with her chopsticks toward Kwon and y/n. "Their failure is why they're out there, and you're here. Let it remind you of what happens when you show weakness."

The boys fell silent, their mirth fading. One dared to glance toward Kwon, who was visibly trembling with the effort of his push-ups, sweat pouring down his face, his knuckles raw and bleeding. Beside him, y/n's breaths came in sharp gasps, her arms barely supporting her weight as she pushed through another rep.

Kim's gaze was unrelenting. "Jae-sung," she called, her tone venomous. "You thought mercy was strength? That letting your opponent win would make you superior? It makes you nothing. Less than nothing."

The boy cringed but didn't stall his rhythm. His jaw clenched tightly, swallowing the sting of her words. He'd heard worse from her, but today, the added weight of his grandmother's worsening condition made every barb cut deeper.

"And you," Kim continued, her attention snapping to the girl. "Freezing like a deer in headlights. Do you think your enemies will pause for you? Do you think they'll show pity while you stand there like a fool, lost in your own head? Whatever ghosts you're carrying, leave them behind, or they'll drag you under."

Y/n didn't respond. Her arms buckled slightly, and she barely caught herself before hitting the ground. Her nails dug into the earth as she pushed herself up again, her vision swimming. Kim's words sliced through her like a whip, each one unearthing memories she desperately wanted to bury.

Her mind replayed the moment over and over-the endless void beneath her feet, the feeling of powerlessness as Miguel fell, his body crumpling like a marionette with its strings cut. She had never thought heights would bother her. But fighting here, with the wind howling around her and the earth stretching endlessly below, had triggered something primal. It was her first time realizing just how deep that scar ran.

Her breaths grew more erratic, but she bit down on her lip, forcing herself to push through the storm in her head. Kim wasn't wrong-hesitation had no place here. But the trauma simmering beneath the surface didn't care about right or wrong.

Kim's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before she turned back to her meal. "Weakness has no place in this world. Learn that now, or suffer for it later."

The rest of the team shifted uncomfortably, their appetite dampened by the harshness of her words. Lee, ever the empathetic one, cast a glance toward y/n, his expression was that of concern. He didn't speak, though. No one dared challenge Kim's judgment.

Kwon's muscles burned, his body screaming for reprieve, but he refused to stop. He couldn't. Every word Kim had spoken to him replayed in his mind, intertwining with the image of his grandmother hooked up to machines, her frail body barely clinging to life. He had to win. Not for his senseis, not for himself, but for her. Failure wasn't an option.

Y/n's breathing hitched again, her body on the verge of collapse, but she pushed through. The memory of her best friend's fall still gripped her like a vice, but she refused to let it win. Not here, not now.

From her spot among the group, Da-eun observed them both silently, her expression stoic once more. She didn't expect gratitude for her lessons, nor did she seek it. All that mattered was that they learned-or they broke trying.

The girl's frustration bubbled over, exhaustion and hunger sharpening her tone as she muttered under her breath, "This is all your fault."

Kwon's push-ups faltered slightly, but he recovered, shooting her a sharp look. "My fault? What the hell are you talking about?"

"If you hadn't gone soft on me," she snapped mockingly, "we wouldn't be here right now, starving and miserable! Maybe if you actually did what Kim told you to do, we'd be eating like everyone else."

Kwon let out a bitter laugh, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, I'm sorry. Didn't realize your inability to fight was my problem. Maybe if you didn't freeze like some amateur, we wouldn't be in this mess."

Y/n's cheeks flushed with anger, her voice rising despite her attempt to keep it low. "Don't you dare put this on me! I don't need you to take pity on me in a fight--"

"Pity?" Kwon barked out, stopping mid-push-up to glare at her. "Trust me, princess, the last thing I feel for you is pity. You froze up, and I had to deal with it. That's on you, not me."

The words stung more than she wanted to admit, but her pride wouldn't let her back down. "I didn't freeze," she hissed, though the tremble in her voice betrayed her. "I just..."

"You just what?" Kwon challenged, his voice lowering but no less biting. "Lost focus? Got scared? Face it, you're not cut out for this if you can't even hold your ground without falling apart."

That struck a nerve. Without thinking, she swung her fist and punched his arm-his weight-bearing arm-just as he was lowering himself for another push-up. Caught off-guard, Kwon lost his balance, his body collapsing onto the stabbing rocks beneath him with a loud, painful thud.

"What the fuck, y/n!" he shouted, rolling onto his side, clutching his arm where it scraped against the rocks. A fresh line of blood smeared across his forearm, and his expression twisted in a mix of anger and disbelief.

Kwon's eyes blazed with fury as he shot to his feet, ignoring the sharp sting in his arm. "That's it," he snarled, his temper snapping like a taut wire. Before the girl could react, he lunged forward, tackling her to the ground.

"Are you out of your damn mind?!" she shouted, her voice cracking as the breath was knocked out of her.

"You want to throw punches?" Kwon growled, pinning her arms down. "Fine. Let's see how tough you really are!"

Y/n twisted beneath him, her own anger flaring hotter. She managed to free one arm, swinging it hard to smack him across the face. "Get off me, you psycho!"

Kwon grunted, jerking back just enough for her to scramble out from under him. She tackled him in return, both of them rolling across the rough terrain, dirt and pebbles digging into their skin.

"You're such a cocky piece of shit," y/n hissed, grabbing at his shirt as they grappled. "Always acting like you're better than everyone else!"

"And you're a whiny little brat who doesn't know when to shut the fuck up!" Kwon spat back, shoving her off him and rising to his knees. "You're just mad because I don't spoil you rotten like every guy you even speak to!"

"Oh, please, I DO NOT get spoiled by anyone," she shot back, her voice sharp as she swiped at him again. "You can't even fight me properly without tripping over your own ego!"

"At least I don't freeze like a scared little bitch every time things get hard!" Kwon roared, his words cutting deep, as his face flushed red, tears of frustration threatening to spill, though he refused to let them fall.

"Fuck you, Kwon!" y/n screamed, launching herself at him again.

"ENOUGH!" Kim Da-eun's voice sliced through the chaos. She stormed over, grabbing Kwon by the back of his shirt and yanking him off y/n. Her other hand shot out, pulling the girl up roughly by her arm.

"What in the world is the meaning of this?!" Kim bellowed, her eyes flashing dangerously. "You think this is how warriors behave? Wrestling like rabid animals over your petty bullshit?"

"He started it!" y/n exclaimed, glaring at Kwon, who was breathing hard, his fists still clenched.

"Oh, don't even start with that crap," Kim snapped, shoving them both backward to stand apart. "You're both pathetic. Beyond pathetic! If you put even half this energy into an actual fight, you wouldn't be the insufferable failures you are right now!"

Neither of them said a word, both too furious and ashamed to respond.

Kim's glare was colder than the wind sweeping down from the mountain peak. "Since you're so eager to settle whatever nonsense this is, I have a better idea." Her voice was calm, but her tone carried an unmistakable edge. "You'll work together. Head down the trail and gather enough wood to keep the fire burning through the night."

Y/n started to protest, but Kim cut her off with a single glance. "Not a word. If you're too undisciplined to spar without making fools of yourselves, then you'll earn your keep another way. And you'd better move fast-those clouds don't look forgiving."

She folded her arms, her expression hardening as she turned around to resume her lunch. "If you can't work as a team and make it back before the rain, don't bother coming back for dinner."

"Maybe hunger will remind you what discipline looks like..."

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