ACADEMY OF SURVIVAL

Micheal sat Tohira down beside a tree, carefully tending to the bullet wound, even though he had no experience in treating injuries. His mind, however, was elsewhere, lingering on the strange figures he had seen earlier.

"I'm guessing you saved me again because you think we're alike, huh?" Micheal asked, his tone sharp as he focused on Tohira's wound.

"What else?" Tohira replied weakly, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Micheal offered a slight, skeptical smile in return, clearly not convinced this time.

"Tohira, right?" Micheal began as he tied off the makeshift bandage around Tohira's shoulder. "To be honest, I still have my doubts about you. Saving me again—what's the real reason? Is it because you think I have some ability similar to yours? Seriously, does that even make sense to you?"

"It does to me," Tohira teased, tilting his head sideways with a mischievous grin despite his weakened state.

Micheal frowned slightly, his patience thinning. Tohira's playful demeanor, especially in serious moments like this, often grated on his nerves.

"Well, it doesn't to me," Micheal shot back, his voice laced with irritation.

"I can understand the first time you saved me—you might've thought I was like you, with some kind of ability. And now, yeah, I'm starting to believe it myself. But this time? Taking a bullet for me? Come on!" Micheal's tone turned cold as he locked eyes with Tohira. "I'm not buying it!"

To his surprise, Tohira suddenly leaned forward, his face close to Micheal's ear. His voice dropped, carrying a strange mix of seriousness and amusement.

"To be honest," Tohira whispered, "I think you're the perfect individual I need to fulfill my thrill."

Micheal froze, his body stiffening as Tohira's cryptic words sank in.

"Thrill?" Micheal murmured, his confusion evident.

"Yep! You see, you want to see the outside world—and I do too!" Tohira said, playfully tapping Micheal's forehead with a weak but teasing gesture.

Micheal studied Tohira, his words stirring something unsettling in his mind.

"But you said 'thrill.' How does that relate to my goal?" Micheal questioned, narrowing his eyes as he noticed Tohira struggling to get up.

"Or... was that supposed to mean the thrill of the outside world? Or the thrill of this trial?" Micheal's skepticism deepened as he spoke, his thoughts churning with possibilities.

"And if you mean the thrill of the outside world, that means you're implying you know something about it," Micheal continued, his voice steady but cold.

Micheal's gaze sharpened as he pressed further. "And if you're talking about the thrill of this trial, that means you have knowledge about this project—more than you've let on. You know what's happening and maybe even what's coming next."

"Besides You're the one who told me about those sinder creatures. So, what do you really know?"

Micheal concluded.

Tohira paused for a moment, then weakly chuckled before flashing a faint smile.

"Again, I like you, Mister Red Pupils. That's why I want you to be my friend," Tohira said in his usual playful tone, brushing off the tension with surprising ease.

"You're smart, I'll give you that," Tohira added, his smile lingering. "But if you keep interrogating me like this, we're going to fail this trial."

Micheal slightly frowned, his suspicion of Tohira growing even stronger, though Tohira's words carried a frustrating logic.

"I know, but I need an answer," Micheal said, standing up and squaring his shoulders, his gaze locking with Tohira's.

Tohira tilted his head slightly, a faint, sinister smile creeping across his lips.

"You're quite bold, aren't you?" he said, his tone laced with something darker than his usual playful demeanor.

A chill ran through Micheal as he felt the weight of Tohira's presence shift. Before he could react, Tohira leaned closer, his voice a quiet threat just beside Micheal's ear.

"I could kill you right now," Tohira whispered coldly, "and no one would care about your disappearance—let alone find your corpse. You know that, right?"

Micheal's eyes widened in alarm. The sudden threat sent a jolt of fear coursing through him, the tension between them thick and suffocating.

"Damn this boy!"

Micheal thought.

For a few agonizing seconds, Tohira studied Micheal's reaction—his nervous smile, the subtle tremor in his expression—and then burst into laughter.

"Come on now!" Tohira said, breaking the moment as if it never existed.

He reached out and playfully tapped Micheal on the head. "I'd never do that to my best friend!"

Tohira's tone flipped back to his usual cheerful self, the earlier threat now an unsettling memory.

"Best friend?" Micheal thought, a mix of relief and unease washing over him. He couldn't recall when or how they had become "best friends."

"Anyway, to answer your question," Tohira said, walking a few steps ahead before turning to face Micheal.

"The truth is, I'm only seeking the thrill of this project and exploring my ability," he said with a casual shrug, his smile as disarming as ever.

"Not that I knew anything about this project beforehand," Tohira added, his grin widening. "I just predicted it would be a thrill—especially after seeing the sinders and watching that clown Jake meet his end."

Micheal's gaze lingered on Tohira, trying to discern the truth hidden behind his words. No matter how friendly or playful Tohira appeared, Micheal couldn't shake his lingering skepticism.

"Come on, let's go! We've got 12 hours to make it to our destination," Tohira said, beckoning Micheal with his usual carefree enthusiasm.

Micheal sighed and followed, his mind still spinning with doubts. As much as he wanted to trust Tohira, there was a part of him that remained on edge, questioning every word and every smile.