"Hmm." Blake hummed in understanding as he took in the whole situation that had left Veronica and Kyle with no choice but to involve him as well.

Blake was naturally worried, not only because the central authority had taken an interest in him, but also because Ava Kalus was now hunting him down.

He knows exactly what Ava was capable of, and the fact that they sent her, a member of the Alpha team, meant they had prioritized Kyle. And that was an alarming realization.

He leaned against the table and crossed his arms.

"Kyle... I can help you against her. However, once you get off her radar, you need to come out and reveal your identity." Blake’s words caught him off guard.

"What? But why? I mean, if Ava’s threat is gone, doesn’t that mean I’m already free?" Kyle questioned.

Blake narrowed his eyes. "If that’s what you think, then promise me you will never, not even once in your life, use Genesis again. Because if you do, and the central intelligence gets even a hint of it, they won’t hesitate to take you into custody and force you into the Circle of Judgement."

Veronica flinched at the term. She glanced at Kyle, and seeing the confusion on his face, she spoke.

"Once you are inside the Circle, telling a lie means asking for lifetime imprisonment or worse..." Her voice trailed off. She couldn’t bring herself to say what that "worse" truly meant.

Kyle understood the weight of it.

His shoulders slumped. Could he really stop using his powers just to stay safe?

Looking up, he asked, "What about the mystery behind my strange awakening?"

Blake shrugged. "I can handle that. You won’t be put in a lab for testing, and you won’t be forced into the Circle to answer questions about your awakening or your powers."

Kyle nodded slowly. "Yes, powers... Can I keep that a secret? I mean... I have more than one skill, so..."

He hadn’t told Blake about it yet, but from the way Blake reacted, it seemed he had already guessed.

Veronica spoke this time. "You can hide that. Just let them know about your mythical bow, that will be enough."

Blake nodded. "She’s right. Once you reveal yourself as a Nightwalker, the central authority will try to recruit you and learn more about you. But that’s where I step in. After all, an asset of a major clan can’t be taken by the government unless it’s an emergency."

Veronica nodded in agreement. That was the main reason she was glad Blake was involved. As the leading heir of one of the Ten Petal clans, he had the authority to push back against whatever decision the government might make once they discovered Kyle.

Kyle sighed. "So... how am I supposed to do this? Just come out and launch an attack on the President’s house to let them know about my powers?"

Blake rolled his eyes. "Kyle..."

"Sorry, I’m just a little... haah. Well, do I surrender?" he asked, this time without a hint of humor.

"I’ll handle that," the silver-haired woman spoke. "I know someone in the administration who can take care of everything from that side."

Blake frowned slightly. "Who?"

Veronica looked at him and said, "The Director of the Academy, Sir Richard. I’m in contact with him, and I have a good enough relationship to trust him with this."

Blake was taken aback. "That snorty old man has a soft side? I’m genuinely impressed." During his years at the academy, Blake had built quite a reputation, not just physically but intellectually as well, placing him among the finest cadets.

And yet, the old man had never given him any special attention, not even once.

’Well, something to expect from someone like her,’ Blake muttered inwardly.

Then Kyle raised another question. "Since I’m about to reveal my identity anyway, why not do it now while Ava is still hunting me? We could just defuse the whole situation by coming out openly."

Veronica’s expression turned grim. "No, Kyle. If you do that now, Ava will twist it and make it look like she forced you out. That will be misinterpreted and could reduce your chances of staying here in Montclair."

Blake added, "And I need some time to build enough influence within the clan so they don’t go against me when I oppose the government. So the best course of action is to keep Ava away from you and, in about a month, reveal your identity to the world."

Kyle nodded in understanding.

Truthfully, if not for these two, he might have been caught long ago because of his own recklessness.

Now, at least, they had a way to protect his freedom and ensure he could live the way he wanted.

His shoulders relaxed as he said, "I really am lucky to have you two in my life... truly, I can’t even explain how relieved I feel just having you stand by me."

Veronica’s lips curved into a gentle smile, her cheeks turning rosy. Blake, on the other hand, looked away, though the faint red at the tips of his ears made it clear he wasn’t unaffected by those words.

Not long after, Blake said, "There’s a high chance your house is wired, so you either stay here or come with me. Tomorrow, I’ll have you moved to a new place, somewhere more secure."

Kyle shrugged. "I’m fine sleeping here, actually. Going back to Fortis and facing Mom and Dad at this hour would be more torturous than anything..."

Blake nodded in agreement, but then Veronica hesitantly spoke. "Umm... you can stay... with me?"

Kyle’s brows lifted. "Hmm?"

"I mean, it’s just for a night, so..."

Kyle gave a faint smile. "I appreciate your concern, but I’ll be fine here, Veronica." Staying at a girl’s place for the night felt like a line he shouldn’t cross. Even if he didn’t see Veronica that way, he didn’t want to make things awkward.

Veronica didn’t press further. "Call me if you need anything, though. I’ll be at the base for a few more hours."

Kyle nodded, then stepped forward and pulled her into a hug.

Veronica was caught off guard. Surrounded by his warmth and the faint scent of his cologne, she froze, her hands hanging loosely at her sides.

In a soft whisper, Kyle said, "Thank you, Veronica... for always being there for me. I can never truly repay the kindness you’ve shown me."

Veronica shook her head weakly in his embrace. "You don’t have to... you never asked me. I did everything because I wanted to. Because I want to see you safe."

Kyle felt truly blessed to have someone as caring as her in his life.

He didn’t fully understand what connected them, but he knew he would find out soon. More than that, he wanted to respond to her feelings, to the kindness she had shown him.

Not long after, Veronica took her leave. The longer she stayed, the higher the risk of her being linked to everything that was happening.

As she stepped out and the doors slid shut behind her, Blake spoke, "You really are walking down the path of a scumbag."

Kyle narrowed his eyes. "Shut it. Don’t you need sleep? Go already and leave me alone."

Blake snickered, then rested a hand on Kyle’s head. "Don’t worry. I’ll handle Klaus somehow. Just stay low and out of trouble, alright?"

Kyle nodded. With this training hall at his disposal, he wouldn’t need to risk exposing himself by going out and using his abilities in public.

And since he had never been a battle maniac, even if he came across a rift, he would leave it to PSC to handle.

Blake didn’t linger and soon left the warehouse.

Kyle let out a slow breath and looked around the vast space.

Truthfully, staying here alone for an entire night, with the distant rumble of passing trains, wasn’t something he would prefer on a normal day. But right now, he didn’t have many choices.

He decided to first find something he could sleep in.

Entering the storage room, he realized there were many things he hadn’t even explored yet.

Wardrobes lined one side of the room.

Opening the leftmost one, Kyle found several martial arts uniforms neatly arranged inside.

He glanced down at himself. He was still wearing formals, and they felt far too tight for comfort. Anything would be better than this.

He decided to change first and then look for something to sleep on.

However, just as he took off his clothes and picked up a white uniform, his vision suddenly shifted.

His eyes widened as he found himself in a familiar dark space, completely naked.

"Oh, mama~ what a nice view." He turned and saw Aleda standing there. Thankfully, he had instinctively pressed the clothes against his waist to cover himself.

"This is the worst timing you could have picked," he said, clicking his tongue in irritation.

The woman licked her lips. "Or the best."

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A/N:- Thanks for reading. If you have been enjoying the story so far, please let me know in the comments and review.