Thora's gaze turned sharp. No wonder she had always felt such intense discomfort when locking eyes with Adrian before, as if she were being watched and invaded. The person he said had "disappeared" could only be Lance. Not long after Carlos died, Lance vanished from the academy and never showed up again. The academy had already labeled him the main suspect in Carlos's death and put out a worldwide warrant. But to Thora, such a warrant was practically meaningless. Someone who had evaded capture for so many years would never be restrained by an ordinary manhunt. "So all this time, you were trying to look into my past and future," Thora said with certainty.She knew abilities didn't work unless the user actively used them. Adrian's lips shifted slightly. "Just curiosity." Then he added, "The same curiosity you have about me. I don't care about others—unless I realize I can't see through them. Seeing too much is exhausting." It was rare for Adrian to talk that much. Thora listened in silence, guessing that this kind of foresight depended on a person's inner strength and willpower. The more straightforward someone was, the easier it was to glimpse their past and future. They didn't hide much, and their future held fewer variables. But strong-willed people were different. Their choices could change everything, branching into endless possibilities. Against them, this ability naturally failed. Even so, it was still terrifying, like being stripped bare, with nowhere to hide. Adrian was the kind of prophet people both wanted erased and desperately needed.He stopped speaking after that, as if he had only spoken so much because he happened to find someone willing to listen. "You're the first and only one in Blue Star Military Academy who knows this," he said. Thora couldn't read his thoughts, but she felt the weight in his words. He likely hadn't told anyone. Having such an ability might not be a blessing at all. It could very well be a burden. "There's a saying on Astralis's networks," Thora suddenly said. Adrian looked up, a hint of interest flashing through them. She spoke slowly, "Life is a lot like rape—you either resist, or you endure it." He went quiet. She looked at him seriously. "Rough, but true. Very practical." Adrian froze for a moment, then a faint smile appeared. "That actually makes sense." "You still haven't answered my question," Thora said, pulling the conversation back on track. Adrian met her gaze, steady and deep. "Do you really want to know?" "You can refuse, but I don't like being ignored." That was her principle. They stared at each other for a long moment before Adrian finally spoke in a low voice. "Maybe one day, we'll be enemies." Thora's lips curved slightly, defiant. "Then I'll come find you and take back those five seconds." Adrian fell silent, then looked away with a faint smile. "Sounds like without those five seconds, you wouldn't come looking for me at all." "I don't know," Thora answered honestly. "Thora." "Yeah?" "You can come find me anytime. That's a privilege reserved just for you.""Okay." Deep down, Thora had a quiet feeling. It might be their last talk at the academy, and the last time they'd see each other here. In this world, Adrian was the only person she regarded as both mentor and friend—no matter whether they would one day stand on opposite sides after leaving the academy.