The Time to Part

That night, Louis had an unusually hard time falling asleep.

Part of it was because he was about to part ways with his friends, and part of it was uncertainty about the future. He had completed the South Sea Training Camp, but the CP9 Training Camp he was about to enter would only be more demanding. Could he really stand out? Louis had never believed that, coming from a civilized world, he had more talent for fighting than those who had grown up in this savage one.

Failure meant death. There was no other possibility.

It was impossible not to feel the pressure.

But he had to do it. If he wanted to survive—if he wanted to live well—then he had to climb higher. He had to make sure his fists were harder than anyone else's. Louis had understood that back when he was a beggar: in this world, you either advanced or fell behind. If you didn't take control of other people's fates, all you could do was wait for them to take control of yours.

His long-term goal could wait. His short-term goal was to join CP9. No matter what, he had to achieve it!

That was what Louis thought.

Although he hadn't slept, Louis still got up early the next morning. His strong body and formidable mental fortitude let him remain full of energy despite being awake all night.

Dylan, his roommate, looked utterly dejected. As expected, he had been unable to sleep either. More emotional than Louis, Dylan found it even harder to accept that their parting had come.

"What's wrong?"

Looking at his dark circles, Louis casually asked, "Dream about girls all night?"

"Get lost!"

Dylan, who had been drooping moments before, perked right up.

"Hey, Louis..."

Dylan hesitated.

"Come on!"

The dormitory door opened, and Wade from the next room came in to summon them both to the harbor.

"Yeah."

Without waiting to hear what Dylan wanted to say, Louis nodded and followed Wade straight out of the dormitory, leaving Dylan alone inside. They didn't need to bring their belongings; their superiors would take care of everything. Anything left behind would be thoroughly inspected and, once cleared, sealed away.

"Hey!"

Abandoned without a second thought, Dylan yelled as he hurried after them. "You two!! Can't you listen when someone's talking?!"

There was no time for breakfast. The Cipher Pol transport ships were ready to depart. The various departments were all a long way from the South Sea Training Camp, and they had no time to waste.

The journey to the harbor was silent. More than two hundred trainees gathered as they left the dormitory area, forming a small stream of people. Yet it was like a dead river, without a sound.

Partings always made people melancholy, and melancholy people never felt like talking.

By the time they reached the harbor, ten ships had been waiting for some time.

The Instructor Corps had arrived even earlier. They stood at the harbor entrance like towering iron pillars, with the Chief Instructor at their head.

"All right, you trash. A year of training is over. Time for you to get lost!"

The instructor's voice held neither excitement nor joy. He sounded completely indifferent. That was how he regarded these graduates: he neither cared about them nor gave them a second thought. Even Louis and Wade were merely a little more outstanding. As a veteran of the CP series, he had seen too much. Talent was useless if you couldn't grow into it.

"Line up by department. One department at a time, then board the ships."

The instructor spoke casually.

Everyone silently formed their lines. Apart from the eight groups from CP1 to CP8, Louis and Wade each stood alone in their own separate groups.

"Then, board the ships."

A large ship slowly approached and docked. The trainees assigned to CP1 boarded quickly and in orderly fashion. The ship set off, heading straight for the far side of the sea. Then the second ship, and the third.

CP2, CP3, and CP4 boarded and departed in turn. Next was—

"CP5, board the ship."

The instructor spoke casually.

The CP5 trainees began boarding. Dylan was at the back, walking very slowly. Each step seemed like an attempt to stamp a hole in the ground, and every time he lifted a foot, it was as if a mountain weighed him down. The instant he stepped onto the deck, Dylan suddenly turned around, his heart full of words left unsaid.

He saw them in the crowd below: Louis and Wade stood out, each of them forming a group of one.

They were both looking up this way, watching him.

"..."

His tightly pressed lips parted, and a smile appeared. Dylan had been about to shout something, but instead he gave a soft laugh and strode onto the deck, disappearing from his two friends' sight. Though they were now out of view, Dylan could still feel that they were watching him, every moment.

The ship slowly left the harbor, carrying Louis's good friend toward the distant horizon.

"They're gone," Wade suddenly said beside him.

"Yeah. They're gone."

Louis nodded.

"Don't worry, Louis. Dylan may be a little dumb, but he'll take care of himself."

That was what Wade said.

"I know."

Louis nodded. Dylan might be a little dumb, but he wasn't stupid enough not to know how to protect himself. And while he wasn't among the strongest trainees of their year, he wasn't weak either. He should do all right in CP5.

"We're parting ways now."

Wade's voice was so quiet that Louis almost didn't hear him.

"Yeah."

Louis nodded softly.

"Louis, are you scared?"

Wade asked. "Starting today, you'll be all alone."

"No,"

Louis replied, a smile appearing on his face. "I don't have time to be scared."

"Is that so?"

Wade's mouth fell open slightly in amazement. "You're incredible. I'm actually a little scared."

"What?"

Louis froze.

"I'm so scared,"

Wade said, looking at Louis. "Scared I'll never see you and Dylan again."

"That won't happen,"

Louis answered at once. "I won't die, you won't die, and Dylan won't die! We'll stand at the top of Cipher Pol—no, at the top of the world!"

"Honestly, Louis, your ambition is as blatant as ever!"

Wade chuckled quietly.

"Ha."

Louis smiled.

"CP9. Louis, you're up."

Before they knew it, everyone except Louis and Wade had left. Only the instructors remained. "Board the ship."

"Yes."

Louis nodded slightly, took a long look at Wade, and turned to leave.

"Louis,"

Wade's voice came from behind him. "Do your best!"

"Yeah."

Louis replied without looking back and strode onto the ship's deck.

"Vrrr."

A slight vibration ran through the ship as it set off. The wind gradually filled its sails, and it began to pick up speed. Louis leaned against the deck and gazed at the white clouds on the distant horizon.

Suddenly, he turned around. At the harbor, the blond man was still watching him. The moment Wade noticed Louis looking back, he began waving his arms with all his might.

"..."

Louis smiled softly and let out a long breath. The weather was so nice today.