SHAMAN PROTOCOL
Chapter 82: The Calm Before the Bestfriend!

Chapter 82: The Calm Before the Bestfriend!

After getting punished for escalating the situation, Mikel was now on to...

[The walk of shame.]

Mikel glanced at the hovering screen beside him before looking ahead. He casually sipped his milk as he walked down the corridors, catching a few students whispering and casting him odd stares.

Nothing new.

"He’s the one who got into the fight in the cafeteria?" a whisper reached his ears. "I heard he almost hurt other students."

"How could they let someone like him into this school?"

"We should stay away from him."

Mikel’s steps didn’t slow down. He kept going, his expression unbothered by the twisting narrative of what actually happened.

[System Notice: Host’s reputation plummeting.]

[Suggestion: Correction.]

Nah... let them be. Didn’t come here to be the crowd favorite.

Mikel sipped the milk again, mentally noting how weird it tasted. But after drinking a few cartons since meeting the headmaster, he was getting used to it.

Despite the stares, hushed whispers, and students turning away rather than walking past him, he didn’t care. First, because he was used to it. Second, because he hadn’t come here to hold anyone’s hand or beg them to like him.

He didn’t do it before. He wouldn’t start now. And never would.

Weirdest milk ever. Not the worst, though.

When he finished the milk, he tossed the carton into a nearby bin and headed straight for the dormitory. Maybe he’d take a nap. But even on his way there, he wasn’t spared the occasional glare or cold shoulder from students who’d heard about the cafeteria incident.

It took him a few minutes to reach the boys’ dorm.

In the corridor of his floor, several students lingered. Some blasted loud music with their doors open, a few played catch in the hallway, while others just kept to themselves.

But when they saw Mikel walking down the hallway, the ones playing paused and stepped aside. Their eyes followed him, clearly aware of what had happened during lunch.

[System Notice: Host reputation down by 10%.]

[Calculating possible long-term effects...]

Mikel barely glanced at Doom’s screen as he reached for his doorknob.

"Like I said, I don’t care," he muttered, walking into his dorm. "Stop giving me this nonsense."

As he shut the door behind him, he could still faintly hear the loud music from the next room. It wasn’t loud enough to be a nuisance, though. Inside his room, Mikel spotted a figure already seated at the other study desk.

So, my roomie finally showed up.

He thought nothing of it and approached his bed. As he did, his roommate turned to see who had entered.

The second their eyes met, both of them paused.

Mikel blinked, studying the guy at the desk. His roommate, meanwhile, stiffened, eyes dilating in pure shock.

[Interesting. It seems saving him in the cafeteria was fate, Master.]

Because, as it turned out, Mikel’s roommate—the one who had left his luggage between the desks to let Mikel pick a side first—was that Silver Knight Phantom user.

"Uh," the guy gulped, just as Mikel casually dropped onto his bed.

He kept his gaze on Mikel’s resting form, trying to process the coincidence. Of all people, he hadn’t expected Mikel to be his roommate.

The Phantom wielder cleared his throat and worked up the courage to break the silence.

"Uh, about earlier... thank you!" he said, voice faint but sincere. "And I’m sorry that—"

"If you’re fine..." Mikel’s eyes closed, slowly opened them. "...how come you’re not punished?"

"Huh?"

Mikel kept his gaze on the ceiling, watching the hovering screen blink with a new message.

[He is the victim. And victims do not get punished—only shamed.]

"Right," he muttered and closed his eyes again.

Meanwhile, the other boy raised his brows, unsure of what to say next.

"Anyway... I’m sorry if you got in trouble because of me," he said, sighing.

Mikel didn’t answer.

"By the way, my name’s Kaeran. People call me Ran," he continued, hoping to fill the awkward silence. His eyes remained on Mikel, waiting for a reaction.

But Mikel didn’t respond.

Ran sighed. He lowered his head, shoulders slumping slightly.

"I’m... I’m sorry again," he muttered, turning his gaze elsewhere, when suddenly, Mikel spoke.

"Hey." Mikel’s voice made Ran flinch.

"Ye—Yes?"

"That Silver Knight..." Mikel trailed off. "Is it true you can’t merge with him?"

The directness of the question made Ran stiffen. His eyes widened, clearly not expecting it.

[Master, I believe you just asked a highly personal question during your first meeting.]

"Is that really bad?" Mikel asked aloud, pushing himself to sit up.

"What?" Ran blinked, confused, thinking Mikel’s response was directed at him, not the screen he couldn’t see.

Well, the question was for both Doom and the guy.

"Just curious," Mikel shrugged. "That’s all. Never seen phantoms like them."

All the phantom candidates he’d seen so far came from horror forums. Haleth was the only one who didn’t make him want to run.

Ran studied Mikel’s face and realized the question wasn’t a jab, it was pure curiosity.

Relaxing a bit, Ran smiled wryly.

"Yes," he admitted. "I can summon him, but merging... that’s impossible. His spiritual power dwarfs mine. It’s like trying to pour a lake into a teacup."

"Oh..." Mikel nodded. "Really?"

"Huh?"

"So that’s the problem, huh?" Mikel rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. "So to wield that kind of Phantom, you need to at least match or surpass its spiritual energy?"

Ran blinked, still observing him. "You didn’t know that?"

"Nope. First time hearing it. That’s fine, though. I’m learning a lot today."

Ran stared again, visibly surprised. His brows furrowed while Mikel continued piecing things together as if this were the first.

"I thought you were also a Phantom User," Ran blurted, narrowing his eyes. "That’s the only explanation for how you held the Hound’s glaive."

Mikel was, technically. But he’d never heard about all these merging conditions. Doom didn’t exactly hand out a manual.

"Why?" Mikel didn’t confirm or deny it. "Is it a problem to hold another person’s Phantom?"

"No... I mean..." Ran cleared his throat, clearly growing more confused than Mikel. "But normally, you wouldn’t be able to. The Phantom Guardians of the Seven Clans automatically reject anyone who isn’t their user... and there should be some consequences as well."

He studied Mikel from head to toe.

"But you’re fine," he said. "How did you do it? How did you restrain it without using spiritual energy? Or rejection?"

How?

Mikel blinked, tempted to say: try restraining a cursed relic like the Blood Chain every single breath of your life. Compared to that, a resisting Phantom felt like child’s play.

The Blood Chain’s hunger was more dangerous and exhausting, not just physically, but also emotionally, spiritually, and mentally.

After a second, Mikel casually leaned back on the headboard of the bed.

"You’re asking the wrong question," Mikel said quietly, his eyes still on the ceiling. "You should be asking why it let me hold it."

[Correction: Phantom restraint successful due to parasitic compatibility.]

[Note: This level of synchronization is abnormal. Recommend immediate containment.]

Mikel blinked.

Seriously, Doom. You’re starting to sound exactly like the thing you pretend not to be.

Ran kept his eyes on Mikel, his brows raising as he reconsidered Mikel’s returned question instead of an answer. His mouth parted, but before words could fly out of his mouth, their door flew open with a bang.

"BESTFRIEND!"

Ran jumped with the loud call. Mikel? His face twisted.

[System Alert: Incoming chaos — Source: Tahu’en the Traitor.]

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