Skill Forge: Broken Extra Character
Chapter 191 - 191: Meeting with Ross

The girl let out a tired sigh as she stepped onto the balcony, her sharp eyes sweeping across the area. "It's just a bird," she muttered, shaking her head.

Her gaze slowly shifted left and right, scanning for anything out of place. The broken shards of the vase lay scattered near her feet, but beyond that, everything appeared undisturbed.

Unbeknownst to her, Jett was directly above her, suspended in midair, held up by near-invisible threads as Asher pulled him to safety. The air was thick with tension as both boys clung to their stealth skills, wiping away any trace of their presence.

Asher scowled as he handled the threads, his fingers working with a precision honed from years of training. 'This is ridiculous. I wouldn't need to go through all this nonsense if I were alone. Starting to have second thoughts about this.' His irritation deepened with every second.

Jett, meanwhile, hung motionless, his lips twitching in silent complaint. 'Gosh, this is so embarrassing. If it weren't for Asher, I could've just used Clarence's [Portal Shift] to get out of here. It's not as efficient as [Checkpoint] in long distances, but it gets the job done.'

Below, the girl tapped her foot in thought before nodding to herself. "Everything looks okay here. This mess still needs to be taken care of, though." She sighed and turned back toward the room. "I'll have to clean this up before leaving…"

"No need."

Ross's voice cut through the air, calm yet final.

The girl hesitated, her lips parting slightly as if to argue. "But we haven't concluded the…"

"It's alright." His tone carried quiet authority, leaving no room for debate.

She exchanged glances with the other student before bowing her head slightly. "Understood."

With that, both students left the room, the door clicking shut behind them. A heavy silence settled over the balcony.

Ross remained at his desk for a few moments before exhaling softly. He stood, pushing back his chair with a quiet scrape, and moved toward the balcony.

As he reached the door, he placed a hand on the frame, his fingers trailing over the polished wood before pushing it open.

The night air greeted him, cool and crisp.

His gaze lowered, studying the shattered remains of the vase. He let out a quiet sigh, shaking his head.

Then, without looking up…

"You can come out now." His voice was casual, almost amused, but there was no mistaking the sharp glint in his eyes as he suddenly turned, staring directly at where Jett and Asher were hidden.

A brief beat of silence followed.

Then…

"Well, that's no fun." Jett mused, a smirk playing on his lips as he and Asher dropped their stealth.

Their forms shimmered into view, dissolving from the shadows like ghosts returning to the world.

Asher exhaled sharply, his irritation barely concealed. 'This isn't going how I imagined it to go.'

Ross folded his arms, watching them with an unreadable expression. "You really thought you could sneak past me?"

He stood tall, his expression unreadable as his gaze flicked between the two intruders. His eyes briefly lingered on Asher, studying him, before Asher sighed and shook his head.

"This was his idea, not mine."

Ross's lips curved slightly, though the amusement didn't quite reach his eyes. "That's to be expected." His voice was calm, yet carried an edge of quiet authority. "A spontaneous and rebellious character. You do realize you're trespassing, don't you?"

Jett, unfazed, waved a dismissive hand. "Yeah, yeah. First-years aren't supposed to stray into their seniors' territory." His lips curled into a smirk. "But didn't you want to see me?"

Ross's eyes narrowed slightly. "And if I remember correctly, you rejected my offer. So why are you here?"

There was a pause, tension thickening in the air. Ross's sharp gaze studied them, suspicion creeping into his expression.

Asher, however, leaned against the doorframe, tilting his head. "I'm actually more curious about how you knew we were here." He gestured vaguely. "Jett, sure. But me? It shouldn't have been that easy."

Ross scoffed. "Just because your measly skill worked on the security down below doesn't mean it would work on me."

Asher tensed, a frown forming as realization dawned on him. His eyes darkened. "You've been hiding your strength this whole time." His voice was steady, but there was a clear edge of irritation.

Ross met his gaze, unbothered, before turning away and walking slowly back inside. His movements were deliberate, calculated. Neither rushed nor hesitant, simply confident.

Jett and Asher exchanged a glance before stepping forward.

For a few seconds, they stood outside, watching him. Then, as if silently reaching the same decision, they followed him inside.

Ross stopped near his desk, turning to face them once more. His previous amusement was gone, replaced by something far more serious.

"Now, will you tell me why you're here?" His tone was calm, yet unmistakably firm. "Or should I just apprehend you two and take you straight to the principal?"

Tension was starting to build in the room.

Jett's fingers hovered just above the petals of the flower arrangement, his gaze lingering on the delicate details. He found it amusing how something so fragile could stand out so boldly in a room filled with tension.

Ross remained silent, his patience wearing thin.

"And what makes you think that?" Ross finally asked, his voice carrying an edge of skepticism.

Jett let out a small chuckle and leaned back in the chair, still admiring the flower. "For starters, that wouldn't be a great way to build a relationship with us, now would it?" He turned his gaze toward Ross, watching his reaction carefully. Nothing. Not even the slightest flicker of interest.

Undeterred, Jett continued, "Secondly, this matter won't stay quiet forever. The Dynos will find out soon enough, and when they do, it could stir up internal conflict within your club. Recruiting me was already a risk, wasn't it?"

As he spoke, Jett stood up, his movements leisured and deliberate. He casually walked toward Ross's desk, stopping on the opposite side. His fingers lightly drummed against the polished surface as he met Ross's gaze.

Ross, still unreadable, regarded him with mild disinterest. "So what? Are you trying to blackmail me?"

Jett sighed, placing a hand over his heart with mock offense. "Of course not. Why would I ever use such an underhanded method on a person?" His voice was the perfect balance of feigned innocence and mischief.

From the side, Asher scoffed. His expression was one of pure judgment, arms crossed as he shot Jett a look that practically screamed, Really?

Jett glanced at him and simply shrugged. "What?"

Asher shook his head. "Nothing. Just… carry on."

Jett smirked but quickly dropped the act. His expression shifted into something far more serious, the playful glint in his eyes replaced by sharp intensity.

"Anyway, I'll get straight to the point." His voice no longer carried its usual teasing edge. "The upcoming school festival. I want you to make sure no one affiliated with you participates in any competition."

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