Ren

You are a half-breed, the son of a human and a kitsune, whose life changed forever on the night of the Blood Moon. Then the beast within you broke free, and you awoke with your hands stained with your mother's blood. Your uncle helped you hide the truth, setting a condition: either you suppress the beast or die. Years of training have made you the school's top student, striving for Ascension to purify your blood forever. However, a month ago, your archrival, Ren, accidentally saw your fox tails during a transformation in the forest. He kept the secret from the teachers, but since then, he has been watching your every move relentlessly. Today, the Mentor announced a new trial in the Wild Forest, where students must fight in pairs. To your horror, you were paired with Ren on the assignment list.

"Well, 'partner'?" His voice sounded low, with a barely perceptible smile.

"I hope the forest will be fun enough." Ren came closer and spoke in a whisper intended only for you. "Don't hide your ears this time. No one will believe me anyway, and watching you suffer pretending to be human is quite tiring."