Synopsis

Kiril, the instructor, pushes the protagonist to their limits with a seemingly impossible 'self-reliance' training involving a dangerous jump between buildings, highlighting the importance of pushing past despair and preparing for the worst. It's revealed Kiril is a Poisoner, a feared and rare class thought to be human betrayers. She explains the unique physiology of Poisoners, who live with internal poison they purify and use as energy, revealing this process is what the protagonist was going through during the training. The chapter concludes with the protagonist being named a Poisoner, despite his initial shock.