The classroom door gently closed behind Orion as he stepped out into the bright hallway of Thunderpeak Royal Academy.
A satisfied smile ford on his face as he ntally reviewed the insights Instructor Lysandra had provided during the lecture.
Rays of warm sunlight ca through the large windows lining the hallway, casting long shadows and illuminating Orion’s calm, thoughtful expression.
As he began walking leisurely along the polished marble corridor, Lumi’s cheerful voice resonated playfully within his mind.
[Master, you seem very pleased after today’s class! Did Instructor Lysandra finally clarify those questions you had about the Wood Elent? (^▽^)]
Orion nodded slightly, maintaining a casual pace as he responded inwardly, ’Yes, Instructor Lysandra’s explanations were excellent today. Many of my doubts regarding Wood Elent mana circulation and its interaction with the mana channels have been cleared.’
’With the additional knowledge from the Verdant Root Grimoire, I feel confident enough to attempt forming my Wood Affinity Rune tonight.’
[Great! (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧ Master will be even more powerful soon! At this rate, you’ll be unbeatable!]
Orion chuckled softly at Lumi’s enthusiasm, shaking his head lightly as he continued along the hallway toward the familiar, tranquil garden where his club usually gathered during their free ti.
Upon entering the serene garden, Orion imdiately spotted Arya, Emilia, Felira, Nyss, and Elias standing together beneath the gentle shade of a large cherry blossom tree.
Their expressions brightened significantly upon noticing Orion’s approach, smiles spreading warmly across their faces.
Elias and Felira eagerly stepped forward first, their eyes shining brightly with genuine delight at seeing Orion again after several days.
Felira, ever graceful and cheerful, smiled warmly as she spoke first. "Orion, welco back! We were all quite worried after hearing that you were taken out unconscious from the academy. How are you feeling now?"
Elias nodded with a friendly smile, adding quickly, "Yeah, what exactly happened back then at the Origin Mana Pool? I tried asking Instructor Viren but he didn’t tell much."
Orion chuckled softly, his expression calm as he replied smoothly, "The Origin Mana Pool turned out to be even more beneficial than I anticipated. The mana within resonated very strongly with my mana channels, and I ended up reaching Tier 3—in both the Mana and Physique paths."
Felira’s eyes widened dramatically, her mouth opening slightly in astonishnt, while Elias froze briefly, completely taken aback by the incredible revelation.
Elias regained his composure quickly, shaking his head slightly in disbelief. "Seriously, Orion? Tier 3 in both paths simultaneously? That’s... unheard of! I thought I might close the gap soon, but this... haa. But you’re really alright, right? Rapid breakthroughs can cause internal damage, you know."
Orion shook his head calmly, his voice gentle yet firm. "There’s no need to worry. My grandparents checked thoroughly, and everything is perfectly fine. What’s done is done; the past is best left behind now."
As he finished speaking, Orion’s gaze briefly t Nyss’s. She had been quiet during the exchange, standing slightly apart, her usually calm and confident eyes reflecting a complex mixture of relief and subtle concern.
Orion could sense that Nyss had more to say, but he chose not to press her, deciding to talk with her so other day as the others still weren’t used to standing together with her.
He turned his attention to Arya and softly asked, "By the way, Arya, I noticed Sylvia and Kale aren’t here today. Do you know where they went?"
Arya, who had been silently listening with a relaxed expression, quickly nodded, her voice clear and cheerful. "Oh, right! Sylvia actually managed to break through to the Third Level of the Physique Path yesterday, so she’s currently at ho consolidating her new breakthrough. Kale went back ho early because of so family matter that ca up."
Orion smiled genuinely, nodding appreciatively. "Sylvia’s advancent is great news. It seems we’re all steadily making progress."
The atmosphere in the garden gradually relaxed again, and the group comfortably resud chatting about their respective experiences and training progress.
Emilia quietly stood next to Arya, occasionally offering concise yet insightful observations, clearly enjoying the harmonious company.
After a while, Elias stepped closer again, his expression filled with eager pride. "Oh, Orion, I almost forgot! I’ve successfully finished forming my Gravity Affinity Rune. Honestly, I wanted to challenge you to a friendly spar to test it out—but now you’ve already leaped ahead to Tier 3, completely leaving behind."
Orion chuckled lightly, amused by Elias’s candid disappointnt. "Don’t worry, Elias. Given your talent, I’m sure it won’t take long for you to catch up to again. By then, we’ll definitely have our spar."
[It’s bad to give such false hope to others, Master.]
’Minor details.’
Elias’s eyes brightened, feeling more confident after Orion’s encouragent. "I’ll hold you to that!"
Felira giggled softly, clearly amused by Elias’s straightforward nature, while Nyss silently watched the exchange with a faint smile, her earlier worry montarily forgotten.
After chatting a while longer, Orion eventually glanced at the sky, noting the passage of ti. With a calm, apologetic smile, he turned to the group and spoke softly.
"Unfortunately, I might not co to the academy for the next couple of days. There are several important matters I need to handle at ho, including finalizing so training preparations and rune formation. But don’t slack off in my absence—I expect to see even more impressive results from everyone when I return."
Arya smiled brightly, her violet eyes sparkling cheerfully. "We definitely won’t let you down, Brother Orion. Good luck with your rune formation."
Elias nodded earnestly, his excitent evident. "Having you here is useless since we can’t train with you anyway. I’ll go back to training with Kale once he returns."
Orion chuckled warmly, acknowledging Elias’s challenge with a confident nod. Felira chuckled and nodded, "Yes, we won’t slack off, Instructor Orion. Now off you go."
He nodded while Nyss t his gaze once more, subtly nodding to show her support and understanding.
With their goodbyes exchanged, Orion turned calmly, exiting the peaceful garden and walking along the smooth stone pathway toward the academy’s exit. As he walked, Lumi’s cheerful voice echoed softly within his mind once again, filled with playful curiosity.
[Master, everyone really treats you well, huh?]
Orion rubbed his chin while saying, ’Well, probably only Elias and Arya are the genuine ones among the bunch. The others are all from noble houses and can’t be trusted at face value. Their elders might have instructed them to form close ties with .’
She curiously asked,
[Hmmm, then why did you get them in the club? Wouldn’t just taking the commoner students have been better?]
He softly shook his head, ’Relationships take ti to build. I’m sure after a few explorations their thoughts will turn genuine. Otherwise, I’d just need to create a few life-and-death situations for them and then resolve them to cent their trust in .’
[...How evil. I like it! So now, what’s next? Forming the Wood Affinity Rune right away, or sothing else first? (ﾉ≧ڡ≦)]
Orion’s expression softened as he sighed, ’I wanted to talk with Nyss, but from the looks of it, I won’t be able to talk with her with the others present. Then I’ll head ho and train with my sword first before I practice forming the Wood Affinity Rune.’
[Hehe, then Lumi will cheer for Master with all her might! (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧]
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