Recently, things had been going well for Ethan.
Since he had awakened, he had been working hard to make his stats better than before, and it seed things were working.
Of course, if one knew about his talent limit and his newly awakened trait…..Then, they would surely understand how things were working for him.
'One last lap.'
And now here he was. Running around the academy for the first thing in the morning. This beca a daily occurrence for him since he was training with Julia all this ti. Thanks to her 'unique' way of training in the form of beating the shit out of others, he sought for so alone ti.
This running ti was one of those.
"….."
Ethan's breath ca out in visible puffs as he navigated the familiar paths of the academy grounds. The crisp morning air filled his lungs, invigorating him as he pushed his body to its limits. Each stride carried a determination born from the desire to surpass his previous self.
The sun had yet to rise, and the weather of night was cold, casting a wind over the academy's sprawling landscape.
Ethan's blue hair fluttered with each step, a streak of color amidst the serene surroundings.
As he ran, the rhythmic thud of his footsteps echoed through the quiet campus, harmonizing with the occasional bird's song.
He couldn't help but reflect on the recent changes in his life. The awakening had brought forth new possibilities, and his dedication to improving his skills had paid off.
The limitations that once hindered him were now re obstacles to overco.
'New assignnt….I wonder where it is?'
Of course, his mind was also on the sa assignnt. His group wasn't able to find the location. Well, they did find so things, but they weren't sure any of them since it felt like they were just gibberish.
'Professor Eleanor said a group of students had already found the answer correctly. They should be really talented.'
This had already beco his free-thinking ti while running. He would go through the current events of his life, how the academy was going, how his studies were going, and how his relationships with people were going.
Naturally, with ti passing, his thoughts progressed to their current topic of conversation.
The person that he was also intrigued with.
'Lilia also ntioned him being quite talented. I guess they are seeing it now.'
After Ethan improved his rankings, his interactions with Astron beca increasingly rarer since they were no longer matched in combat classes, and neither of the two initiated any talk.
Well, considering Astron had never initiated before, it was mainly on Ethan's side. But he was also busy with his own things so that he couldn't do it.
'I wonder what he is doing now.'
Both he and Julia had seen him training early in the morning before, so they knew he was also a hard worker.
'Irina and him were in the sa group. Well, I guess they wouldn't do too bad.'
At the thought of groups, he was suddenly reminded of Emily. The girl, both Astron and him, had helped with her guild and dungeon exploration.
'She said her guild was doing well…..I guess our help wasn't pointless.'
After the exploration, Ethan also decided to invest in Emily's guild since he liked how she approached her mbers as family. Her attitude wasn't bad either, so he didn't mind recomnding her guild to the butler.
'It is good….'
As Ethan continued his morning run, his thoughts andered to the cryptic conversation he had with Carl about Astron. The words echoed in his mind, and he couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to Astron than t the eye.
'Carl was insistent but vague. Sothing about Astron not being what he seed, giving a hidden feeling that goes beyond the looks,' Ethan pondered, his breath forming misty clouds in the chilly morning air.
'I am getting the sa feeling.'
The first reason why he was interested in Astron was His intuition. Even at the start, he got a weird feeling from him. Was it sothing sinister or sothing pure?
What was it?
To this question, he could only answer with one thing.
'Detachnt.'
It was as if Astron existed in a realm detached from the everyday concerns of the academy.
Ethan's contemplative mind delved into the observations he had made about Astron's behavior, forming a narrative of detachnt that seed to shroud the enigmatic figure.
He's detached from reality, living in his own world,' Ethan mused, his pace steady as he continued his morning run. 'Astron never seed to care about the things that occupy most students – the banter, the laughter, the hobbies. Does he even have hobbies?'
The image of Astron in the combat classes resurfaced, his focus unwavering, his movents precise.
It was as if he approached every challenge with calculated precision, unaffected by the camaraderie and levity that often accompanied the students' interactions.
"Don't talk to ."
He was reminded of the ti when he was rude. Regardless of the person, whether they were a teacher or a celebrity, his attitude never changed.
'He doesn't have fun, at least not in the way others do. No visible interests, no friendships that extend beyond necessity,' Ethan thought, his breath now matching the rhythm of his contemplation.
'But why?'
That one question that he could never answer, no matter how he thought. He just lacked the information.
"I won't stop until I exterminate the enemy."
Rembering his words of that ti and the visible hatred he excluded.
'What enemies are you talking about?'
The notion of helping Astron, understanding the source of his intensity, and perhaps unraveling the enigma flickered in Ethan's mind. 'After all this ti, it feels like we've sohow beco close, even if in an unconventional way,' he acknowledged, realizing that Astron, despite his detached nature, had left an undeniable impact on him.
Lost in thought, Ethan's body carried him through the academy grounds, each step taking him deeper into the labyrinth of his musings. The rhythmic thud of his footsteps beca a steady cadence to the questions that circled in his mind.
A sudden awareness of his surroundings jolted him from his contemplation. Ethan noticed that he had been running for quite a while, and a growing thirst made itself known. With a sigh, he decided it was ti to quench his thirst and rehydrate.
Reaching for the water bottle he had tucked into his training gear, Ethan took a refreshing gulp. The cool liquid washed away the dryness in his throat, and he felt invigorated. As he closed the bottle, he made a decision.
"This will be my final lap," Ethan declared to himself, his voice sohow feeling calm.
Ethan resud his run, the rhythmic thud of his footsteps now serving as a rhythmic beat to the cadence of his clear mind. The muddled thoughts that had consud him earlier were montarily set aside as he focused on the physical exertion and the crisp air that filled his lungs.
"CAW!"
SWOOSH!
However, the peaceful rhythm was abruptly shattered when, out of nowhere, a black figure swooped down towards him.
"Ouch!"
Instinctively, Ethan halted in his tracks, a mix of surprise and wariness etched across his features.
"What the?"
FLAP! FLAP!
The sudden assailant revealed itself to be a crow, its wings flapping nacingly.
'A crow?'
Ethan's eyes narrowed as he took in the crow's unusual appearance. Its feathers seed darker than any crow he had ever seen, and its eyes glowed an eerie shade of purple.
The hollow gaze of those purple eyes sent a shiver down Ethan's spine, an inexplicable feeling of unease settling over him.
"Strange crow," Ethan muttered under his breath as his gaze followed the crow.
"Hmm? What?" But rather than seeing the crow, his gaze t with nothing but emptiness as if the crow hadn't even existed before.
"Where did it go?" he wondered aloud, scanning the darkened surroundings. The sun had yet to rise, casting shadows that seed to dance with the lingering mystery of the encounter. The crisp air now carried a subtle chill, adding an extra layer of uncertainty to the atmosphere.
Ethan's breaths, once synchronized with the rhythm of his run, now hung in the still night air. He strained his senses, searching for any sign of the strange crow.
"Was it even real?" Ethan questioned, running a hand through his blue hair. The unease from the encounter lingered, leaving him with a sense of bewildernt. He considered the possibility that the crow might have been a fignt of his imagination, a trick played by his fatigued mind.
"Wait?"
At that mont, he noticed a trail. Underneath the trees that were lit by the lighting of the academy, he noticed a small stain.
Intrigued, he approached cautiously, realizing that the stain wasn't just a mark on the path; it was blood.
His eyes widened, and a wave of concern washed over him.
'This is fresh.'
The blood felt fresh, and he couldn't dismiss the thought that soone might have been injured right there. The mystery deepened as he noticed that the trail led toward the backyards of the buildings in front of him.
A sense of urgency overca Ethan as he followed the blood trail, his instincts guiding him through the shadows. The darkness seed to thicken as he ventured deeper into the academy grounds, the crisp air now laden with a foreboding tension.
As he neared the backyards, the subtle sounds of movent reached his ears. Hesitating for a mont, Ethan strained to identify the source of the noise.
The subtle sounds of the movent grew more pronounced, and Ethan hesitated, straining to identify the source. The air seed charged with an eerie energy, and suddenly, he caught snippets of voices – whispers and laughter, but they held a sinister edge.
SLAP!
The sound echoed through the darkness, freezing Ethan in his tracks. A knot tightened in his stomach as the voices beca clearer.
"It is so fun… So much fun…."
SLAP!
"Will you spread your legs for us too? Should I pay you for that?"
'What is this?'
A mixture of anger and concern surged within Ethan as he followed the sounds to a secluded corner of the backyard. There, illuminated by faint moonlight, he ca across a disturbing scene.
'Don't tell ?'
A girl, cornered and outnumbered, was being subjected to taunts and physical intimidation by a group of others.
The atmosphere was thick with hostility, and Ethan's gaze hardened as he witnessed the distressing display of bullying.
For the first ti in a while, Ethan felt his blood boil after witnessing the girl lying on the ground with her gaze shallow.
He took a step forward, his expression determined, and his voice cut through the night with a stern command.
"Stop that right now!"
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