Serene’s eyes went wide. She stood up suddenly, nearly knocking her chair over.
"What?!" she shouted.
Alex didn’t flinch. He rely exhaled again. "That was the price I had to pay."
Serene’s shock turned into solemn understanding. Her expression tightened. She stepped closer, her voice low and serious.
"Don’t ever tell anyone about this, okay? You know what they’ll do if they find out."
Alex nodded slowly. "Yeah... I know. I’m not strong enough yet."
His hands clenched into fists, trembling slightly.
Serene took out the clothes from her spatial ring and put them on the bed.
"Here. Wear this. It’s still dark outside, halls are empty. You can reach your dorm room without anyone noticing."
Alex nodded. Serene and Hati went outside, leaving Alex alone.
Alex stood up and wore the black jeans and black t-shirt, exposing his lean muscular arms.
He combed his hair with his hands and moved out of the bedroom.
He ca into the lounge and saw Serene and Hati waiting nearby.
Serene stood up and looked with wide eyes, then smiled.
"Looks like your height has increased."
She stood near him and said, "You’re almost reaching my height now."
Alex rolled his eyes. "You are wearing high heels."
Serene smiled teasingly. "That’s part of my height."
Alex ignored her teasing and looked at Hati.
"Let’s go, Hati!"
Hati stood up and moved a little, like he was reluctant to leave.
Serene also had a sad smile as she said,
"We have to act like strangers to save ourselves until we both grow stronger."
Alex nodded and smiled. "I know, Aunt Serene."
Serene’s eyes filled up with tears and she lunged at Alex, hugging him and dragging his head into her chest.
Alex hugged her back.
Ti stopped for a second.
They shared their grief, warmth, and loneliness with each other.
Alex separated from the reluctant Serene and said, turning with teary eyes,
"Goodbye, Aunt!"
Serene replied with a tear flowing down her cheeks and a broken voice,
"Goodbye, Alex."
The door shut behind as Alex left Serene’s dorm room. He shrouded himself in the little dark elental energy he had—and Hati too—erasing their presence.
He stepped toward his shabby little dorm room.
He reached and went inside.
Click. The door shut behind.
He collapsed on his bed, took a big breath, and muttered,
"This world is my enemy. No one is my ally. I have to fight it myself."
Hati jumped on the bed and curled near Alex, reminding him that he is not alone.
A sad smile stretched across his face. He caressed Hati’s soft fur.
In one of the Academy’s highest towers, behind a sleek wooden door, a polished plank hung nearby bearing the words Vice Principal etched in gold on its surface.
Inside the neatly arranged office, lined with towering bookshelves, a bald man sat behind a desk, leaning forward slightly. Across from him, a figure cloaked entirely in black sat silently—his presence heavy and unreadable.
Jasper, the bald man, spoke first.
"We can’t help you much this ti. The monsters are... a little afraid to co near the Academy."
The man in black thumped his fist on the desk. His voice was hoarse and sharp.
"We had a deal. You can’t just back out now."
Jasper’s eyes narrowed. He growled,
"Don’t ss up my desk."
The cloaked man flinched slightly but fell silent.
Jasper continued, his tone calr but firm.
"As I said, the monsters are spooked. The Devourer appeared suddenly—and even they fear it. Still, we’ll uphold our end. You’ll get two A-rank monsters, one B-rank, and one S-rank—already turned humanoid. That’s our final offer. You’d be wise to accept it."
The man clenched his fists, voice low and full of restrained fury.
"It’s not enough. We’re attacking the Academy—where a Sage is present. Many pseudo-Saints too. And most of them... are the strongest."
Jasper leaned back slightly, unmoved.
"I won’t interfere. I won’t help you, but I won’t stop you either."
The man’s jaw tightened. He growled,
"Ashen Dawn will rember this."
Jasper laughed—a deep, echoing sound that filled the room. The man’s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing more. He stood, turned, and walked toward the door.
Just as he reached it, Jasper’s voice followed him like a dagger in the dark.
"Ashen Dawn... You think I’m naïve? I know who’s behind you."
A pause—then Jasper added with a crooked grin,
"But I don’t care. Nobles becoming experint material? I quite like it."
The man didn’t turn back. He stepped into the hallway—and vanished into the darkness.
Alex woke up, stepped out of bed, and walked to the window.
Below, waves crashed against the rocky island cliffs, and the first light of the sun slowly tore through the horizon.
He exhaled and muttered to himself,
"I have to rise again... like that sun."
After a quick wash, he returned to find Hati already awake.
They headed to the cafeteria.
The aunty chef smiled warmly, her wrinkled face lighting up.
"You’re back, finally."
Alex returned the smile and gave a small nod.
After finishing their al, the two left the cafeteria.
Alex walked toward the Elental Cultivation Hall. He scanned his bracelet at the obsidian-black door, which slid open silently. He stepped into the Dark Elental Cultivation Room, Hati following close behind.
Hati yawned, curled up in a corner, and went back to sleep.
Alex sat down in a ditative posture. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes and began to cultivate.
The room was simple—surrounded by black stone walls. Embedded in the floor were veins of dark elental stones that radiated thick, dense energy. The atmosphere inside was saturated with dark elental energy, ideal for forming and strengthening elental circles.
Alex inhaled slowly, letting the energy fill his lungs.
Then he exhaled, steady and controlled.
Dark elental energy coursed into his body.
In the past, he had reached the peak of six dark elental circles. Though he had lost all of that cultivation, his body still retained its deep affinity with the dark elent. It no longer needed to be refined by the energy—it welcod it.
The energy flowed cleanly through him, converging into his right heart.
The first circle had already been ford again.
Now, under the pull of this energy-rich chamber, he began to form the second dark elental circle.
Alex opened his eyes and looked at the tir.
"It’s been five hours... I’ve only ford one circle. It’s slow, but sothing feels different—like my control is getting better, more refined. Let’s continue."
He closed his eyes and resud cultivating.
Another five hours passed.
Alex’s eyes opened again, this ti to the sound of a rumbling stomach—not his.
He glanced over and saw Hati blinking at him, stomach growling like a small engine.
Alex smiled apologetically.
"Sorry, Hati. I got too absorbed in cultivation and forgot all about food. Let’s go."
As they walked out, Alex asked,
"Did you cultivate too? I almost reached the third circle. And I think... my control over the elent is getting sharper, more efficient."
Hati yawned dramatically and shook his head, clearly tired from doing absolutely nothing.
Alex sighed and chuckled.
They walked through the quiet corridor, then down the stairs to the cafeteria on the first floor.
As Alex stepped in, a wave of warm air mixed with the aroma of various foods hit him.
Laughter, chatter, and the clatter of dishes filled the space—alive with students.
He grabbed a sandwich for himself and BBQ skewers for Hati—his favorite.
They took their usual corner spot.
Just as they started eating, two trays slamd onto their table.
Clank!
Alex looked up and saw two familiar figures—
One with fierce, lion-like golden eyes and disheveled hair.
The other, a silver-haired beauty with piercing light blue eyes.
Both had their arms crossed, glaring at him like they were about to devour him.
Reviews
All reviews (0)