After finishing his meal, Ashan left the cafeteria and headed toward Narasha's class.
The corridors were quieter now. Most students were either resting or heading toward their next assigned locations. Ashan quickened his pace slightly.
The class must be over by now. I should hurry.
He reached the psychic training room and pushed the door open.
Inside, only a handful of students remained. The air still carried a faint pressure, traces of lingering psychic energy that had not fully dissipated. Some students were gathering their things while others chatted softly before leaving.
In one corner of the room, Narasha sat slouched against a chair, her posture lazy and relaxed. Her gaze was unfocused, as if her mind had drifted far away.
The moment Ashan stepped inside, she felt him.
Narasha slowly turned her head toward the entrance. Her eyes sharpened instantly and a small smile formed on her lips.
"Did I arrive late?" Ashan asked as he walked over.
He sat down beside her without hesitation, close enough that their shoulders touched.
"It ended just a moment ago," Narasha replied calmly. "Everyone else already left."
"So how was your first day?" Ashan asked.
Without warning, he leaned over and rested his head on her shoulder.
Narasha stiffened for a brief second, then relaxed. She did not pull away.
"Haa," She sighed. "It was nothing special. The professor in charge mostly tested psychic abilities."
Ashan raised an eyebrow. "So you were tested as well. How did it go?"
"I did not go all out," Narasha replied casually. "I only showed about half of my telekinesis. That was enough to rank me as the sixth strongest among telekinesis users."
Ashan's lips curved faintly.
"That's impressive," he said. "You must've drawn some attention."
"Did you make any friends?"
Narasha slowly closed her eyes, her tone indifferent.
"Friends," she repeated. "Two girls approached me and invited me to have breakfast together. I declined. Politely."
Ashan exhaled slowly.
"You should not push people away like that," he said. "Try getting closer to others. See new sides of life. If you do not, I will be the only person you know."
Narasha opened her eyes and looked at him. Her expression softened.
"Is that a bad thing?" she asked quietly.
Ashan widened his eyes for a moment, caught off guard. Then he smiled.
"I do not know," he admitted. "Being the only one by your side does not feel bad either."
He lifted his head from her shoulder and looked at her properly.
"By the way," he added. "Did you eat?"
Narasha shook her head slowly.
"I do not feel like it. Missing a few meals will not kill me."
Ashan reached out and gently grabbed her palm.
"Then do you want to drink some blood?" he asked. "You have not done that in a while."
Narasha's eyes brightened slightly. Her gaze drifted toward Ashan's neck without her realizing it.
"That sounds tempting," she said softly. "But I cannot just bite you here. Can I?"
Ashan stood up and glanced toward the door.
"Let us go to my room," he said. "Everything for today is finished. I was planning to visit it anyway."
He pulled Narasha up by her hand. She did not resist.
They left the room together.
Unnoticed by them, a bird lifted from a nearby ledge.
A large eagle, dark-feathered and sharp-eyed, glided away in silence, moving with an assassin's precision.
It was Strom, Morven's pet.
High above, perched on the thick branch of a massive tree inside the academy grounds, Morven watched through the eagle's eyes. His expression darkened as he followed Ashan and Narasha.
He saw them enter Ashan's room.
"What the hell?" Morven muttered. "He is taking her into his room?"
His brows furrowed deeply.
As far as he knew, that was inappropriate within academy rules. The area was quiet. No one else was nearby.
'What are they doing in there?' he thought.
He continued watching.
Minutes passed.
Then the door opened.
Ashan and Narasha stepped out.
Morven's eyes widened in shock.
Ashan was rubbing his neck, a relaxed smile plastered on his face. Narasha slowly wet her lips with her tongue, her eyes half closed. The corners of her gaze clung to Ashan in a way that made Morven's stomach twist. Her face was flushed. Ashan's face was also red.
Morven slapped a hand over his mouth.
'No way,' he thought. 'No way. Did they really…'
His face burned.
'That has to be it,' he continued internally. 'There is no other explanation. Doing something like that in broad daylight. They are insane.'
His thoughts spiraled wildly.
'Should I tell my sister?' he wondered. 'No. Why would I care? This is none of my business.'
He shook his head sharply.
"I need to forget this," he muttered.
…
The next day arrived quickly.
Ashan stood near the academy pool area, surrounded by students who had passed to the next level. The number was far smaller now, less than three hundred and fifty.
Almost all S rankers were present. Most A rankers as well. The rest were select students who had barely met the criteria.
Nevil was not among them.
Ashan sighed quietly.
'It is a pity Nevil did not make it yesterday. But today will be different for him. I am sure of it.'
From the S ranker group, Luphar noticed Ashan and waved energetically, a bright grin on his face.
Ashan acknowledged him with a nod.
Nearby, Morven also glanced at Ashan. The moment their eyes nearly met, Morven turned away, his jaw tightening. Yesterday's scene still burned vividly in his mind.
After a while, Aren arrived with ten instructors dressed in uniform. They stood in front of the students in a neat line.
"Students," Aren announced. "Welcome to the next level of training."
The chatter died instantly.
"From this point forward, training will become far more demanding," Aren continued. "Yesterday, you only ran once. Do not expect such leniency today."
He gestured toward the massive pool beside him.
"Today's training focuses on water endurance. There are three stages."
Students leaned forward instinctively.
"First," Aren said, "we will test how long you can hold your breath underwater."
Murmurs spread.
"Second, you will lift weights and run underwater. The number of laps will depend on your breath holding record and rank."
Some students swallowed nervously.
"Finally," Aren said, "the pool will generate a strong current. You must swim against it and reach the opposite side."
He paused briefly.
"Mana and skills are prohibited."
The tension spiked.
"We will provide swimsuits and wristbands," Aren continued. "Male and female students will separate. Go change."
Students moved quickly.
Inside the changing rooms, outfits were distributed. Male students emerged wearing knee length swimming pants, their upper bodies exposed. Female students wore sleek knee skin swimsuits.
Once outside, reactions exploded.
Male students flexed unconsciously, whispering among themselves.
"Look at them," one muttered. "Those bodies."
"This training is worth it just for this," another said.
Female students were no better.
"Those A rankers," a girl whispered. "Their muscles look unreal."
"I wish I could touch one," another said quietly.
Then Eirena stepped out.
The air shifted.
Conversations died.
Eyes locked onto her.
She moved with calm, unhurried steps, completely at ease, as if she hadn't just walked straight into the center of everyone's attention. Her swimsuit hugged her frame perfectly, outlining long legs, a narrow waist, and a powerful, well-trained physique that balanced elegance with unmistakable strength. Her posture was flawless, back straight, shoulders relaxed, radiating authority and confidence rather than embarrassment.
Male students stared openly, some forgetting to breathe.
"She is unbelievably hot," someone muttered.
"I had no idea," another whispered. "She was hiding that the whole time."
"Wait," a voice muttered urgently, "she doesn't have a boyfriend… right?"
Before the whispers could escalate further, the S rankers stepped out.