After calming down his enraged clones, Cael left the training room and started walking toward Seraphina’s office.
The corridors of the academy were quiet at this hour, with most students either in classes or training grounds.
His footsteps echoed softly against the polished stone floor as he made his way through the building.
A few days ago, Seraphina had told him he could choose any body technique as a reward for capturing Seris.
Now he was going to claim his hard-earned reward.
-WHOOSH
A gust of wind passed him as Cael looked up toward the sky.
Helicopters were carrying heavy loads to a location in the distance.
The aircraft moved in formation, their rotors chopping through the air in unison.
And that helicopter was not alone. More than fifty of them were engaged in the sa work, their cargo suspended beneath them like offerings being carried to an altar.
Cael did not know what they were doing, but he could guess that it had sothing to do with the so-called tournant.
Though the event had not yet been officially nad or announced to the public, the preparations were clearly underway.
Before long, he stood in front of Seraphina’s office. He raised his hand and was about to tap the call button when he heard Seraphina’s voice from inside.
"Co in."
Cael opened the door and entered the room.
Inside, Seraphina leaned back in her chair, her arm resting on the desk.
The soft glow of the afternoon sun filtered through the window behind her, casting long shadows across the floor.
Her amber eyes studied him with their usual quiet intensity.
"What took you so long?"
She asked as her gaze sharpened slightly.
"Hm. You achieved [Silver 3] already?"
Cael smiled and nodded. There was no point in hiding it, not that he had any skill to hide his rank or anything.
She would have noticed eventually anyway.
Then, more curious than being patient, he asked,
"My reward?"
Seraphina shook her head, though a hint of amusent flickered across her features.
"Straight to business. Alright then."
She opened a small, frad door in her desk and took out three books. She placed them on the desk, allowing Cael to see.
"You can choose one."
Cael took a step forward and read the nas of the techniques.
*Elental Body Technique.*
*Mana Strengthen Body Technique.*
*Runic Body Refra Technique.*
Intrigued by the nas, Cael checked the descriptions and analyzed each one.
.
The Elental Body Technique, as its na suggests, helps the user turn their body and fuse with an elent itself.
The description noted that it took a long ti to master and required ti, patience, and dedication. It was not a quick solution. It was a path.
.
The Mana Strengthen Body Technique required the user to be at [Gold] rank to practice.
The technique helped turn the user’s body into a perfect vessel for mana. To master it, one had to consu or absorb natural mana regularly for a long period.
Mana potions would not work. Only natural mana or natural mana materials from the environnt would suffice.
On the side, practicing this technique could improve one’s mana capacity significantly.
.
The final technique, and the most difficult one, was the Runic Body Refra Technique.
To master it, one had to endure pain. It was a long process of integrating either elental mana or regular mana with one’s body, skin, and muscles.
The technique could provide trendous, almost instant output. It also increased mana capacity.
.
Cael’s choice was obvious.
He chose the Mana Strengthen Body Technique.
Although the records stated that one needed to absorb mana without external sources like mana potions, Cael’s innate ability might beco an exception.
He would find out soon enough.
All he needed to do was eat mana beast at while circulating mana after achieving [Gold], of course.
His second best option was the Runic Body Refra Technique, but the problem was... pain.
He was afraid he might beco a masochist who enjoyed suffering.
Not to ntion, there was a chance that his danger sense might beco dull if he grew accustod to pain.
And there was one more reason he wanted to pick the Mana Strengthen Body Technique.
Once he mastered it, he would obtain a perfect vessel for mana, which might produce unexpected results when used with Mana Sovereignty.
Cael wanted to learn this technique as soon as possible, but he was only [Silver 3] and could not yet circulate the technique’s mana pattern.
"I choose this,"
Cael said as he pointed at the Mana Strengthen Body Technique.
Seraphina nodded softly.
She did not comnt on his choice or offer any advice. Instead, she asked,
"Why did Lucian Vayne leave the academy?"
Cael paused, seeming to think he had misheard.
"I didn’t hear you?"
Seraphina rested her chin on her clenched fist and repeated her words.
"I asked, ’ Why did Lucian Vayne leave the academy?"
Hearing those words for the second ti, Cael’s eyes widened as he muttered,
"Luke left the academy? When?"
Seraphina shrugged and answered,
"Two or three days ago, while you were recovering."
Cael closed his eyes, processing the information.
"I see. I did not know that."
Seraphina’s mobile rang. She glanced at the screen, then answered to Cael.
"Seems like it."
She answered the call.
It was the doctor responsible for the three students who had been mysteriously invaded by the unknown energy.
"They woke up."
The doctor’s voice was clear through the speaker. Seraphina replied,
"I understand. I will be there in a minute."
Then her eyes paused on Cael, who had lost himself in thought. She tapped the desk, drawing his attention.
"Follow ."
...
Seraphina led Cael to the dical dormitory.
The corridors were quiet, the usual bustle of nurses and patients replaced by an uneasy stillness.
The air felt thicker here, heavier, as if sothing unseen was pressing down on the building.
They t with the doctor outside the students’ room.
He spoke slightly as he briefed them on the situation. The three students had woken up. They were confused, disoriented, but safe.
Seraphina nodded and entered the room.
Cael followed, staying to the side as she approached the students’ beds.
The doctor asked them what they rembered. What had they seen? What had they heard? What were they doing before they lost consciousness?
The students hesitated. Their eyes darted between Seraphina, the doctor, and each other.
Finally, one of them spoke.
That day, they had been sparring like usual. Everything was normal. Until they heard three words.
The doctor leaned in, his voice urgent but controlled.
"What? Tell . What did you hear?"
The student was clearly hesitant, his hands gripping the bedsheets. But he gathered his courage and spoke.
"I heard a voice, a girl’s voice, it said, Who’s that bitch?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, his eyes widened. His heartbeat spiked. His breathing beca ragged.
The mory of that mont flooded back, and with it ca the sa terror, the sa loss of control. He started to shake.
The doctors tried to calm him down, but nothing worked. His condition worsened by the second.
With a swift movent, Seraphina stepped forward and knocked the student unconscious. His body went limp, and the room fell silent.
But before anyone could speak, they heard it.
Laughter. Coming from outside the room.
Cael felt goosebumps crawl up his arms.
The sound was light at first, almost cheerful. But it grew louder, more strained, more desperate. It was coming from everywhere.
With slow, asured steps, Cael approached the door and opened it.
Seraphina stood beside him, her expression unreadable. The doctors followed close behind.
Outside, the scene was chaos.
Patients, staff, nurses, workers, and everyone in the dical dormitory were laughing.
Their faces were pale. Their eyes were bloodshot. Tears stread down their cheeks.
They laughed and cried at the sa ti, their bodies shaking uncontrollably.
Seraphina’s eyes widened in shock. But strangely, all of them were looking in the sa direction.
Cael’s steps quickened. Soon, he was running. Seraphina and the doctors followed closely behind.
They arrived at a room. It was Seris’s dic room.
Cael took a deep breath. Seraphina stepped forward and opened the door.
The room was empty. No presence. No sign of life.
Cael’s eyes paused on the wall. Words had been written by blood, and it was still fresh.
"Thank you."
As soon as he finished reading, he heard it. A small giggle.
"Hehe."
Cael’s eyes widened. He instantly turned around.
Seraphina was smiling, her hand covering her lips as she muttered,
"The Unknown Energy."
Behind her, the doctors were in an even worse state, their faces twisted between laughter and tears, their bodies trembling.
But Cael was unaffected.
The unknown energy that was making everyone else laugh and cry was not working on him. Or perhaps it was not targeting him at all.
"What’s going on?"
_____________
[Unedited Chapter]
.
[A/N: First of all, thank you for being patient for one Chapter release for the past few days.
It was the last day of this trip. Next trip was scheduled for August, and hopefully, I will prepare the backup Chapter by then.
That aside, from tomorrow onwards, two Chapters will be uploaded per day. And each Chapter contains 1000 to 1300 words.]
Once again, thank you.
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