Alex blinked and looked around, confused.
The calm, humming atmosphere of the training zone had shifted. Most of the students had stopped meditating, now just stretching or chatting among themselves. Mana still lingered faintly in the air, but it was clear the session had come to an end for most.
Mr. Lennox clapped his hands to get everyone's attention.
"Alright, listen up," he said, voice steady but firm. "Some of you were able to sense and even begin forming your Mana Core today. Others — not yet. That's perfectly fine. This isn't a race."
His eyes scanned them all.
"But you must not slack. Your ability to gather mana daily is what determines the speed of your growth. Make it a daily duty — no exceptions."
He gestured to the sky-blue dome surrounding the facility.
"This zone you're in is rich in mana. It's not free. The Academy uses its highest resources to keep this place running. It's to help you grow faster. Don't waste it."
He paused, letting the words sink in. Then, with a nod, he turned and walked off.
"I'll see you all in your next class."
With that, students began to stand and file out, chatting about how they felt the energy, what their cores looked like, and who felt the most pressure.
Alex just stared at his hands.
That core he saw… it wasn't like the others. And it sure as hell didn't feel normal.
"You good?" Miranda's voice snapped him back to reality. She walked beside him, a towel hanging over her shoulders, her white bangs slightly damp with sweat.
"Huh? Yeah… I'm fine," Alex muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
"You sure?" Kirito added from his other side, stretching his arms lazily. "You spaced out real hard. Thought you were gonna fall asleep during meditation or something."
Zane snorted ahead of them. "Nah. He was probably seeing stars. Bet his mana core was hiding from him."
"Wow," Alex replied, deadpan. "Didn't realize we were throwing shade now."
"Shade? Nah bro," Zane said, flashing that cocky grin. "I'm just saying, some of us are born prodigies… others, well, gotta grind a little harder."
"Easy there, Mr. Lightning Bolt," Miranda teased, nudging Zane with her elbow. "Don't let your ego short-circuit you."
The group laughed as they walked down the marble hallway that led to the dorm wings.
The dorm lounge was warm and cozy, scattered with floating lights and glass windows that showed off the academy's towering spires. Students lounged on couches, played games with mana-based projectors, or shared snacks from the food replicator unit.
Alex sat cross-legged on a soft couch, holding a steaming mug of mana cocoa. Kirito was balancing a snack bowl on his head. Zane was arguing with an AI chess board. Miranda was scrolling through a floating holographic interface, probably reading up on mana theory… again.
"Okay, someone explain why this chess AI cheats," Zane grumbled. "It just moved two pieces at once."
"It didn't cheat," Miranda replied. "You're just bad at it."
Alex smirked. "She's not wrong."
Zane narrowed his eyes. "You know what? I'm starting to think this group is bad for my mental health."
"Then leave," Kirito said with a sly smile, tossing popcorn in the air and catching it with his mouth.
Zane flipped him off casually and went back to glaring at the board.
Alex took a sip of his drink and exhaled slowly.
For a brief moment, things felt… normal.
Somewhere else on Academy Grounds…
A quiet training area — dry, open, and surrounded by sharp rocky hills.
Drevon stood calmly at the center, a small rock levitating and spinning smoothly above his palm. Light green mana danced around him like a light breeze.
Other students, mostly second-years and a few third-years, stood in a semi-circle, watching.
He narrowed his eyes, smirking.
"She thinks it's over…" he muttered.
The rock in his hand cracked slightly under the pressure of his mana.
"…but now is the perfect time to strike."
One of the first-year students trembled slightly, raising his hand. "B-but sir… isn't it dangerous?"
He swallowed nervously. "They said a monster attacked the last group that ambushed her. S-someone died… s-should we really—"
Before he could finish, the air snapped.
"Wind Burst."
In the blink of an eye, Drevon vanished from sight — reappearing right in front of the student. His fist, wrapped in concentrated wind mana, slammed into the boy's face.
CRACK.
The student hit the ground hard, groaning as blood dripped from his mouth.
Drevon turned to the rest of them slowly, expression cold.
"Any questions?"
Nobody said a word.
"Good," he said, adjusting his coat. "Take him to the healing bay."
He looked back at the crushed rock still floating behind him.
"Remember the plan," he added darkly. "Nobody disgraces me… and gets away with it."