Following the three-week break granted by Versalkin Academy to the "Blood Moon Assassins" team, each member returned with greater strength and a wealth of experience gained from their valuable endeavors.
Everyone had evolved and improved significantly within their chosen paths, emerging stronger than they had been before the break. This three-week hiatus was no ordinary vacation; it served as a definitive turning point—a divide between who they once were—unaware of their true selves—and who they were becoming. They realized that they were still only at the beginning of their journey toward true power.
As Yuta headed toward the gate leading to Versalkin Academy, he heard Supervisor Moralia calling out to him:
"Yuta... Yuta... Yuta!"
He turned toward the sound, spotting Moralia approaching with graceful, agile steps—a sight that caught him slightly off guard.
Upon reaching him, she looked at him with palpable excitement and asked:
"So, how was your break? Did you enjoy it?"
"It went perfectly. I made good use of it to get plenty of rest."
Yuta's tone remained calm, contrasting sharply with Moralia's high-spirited demeanor—a detail that confirmed to him that his request had indeed been granted.
"So, the head of Versalkin Academy approved my request, then? To increase the class size from fifteen to twenty students?"
Yuta spoke with a composed, steady voice; he had been certain that the head of the academy would agree—especially after he had disclosed the identities of the individuals he wished to bring into the elite class. Moralia's expression shifted to one of surprise at the calm tone of his voice.
"Yes, he approved your request. And how could he refuse a request from someone with your talent? As for those other individuals—their acceptance was a foregone conclusion; I didn't even need to ask him about it."
Moralia spoke with a composed demeanor, glancing first at Yuta and then toward the headmaster's office—her expression a blend of serenity and pride, reflecting her status as a staff member at the world's most prestigious academy.
"Yuta, you should head to class. There's only half an hour left before Professor Yoshika Kiyotowa's 'History of Magic' lesson begins—you know how strict she can be. As for the increase in the student body, that has only been disclosed to the administration; you are the first student to be made aware of it."
Yuta left immediately. Moralia watched him go with a calm expression, a subtle, enigmatic smile touching her lips, before turning back to attend to her own duties.
On his way to class, Yuta encountered Beatrice, Grey, Ryoichi, Lucy, Tom, and Armin. An aura surrounded them—one that had changed completely from before. They were noticeably stronger and more composed than they had been three weeks earlier.
"Looks like you've all gotten much stronger!"
Grey's tone carried a hint of light mockery as he and Ryoichi approached the group.
Lucy's face showed clear annoyance, while Ryoichi, Tom, and Armin looked surprised; Yuta and Beatrice, however, remained entirely indifferent. "Yes, we've become much stronger. And what about you, young Mr. de Molière? What have you been up to since we last parted ways?"
On the surface, Lucy's words sounded like an inquiry, but beneath them lay a direct insult. Grey felt a flicker of annoyance, yet he chose to brush it off.
"So, what did you all do during the break?"
Yurchi's tone was calm, an attempt to ease the tension.
"Nothing special. I spent the last few weeks studying books on Konuwa theories. How about you guys?"
Beatrice spoke in a composed, steady voice. Her expression remained cold and devoid of any emotion—as if she were merely reciting a list of her activities, entirely detached from any personal feeling.
Grey turned his gaze toward Lucy, a faint, mischievous smile playing on his lips.
"And what did you do, Miss Lucy Kethali, over the past few weeks? Were you busy in the infirmary, treating humans and grooming yourself to remain the 'Beauty Queen' of Versalkin Academy for the third year in a row?"
Lucy's expression soured, though a subtle smile soon graced her face as she looked back at Grey.
"I was training in something that will make my defense—impenetrable."
She said this while glancing toward Yurchi and Yuta—the two students in the elite class who possessed the most formidable offensive abilities—before shifting her gaze back to Grey.
"And you? What did *you* do?"
Grey raised an eyebrow, meeting her gaze; he understood exactly what she was implying. "Yurchi and I have been training hard on something you'll find out about during the midterm exams. So, hang in there—it won't be long now."
Grey's tone carried a great deal of confidence that the training he had undergone would prove useful.
"As for Tom and me, we've cleared several X-rank dungeons over the past two weeks."
Armin's tone was calm, though tinged with a slight unease under the gazes of the others.
Yurchi, Lucy, and Grey were struck with astonishment. Yuta and Beatrice, however, remained unfazed; they were well aware of the immense power Tom and Armin possessed—a fact completely unknown to Grey, Yurchi, and Lucy.
A few minutes passed before their attention shifted toward Yuta, driven by curiosity about someone ranked among the five strongest students at Verselkin Academy.
"What were you expecting? I spent my time resting and reading some novels, of course. I've been reading *The Madman's Tale*—it's a truly fantastic story."
Yuta's tone remained calm, contrasting sharply with the disappointed expressions on their faces. He chose to ignore them and headed toward his classroom.
"Hey! Wait up, you lazy, arrogant jerk!"
Grey's voice was filled with anger and indignation as he glared at Yuta, who had already walked past them.
Yuta turned his gaze toward them, his eyes as sharp as a sword's blade.
"Anyone who wants to get kicked out of Ms. Yoshika Kiyotowa's class—feel free to stay right here." "There's only fifteen minutes left until her class starts; we don't have time to keep chatting."
Yuta's tone remained calm as he continued walking, not once looking back.
Everyone—save for Beatrice—looked mildly shocked, then quickly hurried after Yuta, who was moving at a brisk pace.
"You rascal! Why didn't you say that from the start?!"
Their voices were laced with indignation, but Yuta ignored them and picked up his pace even further. Stunned for a few seconds, they soon scrambled to catch up, desperate to arrive on time.Ten minutes later, they arrived at their classroom. Signs of relief washed over their faces after having run—without a single second's pause—all the way from the academy's inner gate.
They stepped into the classroom with steady strides. The murmurs of the eighth-year students ceased abruptly; they gazed at the new arrivals with a sense of awe, viewing them as the elite of the elite class.
As soon as they entered, the whispering began anew.
"Did you hear what happened at the academy tournament? Yuta defeated three arbiters and demonstrated the ability to wield black fire!"
"That's not all."
"What do you mean?"
"Haven't you heard the news? Yuta won a fight against both Jian Yi and Guther MacTire!"
Elsewhere, in another part of the classroom, other students were also in conversation.
"In the magic tournament, Grey's team defeated the 'Cannibals.' I heard the latter disbanded afterward, overcome with the shame of such a humiliating defeat."
"No wonder! Despite their team's long-standing reputation, they suffered an indescribably crushing defeat at the hands of people young enough to be their grandchildren!"
"And another thing—isn't Lucy Kethali supposed to be unable to use her mana? How was she able to fight using it during the tournament?"
"Logically speaking, that must have been a lie. If she couldn't use mana, how could she have awakened the 'Konuwa' within her? Awakening it requires the user to be capable of wielding mana, ki, aura, or chi—or to possess a 'Primordial Sea.'" "This implies that Lucy possessed the 'Heart of Mana,' yet her own heart was unable to withstand such energy. That is merely one hypothesis."
Murmurs filled the hall, though Yurchi, Lucy, Beatrice, Grey, Armin, Yuta, and Tom paid them no mind. They sat in the front rows—unlike the rest of the students, who had chosen seats in the back to minimize the chance of being called upon.
An amused smile played across Yuta's lips.
Two months had passed since he entered Verselkin Academy—roughly six months since he left the city of Berhais, and nearly a year since he departed the Casiral family estate, having slain its members.
In that time, nearly all the chess pieces had been moved into their proper places.
Although he had completed several objectives for the first phase, much remained to be done before the three-year period concluded—marking the end of this stage and the transition into the subsequent phases of an existential, narrative-driven conflict, one fraught with unknowns, hidden secrets, and grave perils.
Yet, he was prepared to do whatever it took to achieve his goal.
"Students, take out your materials. We shall now begin our lesson on the History of Magic."
Kyotwa's tone was calm, yet it commanded an absolute silence throughout the hall. Her gaze swept over the students, noting the return of some familiar faces.
"The very sight of these faces confirms that you are in an elite class—not a nursery for pampered noble children."
"Now, let us begin. Today's lesson concerns the origin of the Konuwa." Her tone was calm as she wrote the lesson topic on the board with fluid ease, as if she were writing in the air.
She then turned her gaze toward the students, composed as always.
"First, the origin of the 'Konuwa' does not lie within this world; nor is its physical energy of human origin..."
Kyotwa paused, observing the expressions on the students' faces—a mixture of shock and stillness. Only Beatrice, Yuta, and Tom remained entirely unfazed. She continued in the same steady tone:
"The Konuwa was created by an entity from realms beyond our own. An entity from the world where the Konuwa originated came to our realm and taught it to us. As for the 'Aura,' we learned that from the barbarians..."
A girl's voice interrupted, filled with both respect and bewilderment. Kyotwa, feeling no annoyance, gestured for the student to ask her question.
"Professor Kyotwa, who exactly was the person who taught us how to use the Konuwa?"
Kyotwa remained silent for a few seconds before answering:
"As for that individual, their identity remains unknown—though we are certain that they are the very person who invented it."
Kyotwa's voice remained calm as she scanned each student in turn.
"Furthermore, we have determined that utilizing the Konuwa requires it to be awakened within each individual. One must possess a 'Mana Core,' a 'Mind,' and 'Dantian Roots'—though possessing these does not necessarily guarantee the ability to wield it." "As for *ki* and the aura, there is nothing in this world that does not possess them—even rocks contain *ki* within them."
"The simplest example of this is Lucy Kethali. Although she is unable to harness the mana essence residing in her core, she still possesses it; that is precisely why she was able to use *Konowa* with such ease."
"The same applies to me. I cannot utilize the roots of my *dantian*—they are too fragile to withstand the pressure required to activate them—yet I, too, can wield *Konowa* effortlessly."
Kyotwa's tone remained calm, indifferent to any potential mockery regarding her inability to channel *chi*. In truth, no one would dare insult her; she is one of the most formidable instructors at the academy, ranking among the top twenty individuals on the Central Continent—and the top fifty across the entire planet.
"In any case, tomorrow's lesson will focus on the distinction between standard *Konowa* and *Konowa-go*. Make sure to take notes; the upcoming exam will cover this very topic."
With a weary sigh, Kyotwa sank into her chair. As the students busied themselves with their notes, she cast a gaze—tinged with a hint of pride—toward Grey, Ryoichi, Lucy, Beatrice, Yuta, Armin, and Tom.
She had never imagined that the return of her two greatest slackers—Yuta and Beatrice—would bring her such genuine delight. As for Lucy and the more diligent students—Grey, Ryoichi, Tom, and Armin—she knew that, after all these years, the next four would be truly interesting. "It looks like I'm really going to enjoy teaching these lunatics."