The hostel corridors of Null Spire were quiet in an unnatural way—too clean, too orderly, as if noise itself was discouraged.
Shin walked ahead with his hands behind his head, while Vaibhav followed, taking in the surroundings. The door to their assigned room slid open automatically.
Someone was already inside.
A man of about twenty-one stood near the window, adjusting his books. He had sharp features and an annoyed expression that deepened the moment Shin saw him.
Shin's eyes lit up.
He strode forward and casually threw an arm around the man's shoulders.
"Yo! It's been a while, Gonpachiro."
The man flinched instantly. "Hey! Stop calling me that!" He shoved Shin's arm away. "My name is Tanjiro!"
Shin grinned wider. "Still grumpy. Good to see you haven't changed."
Tanjiro sighed, then turned toward Vaibhav and extended his hand politely. "You must be Vaibhav. My father told me about you." He paused, then added with visible resignation, "And unfortunately… I'm Shin's brother."
Vaibhav blinked. "Brother?"
"Not blood-related," Tanjiro added quickly. "Thank God."
Vaibhav smiled faintly and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you."
Before the conversation could continue, the door slid open again.
A younger man—around twenty—stepped in, carrying a compact bag slung over one shoulder. His expression was calm, almost detached.
"Oh," he said casually. "Looks like I'm not late."
Shin stared at him for half a second.
Then his eyes widened.
"WAIT," Shin shouted. "You're Lux Choi?! The King of Controversy?!"
Lux raised an eyebrow. "Yeah!"
"So this is why no one managed to kill you," Shin continued. "You ran to Null Spire."
Lux chuckled softly. "If I stayed outside, someone would've hunted me down eventually. Me—and my team." He glanced around the room. "Here? I'm safe. The academy protects its disciples."
Shin leaned against the wall. "What about Nexus?"
"We hide there," Lux replied simply. "Low profile is the best survival strategy."
Shin nodded slowly. "Smart. Cowardly, but smart."
Lux smiled. "I'll take that."
Meanwhile, in the girls' dormitory—
Alicia stepped into her assigned room and found two girls already there.
One of them turned immediately, posture confident, eyes sharp but curious. "You must be Alicia."
Alicia nodded. "Yes."
The girl smiled slightly. "I'm Aria Nakamura. Daughter of Arun Nakamura." She tilted her head. "And Shin's cousin sister."
Alicia paused for a brief moment, then returned the smile. "Nice to meet you."
The second girl stepped forward next. She had long dark hair tied loosely behind her back and a calmer presence compared to Aria.
"I'm Mei Yuna," she said softly. "From Independent lineage. At Urn'thar Convergence."
She gave Alicia a brief nod, then added, "Nice to meet you."
Alicia returned the nod. "Nice to meet you too."
The room fell into a short, quiet pause—the kind that marked the beginning of unfamiliar lives slowly intertwining.
An hour later, the corridors leading to the academic wing were finally filled with noise.
Students streamed into the classroom in loose clusters. When Shin, Vaibhav, and Alicia entered together, the reaction was immediate.
Most of the boys stared.
Not subtly.
Alicia could feel it—curiosity, awe, poorly hidden admiration. A few whispered to each other, nudging elbows, trying to look casual and failing miserably.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, several girls were openly staring at Shin and Vaibhav.
Some whispered.
Some giggled.
Some didn't even bother hiding it.
Shin noticed instantly and leaned toward Vaibhav. "Guess… We're popular now."
Vaibhav didn't respond. He had already taken a seat near the window.
Alicia sat beside him, unfazed.
A few minutes later, the door slid open.
A female instructor entered—tall, composed, her presence firm without being aggressive. The room quieted almost instantly.
"I'm your instructor for this period," she said simply, introducing herself before turning to the board. The lesson began without ceremony.
Surprisingly, Shin was focused.
Too focused.
He sat upright, eyes forward, answering questions the moment they were asked. Definitions. Concepts. His hand shot up repeatedly.
Even the instructor paused once, glancing at him with mild surprise before continuing.
Alicia gave him a sideways look. "Are you sick?"
Shin whispered back, "I'm being responsible."
She didn't believe him.
The first period ended quickly.
The second instructor arrived soon after—a woman with sharp eyes and an even sharper presence. She stepped into the room and, before saying anything, her gaze lingered on Vaibhav for several seconds.
Then she looked away and walked to the podium.
"Students," she said calmly, "my name is Xia Ji."
The room settled.
"Today, we'll be discussing about the Flame Emperor and the Shigekoku Clan."
A ripple of interest moved through the class.
"You may have heard simplified versions of this history in middle school," Xia Ji continued. "That was not the full truth. And what I'm about to teach you still isn't one hundred percent accurate. It is only what we were able to recover."
She turned slightly. "Chapters one to three will focus on the Flame Emperor, the annihilation of the Shigekoku Clan, and the events involving the Dragonfang Consortium and the Seraphim Circle."
A student raised his hand. "Ma'am… is there any chapter that talks about what happened twelve years ago? About the Shadow Garden, about—"
"You are not allowed to speak about that," Xia Ji said calmly.
The room went dead silent.
Her expression didn't change, but the finality in her voice left no room for questions.
She continued the lecture as if nothing had happened.
When the period ended, Xia Ji closed her materials and looked directly at Vaibhav.
"You," she said. "Come to my office during lunch break."
Vaibhav straightened. "Yes, ma'am."
The third period began shortly after.
A male instructor entered, glanced briefly at Vaibhav, then turned toward the podium.
"Students," he said, "I'm Jun Yu."
Shin was asleep within thirty seconds.
Jun Yu ignored him completely and began lecturing about combat strategy—how to fight against giant beasts, where to strike, how to exploit slow recovery windows. Then he moved on to small beasts—numbers, positioning, terrain usage.
Shin slept through all of it.
Vaibhav listened carefully.
Another hour passed, and the bell finally rang.
Shin stretched lazily as he stood up. "Finally. I was about to starve to death."
"You slept through the entire lecture," Alicia said flatly.
"That's exhausting," Shin replied without shame.
Vaibhav stood up as well. "Before lunch, we need to go to Ms. Xia's office."
Shin groaned. "Man… that's even more exhausting."
"Fine, let's just get it over quickly." He continued.
The three of them left the classroom and headed down a quieter corridor reserved for faculty offices. When they reached Xia Ji's office, the door slid open smoothly.
Inside were three people.
Xia Ji stood near her desk, posture calm and unreadable. Jun Yu leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed. Beside the desk sat another female teacher, her expression composed—but her eyes flickered the moment Vaibhav entered.
Xia Ji gestured lightly. "Introduce yourselves."
Shin stepped forward immediately. "Yo! I'm Shinosuke Nohara, the Greatest of All Time. You can call me Lord Shin."
Vaibhav and Alicia both looked away at the same time.
Jun Yu snorted. Xia Ji didn't react at all.
Alicia sighed. "Please ignore this idiot. I'm Alicia."
Vaibhav cleared his throat. "My name is Vaibhav Nyxer."
Jun Yu's eyebrows lifted. "Nyxer?" He tilted his head. "There's only one person I know with that surname. Arvind Nyxer. You look a lot like him."
Vaibhav nodded slowly. "Ah… he's my father."
Jun Yu smiled. "That explains it. You really do resemble him."
Then Jun Yu glanced sideways at the female teacher sitting nearby.
She was very clearly blushing.
"So," Jun Yu said with a grin, "Mei Lian. You still haven't given up on him? He was married, had a child, and now he's dead. You should really move on."
Mei Lian stiffened instantly. "What are you talking about?" she snapped. "Why would I think about that man?"
Vaibhav looked between them, completely lost.
"Umm… w–what are you talking about?"
Jun Yu smiled wider. "Well… she likes your father. It's not her fault. I mean, any girl would fall for him. That body, that presence—man, I really want that body."
Shin's eyes widened. "That sounds sus."
Jun Yu pointed at him instantly. "Hey!! I didn't mean it like that!"
Mei Lian's face was completely red now. "Can you stop talking already?!"
Xia Ji tapped the desk lightly. The sound was soft, but it cut through the noise immediately.
"Alright. Alright," she said calmly. "You can go now."
None of them argued.
The trio stepped out of the office, and the moment the door closed behind them, Shin burst out laughing.
"So that's my future," he said. "Getting roasted by teachers."
Vaibhav rubbed his temple. "That was… unexpected."
Alicia shook her head. "Let's just eat."
They headed to the canteen, the space already filled with low chatter and the clatter of trays. As they entered, they spotted familiar faces.
Aria was already seated at a table, waving when she saw them. Tanjiro sat beside her, arms crossed, looking unimpressed as usual.
Shin dropped into a chair. "Wow, even lunch comes with family."
Tanjiro glanced at him. "Sit properly."
Food arrived quickly. The tension of the day eased as they ate, conversations drifting from classes to the academy to complaints about Null Spire's atmosphere.
For a brief moment, it almost felt normal.
After lunch, the trio followed few students toward a massive hall located deeper within the academy.
The moment they stepped inside, the atmosphere changed.
The space was wide and industrial, its ceiling lost in shadows. At the center stood a towering Nexus Gate, its surface swirling with layered light, humming softly as spatial energy stabilized and collapsed in cycles. Nearby, a Strength Evaluation Pod rose from the floor—thick glass panels reinforced with inscriptions, faint cracks and scorch marks hinting at frequent use.
Along the sides of the hall were multiple stations.
A receptionist sat behind a sleek counter, expression neutral as students came and went. Two large machines stood nearby—one displaying rotating technique inscriptions, the other projecting weapon schematics in shifting holograms.
Some students queued at the machines, scanning options and exchanging quiet remarks. Others were gathered around the Strength Evaluation Pod, watching as candidates tested their limits—shockwaves rippling harmlessly against the reinforced structure.
Shin whistled softly. "Looks like this place really wants your money."
Vaibhav studied the layout carefully, eyes lingering on the Nexus Gate. "This is the only way to get stronger"
Alicia nodded. "And the fastest way to die if you're careless."
Without further discussion, the three of them headed straight for the gate.
The surface reacted instantly, light folding inward as it recognized their clearance.
The world shifted briefly as the Nexus Gate closed behind them.
When their feet touched the ground again, the air felt heavier—dry, still, carrying the faint smell of dust and metal.
They were in Venarae. Once called Venus.
Lumeris City spread out ahead of them. Buildings were solid and compact.
People moved with purpose.
Some wore armors. Others carried weapons openly. Conversations were low and brief. No one lingered without reason.
Shops lined the streets, simple in structure—technique shops, supply counters, repair shops. Most of them looked reinforced, like they could be sealed quickly if needed.
Shin looked around once. "So this is Venarae."
Vaibhav nodded slightly. "It's stable."
Alicia observed the flow of movement. "And controlled."
The streets were busy, but controlled.
A sign near the gate read plainly:
Lumeris City — Venarae
Shin exhaled slowly. "Alright," he said. "Now this feels more like our kind of place."