Chapter 74
With Nyx guiding him through subtle spatial cues and route corrections, Nille made his way toward the designated entrance of Sector 6. The journey itself was unremarkable, steady movement through academy pathways, transitional corridors, and eventually into the lower transport zone that connected to the Hunting Grounds.
What he did not expect was the final destination.
The "entrance" to a realm classified as Sector 6 was not located in some isolated ruin or sealed mountain facility. Instead, it was embedded within a modern commercial structure, a parking lot connected directly to a large shopping mall. Ordinary vehicles were parked above ground, civilians moved through retail levels, and yet beneath it all lay a controlled breach point into a fractured realm.
At the far end of the underground parking structure stood the gate.
It resembled a reinforced warehouse more than a mystical portal, steel-framed, heavily secured, and engraved with layered sealing runes that pulsed faintly along its surface. The entrance itself was standard in size, large enough for groups to pass through, but not overwhelming in appearance. Without prior knowledge, it would have been easy to mistake it for restricted storage infrastructure rather than a gateway into one of the academy's Hunting Grounds.
Yet the atmosphere around it told a different story.
Students were already gathered near the entrance in clusters, checking equipment, reviewing last-minute plans, and waiting for their assigned group members to arrive. The tension was quiet but present, like a collective awareness that once the gate opened, structure would dissolve into survival.
Nille stepped into the area calmly, taking in the layout without visible reaction.
Nyx's voice guided him softly.
"Sector 6 entry confirmed. Spatial anchoring stable. Multiple student groups present within expected density range."
He gave a small nod in acknowledgment and continued forward.
Among the gathered students, Lin Yue Meiying noticed him.
Her attention lingered a moment longer than intended. She shifted slightly as if preparing to approach, but stopped herself. Her own group had already formed around her, discussing final adjustments and confirming roles. Leaving them briefly would have disrupted coordination.
Still, her gaze remained on Nille.
And Nille, noticing her presence only briefly, gave outward change of expression toward Lin, a casual nod, before continuing his assessment of the gate area.
Then, another presence entered the scene.
A Canadian female student, part of a different group, approached Nille with casual confidence. Her tone was friendly, her posture open, suggesting an attempt at familiarity rather than established connection. Whether it was curiosity, recruitment interest, or simple social boldness was unclear, but her attention was clearly directed at him.
Lin saw it.
For a brief moment, Lin's expression tightened not openly, but just enough to signal a subtle shift in awareness. She hesitated, then instinctively stepped forward, intending to close the distance before the interaction developed further.
However, before she could act, Nille spoke first.
"This is my temporary team member," he said calmly, his voice steady and matter-of-fact.
The words made Lin stop mid-step.
Because Nille had already turned slightly toward her as he said it.
Not in confusion, not in explanation to strangers, but in quiet acknowledgment directed specifically at her presence, as if to gently prevent her from misreading the situation or acting on instinct.
For a brief moment, Lin's expression tightened, not openly, but just enough to signal a subtle shift in awareness. She hesitated, then instinctively took a step forward, intending to close the distance before the interaction developed further.
However, before she could fully intervene, Nille spoke first.
"This is my temporary team member," he said calmly, his voice steady and matter-of-fact.
The words made Lin pause mid-step.
But this time, there was no misunderstanding in the air.
Because Nille had already slightly angled his body toward her as he spoke, enough that anyone observing could tell his clarification was not directed at the Canadian student alone, but was also meant to acknowledge Lin's presence in the situation.
In other words, he was not dismissing Lin's involvement.
He was legitimizing it.
For Lin, the realization immediately changed the context. She understood that if she suddenly stepped in without reason, it could easily be interpreted by others as possessiveness or unnecessary interference, something that would draw attention in a situation where hierarchy and group formation etiquette mattered.
And for someone in her position, well-known among first-years, it would stand out even more.
So instead of continuing forward abruptly, Lin adjusted her movement naturally, as if she had simply been approaching to confirm group details from the start.
This gave her a clear and reasonable justification to speak.
When she reached a comfortable distance, she addressed the situation in a calm, neutral tone.
"He's correct," Lin said smoothly, looking briefly at the Canadian student. "We're forming a temporary group for Sector 6 coordination. He's already confirmed with us."
Her words were not possessive or emotional. They were structured, informational, something that fit her status as one of the more recognized first-years. To outside observers, it looked like a simple confirmation from an established participant, not an emotional reaction or personal intervention.
The Canadian student blinked slightly, then relaxed as she understood the clarification.
"Oh, I see," she replied casually. "I thought he was still free for grouping."
"No misunderstanding," Lin added politely, then stepped back half a pace, signaling the end of her input.
The exchange ended cleanly.
The Canadian student returned to her group without issue, and the brief moment of attention faded almost immediately within the surrounding crowd.
Around them, a few nearby students who had noticed the interaction quietly returned to their own preparations. Lin's action, while slightly unusual at first glance, was now understandable as standard group confirmation rather than personal involvement.
Lin herself returned to her position beside her team, her expression composed again. Only she was aware that she had initially reacted on instinct, but had corrected it before it could be misinterpreted.
Nille, meanwhile, had already shifted his focus back toward the Sector 6 gate and the flow of students organizing entry.
For him, the matter had already ended the moment it was clarified.
No tension remained.
No misunderstanding lingered.
And the preparation for Sector 6 continued as the final groups completed their arrangements before entry.
But not everyone interpreted the moment so cleanly.
Among the crowd gathered near the Sector 6 gate, Trần Hữu Khang observed everything in silence.
He stood with his own group of six students, maintaining the role of leader with composed authority. On the surface, his attention appeared divided between final preparations and team coordination. In reality, however, his focus repeatedly drifted back to Lin Yue Meiying.
Unlike most students who saw Lin as simply talented and well-positioned within the first-year hierarchy, Khang viewed her through a more personal lens, one he kept carefully hidden beneath discipline and restraint. In his understanding, Lin typically grouped only with her two closest female classmates, maintaining a consistent and predictable social boundary that aligned with her reputation as the "darling of the first years."
That is why Nille's presence beside her stood out.
And more importantly, the way Lin had just spoken to him.
From Khang's perspective, it did not look like a neutral clarification. It looked like adjustment, an interruption in her usual distance, a deviation from her established social pattern. Even if the interaction had been brief and controlled, the fact remained: Lin had stepped forward for someone outside her usual circle.
That alone was enough to disturb his interpretation.
His expression remained calm, but his fingers tightened slightly around the strap of his gear bag. Behind him, one of his teammates spoke briefly, confirming readiness for entry, but Khang only gave a short nod without fully registering the words.
His eyes stayed on Lin.
Not on Nille.
Nille, to him, was just another variable, unranked in personal significance, still unclear in status, and not worth immediate concern.
But Lin was different.
She represented stability in his observation. A consistent pattern he believed he understood.
And now that pattern had shifted.
Even if only slightly.
Across the gate area, Lin stood with her group again, her expression composed and unchanged. To most students, nothing about her behavior suggested anything unusual had occurred. The interaction had already been resolved and filed away as a normal coordination moment.
But Khang did not process it that way.
In his mind, small deviations mattered most.
Because small deviations, left unexamined, often grew into unpredictable outcomes.
And as the announcement for entry preparations continued to spread through the waiting students, Trần Hữu Khang silently made note of one thing:
Nille was now part of Lin's immediate operational space, even temporarily.
And in his internal assessment, that made him worth watching.
As the brief tension around the interaction faded, Lin Yue Meiying adjusted her posture and stepped forward once more, this time with complete composure, as though nothing unusual had occurred moments earlier.
Under the eyes of nearby students, especially within the crowded Sector 6 staging area, appearances mattered. Familiarity could easily become rumor, and rumors spread quickly within the academy.
So Lin handled it carefully.
With calm elegance, she extended her hand toward Nille in a polite, formal gesture.
"Lin Yue Meiying," she introduced smoothly, her tone carrying the same refined professionalism she used during academy functions. "Looks like we'll be working together temporarily."
To anyone watching, it appeared to be nothing more than a first formal greeting between students who had only recently been grouped together.
Nille looked at her hand for a brief second before accepting it naturally.
"Nille," he replied evenly. "Understood."
Their handshake lasted only a moment, measured, respectful, and completely controlled.
Yet beneath that outward formality existed an unspoken understanding between them.
Neither overplayed the act.
Neither made it awkward.
It was simply enough to establish distance where distance was needed.
Around them, several students who had been quietly observing lost interest almost immediately after seeing the interaction. The situation now fit within normal academy etiquette: a recognized first-year student formally acknowledging a temporary teammate before a coordinated hunt.
Nothing more.
Lin withdrew her hand smoothly, her expression calm as ever, though inwardly she was slightly relieved the situation had settled without unnecessary attention.
Nille, meanwhile, treated the exchange with complete naturalness, already redirecting his focus toward the gate structure and the timing of entry.
To others, it looked like the beginning of a temporary working relationship.
Only the two of them knew the greeting itself was entirely unnecessary.
As the preparations around the Sector 6 entrance continued, Lin Yue Meiying calmly stepped forward once more, this time with a composure that drew far less attention than before. Her earlier reaction had already settled, and now her expression carried the smooth professionalism expected from someone of her standing among the first-years.
Stopping at a respectful distance from Nille, she casually extended her hand toward him.
"Lin Yue Meiying," she introduced herself politely, as though this were their first proper meeting. "Looks like we'll be entering Sector 6 around the same time."
The gesture was natural.
Controlled.
To anyone observing, it appeared to be nothing more than formal courtesy between students preparing for the same operation.
Nille understood immediately.
Without hesitation, he accepted the gesture with the same calm neutrality.
"Nille," he replied simply.
Their handshake was brief and measured, neither overly familiar nor distant enough to feel awkward. It was exactly the kind of interaction expected between students coordinating temporary field cooperation.
Lin then glanced briefly toward the nearby groups before returning her attention to him.
"My team was already discussing entry routes," she said smoothly. "Since both our groups are operating within Sector 6, a temporary joint formation might be more efficient."
Her tone remained composed and practical, focused entirely on operational logic.
"Larger groups reduce blind spots during movement," she continued. "Especially for first-years like us."
Behind her, her two closest female classmates exchanged quick but unsurprised glances. Clearly, they had already been informed or had at least expected Lin to make this suggestion.
Nille processed the proposal quietly.
From the outside, the interaction now looked completely reasonable. Lin's approach no longer carried the strange implication some students initially suspected. Instead, it fit naturally within the context of Hunting Ground preparation, an experienced first-year organizing temporary alliances before entering an unstable sector.
Even nearby students who had briefly paid attention earlier lost interest quickly after seeing the professional tone of the exchange.
Only Trần Hữu Khang continued observing.
And while his expression remained outwardly calm, the subtle tightening in his gaze did not disappear.
Because regardless of how logical the explanation sounded, one fact still remained unchanged in his mind:
Lin Yue Meiying rarely initiated contact first.
Yet here she was,
offering cooperation to someone most students still barely understood.
The atmosphere near the Sector 6 entrance gradually relaxed as the two groups moved into a more formal introduction. What had started as simple coordination was now slowly becoming a temporary hunting alliance, something common during Independent Pursuit periods but still slightly nerve-racking for first-year students unfamiliar with larger group operations.
Alice adjusted quickly, introducing herself first with natural ease.
"I'm Alice," she said with a small smile. "Canada. Seventeen."
Diallo followed immediately after, though his posture stiffened noticeably the moment his eyes properly settled on Lin Yue Meiying standing in front of them.
"D-Diallo," he managed. "From… Africa. Eighteen."
Beside him, Naveen looked no better.
"Naveen," he added, slightly too quickly. "India. Also eighteen."
Both young men were visibly more awkward than before.
And honestly, it was understandable.
Lin Yue Meiying's reputation inside the first-year division was already well established. She was known not only for her talent as a Level 3 wind ability user, a status already considered exceptional among first-years, but also for her overwhelming appearance and composed demeanor. Standing this close to her made the gap between reputation and reality feel even more intimidating.
She carried herself with effortless calm, her long dark hair shifting lightly under the underground airflow while the academy-issued coat draped neatly across her lean frame. Nothing about her appearance felt excessive or artificial, yet that natural elegance only made her presence more overwhelming to inexperienced students.
Diallo instinctively straightened his back.
Naveen nearly forgot what he was supposed to say next.
Alice, noticing both of them struggling internally, barely resisted the urge to laugh.
Lin, however, remained completely composed.
"It's nice to meet you all," she said politely, her tone calm enough to ease some of the tension.
Nille stood beside them quietly, watching the introductions unfold without comment, as if none of the awkwardness registered as important.
Then, the two girls standing behind Lin stepped forward as well.
The first had short dark brown hair tied neatly behind her head and sharp observant eyes that seemed constantly alert.
"Xu Lian," she introduced herself simply. "Support-type spiritual user."
The second girl carried a softer appearance but a noticeably steadier gaze.
"Mika Arai," she said with a small nod. "Barrier and reinforcement specialization."
Unlike the boys, neither of them seemed particularly nervous around Nille's group. Instead, they evaluated the situation with calm practicality, already treating the alliance as operational rather than social.
Alice greeted them normally, while Diallo and Naveen slowly recovered enough composure to respond without stumbling over their words again.
For a brief moment, the tension between the two groups eased into something more manageable.
Not friendship yet.
But cooperation.
And around them, more students continued gathering near the reinforced warehouse gate leading into Sector 6, unaware that several temporary alliances, some strategic, some emotional, and some far more complicated, were already beginning to form before the hunt had even started.
As the introductions settled and the atmosphere between the two groups became more relaxed, Mika Arai tilted her head slightly toward Nille, curiosity surfacing naturally.
"So," she asked, "what's your ability?"
The question immediately drew subtle attention from the others.
Among students of the academy, abilities were rarely discussed lightly. Spiritual affinities, combat specializations, and elemental alignment often determined group positioning, battlefield roles, and even social standing within the first-year hierarchy.
Nille, however, answered without hesitation.
"I'm a hunter."
A short silence followed.
Mika blinked once.
Xu Lian's lips twitched slightly.
Even Alice looked momentarily caught between confusion and amusement.
It was technically an answer.
Just not the answer anyone expected.
Diallo immediately looked away, clearly trying not to laugh, while Naveen lowered his head and rubbed the side of his face as if pretending to think deeply about something else.
Mika and Xu Lian exchanged quick glances, both visibly suppressing smiles.
Because in academy terms, saying "I'm a hunter" in response to a spiritual ability question was almost absurdly vague.
Yet neither of them openly laughed.
Not because they fully understood Nille,
but because Lin Yue Meiying was standing right there.
And everyone present could already tell something unusual existed in the way she regarded him.
Lin herself sighed softly, though there was no irritation in it.
"That's not what she meant," she said calmly.
Nille glanced at her briefly.
Then after a short pause, he added,
"My combat style is close-range adaptation."
Still vague.
Still frustratingly incomplete.
This time even Alice almost smiled.
But Lin, unlike the others, did not seem disappointed by the answer at all.
In truth, she already understood something most of them did not.
Lin Yue Meiying genuinely admired Nille.
Not because of status.
Not because of rumors.
And certainly not because of appearance.
It came from something much older.
A memory.
When she was younger, she had once witnessed Nille use spiritual power in a way that stayed with her ever since. At only eleven years old, he had displayed an instinctive adaptive control over energy flow and combat movement that she had never forgotten. At the time, she herself had still been struggling to stabilize her own spiritual synchronization.
Years later, when her wind affinity evolved into a form that emphasized reactive movement and environmental adaptation, she realized with quiet excitement that her ability operated on principles strangely similar to what Nille had demonstrated long ago.
To her, that similarity mattered.
More than she openly admitted.
It was one of the reasons she respected him so naturally now, even when others found him difficult to understand.
Because unlike most students, Lin had seen fragments of what Nille was before the academy ever categorized him.
And that memory had never completely left her.
Lin casually excused herself after the introductions settled, maintaining the same composed tone she always carried in public.
"We'll retrieve the rest of our equipment first," she said calmly. "After that, we can proceed with the hunt now that the temporary alliance has been established."
Nille gave a small nod in acknowledgment.
With that, Lin turned and began walking back toward the staging area alongside her two classmates, Xu Lian and Mika Arai. The moment they created enough distance from the others, the restrained tension between the three girls shifted almost immediately.
Then suddenly,
Xu Lian laughed first.
"What kind of ability description was that?" she whispered, trying to suppress another laugh. "'I'm a hunter'? Seriously?"
Even Mika covered part of her mouth, amused despite herself.
"And that second answer wasn't any better," Mika added. "'Close-range adaptation'? That sounds like someone avoiding the question entirely."
The two exchanged glances before Xu Lian finally asked what had clearly been on both their minds.
"But honestly, Lin… why are you spending this much effort on someone like him?"
The moment the words left her mouth,
A sudden gust of wind exploded between them.
Not violent enough to injure.
But powerful enough to stop both girls mid-step.
Xu Lian's hair whipped backward sharply while Mika instinctively shielded her face as warm, compressed wind pressure slammed against them with enough force to make the air feel unnaturally heavy.
The source was immediate and unmistakable.
Lin.
She had stopped walking.
Her long hair shifted slowly in the lingering current while faint traces of spiritual wind circled subtly around her sleeves. Her expression was no longer soft or casual.
It was cold.
Controlled.
And unmistakably serious.
The pressure alone was enough to erase the humor from both girls instantly.
"I didn't ask either of you to join me in this hunt," Lin said quietly.
But the calmness in her voice only made the warning feel heavier.
"If you're going to disrespect the person I chose to work with," she continued, "then leave my group now."
Neither Xu Lian nor Mika spoke.
Because they knew Lin's reputation better than most.
Lin Yue Meiying was kind, composed, and admired by nearly every first-year student, but those who knew her closely also understood something else:
She did not tolerate disrespect toward people she genuinely acknowledged.
Especially not from her own team.
The wind pressure slowly faded after several seconds, though the lingering warmth in the air remained enough to remind both girls that Lin had held back intentionally.
Xu Lian immediately raised both hands slightly in surrender.
"…Alright. Sorry."
Mika sighed softly afterward, rubbing the back of her neck.
"We weren't trying to insult him seriously."
Lin remained silent for a moment longer before finally resuming her walk.
"That doesn't matter," she replied calmly. "You judged him without understanding him."
The two girls exchanged glances again but said nothing further.
Because despite the vague answers, despite Nille's distant personality, and despite how little most students understood about him,
Lin's reaction alone had made one thing painfully clear.
To her…
Nille was not someone insignificant.