Fall of Eden

### Hoxrrary Academy: Ashura Classroom

"Honestly, even though I see it for myself, it's still quite weird. How are you tired already? We haven't even started our first class yet!" Edmond remarked, a teasing lilt in his voice as he ruffled Ashura's hair playfully.

"Urrrrgh, I just want to sleep already," Ashura groaned, his face resembling someone whose energy had been completely drained. Unknown to the others, Ashura had spent most of his night hunting and training in the Abyss, but to his classmates, he simply appeared to be lazy.

"Hmmm, it's just a waste of time to look for that defectus," came a voice dripping with arrogance. Jarek leaned back in his chair, a smug expression on his face, and continued, "Just by giving him a place at this academy, we wasting another potential."

Edmond, fueled by indignation, opened his mouth to refute Jarek, but suddenly felt his hand being held back. Ashura quickly cut him off. "Don't make trouble, or the professor will punish you again," he said languidly as he released Edmond's hand, his eyes half-closed, longing for the comfort of his desk.

A bewildered look crossed Edmond's face as he thought, *I know this guy is a good companion!* Meanwhile, Ashura's thoughts ran in a different direction, *Please don't fight! I just want to sleep on my desk. If they both fight, the classroom will turn into a mess again!*

Thud, thud, thud. 

The rhythmic sound of Professor Cedrick's boots echoed through the room as he entered. As usual, the students hurriedly scrambled to their desks, their chatter dying down in the presence of their teacher. Professor Cedrick made his way to the front of the classroom, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"Today, I will teach you how to control your mana around your core," he announced, surveying his students with an encouraging gaze. 

"Yay, finally the day I've been waiting for!" Rowan exclaimed, excitement bubbling over as he jumped from his seat. A few other students couldn't help but show their enthusiasm, though several noble kids—like Liraeth, Edrick, Edmond, Jarek, and of course Ashura—remained composed, treating the moment as inconsequential.

This detachment wasn't surprising; the noble children had long since been exposed to such training at a young age. Each noble family had its unique approach to mana control. For instance, the Kanon family focused on sharpening speed and strength in their strikes, making their talents feared in duels and fights.

"What I'm teaching you today are the fundamental basics for your foundation. Make sure you focus when you feel it," Professor Cedrick said, walking over to Rowan's seat. Rowan, surprised at the professor's attention, couldn't help but break into a wide smile.

"I will begin with Rowan first, then I will continue with everyone else," Professor Cedrick announced, placing his palm against Rowan's chest. "Don't reject it. Feel the flow and guide it the way I guide," he instructed, concentrating his mana into Rowan's being.

"Urrrgh, this is really hard!" Rowan grunted, his face contorted in determination as beads of sweat began to form.

"It's normal to struggle at first; it usually takes six or seven tries to start feeling familiar," Professor Cedrick reassured him, stepping back to give Rowan some space before moving on to the next student.

"What do you think, Ashura?" Edmond asked, glancing over as he waited for his turn. "Even though we learned this when we were kids, don't you find it exciting? After all, this is different from the mana control methods our families taught us."

Ashura finally lifted his head, a glimmer of curiosity illuminating his expression. "I can't help but wonder," he mused, his voice thoughtful, "just how different my created mana control is from the standard techniques." He shifted slightly, his gaze drifting as he contemplated the intricate dance of Nyx's fundamental power. 

With a wry smile tugging at his lips, he muttered, "Well, it would be a lie if I said I wasn't interested." With that, he closed his eyes once more, surrendering to the thoughts swirling in his mind, and let his head drop back down.

As the lesson progressed, the atmosphere buzzed with anticipation. It was no surprise to anyone when Liraeth and Edrick swiftly grasped the control technique on their third attempt. Their natural talent seemed to shine, a confirmation of the rumors that had surrounded them. 

Jarek and Edmond, not to be outdone, managed to master it on their second try, showcasing their own formidable abilities. The room was alive with murmurs of admiration as their successes unfolded. Finally, it was Ashura's turn. 

Professor Cedrick placed his palm gently on Ashura's chest, the warm pressure grounding the young man as he lazily lifted his head from the desk. 

"Don't need to be nervous, Ashura. Just try to feel the flow," Professor Cedrick encouraged, his eyes fixed on Ashura's face, which was etched with concentration and concern.

Ashura's mind, however, raced. *Wait, this won't cause my Nyx powers to leak, will it?* The thought sent a chill down his spine. *It would be terrible if anyone found out about my Nyx abilities!*

He looked at Professor Cedrick, trying to mask his apprehension, but the unease lingered just beneath the surface.

As Ashura continued to ponder, he felt a new wave of mana entering his body. With his eyes closed, he sensed the energy flowing around his chest like a river coursing across the land. However, he suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to devour this wave. Just as he attempted to take action, the mana that had been flowing steadily before turned into a whirlpool, being sucked away to an unknown place.

Professor Cedrick, unlike Ashura, who had a calm and joyful expression, wore a hardened gaze as the mana he had been guiding steadily was no longer controllable.

"What in the world is happening? I thought Ashura's mana pool was a bit larger; that's why I poured in more mana. But how can it still not be enough? It feels like the mana I poured into his body disappears without a trace," Professor Cedrick thought to himself as he began to feel tired.

*Let's try to put in more mana. I will not believe that my mana pool will be dry because of a kiddo who doesn't even have rank yet!* Professor Cedrick thought as he tried to challenge it again.

Ashura suddenly felt a large wave of mana entering his body and couldn't help but think he was at a buffet. "Thanks for the food," Ashura thought to himself as he absorbed every wave of mana that flowed into him. This made Professor Cedrick quickly retract his palm from Ashura's chest, a worried expression on his face.

"What in the—" Professor Cedrick exclaimed, unable to believe what was happening. This made the other students turn their gazes towards Professor Cedrick and Ashura.

"Ashura, how are you feeling now?" Professor Cedrick asked with a worried and serious tone. Ashura, who had just snapped back to reality at Professor Cedrick's voice, quickly opened his eyes. *Damn it, the mana tastes so good that I completely forgot it was Professor Cedrick's mana. I need to come up with an excuse, or this will backfire on me.*

"Ashura, I think we should—" Professor Cedrick began before Ashura cut him off.

"Ah!!! I think I can handle it now!!!" Ashura shouted, beads of sweat on his forehead.

"You can handle it?" Professor Cedrick asked, looking surprised. He continued, "You can handle it on the first try!? Now I see, so that's why you need large mana to do it on the first try."

Professor Cedrick, who finally understood the reason behind it, showed a relieved smile and thought, "No wonder the mana disappeared; Ashura continuously guided it even in failure. So the failed flow of mana naturally existed from his body."

The other students looked surprised, and even Jarek couldn't help but feel bewildered. "Did he really do it on his first try?" he wondered. Although it was just a basic task, achieving it on the first attempt is still impressive.

Liraeth and Edric also wore surprised expressions. "Oh! This guy might be more fun than I thought," Liraeth mused as he regarded this new contender. Meanwhile, Edric thought, "Hmph, not bad." Ashura, however, looked as pale as a ghost.

"What in the world did I just say?!" Ashura exclaimed, his eyes wide as his mind raced to catch up with his own words. He blinked rapidly, trying to shake off the remnants of fatigue that had clung to him just moments before.

Edmond grinned, his smile bright and infectious. "Just like I thought, Ashura! You truly are full of surprises!" he replied, chuckling at Ashura's bewilderment.

At that moment, Professor Cedrick cleared his throat loudly, drawing everyone's attention. "Ahem," he began, adjusting his glasses with a knowing look. "Well, that means you have good control of mana. Not bad at all, Ashura! If you put in some hard work, you might achieve even greater things in the future." The professor nodded approvingly as he returned to the front of the classroom, his expression one of self-satisfaction. *Ashura Kanon, just like I suspected! He's the one who has been dubbed Defactus. He might just end up surprising the entire Empire. Hehehe, I can't wait to see what unfolds!*

As for Ashura, he was at a loss for what to do next. With the eyes of his peers upon him, he sighed, realizing he'd have to roll with the punches. As long as his Nyx power remained hidden, perhaps he could manage to blend in for a while. "Well, at least no one's asking me to juggle flaming swords today," he muttered to himself, managing a small laugh as he imagined the chaos that would ensue. With that thought, he finally felt like he could rest in peace