The boardroom loomed empty and severe, its curved mahogany table polished to a mirror-like sheen under the sterile glow of fluorescent lights. It stretched across the space like a courtroom bench, an arbiter of unspoken power. Black leather chairs surrounded it in an unyielding formation, their rigid backs poised like silent judges. Twin windows flanked the room, their pale light forming stark rectangles on the beige walls, an almost oppressive symmetry that demanded order.
Sophia sat alone, her hands clasped loosely on the table. The silence was broken by the faint creak of the door as it opened. Her amber eyes lifted, narrowing slightly as she saw the figure entering.
"Well, this is unexpected," she said, her tone light but edged with curiosity. "I didn't think I'd see you here, Akshran."
"I had no choice," Akshran replied coolly, stepping inside. His gaze swept the room, settling briefly on the other student council members lingering at the edges, their postures suggesting they were preparing to leave.
"Can we speak alone?" he asked, his voice calm but firm.
Sophia tilted her head, her lips curling into a faint smile. "Of course," she said, clapping her hands lightly. "After all, I've been very interested in you, Akshran."
She turned to the other council members. "Senpais, would you mind giving us some privacy?"
The members exchanged glances before shuffling out one by one, though not without an air of reluctance and weirdly patting Kai's back. As the last member passed, he hesitated. His sharp eyes glared at Akshran, the name badge pinned to his chest reading Shensu Kai.
Kai's voice was low, biting. "Do you think you can just barge in here unannounced?"
He turned toward Sophia, his tone colder still. "And you—don't you dare order me again."
Sophia's expression didn't waver. Before she could respond, Akshran stepped forward, his gaze locking onto Kai with surgical precision.
"Kai-chan," Akshran said, his tone almost bored, "you should worry about your grandmother more than me. Hag doesn't have much time left."
The air in the room shifted, tension thickening like a coiled spring.
Kai's eyes widened for a moment before narrowing into a furious glare. "How the hell do you know that?"
Akshran's face remained impassive. "Simple deduction. You've got a photo of her on your desk—it's water-streaked, likely from tears. Add that to the way they patted your shoulder on the way out, like they were trying to console you. And your attitude? Completely out of place for a council member. It wasn't hard to figure out."
Kai's hands balled into fists, and in the blink of an eye, he was in front of Akshran, grabbing him by the collar.
"Stupid grandson, shush, go to your hag now," Akshran snarled.
"You dare speak like that about a dying woman?" Kai snarled, his voice shaking with rage. "Do you have no basic human decency?"
"No," Akshran replied, his tone flat, his face utterly devoid of emotion.
Kai stared into Akshran's eyes, searching for even the faintest flicker of remorse. There was nothing. Just cold indifference.
"Bloody emotionless freak," Kai spat, releasing him with a shove.
Akshran straightened his collar without a word, his expression unchanged.
Kai's hands trembled for a moment before he clicked his tongue in frustration and stormed out, the door slamming shut behind him.
Sophia, who had been silent throughout the exchange, finally spoke. "You really have a way with people, Akshran," she said, leaning back in her chair, her smile returning.
Akshran didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the empty doorway where Kai had disappeared.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Sophia asked, a warm smile gracing her lips.
"No tea this time, huh?" Akshran muttered, his tone laced with faint amusement.
"Well, you did show up on such short notice," Sophia replied, her smile unwavering.
Akshran leaned forward, his tone sharp and to the point. "I need information on Class A. Eddie Voss. What do you know about him?"
Sophia's eyes sparkled with a hint of danger, though her smile didn't falter. "Just because I've spoken to you once doesn't mean I'll follow your orders like a loyal dog. If you want my help, you'll have to earn it," she said coolly.
Akshran shrugged, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Oh, I'm not here to freeload. I'm offering a deal. You get that sword Ryan's team is bound to lose, and I get the information I need. Though, to be honest, I doubt the information is even that valuable... is it?"
Sophia chuckled, covering her mouth lightly with her hand. "You really think I have what you're looking for?"
"I do," Akshran replied evenly. "There's no way you don't."
A low, amused laugh escaped Sophia. "Keke, you're right. I have the information. But..." Her tone grew colder.
"I refuse."
Akshran didn't flinch, his expression calm and composed as though he'd anticipated her answer. "I see. In that case, I'll take my leave."
Sophia blinked, her brow furrowing in confusion. 'Why is he so calm? Shouldn't he push harder?' she wondered.
"What are you playing at, Akshran?" she asked, her voice tinged with suspicion.
Akshran's smirk deepened. "I'll answer that—if you're willing to pay me in return."
Sophia's eyes narrowed, instantly sensing a trap. "What do you want?"
"Nothing major. Just a scroll on Illusion Resonance," Akshran said casually. His request left Sophia momentarily stunned.
"What? You expected me to push harder for Eddie's information, didn't you?" Akshran added, his tone teasing. His real objective had been Eddie all along, but he had read Sophia's stubborn nature. Pressing her further would have been a dead end. By asking for something small and seemingly harmless, he'd turned the tables.
"N-no. Fine. You're in luck—I have one on hand," Sophia said reluctantly, handing him the scroll.
As he accepted it, a flicker of triumph danced in Akshran's eyes. 'That's how people work,' he thought. 'Ask for something big, and they'll reject it outright. Follow it with a smaller request, and guilt will usually seal the deal.'
'So, she was studying me. How did she get so interested in me? There's no way this scroll is here by coincidence,' Akshran thought as he studied the parchment in his hands.
"I was reflecting on the significance of Eddie's past," he said aloud, his tone casual but figured. For now, he chose honesty—laying a foundation for trust.
"What do you mean?" Sophia asked, her curiosity piqued.
"That sword was a solid offer, and I made it clear from the start that you were interested in me," Akshran began, his voice steady. "Logically, the best way to build trust would have been to accept my deal, even if it meant taking a minor loss. Yet, you refused. Why?"
Sophia's eyes narrowed as she weighed his words.
"The answer is simple," Akshran continued, his tone sharpening. "Eddie's past is far too valuable to trade for something as trivial as a sword."
A sly smile tugged at Sophia's lips. "Bingo."
'This man… not only did he use my own words against me, but he turned my refusal into an advantage. He extracted critical information and managed to secure a free scroll of arts! Akshran... I was merely curious about you before, but now—now, I want you,' Sophia thought greedily, her eyes glinting with ambition.
Lost in her scheming, she didn't even notice Akshran quietly leaving.
"I thought you'd try to scam me," she muttered under her breath, almost to herself.
"I didn't expect you to actually keep the trust," she added softly, though by then, Akshran was long gone.
Akshran stepped outside, the faint murmur of voices from the council room still echoing in his mind. His thoughts sharpened, narrowing in on the jest he had started to play.
'Scams now?' he mused, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. 'When I set the trap, I don't take the first opportunity that comes. I wait—let all the targets fall into place. That's how you win.'
He ran a hand through his hair, his steps willful as he moved toward the Class S training grounds. As the golden afternoon light filtered through the trees, he muttered under his breath, more to himself than anyone around.
"Trust is the perfect set for a lie. The more someone believes in you, the less they see the truth slipping away. Lies don't succeed in doubt—they grow where trust lives. Truth stands bold, but lies wear its face, using trust as their disguise. That's the trick: the closer trust feels, the easier it is to betray."
His words hung in the air as he reached the edge of the training ground. Pulling out the Illusion Resonance Technique Scroll, Akshran sat cross-legged on the ground and unrolled the parchment.
The scroll contained only a single technique, yet its complexity was immediately evident.
"Amazing," he muttered as his eyes scanned the elegant script.
The technique allowed the user to render an object invisible for a short time. But the cost was immense—it could only cloak one object at a time and consumed a staggering amount of magical energy. His calculations suggested that even making a piece of paper disappear would drain him completely.
'This will be useful,' he thought, his focus sharpening.
Without hesitation, Akshran reached into his carry-on and pulled out a small coin. He placed it in front of him, studying its smooth surface before closing his eyes and reciting the incantation inscribed in the scroll.
"Shivna kalis."
The coin shimmered faintly but stayed visible. His brow furrowed, and he focused harder, pulling on his magical energy and repeating the words.
"Shivna kalis."
Again, the coin flickered briefly before becoming solid once more. Akshran felt a wave of fatigue roll over him, his magical reserves dipping faster than he anticipated.
He exhaled sharply, narrowing his eyes at the stubborn object. 'What am I missing?'
Closing his eyes, Akshran slowed his breathing, recalling the scroll's guidance. 'The object doesn't vanish on power alone—it's about intention, I need to believe it does not exist, Shaping the illusion is as important as fueling it.'
He tried again, this time visualizing the coin merging with the air around it, dissolving into the vacuum. He steadied his energy, focusing it into a precise line rather than a chaotic surge.
"Shivna kalis."
The coin shimmered—and then disappeared.
For a moment, Akshran blinked in disbelief, staring at the empty space where the coin had been. He reached out hesitantly, his fingers brushing the cool metal even though his eyes couldn't see it.
A faint grin tugged at his lips. 'Finally.'
But the triumph was short-lived. A dull ache bloomed in his chest, and his head spun slightly. The magical exhaustion was worse than he'd expected, and beads of sweat formed on his brow. Still, he sat back with a sense of accomplishment, his mind already spinning with possibilities for how this technique could be used.
'One object at a time. High cost. Limited duration. But in the right situation? It's perfect.'
As he steadied his breathing, his focus shifted inward. Failure hadn't deterred him—it had refined him. And now, the first piece of the puzzle had fallen into place.
As soon as Akshran mastered the basics of Illusion Magic, he wasted no time diving into spells again, this time focusing on water-based techniques. They were known to be the easiest to learn, but Akshran approached them with the same relentless intensity he applied to everything else.
"Sa-vru norl," he muttered, his voice steady as he formed a shimmering ball of water in his hand. The orb shot forward and splashed against the target dummy with a faint ripple, registering a damage output of only 10⁶ joules—a fraction of Anatolia's immense blasts.
But he didn't stop. Repetition after repetition, Akshran practiced with a singular focus, each attempt improving slightly but still far from perfect. Sweat beaded on his forehead as his magical reserves ebbed, yet he pressed on, unyielding.
From a distance, the rest of Class S observed him, their reactions as varied as their personalities.
Anatolia, leaning casually against a nearby pillar, rolled her eyes. "Tch, loser's got nothing better to do," she muttered, though her gaze lingered on him longer than she intended. "Typical for him."
Kevin, ever the optimist, smiled warmly. "Good job, Akshran," he said, stepping forward. "Let me help." He positioned himself beside Akshran, adjusting the angle of his stance and guiding his arm. "Like this—control your energy flow. Let it feel natural."
With Kevin's corrections, Akshran's next attempt landed more forcefully, the water ball visibly denser and more focused. A faint smile tugged at Akshran's lips as he nodded in silent acknowledgment.
Meanwhile, Seri sprawled lazily on the grass, nibbling on a toffee. "Huh. Anatolia's boyfriend's pretty hardworking," he said absentmindedly, sucking on the candy. "Now, where's my next toffee?"
Scarlet, perched elegantly on a bench, watched silently. Her crimson eyes scanned Akshran's movements, but she didn't say a word. After a moment, she rose gracefully and left without explanation, her expression unreadable.
Akshran didn't spare a glance at any of them. His focus was absolute, his determination unshaken. Whether his efforts drew mockery or admiration, it didn't matter. Each step forward, no matter how small, brought him closer to his goal.