Ash trudged back to his dorm room, his body still aching from the earlier spar.
As soon as he entered, he headed straight for his study table and pulled open a drawer. Inside, nestled among a few scattered papers and trinkets, lay a simple yet elegant white ring.
He picked it up, slipped it onto his finger, and channeled a sliver of mana into it.
The ring pulsed softly, glowing for a brief moment before the warmth spread through his body.
Instantly, the soreness vanished, bruises faded, and the dull throbbing of his muscles eased as if they had never been injured in the first place.
Now that feels good.
It was his first time using the Ring of Healing, and the effects were even better than he had expected.
Yet, another thought gnawed at him.
Once I absorb this Rune… how the hell am I going to hide it?
A healing ability like this wasn't something he could openly display, it will put him in a spotlight.
If people knew he had it, they will hunt him down for the secret.
He'd have to come up with a method to conceal it, but that was a problem for the future.
For now, a shower sounded like a better idea.
Ash placed the ring back in its drawer, locked it, and headed to the shower room.
As he turned on the water, he glanced at the skin-tight combat suit he had worn during sparring.
It was good that the Academy allowed students to take them back. The suit was made of a special mana-conductive material—flexible, durable, and lightweight, perfect for training.
After drying off, he threw on casual clothes—a black t-shirt and loose-fitting gray shorts. Slumping onto his bed, he reached for his smartwatch and opened Melissia's message.
**
[Item List]
- Healing Potion
- Soul Stone
- Eternium
- Morphium
- Katana
- Phoenix Blood
- Basilisk Fang
- Wyvern Heart Core
- Dragon bone Dagger
- Chimeric Cloak
- Arcane Ink
- Ethereal Chains
- Shadow cloak
- Blood fire Crystal
- Titan's Fang
- Siren's Tear
- Astral Compass
- Adamantine Plate
- ....
-...
-
***
Ash's eyes widened, and he nearly drooled at the sheer number of valuable items.
But,
His gaze lingered on one particular item—Phoenix Blood.
If I could get my hands on that… I could make a Resurrection Potion.
The thought was tempting,
But there was a problem.
The method to make it isn't known right now.
According to the novel, Lyra Evergrove would develop the potion years later, but at this moment, she was just a freshman like him.
That means this is useless to me… for now.
Sighing, he closed the message and thought for a while, forming a rough plan.
After a few minutes, he typed a response to Melissia.
> Ash: Let's meet at a café after the classes, around 8pm, I'll tell you what I need then.
A few minutes later, a reply came.
> Melissa: Alright.
With that settled, Ash changed into his uniform and left for his next class.
**
The next three classes passed by without issue.
No one spoke to him.
And no one cared about him.
And Ash was fine with that.
Meanwhile, the relationship between the main cast deepened.
Melissia, Ray, Irvin, Grace, Elysia, Lyra, and Ethan had naturally grouped together. They were all talented and in time, they would be known as the Seven Pillars of Humanity.
Ethan, despite his reluctance, ended up joining them too—mostly because he hated how close Melissia was getting to Ray.
As for Elysia, she also became part of their circle, since she was already friends with Grace.
Ash observed everything from the sidelines.
But there was something unsettling about watching Elysia get along with Ray so easily.
He wasn't envious
He wasn't jealous.
He tried to push it aside.
He had warned him, yet the guy completely ignored it.
Not that I can do anything about it.
Back then, his body had moved on instinct. He hadn't thought about it—just acted.
He exhaled sharply and shook his head.
Whatever. I just need to become stronger. Everything will fall into place then.
During classes, he absorbed knowledge like a sponge.
[Battle Strategy & War Tactics], [Monster & Beast Anatomy], [Dungeon Survival]—he memorized everything.
He was making steady progress,
***
Right now, he was sitting in a quiet café outside the academy, within Nexus City.
The academy granted students the freedom to travel within the city as they pleased.
However, leaving the city required credits. If a student's credits ran out, they would be expelled—a harsh but effective system to keep students in check.
The café had a cozy ambiance—wooden interiors, warm lighting, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filling the air.
A few students were scattered around, engaged in quiet conversations or studying.
Ash sat near the window, a cold iced tea in his hand. His outfit was simple yet neat—black pants, a white short-sleeved button-up shirt, and black shoes.
His mind was occupied.
During the sparring session with Leonard, he hadn't even increased the weight on himself.
There was no point in even increasing it. I am already weak. If I had fought with the weight increased, I would have just made a fool out of myself.
But still…
I should start training while increasing the weights constantly. If I adapt to heavier weights, my base stats will increase, and after supplying mana to the suit constantly, I will also increase my Mana Manipulation ability.
He took a sip of his drink, his eyes narrowing as he thought further.
I also need to visit the library to read more books. Otherwise, I will be wasting the Rune of Knowledge just like the MC in the novel.
His mind raced through possibilities—speed drills, weighted sprinting, endurance training, reading.
Tsk. If only I had transmigrated earlier, it would have been nice.
Just as he was about to note down a new training regimen, a familiar voice interrupted him.
"Oi, you bastard."
Ash glanced up.
Standing before him was Melissia.
Her fiery red hair, tied into a neat ponytail, shimmered under the sunlight, and her crimson eyes glowed with their usual sharpness.
She was wearing a sleeveless white summer dress, the fabric light and airy, allowing her ease of movement despite the heat.
A small silver bracelet adorned her wrist—a subtle but elegant accessory.
She pulled out the chair opposite him and sat down, crossing her legs.
"Alright, what do you need?" she asked, her tone direct.
Ash smirked slightly.
"Straight to business, huh?"
He leaned forward and said in a low voice.
"I need the ...."
***
[Melissia POV]
The café buzzed with soft chatter, the scent of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries filling the air. The summer heat outside made the cool interior a welcome relief.
Melissa stepped inside, her sharp red eyes scanning the room—until they landed on him.
Ash.
He sat in the farthest corner, by the window, utterly engrossed in whatever he was writing. His silvery-white hair caught the soft glow of the moonlight, strands falling over his face.
His blue eyes held a sharp focus, brows furrowed in deep thought.
She approached, but he didn't even notice her presence.
Hah? He dares to ignore me?
Her fingers twitched, tempted to slam the table just to get a reaction. But she held back, tilting her head as she peeked over his shoulder.
He was jotting down… a training schedule?
So he's thinking about that fight, huh?
Her expression softened slightly—just a little—before she caught herself.
Tch. What a training-obsessed weirdo.
**
[Flashback]
She had expected Ash to get destroyed—and, well, he was tossed around like a rag doll—but something about the way he fought kept her attention.
Leonard's attacks were brutal. Each strike was enough to shatter bones. Any other student would've given up, should have given up.
But Ash didn't.
He absorbed each blow, adjusted his movements, and adapted. His stubbornness was infuriating.
At first, she had thought he was just being reckless. But after a while… she realized it wasn't just recklessness.
His reactions sharpened. His footwork got better.
It wasn't talent. It wasn't some god-given gift. It was pure observation.
He wasn't just fighting—he was learning.
And that realization made her admire him a little.
What a crazy bastard…
But she still liked Ray more than Ash. He was…
**
[Present]
Melissia shook her head, snapping out of her thoughts. Her fingers unconsciously played with the hem of her summer dress—a deep crimson one that matched her hair.
Ugh, why am I even thinking about all that?
Her gaze returned to Ash. He was still lost in his notebook, deep in thought. His lips moved slightly, as if he were muttering calculations to himself.
She moved in front of him.
She huffed. "Oi, you bastard."
Pulling out the chair opposite him, she sat down, crossing her legs.
She didn't waste time. "Alright, what do you need?"
He smirked slightly. "Straight to business, huh?"
Then he leaned forward and said in a low voice,
"I need the Phoenix Blood."
Her breath hitched.
Her grip on the table tightened.
PHOENIX BLOOD?!
The arrogant little—
"You fucker!" she snapped, slamming her hands onto the table.
A few students turned to glance at them.
Ash shot her a look. "Don't disturb others."
Melissia's gaze swept over the onlookers, her red eyes flashing.
They immediately turned away, pretending they hadn't seen anything.
With that settled, she leaned forward, her disbelief morphing into frustration.
"What the hell do you need that for? Do you think I can just pluck it out of thin air?! That stuff is insanely rara!"
Ash met her glare with an impassive expression. "I have my reasons."
That calm, indifferent tone only fueled her irritation.
Her fingers curled into fists. "You have your reasons? Do you even know how hard it is to get? Do you have any idea what people would do for a single drop of that?"
Ash leaned back in his chair. "It was on your list. Not my fault."
Melissia's eye twitched.
This smug little—!
She slammed her fist onto the table again. "You… I swear to god—"
But then, she saw it.
A faint smirk flickered across Ash's lips.
Her anger wavered for half a second.
Was he… teasing her?
Her fists clenched tighter. A slow burn spread across her face—not from embarrassment, but sheer frustration.
Taking a deep breath, she crossed her arms and scoffed. "You said you wouldn't ask for something out of your reach. That's why I didn't remove it."
Which was a lie.
She had simply forgotten to take it off the list.
Ash tilted his head. "I see. Well, in that case, I'll be needing more than one item now."
Her eyes narrowed. "What?"
"You're refusing to give me the item I want. As compensation, you should add one or two extra things. Don't worry, they won't be too valuable."
He smiled. "What do you think?"
Melissia stared at him, weighing his words.
After a long moment, she huffed. "Fine."
Ash nodded, satisfied.
But how could a 12-year-old know… that she had just walked into a trap?
***