CHAPTER 147: VANISH

Asher’s thoughts shifted to the principal.

What if she were an evil woman who intended to use every student present as part of a ritual to summon a Demon God? Or perhaps something even more terrifying, an Eldritch Entity, after which calamity would inevitably befall Crymora.

He shook his head at such ridiculous speculation, a faint chuckle echoing in his mind.

’It seems I’ve gone mad, always expecting trouble or disaster to unfold wherever I step,’ Asher mused silently.

He had entertained such thoughts on numerous occasions. There were the times he imagined his own siblings sending assassins after him; the incident at The Orchid Auction House when he half-expected someone to attack; and most recently, the ambush the thought would befall him, the Third Moon, and the Third Sun during their journey.

’It’s as though I can’t stop seeking chaos or battle... This Wargrave Bloodline is truly turning me into a battle fanatic,’ he thought with a mental sigh.

’System, is there a way to remove these side effects of the Bloodline?’ Asher asked inwardly.

[Ding]

[The System advises the Host to stop blaming the innocent Bloodline and instead embrace his battle-loving personality]

The familiar chime of the System rang in his mind.

’Tsk. Lazy system,’ Asher muttered inwardly, clicking his tongue in mild disappointment.

Of course, he was only joking.

Deep down, he knew there was nothing inherently wrong with the Wargrave Bloodline. He merely wanted to see what the System would say. After all, his System was notoriously sarcastic and often acted as if it demanded payment before doing any real work.

Pushing aside thoughts of his sarcastic sometimes obstinate companion, Asher reminded himself of its usefulness. Lazy as it was, the System had helped him achieve numerous things. Without it, he would never have obtained the Star Code Fragment in the first place.

’Perhaps I should visit the Blessed Land, or the Cursed Land, as others call it,’ Asher considered. ’Although nothing of value has ever been reported from there, with the System’s aid, I might stumble upon another hidden treasure.’

But another thought came to him. ’Just because people claim nothing useful has been found doesn’t mean it’s true. Someone could have discovered something priceless and simply kept it secret. After all, in a world like this, if you announce such a find, you’d likely cease to exist within the hour.’

His eyes shifted toward the door just as it opened, revealing a young woman entering with unhurried, measured steps. She did not so much as glance at anyone present. Instead, she quietly sat down, crossed her legs, and closed her eyes as though sealing herself away from the room.

Asher’s gaze drifted away from her. Xavian and Xavienne had once told him he would need to pass a test, possibly even fight, to earn his place at the Star Academy.

’Would it follow the usual cliché?’ he wondered. ’A written exam first, followed by battles against one another, or perhaps against monsters?’

However, he quickly realized he had no idea how a written exam would even work in this world. After all, there were no formal schools in the traditional sense.

’General knowledge, perhaps? Maybe they’ll ask easy questions about historical events,’ he speculated.

But almost immediately, he shook his head, discarding the thought. While he had read a great deal about this world’s history, he could hardly claim to know everything.

If a question appeared that he couldn’t answer, he already had a solution, he would simply cheat. With his Omni Perception, he could observe everything happening within range, including the answer sheets of other students.

’I’m not so self-righteous as to pretend I can’t cheat on an exam. That sort of moral grandstanding is for the gullible,’ Asher thought with a faint mental smirk.

In his previous life, he had never cheated, relying solely on his overwhelming intelligence to excel. But here, he wouldn’t hesitate for a moment if it meant securing a perfect score.

After all, he always had a perfect score in every exam, back at his former world, that wouldn’t change just because he changed worlds.

With that decision made, he leaned back and closed his eyes, as though attempting to shut out the ugliness of the world around him once more.

But fate, as always, seemed determined to interrupt him.

"So, Tenth Sun, I heard you awakened on your last try. Is that true?" William’s voice broke the quiet.

The question drew immediate attention. Conversations halted mid-sentence, and those who had been speaking turned their heads toward Asher.

’Sigh... this guy... Was he sent by the devil himself to torment me?’ Asher lamented inwardly.

Opening his eyes, he replied evenly, "Yes, I failed my first two awakenings. I’m extremely certain that’s public knowledge by now. Why ask again?"

"Ah, I don’t mean to offend," William said quickly, his tone calm. "It’s just that many believe you hid your awakening after you defeated Ryan Silvershade at the Royal Party."

Asher tilted his head slightly, genuine confusion in his expression. This was the first time he had heard such a rumor. He shook his head and responded, "If you pass the Star Academy exams, you can call me Asher."

William blinked in surprise, pausing for a few seconds before smiling and nodding. "I hope you won’t take back those words later."

It might seem like a trivial exchange to an outsider, but very few were ever on a first-name basis with a Wargrave. Those who were could be counted among their closest allies or friends.

By allowing William this privilege, conditioned on his success, Asher had, in a subtle way, acknowledged him as a potential friend.

How many Barons could claim closeness to a member of a Ducal family? The answer was none.

If William’s father heard those words, he might immediately pass down the Baron title to his son, provided he succeeded in the Academy trials.

Even if Asher never became Duke of the Wargraves, he would undoubtedly remain a powerful Elder, and a formidable one at that.

A few people in the room frowned at the exchange, fleeting jealousy flickering in their eyes as they glanced between Asher and William. William, for his part, merely smiled back with polite composure.

Time seemed to blur, until the door opened again, this time, not for another student, but for the woman who had attended to them earlier, verifying the identities of each Star Academy candidate.

The moment she entered, every student rose from their seats, their attention fixed solely on her. Without preamble or unnecessary words, she spoke plainly.

"We are leaving."

There was no explanation, no elaborate introduction, just a simple statement of fact.

A scroll appeared in her hand. As Astra flowed from her palm into the parchment, it tore in half on its own. A blinding white light burst forth, swallowing every single one of the hundreds of students gathered in the chamber.

When the light faded, the vast room stood completely empty. Everyone had vanished.