CHAPTER 176: A TEACHER’S WORRY

The journey back to his villa was silent, yet charged with the thrill of regained power.

Daniel guided the Voidshadow sports car with a simple thought, the sleek black machine responding like an extension of his own body.

The neural interface, which had felt so sluggish and disconnected in his sealed state, now hummed in perfect sync with his mind.

The heavy burden of the manacles was gone, replaced by a profound and almost dizzying sense of freedom.

He felt the immense power of a Level 20 Awakened coursing through his veins, a deep, thrumming river that made the very air in the cockpit seem to vibrate.

He had succeeded. A month of exhausting, humbling work in the Eastern Medicine Garden, tending stubborn radishes and deciphering Old Man Hemlock’s cryptic lessons, had led to a Perfect Skin Refining that strengthened both his body and his will.

The second stage, the Perfect Bone Refining, had been an agony he wouldn’t wish on his worst enemy, but the results were undeniable.

His foundation was stronger, purer. He was ready for the next challenge.

His mind, however, kept drifting back to the last conversation he’d had with Principal Finch.

The old man was a mystery, a being of quiet, unfathomable power who had seen through Daniel’s immense strength to the flawed foundation beneath.

The memory of the jade tile, the brief, terrifying touch of nomological power, was a humbling reminder that there were still mountains to climb, oceans to cross.

Daniel parked the Voidshadow in its private hangar and made his way directly to the Principal’s workshop.

He needed to report his success and receive his next assignment.

He walked with a new, quiet confidence, his footsteps making no sound on the polished floors of the Academy’s upper levels.

He found Principal Finch exactly where he had left him, seated in his comfortable armchair, sipping tea and looking out at the sweeping vista of the resting platform.

The workshop was a warm, compact space filled with old books and softly glowing artifacts that hummed with contained energy.

"Ah, Daniel," the Principal greeted him, his ancient eyes twinkling as Daniel entered.

"Back already? I trust the mine was not too... troublesome?"

"The Luminark Stone has been acquired, Principal," Daniel said with a respectful bow. "The mission was a success."

Alistair nodded, a pleased smile on his face. "So I see. And in just under two days. A remarkable feat.

Most teams would take weeks to navigate the deeper shafts, let alone deal with the... local wildlife."

He gestured to a chair opposite him.

"Sit, my boy. Tell me, what did you learn?"

Daniel hesitated for a moment, then recounted his encounter with the Treasure Aardvark, Kendi, and the subsequent ambush by the illegal mine thieves.

He described the unstable tunnels, their reckless greed, and the swift, silent justice he had delivered.

He chose to omit the part where he had safeguarded Kendi’s entire life savings of rare ore for protective purposes.

The Principal listened patiently, his expression unchanging.

When Daniel finished, the old man simply took a slow sip of his tea.

"It is a cruel truth of the Verge, Daniel. Where there is treasure, there will always be thieves. But you handled the situation with an admirable efficiency. And you have your prize."

He then leaned forward slightly, his kindly eyes narrowing with a keen, analytical light.

"However, the true prize is not the stone you hold in your ring, but the changes it has wrought within you. Allow me to see."

Before Daniel could react, the Principal raised a frail-looking hand. A gentle, pure white light, so subtle it was almost invisible, flowed from his palm and enveloped Daniel.

It wasn’t an attack or a probe, but a calm, all-encompassing awareness, an inspection so advanced it felt like a fundamental law of nature.

Daniel felt a jolt of pure, cold panic. His mind screamed. He’ll see it! He’ll see the SSS-Rank talent!

He’ll feel the countless souls I’ve assimilated, the chaotic, stolen power! He instinctively tried to shield his core, to hide the deep, fundamental secret of his [Soul Assimilation], but it was like trying to hide a star behind a piece of paper.

The Principal’s perception was absolute.

The inspection lasted only a few seconds, but to Daniel, it felt like an eternity. Then, the light receded.

Principal Finch leaned back in his chair, his expression one of utter, profound shock. He stared at Daniel, his jaw slightly slack, the teacup trembling almost imperceptibly in his hand.

"By the sacred Stargates..." the Principal whispered, his voice filled with a disbelieving awe that sent a fresh wave of terror through Daniel.

"The quality of your bone refinement... it’s flawless. Absolutely flawless. The SS-Grade Luminark Stone itself could not have produced a more perfect result.

The purity, the resilience, the immense potential... it is beyond anything I have ever witnessed."

Daniel’s heart hammered against his ribs. He had been so careful. How could the Principal know the Luminark Stone had been upgraded?

"I... I was lucky, Principal," Daniel stammered, his mind racing for a plausible explanation. "I found the stone in a particularly... potent energy field. Perhaps that enhanced its effects."

The Principal stared at him for a long, silent moment, his ancient eyes seeming to pierce through Daniel’s very soul.

Daniel braced himself for the inevitable questions, for the exposure of his greatest secret.

Then, to his utter astonishment, the Principal threw his head back and laughed.

It was a deep, genuine, rolling laugh that filled the cozy workshop with a surprising warmth.

"Lucky!" the old man finally managed, wiping a tear of mirth from his eye.

"Oh, my dear boy, you are more than lucky. You are a true child of the Verge, blessed with a destiny that defies all logic and reason!

A lucky encounter! Of course! The universe often rewards its chosen few with such miracles!"

Daniel just blinked, completely confused.

A lucky encounter? The Principal wasn’t suspicious at all.

He had simply accepted the impossible result as a natural consequence of Daniel’s genius-level luck.

The immense power and strangeness of the Verge, it seemed, was a convenient explanation for almost anything.

"Do not look so worried, Daniel," the Principal said, his warm smile returning.

He clearly misinterpreted Daniel’s panicked silence as fear of having his ’lucky find’ confiscated.

"Every great warrior has their own secrets, their own lucky encounters. It is the way of this world.

I won’t ask about the nature of your good fortune.

The results speak for themselves. You have forged a perfect foundation, far exceeding my most optimistic expectations."

A wave of profound relief washed over Daniel, so strong it almost made him dizzy.

He had gotten away with it. The old man hadn’t seen the SSS-Talent, only its miraculous results.

"Thank you, Principal," Daniel said, his voice steady once more. He was beginning to understand.

The Principal didn’t see him as a fraud or a mistake, but as a prodigy, a genius whose path was naturally marked by miracles.

It was a misunderstanding, but a very, very useful one. It was the perfect cover for his secret!