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Chapter 29 - Echoes of Silence

I woke up the next day to the sound of the morning alarm tolling across my room. For a moment, I stared at the ceiling, listening to it's chime. Then, like an unwelcome tide, yesterday's events surged back into my mind.

The fight with the Bloodhound.

The three corpses left behind—Rufus, Dylan and Amy.

Their screams were already fading in memory, but their deaths lingered like smoke clinging to clothes. I didn't regret it. They had chosen their role. I simply gave them an ending befitting the pests they were.

After a quick bath, I slipped into my uniform. The mirror offered me a reflection of clean black fabric, silver trim, and a face that betrayed nothing. Perfect. A hunter cadet blending in, while beneath the surface, I sharpened my edge.

The academy grounds were already alive. Students strolled in groups, chatting about duels, assignments, or meaningless gossip. I passed by a pair of boys loudly debating who was the strongest among the upper years. Their voices grated against my ears. Hunters-in-training, convinced the world revolved around their self-importance.

'They still think this is a game,' I thought, cutting through the crowd. 'Wait until reality tears them apart.'

By the time I reached my classroom door, the halls had grown busier. A faint chatter hummed from inside. I pushed the door open, slipping into the familiar space. My seat, in the far back corner, awaited like an island. I sat down and leaned back, watching as students trickled in.

Then, the main cast arrived—Julia, Amelia, Melissa, Michael, Jurian, and Silas, their little group buzzing with its usual liveliness. Adrian was already seated near the front, silent as ever, while Celestina carried her composed grace into the room.

They settled, and as expected, Jurian was the first to stir the pot.

"Hey Michael," he said with his playful grin. "Anything interesting happen yesterday?"

Michael barely looked up. "Nope. Nothing."

"Ehh…" Jurian groaned, tossing his head back dramatically. "You're so boring."

He spun to Silas next. "What about you? Anything exciting last night?"

Silas tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. He was always like that, calm to the point of coldness. But his words made my ears sharpen.

"I heard some weird noises coming from the forest."

My eyes narrowed, though I kept my expression neutral. 'So, he noticed.'

Jurian raised a brow. "Weird noises?"

"Like a beast growling."

My pulse ticked up. The Bloodhound. That explained it.

"Did you check?" Jurian pressed.

"I was going to, but my father called me. So I couldn't."

Jurian slapped his forehead. "Bruh, really?"

Before Silas could answer, Melissa leaned in. "I also heard something. Voices, actually. On my way back from Archery practice, I saw a group of instructors rushing into the forest."

Jurian's grin widened. "Ho? So something *did* happen?"

Melissa shook her head. "When I asked, they told me to return to my room."

Jurian slumped back. "Hah, always with the secrets. Makes me want to sneak out even more."

"Now that you mention it," Amelia suddenly said, glancing toward the front rows, "where are those three clowns?"

"Three clowns?" Julia blinked.

"Yeah, the loud ones. Rufus and his little lackeys."

"Oh," Jurian said. "Them."

"Don't tell me they were involved?" Amelia smirked, as if the thought amused her.

"I don't know. Do you think it was something related to them, Adrian?" Jurian asked.

Adrian didn't even blink. "I don't care about trash."

"….You are always the same."

I leaned back in my chair, watching the exchange with cool detachment. If only they knew how close their guesses were. Still, I caught one detail worth remembering: Silas's sense. He hadn't just *heard* something—he had sensed it.

'A skill? Or maybe a passive. Dangerous.'

Before I could think further, the door creaked open. Professor Elizabeth strode in, her robes swaying softly, auburn hair tied neatly, eyes sharp.

"Good morning, class," she said with calm authority. "Let's begin with attendance."

She began reading names. Students responded one after another. But when she reached the point where Rufus, Dylan, and Amy's names should have been—nothing. Their names weren't on the list at all.

I tilted my head slightly. 'So the academy erases the failures instantly. As if they never existed.'

Elizabeth didn't acknowledge it either. She simply continued. In fact, she was not going to, of course. Since she was not someone that cared about cadets who wasted their time bullying others.

"Now," she said, setting the parchment aside. "Today we will discuss the foundation upon which all magic rests—mana."

The word shifted the atmosphere. Even the most distracted students leaned forward.

"Mana is not simply power. It is life itself. Woven into the fabric of the world. Every creature breathes it, though not all command it. For hunters like us, mana is both our strength and our responsibility."

A boy raised his hand. "Professor, isn't mana just the energy inside us? Why call it life?"

Elizabeth's gaze sharpened. "A good question. Tell me—what happens if mana is drained from a forest?"

The boy hesitated. "It… withers?"

"Correct. The plants lose vitality, beasts grow sick, and the land decays. Mana sustains balance. It is not yours, not mine, not even a king's. It belongs to the world. To command it is to borrow from existence itself."

Her words weighed heavy.

"Magic is the art of shaping mana. Think of it as breath turned into song. Breath alone is survival—but with control, it becomes melody. So too, mana becomes spellcraft when guided by will, formulae, and focus."

Another student asked, "If mana is everywhere, why are some born unable to use it?"

"Affinity. Just as not all lungs can sing, not all souls can weave magic. This is why we train—to expand our vessel, to shape ourselves."

Her tone dropped, cutting through the murmurs. "Magic without control is chaos. You may summon fire, wind, ice, water. But without mastery, it consumes not your enemy—but you."

Finally, Celestina's voice rang out clear: "Mana responds to intent."

Elizabeth nodded. "Correct. Mana is alive. Respect it, and it flows like a river. Defy it, and it will crush you like a storm."

The room fell into silence, her words echoing long after she finished. Then, with a curt nod, she dismissed us.

The morning classes ended.

---

Julia stretched her arms with a groan. "Seriously, why do we have to study all this? Can't we just blast things until they stop moving?"

Amelia rolled her eyes. "Because unlike you, not everyone can brute-force their way through life."

Melissa giggled. "You'd probably set yourself on fire if you tried to skip the basics."

"Hey!" Julia pouted. "I'd look good even on fire."

"Oh really ... then would you like me to do the honors." Amelia asked with a wide grin.

"Nah , I'd pass on that."

Jurian leaned in. "Don't worry, Julia. If you ever do combust, I'll roast marshmallows beside you."

"Shut up you fucker."

The group burst into laughter, their noise grating but harmless.

I slipped out before it got too loud.

---

By evening, the academy bells tolled again. Classes were done, the sky painted violet. I left the gates quietly, while most cadets loitered to chat or duel. I had other priorities.

Money.

Without it, I couldn't buy gear, potions, dungeon permits—nothing. And weakness in this world came with only one outcome: death.

The city bustled. Cars rumbled along cobblestone roads, vendors shouted about sizzling meat skewers, students loitered near cafes. I ignored them all until a glowing sign caught my eye.

**ArcaneTech Devices – Laptops, ManaPads, Commspheres.**

Inside, the air was cool, filled with the faint hum of mana circuitry. Sleek laptops shimmered faintly with runic engravings.

I pointed at a sturdy mid-range model. Not flashy, but reliable. After paying, I looked at my account balance. I had a little left to pull me through this month at least. The clerk smiled as if he hadn't just gutted me.

I returned to the academy and went back straight to my room. Back in my dorm, I powered it on. The screen flared to life. I connected to the Guild Exchange Network. Graphs and numbers filled the screen—a storm of data.

To most cadets, it would be incomprehensible. To me, it was nostalgia.

I searched until I found it. The **Silverfang Guild**. Their shares were trash, their reputation a joke. No one would touch them. Except me.

Because I knew. In a month, they'd stumble into a dungeon filled with high-grade mana crystals. Overnight, their worth would skyrocket.

My fingers flew. Buy. Confirm. All available funds.

A quiet chime confirmed the transaction.

I leaned back, exhaling slowly.

"Well," I murmured. "That solves my money problem for now. All I have to do… is wait."

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