A few weeks had passed. Rain was sitting quietly in the library reading through a compilation of books on magic theory.
Forming a core.
It was something so basic and well known for almost all creatures that few books even explained it at a basic level.
For hell-spawn, however, they didn't form a core. A devil was far more attuned to mana because their bodies were composed of a higher mana percentage than most other creatures. Instead of forming, condensing, then stabilizing a central core, they underwent metamorphosis that physically altered their anatomy and mana-levels.
This feature of devil anatomy was also a key factor when facing the devil races. Without a core, devils simply evaporated into the air as blood and mana particles when slain, disallowing their slayer from benefitting from a core. And with sheer numbers, the terrestrial races were overwhelmed with little time to get stronger until they fomented one desperate battle that luckily brought the invasion to an end.
Rain had never tried forming a core because his natural physiology pushed him into metamorphosis. He wasn't even aware that his race was the oddity until today.
But beyond that, he was curious. Could he form a core?
He had read that a core was formed by mana attuned creatures as they naturally found their way through the ranks of power. A devil, in theory, could form a core to augment their powers further but there was no recorded evidence nor any testing.
Almost all devils were born in the underworld with few ever successfully rising to power being born on the earth, and even fewer who had access to in-depth knowledge of mana cores at a stage early enough for them to even attempt it.
Rain was at the perfect stage. It was like the stage had been set for him. He could not pass it up, even if it put his future at risk.
********
Eve sat silently in her Advanced Formations class taught by Professor Sirge. He was a retired imperial mage that was on the precipice of the 6th tier and thus gained immense respect from his peers and students.
Another student, a paler girl with snow white hair sat next to Eve, the dark blue of her uniform contrasting against the gradient of her pearl skin, the tight fit accentuating the curves that were subtly there.
She nudged Eve on the shoulder asking, "who's that guy following you around…? don't tell me you've fallen for some nobody with good looks."
"It's nothing like that!" Eve protested, "he's my servant."
"And why him? Is little miss tyrant hiding a love story from her best friend?" She whispered into her ear teasingly.
"Shut up Aurora, it's nothing like that!" she whispered sharply, trying to not make a fuss while still expressing her irritation.
"Hmmm… But I can smell a man on you… Is it perhaps an affair? Running from an arranged marriage? Or is he blackmailing you…? So many possibilities…"
"It's nothing, okay!" She nudged her with a little force this time.
"Fine, fine miss tyrant… then you'll let me meet him right?"
"..."
"So it is an affair."
"Fine, come with me after class." Eve Finally gave in to her prying. This vixen!
*******
Rain was sitting in a small chamber in Eve's dorm room with a mana-gathering formation surrounding him.
Sweat trickled down his body and it became harder and harder to maintain his disguise. He could not let any dark energy out. After witnessing the prowess of a high ranking mana user, he realized how sensitive they could be to different manas, especially that of a potent devil.
He was attempting to form a core. Usually most mana users would only advance to the next rank through the nourishment of the core as it stabilized within their body, however, his body, having already mutated as a part of natural devil physiology struggled to accommodate the core that would attempt to infuse more energy into his body.
It felt like he was going to explode. It felt like his disguise was going to explode too, actually. He had set up a few simple concealing formations he had learned, but he didn't trust them in the face of a 4 or 5 rank power gap. He needed to be discreet. He needed to push through.
One advantage though, was that the mana in the academy was thick. In addition to the mana gathering formula, he could practically see the mana strands flowing into his nose and pores as he inhaled and began channeling it into his body through any means necessary.
At first, a small seed, barely noticeable, appeared right below the heart. It was about the size of the ball on the end of a pin, but it thrummed with life along with the beat of his heart.
Then, as hours passed, it grew bigger, bigger, bigger, eventually stopping at about the size of a marble.
His body was already circulating with dark and ice mana which heavily influenced the formation of the core, which took on the same elements he was most in tune with.
His chest felt tight at first, but as the core began to stabilize, his body seemed to naturally adjust to its presence. With every beat of his heart, a wave of mana washed over his body, accelerating the circulation of his mana.
He could feel it tangibly. He was more sensitive. He could feel the mana particles more clearly in the air. He could sense the dust settling on the ground as he moved and the life signatures of the little fly perched on the window sill.
It was as if he was a blind man given sight.
But as the adrenaline died down, he realized that he was absolutely drenched in sweat and impurities.
I need a shower.
********
"I can't wait to meet the man who stole our little tyrant's heart," Aurora teased her repeatedly as she slung her arms over Eve's shoulder's, jumping up as if to ride on her back.
She was quickly denied as Eve flung her off, "it's nothing serious…"
She was lying, face blushing as she remembered that night… and the days that passed as they traveled to the academy.
"I can tell you're lying, Evelynn."
Eve sighed. This little vixen was too much for her.
But before she could tease her any longer, they arrived at her dorm.
And when they went in, they both blushed like pink tulips.
Rain had just come out of the shower with just a towel hanging around his lower body, his toned muscles and pale skin at the eyes of the two onlookers.
"Hey! Put some clothes on you pervert!" Eve yelled.