Chapter 3: Silent Accumulation
Night fell slowly over the academy.
Stone towers that had looked solemn during the day now loomed like silent watchers under the moonlight. Lanterns lined the main paths, their glow faint and uneven, leaving long stretches of shadow between pools of light.
He moved through one such shadow.
The clothes itched slightly. Cheap fabric always did.
He resisted the urge to adjust them, reminding himself that discomfort was safer than attention.
Keeping his pace steady felt unnatural. Once, he had walked freely. Now even footsteps required thought.
He blended in easily. Too easily. It annoyed him more than it should have.
He moved with the crowd, not because he feared attention—but because attention, here, was rarely kind.
The training grounds were busier than he expected.
Groups of students practiced in pairs or small clusters. Some worked on basic mana circulation, others repeated weapon forms under dim lanternlight. Occasional shouts echoed through the open space—frustration, excitement, anger.
He stopped at the edge of the grounds and leaned against a stone pillar, arms loosely crossed. To anyone watching, he looked like just another student resting after practice.
In reality, his senses were stretched thin.
Not outwardly—but inwardly.
The system did not announce itself loudly this time.
Instead, faint notifications appeared and vanished at the edge of his awareness, like ripples on still water.
[Negative Emotion Detected: Frustration] [Source: Nearby Student] [Energy Acquired: +0.3]
Barely anything.
But he didn't frown.
Small is fine.
He watched quietly as a muscular boy failed the same sword sequence for the fourth time. Each miss made the boy's breathing harsher, his grip tighter.
[Negative Emotion Detected: Anger] [Energy Acquired: +0.6]
Another ripple.
He told himself to remain unremarkable. Still, when a group of students laughed nearby, his gaze lingered half a second too long before he forced himself to look away. Their eyes occasionally flicked toward a lone girl practicing spell formation by herself. Her shoulders stiffened each time.
[Negative Emotion Detected: Anxiety] [Energy Acquired: +0.4]
Kaisel exhaled slowly.
This was different from earlier.
Earlier, emotions had been directed at him.
Now, they weren't.
And yet… the system still responded.
So it doesn't require me to be the target.
That was important.
Very important.
If negative emotions existed around him, he could harvest them—quietly, passively, without provoking anyone.
A dangerous realization settled in.
This academy is a farm.
Not intentionally.
But inevitably.
Thousands of young cultivators. Competition. Pressure. Rankings. Expectations.
Negative emotions weren't rare here.
They were constant.
He pushed himself off the pillar and walked deeper into the grounds.
He didn't stare. Didn't linger too close. He positioned himself near groups where tension naturally gathered—sparring rings, mana-testing devices, instructors' notice boards.
Every so often, a faint pulse ran through his chest.
Not pain.
Not pleasure.
Just… accumulation.
An hour later, he left the training grounds.
No one noticed him arrive.
No one noticed him leave.
That alone was a success.
He returned to his dormitory and locked the door behind him. Only then did he sit on the edge of the bed and allow himself to relax.
"System," he murmured softly.
The familiar interface appeared.
[Host: Kaisel] [Stored Emotional Energy: 12.7]
His eyes narrowed slightly.
That was far more than he expected.
Earlier, the numbers had crawled forward. Slow. Unimpressive.
But over time… they added up.
Silent accumulation.
He leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
"Conversion?"
[Conversion Available] [Options: Physical Reinforcement / Mana Circulation / Neural Clarity]
He didn't choose immediately.
That was another lesson he'd learned—impulse was expensive.
He thought back to the day's events. The way he'd almost been cornered. The way his body had reacted slower than his mind.
Physical reinforcement first.
"Confirm. Minimal conversion."
[Confirming…] [Energy Consumed: 5.0] [Physical Reinforcement: Minor Increase]
The change was subtle.
No explosion of strength. No dramatic surge.
Instead, warmth spread through his limbs, sinking deep into muscle and bone. His breathing evened out. The lingering ache from earlier training faded.
Kaisel clenched his fist.
It felt… solid.
Not powerful.
But reliable.
Exactly what he needed.
[Stored Emotional Energy: 7.7]
He let the interface fade.
The next morning came faster than expected.
He woke before the bell, dressed quietly, and left the dormitory while most students were still asleep. The academy corridors were peaceful at this hour, sunlight filtering through tall windows and casting long reflections on polished stone.
He liked this time.
No noise.
No expectations.
He headed toward an auxiliary training hall—smaller, less popular, often ignored. A place where weaker students trained… or where no one bothered to look.
Inside, the air was cool and still.
He chose an empty corner and began basic exercises. Nothing flashy. Simple movements. Repetition.
Push. Balance. Breath.
Each motion was controlled, deliberate.
He felt it—the reinforcement doing its work. Not dramatically, but consistently. His stamina held. His posture stayed aligned.
Good.
A few students entered later, glancing at him briefly before focusing on their own routines. One of them scoffed under his breath.
[Negative Emotion Detected: Disdain] [Energy Acquired: +0.2]
he didn't react.
Not outwardly.
Inside, a small note was added to his growing understanding.
Even indifference can sour.
He finished his routine and wiped his hands, preparing to leave.
That was when he felt it.
A gaze.
Not hostile.
Not friendly.
Evaluating.
he turned slightly.
At the entrance stood a senior student, uniform marked with silver trim and an academy insignia that denoted rank. He had a deep scar under his left eye .The senior's eyes lingered on him for a moment longer than necessary.
Then he smiled faintly. Which felt eerily ominous due to the scar though it was Not warm . Not cruel. Just… curious.
[Negative Emotion Detected: Suspicion] [Energy Acquired: +0.5]
He inclined his head politely and walked past him.
The senior did not stop him.
But the feeling remained.
As he stepped back into the corridor, his expression stayed calm—but his thoughts sharpened.
'I need to be more careful.' He thought
The academy was vast, but not blind.
And he had no intention of being noticed—not yet.