After the heartfelt evening they shared, everyone returned to their respective clan chambers for the night. Each person entered their designated alcove and rested until morning.
The alcove was not merely a sleeping chamber. It was one of the academy's advanced restoration systems, designed to restore and refine mental health while increasing the production of aura within the body's cells.
Within the Zodiac Academy, every clan was identified through their unique bloodline and aura signatures. Only the top five clans in the world possessed official clan signs, as they originated from bloodlines of immense prestige. The remaining clans were identified through the unique energy pulses flowing through their veins, as every bloodline carried its own distinct aura rhythm.
The alcove was the academy's complete method of personal restoration and maintenance. It served as a combination of cleansing, recovery, and aura refinement.
The hand chains were directly connected to each individual's alcove. The structure itself was a forty-inch-long glass chamber positioned along the walls of the dorm room. Its exterior was covered with dynamic borosilicate opaque glass, with the academy symbol engraved on its left side.
The alcove's synaptic configuration rested beside the entrance, requiring both fingerprints and aura recognition before activation.
Inside, the chamber was lined with Polartec and Lycra black synthetic fibers, each containing minute pores spaced about one centimeter apart. These pores housed generative nanobots designed for restoration. Along the edges were thick streamlined dark cotton fibers, providing additional comfort during recovery.
Once activated for rest, the alcove sealed shut, releasing a white mist of repairing nanobots that completely surrounded the user's body. These microscopic machines restored damaged cells, refined the body's condition, and assisted in aura recovery.
Only after the user's brain regained consciousness and their aura signature was identified would the alcove automatically open.
NEXT MORNING
Chris stepped out of his alcove, already eager to begin another day. The faint traces of exhaustion from yesterday's intense spar still lingered within him, but his determination burned brighter than the fatigue.
As he walked toward the dorm room exit, a figure suddenly appeared before him.
Luis.
The same Zodiacian who had attempted to force himself onto Elisa the previous day stood directly in his path. He blocked the exit with a mocking grin, placing his left hand against the right edge of the doorway as he leaned forward, using his position to completely obstruct Chris's movement.
"Hey bastard, I don't know what the fuck you are aiming for, but I am warning you, stay away from the purple-headed bitch. She belongs to me."
Luis spoke with his usual vulgar arrogance.
Chris stopped.
Slowly, he spat onto the floor.
Then he placed his right hand against the left side of the exit, bringing his face only four inches away from Luis.
The atmosphere immediately changed.
The dorm room, which had moments ago been filled with the movements and voices of other Zodiacians, seemed to fade away. Neither of them noticed anyone else. Their gazes locked completely onto each other, and an invisible pressure began building between them.
"First off, dogshit, her name is Elisa. Secondly, she belongs to no one. She is free to be with whoever she wants and do whatever she wants."
Chris's voice carried a dangerous calmness.
"I am only going to say this once. She is now under my protection. Overstep your boundaries, and I will fucking kill you."
His words carried the weight of his fury.
Luis tilted his head slightly, amused.
"Oh, Chris. Do you actually think you can beat me?"
The moment he spoke, his aura erupted.
A dark brown aura surged around his body, swirling like a miniature tornado. The pressure spread outward, gathering around his exterior edges like a predator waiting to consume everything in its path.
Chris did not move.
Instead, his anger continued rising.
"I won't just beat you. I will torture you to a point where there is absolutely no return. You will regret the day you crossed paths with her."
His aura responded to his emotions.
The monochromatic grey energy surrounding Chris began bubbling and overflowing from both sides of his body. Small pulses of lightning outlined the edges of his aura as it collided with Luis's dark brown energy.
The two forces clashed.
Their auras pushed against each other, attempting to overpower the other's will. The pressure between them distorted the atmosphere around the exit, creating an invisible battlefield before either of them had even thrown a punch.
Then suddenly...
A third presence appeared.
A Zodiacian walked past them.
There was no warning.
No dramatic entrance.
One moment, their auras were raging.
The next...
They disappeared.
"Don't fight in front of the exit. It is not nice to others."
A cold voice whispered.
The person's aura was released for only an instant, yet that single moment was enough.
The chill spread through the entire area.
It was not merely cold.
It was like standing before an endless blizzard, like an avalanche descending from the peak of Everest itself.
Chris felt the pressure crash against him.
His body trembled.
Luis immediately lost his balance, falling onto the ground while supporting himself with both hands.
Chris managed to remain standing, but the overwhelming force sent a shiver through his entire spine.
The aura vanished as quickly as it appeared.
The mysterious Zodiacian was already gone.
Chris looked forward, still feeling the lingering coldness of that overwhelming presence.
Behind him, Luis remained planted on the floor, trembling from the sheer difference in power.
Chris did not look back.
He simply continued walking.
The Zodiac Academy was filled with monsters.
And yesterday had only been his first glimpse of them.
Chris continued walking, but the lingering effect of that unknown Zodiacians aura still remained within his body.
His mind felt slightly heavy, his movements slower than usual, and the cold pressure still echoed through his nerves. That single release of aura had completely overwhelmed both him and Luis without effort.
That level of control...
Chris thought silently.
Someone can suppress two different auras without even trying?
The thought remained in his mind as he moved toward the front of the Lyceum, the central gathering area of the Zodiac Academy.
The academy itself seemed alive.
The enormous structures surrounding him moved with quiet precision, their metallic surfaces shifting slightly as streams of nanobots traveled through hidden pathways beneath the walls. The academy was not simply built. It constantly repaired, adjusted, and evolved alongside the Zodiacians within it.
Every corridor carried traces of different clans. Different aura signatures flowed through the environment, creating an invisible ocean of life forces.
As Chris approached the front of the Lyceum, he noticed two familiar figures waiting.
Rhys and Elisa.
But they were not alone.
A third figure stood beside them.
Chris slowed his steps slightly.
As he moved closer, he noticed a girl with warm, light skin and hair as blue as the sky, mixed with stripes carrying the deep warmth of the ocean. Her hair flowed down to about thirty-five inches, bright blue strands blending with darker patterns.
Her eyes immediately caught Chris's attention.
Her irises contained two inner circles.
The outer circle shone with a bright sky-like blue, while the inner circle carried the deep darkness of the ocean.
Unlike Luis's overwhelming aura or Rhys's powerful presence, hers was different.
It was warm.
Comforting.
Almost impossible to notice unless one focused carefully.
"Hey Elisa, how was your night?"
Chris asked, still slightly affected by the previous aura pressure.
Elisa turned toward him with a gentle smile.
"It was nice. Thanks for asking. I haven't slept that comfortably in a long time. I didn't have nightmares because of you and Rhys."
Her words carried genuine gratitude.
She stepped forward and leaned in for a hug.
Chris immediately wrapped both hands around her head, returning the gesture warmly. After a moment, Elisa slowly separated from him.
Chris then turned toward the blue-haired girl.
"Hey, I am Chris. What's your name?"
He smiled slightly.
"You thought I wouldn't notice you, right?"
The girl leaned closer.
Her lips moved close to Chris's ear as she spoke quietly.
"It was my aura you felt that time."
Chris froze slightly.
"I am surprised you can still stand. At your current level, you cannot fight him."
Her voice remained calm.
"He has more skills and techniques than you. His aura output is higher, more refined, and overall he is a much more polished fighter."
She glanced toward Elisa.
"I am Elisa's best friend, and I have never seen her this happy in a long time."
A small smile appeared on her face.
"I also liked the way you stood up for her, so I helped you. If you had fought him, he would have crushed you."
She extended her hand slightly.
"My name is Cia Frost of the Frost clan."
Chris stood there silently for a moment.
The Frost clan.
One of the strongest bloodlines in existence.
The seventh-ranked clan in the world.
Although they had never become the autocrat clan, their mastery over water and ice-related powers made them feared across the world. Their enormous aura reserves and naturally chilling presence were among the reasons they were considered one of the greatest clans.
But their true importance came from their connection to two mysterious forces.
The Black Void Eye.
And the Void Graphs.
Chris looked at her in surprise.
"So that's why..."
Before he could finish his thought, Rhys stepped forward with his usual confidence.
"Hey, I am Rhys."
He looked at Cia with a playful smile.
"And I just wanted to ask you something."
He paused dramatically.
"Are you the Sun? Because I could stare at you all day, and it'd be worth the risk."
Rhys grabbed her hand and gently kissed the back of her palm.
Cia's eyes widened.
For most people, touching her would already be a dangerous act.
Her aura naturally carried a freezing pressure. Anyone who came into direct contact with her usually suffered from extreme cold reactions.
But Rhys...
He was completely fine.
Not only had he touched her, he had kissed her hand and remained standing.
The most surprising part was something Cia had not expected.
She actually felt herself blush.
Rhys released her hand and gave a teasing raise of his eyebrow.
"Hey Chris, can Cia be our friend?"
His eyes were filled with excitement.
Chris looked at Elisa, then at Cia.
"The moment she became Elisa's friend, she already became my friend."
He raised both hands, his thumbs pointing upward as a wide smile formed on his face.
"That means she is family."
The moment he said it, Rhys and Elisa immediately jumped toward him.
Elisa landed on his right side while Rhys landed on his left. Chris lost balance slightly, but he caught them both and laughed as they stayed together for a moment.
The group had grown.
Not through blood.
Not through clans.
But through trust.
After a while, they stood back up.
"Guys, I am going to class now."
Chris smiled.
"How can I get stronger without practice? We will see each other later."
Rhys and Elisa hugged him again.
Cia turned her head away slightly, hiding her embarrassment.
Rhys noticed.
With a playful grin, he grabbed her and pulled her into the group.
Her hands accidentally landed against his chest as the four of them shared a group hug.
"Hey, from now on you are our friend."
Rhys smiled.
"And that means you are family."
Chris nodded.
"He's right. From now on, all of us are going to become the best of friends."
Cia's expression softened.
A feeling she had been searching for finally appeared.
A place where she belonged.
"I have found what I am looking for, Dad."
Her voice was so quiet that nobody heard.
Chris looked back at them one more time with a smile before turning around.
He walked toward the Leo Academy.
As he crossed the entrance gates, the nanobots immediately recognized his destination.
His Chrono suit shifted.
The white material transformed into a bright orange design.
He had entered the domain of Leo.
As Chris stepped through the towering gates of the Leo Academy, streams of nanobots flowed across the entrance like living veins. The instant they recognized his aura signature, they surged over his Chrono suit.
Whirr...
The white exterior dissolved beneath millions of microscopic machines before reforming into a brilliant orange.
The transformation lasted barely a second.
By the time Chris took another step, the suit had already been reconstructed.
The Leo insignia shimmered faintly across the back of his robe before settling into place.
The academy itself seemed alive.
The walls pulsed with countless hidden nanobots travelling beneath transparent channels. Cathedra’s shifted quietly to accommodate arriving Zodiacians, while pathways subtly expanded and contracted as more students entered. The academy breathed with technology, every movement silent, deliberate and perfectly synchronized.
Chris made his way toward an empty Cathedra and sat down.
Around him, Zodiacians chatted among themselves while others practiced small aura manipulations in their palms, passing the time before class officially began.
A few students noticed Chris's unfamiliar face and whispered among themselves.
"That's the new guy."
"The one from yesterday's spar?"
"I heard he pushed Luis."
"Seriously?"
Before the conversations could continue...
The academy fell silent.
The overseeing instructor of the Leo Academy walked inside.
His Chrono suit shared the same design as every other instructor, but its color was a deep orange. The Leo emblem rested proudly across his back, while matching earrings bearing the academy's symbol reflected the surrounding light.
Unlike Instructor Brandet, this instructor wasted no time with introductions.
His footsteps echoed steadily across the academy floor.
His voice was thick, commanding, and carried naturally throughout the enormous hall without needing to be raised.
"We are not focusing on the use of the Leo Sign for now."
He continued pacing before the students.
"Before a Zodiac Sign can be effectively utilized, you need proper aura manipulation."
He stopped briefly.
"And even if your aura manipulation is excellent..."
He turned toward the class.
"You must possess the necessary Skills."
The entire academy became silent.
Even the students who had been whispering moments earlier focused completely on him.
"Now..."
"What are Skills?"
He folded his hands behind his back.
"Many people believe Skills are simply aura pulses used in a specific way."
He shook his head.
"That is incorrect."
"Skills are the effective manipulation of aura through one's own method to produce a particular style."
"That style becomes its baseline."
"The baseline should never be changed."
"It should only be refined."
He continued walking.
"You polish it."
"You strengthen it."
"You improve its efficiency without abandoning its original foundation."
He raised one hand.
"For example..."
"Take a Skill known as VIBRATE."
Several students straightened immediately.
"Vibrate is created by rotating compressed aura at extremely high speed within a specific part of the body."
A small stream of orange aura gathered around his forearm.
The aura rotated so rapidly that it created a faint humming sound.
"This rotation increases impact."
"It allows punches to become faster."
"Heavier."
"And considerably more destructive."
The aura around his arm accelerated.
The surrounding air vibrated visibly.
"But..."
"This is merely the first stage."
He clenched his fist.
"The more frequently this Skill is used..."
"The more aura is naturally refined into it."
"Eventually..."
"The rotation speed increases."
"The aura becomes denser."
"The generated temperature rises."
The orange aura compressed dramatically.
The academy floor beneath him released tiny streams of nanobots as microscopic cracks formed beneath the pressure before immediately sealing themselves again.
"This is no longer Vibrate."
"It has evolved."
"It is now known as..."
"PHASE."
The compressed aura spun so quickly that the outline of his arm became difficult to follow.
"The increased rotational force allows the arm to pierce through an opponent's defense upon impact."
"The condensed aura hardens the strike until it resembles solid rock."
He released the aura.
The pressure instantly disappeared.
Several students quietly swallowed.
After allowing a brief moment for everyone to process the explanation, Instructor Leo continued.
"Phase can itself continue evolving."
"It can be polished."
"Refined."
"And strengthened."
"When enough refinement has been achieved..."
"It becomes another Skill."
"PULSATE."
He looked across the academy.
"This Skill combines the properties accumulated throughout its previous stages."
"It possesses greater destructive power."
"Greater efficiency."
"And superior aura output."
He let his gaze travel across every Zodiacian seated before him.
"This is why I say..."
"Skills are not created to remain stagnant."
"They exist to evolve."
"They exist to be refined."
"And they exist to become stronger."
He paused once more.
Then his expression grew more serious.
"But Skills alone..."
"...are only part of becoming powerful."
He slowly turned back toward the class.
"There is another concept every Zodiacian must understand."
"Techniques."
Instructor Leo allowed a brief silence to settle over the academy before continuing. His steady footsteps echoed across the polished floor as hidden nanobots beneath the surface quietly repaired the microscopic marks left behind by his demonstrations.
"But Skills alone..."
He slowly shook his head.
"...are not enough."
His gaze swept across the academy, making sure every Zodiacian was paying attention.
"There is another fundamental concept every one of you must understand."
He raised a single finger.
"Techniques."
He continued walking in a straight path before the class.
"Techniques differ greatly from Skills."
"They are not merely another way of manipulating aura."
"They are the baseline combination of two or more Skills, refined and synchronized to produce a specific end result."
He paused briefly.
"In some cases, an extremely refined Skill may itself become a Technique simply because of the enormous amount of aura continuously poured into it over time."
Several students nodded as they wrote down notes.
Chris remained focused.
So... Skills are the foundation.
Techniques are combinations built upon that foundation.
Instructor Leo continued.
"Your Skills and your Techniques greatly determine how effectively you can control your Zodiac Signs."
"There are several ways in which Skills are born."
He raised two fingers.
"The first..."
"...is through your base Signs."
"Every person's life pulse is influenced by the aura of their Zodiac Signs."
"As a result, many Skills naturally emerge from those Signs."
He looked across the class.
"Most Zodiacians possess up to three base Signs that naturally influence their life pulse."
"However..."
"There exists an elite few."
"Individuals capable of making complete use of every one of their Signs."
A slight murmur spread through the academy.
"The more Signs you can effectively synchronize with..."
"...the greater the amount of aura you are capable of releasing."
He raised his hand again.
"But do not misunderstand."
"A greater number of Signs does not automatically mean greater strength."
The students became silent once more.
"Aura is not measured simply by quantity."
"It is the pressure created by your life force..."
"...your willpower..."
"...and your existence."
"Some people are naturally gifted with an endless stream of aura."
"Those individuals often possess incredibly polished Skills because they have more aura available for refinement."
Chris quietly absorbed every word.
Instructor Leo took a slow breath before continuing.
"The second method."
He resumed pacing.
"Powerful Skills are not exclusive to people blessed with tremendous aura reserves."
He pointed toward the students.
"Anyone who consistently trains..."
"...refines..."
"...and repeatedly makes effective use of their Skills..."
"...is gradually pouring more aura into that Skill."
"Drop..."
"...by drop..."
"...by drop..."
He lightly tapped his chest.
"Eventually..."
"The Skill evolves."
"The aura adapts."
"And the Skill reaches a higher stage."
He smiled faintly.
"Talent may determine where you begin."
"But refinement determines how far you go."
A few Zodiacians visibly straightened after hearing those words.
Chris unconsciously clenched his fist.
Then... even someone like me can become stronger.
Instructor Leo's expression became serious again.
"The third method..."
He paused longer than before.
"...is the rarest."
The atmosphere inside the academy subtly changed.
Even the surrounding whispers disappeared.
"This method occurs across generations of refinement."
"It exists in two forms."
He slowly wrote a single word across the academy's holographic display.
KAMON
"This..."
"...is known as a Kamon."
"A Kamon is common among every clan."
"It consists of the Skills and Techniques developed, analyzed, and inherited throughout a clan's history."
He looked toward the students once again.
"For example..."
"The Masotoki Clan."
"They possess an affinity for wood."
"Their Kamon reflects that affinity."
"Kamon represents the common Techniques shared throughout a bloodline based upon its natural life attribute."
He allowed everyone to finish writing.
Then...
He fell silent.
His expression grew noticeably heavier.
After releasing a slow breath, he spoke again.
"But there is another form..."
His voice became quieter.
"And infinitely more difficult to obtain."
"MYOJIN."
The single word lingered in the air.
MYOJIN.
The atmosphere inside the Leo Academy noticeably shifted.
Even the faint whispers between Zodiacians disappeared as Instructor Leo allowed the weight of the word to settle over the room.
"The most powerful Techniques to exist within a particular clan..."
"...are known as Myojins."
He slowly continued walking across the academy floor.
"Only a select few blood elites within a clan ever manage to awaken one."
His voice remained calm, but the seriousness behind it was unmistakable.
"The only recorded Myojin currently known to the public..."
"...belongs to the second-ranked clan in the world."
He paused.
"The Malcificha Eyes of the Nox Clan."
The instant those words left his mouth...
Silence.
A strange tension swept through the academy.
Several Zodiacians instinctively stiffened.
Some lowered their heads.
Others unconsciously swallowed.
A few who had witnessed the eyes before suddenly became pale.
Chris noticed the sudden change.
What... happened?
Instructor Leo watched the reactions without interrupting.
"Not much is known about those eyes..."
He spoke quietly.
"...but those who have witnessed them..."
"...have never forgotten them."
For a brief moment, the academy itself seemed frozen.
Hidden memories surfaced within the minds of those who had seen the Malcificha Eyes in action.
A battlefield.
Mountains of corpses.
Blood flowing across broken earth.
Eyes that contained neither mercy nor hesitation.
Only death.
Only bloodlust.
The horrifying image flashed through their minds so vividly that several students unknowingly released tiny bursts of aura before immediately suppressing them again.
Even the academy's nanobots briefly stirred, sensing the fluctuations before returning to dormancy.
After several long seconds...
The tension finally eased.
Students slowly exhaled breaths they had not realized they were holding.
Instructor Leo resumed his lesson.
"The only clans publicly known to possess awakened Myojins..."
"...are among the world's top twenty autocrat clans."
He folded his hands behind his back once again.
"A clan may possess numerous Kamons."
"A clan may even produce multiple Myojins."
"But doing so comes with consequences."
"The more numerous they become..."
"...the more their individual effectiveness declines."
He turned toward the class.
"A true Myojin cannot simply be learned."
"It is obtained by adapting your aura..."
"...your energy pulses..."
"...and your life force..."
"...toward a specific part of your body..."
"...or toward a single Skill."
He allowed those words to sink in before continuing.
"Myojins exist throughout an entire clan."
"However..."
"They differ from one bloodline to another."
"The core foundation remains similar across the clan..."
"...while each bloodline develops its own unique variation."
He pointed toward the students.
"Anyone born within that bloodline possesses the potential to create a Myojin."
"But..."
He raised another finger.
"For a Kyojin to be born..."
"The bloodline itself must continue refining that Myojin across generations."
"The Technique is inherited..."
"Improved..."
"Refined..."
"And passed down repeatedly..."
"Until one day..."
"It evolves."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Only then..."
"...is a Kyojin created"
The academy remained completely silent.
Even Chris found himself unconsciously leaning forward.
Every explanation seemed to reveal just how enormous the world beyond the Zodiac Academy truly was.
The academy was not merely teaching students how to fight.
It was teaching them the foundations upon which legends were built.
Instructor Leo's gaze swept across the academy before he continued, his orange Chrono suit reflecting the faint glow of the nanobots coursing through the walls.
"A Myojin can be created by anyone within a clan's bloodline. Once an individual discovers the attribute their life pulse resonates with, they begin refining both their aura and life pulse toward that single direction."
He paused, allowing the words to settle.
"Every clan possesses the potential for a Myojin. The challenge has never been its existence. The challenge lies in discovering your life attribute and dedicating years, sometimes generations, to refining it. Only then can a true Myojin be born."
Chris listened intently, committing every word to memory.
"A single Myojin technique can rival the combined Kamon techniques of a hundred clan members, while even an ordinary Kamon will consistently surpass a well-polished individual skill."
A quiet murmur spread through the academy before fading just as quickly.
"Kamons are comparatively simple to create. Once your life attribute is discovered, you refine your aura in harmony with that attribute until it takes form."
Instructor Leo clasped his hands behind his back.
"There is, however, an anomaly."
The atmosphere subtly shifted.
Even the pulsing veins of nanobots lining the academy walls seemed quieter.
"A Kamon may be born uniquely for a single individual."
Several students exchanged surprised glances.
"It is rarer than a Myojin."
He continued walking.
"Your life attribute is determined from birth. A Unique Kamon occurs when someone within a bloodline naturally resonates with an entirely different life attribute from the rest of their clan."
Chris found himself leaning forward.
"When such a Kamon is refined, it gives birth to an even stronger Myojin."
Instructor Leo's voice lowered.
"Its greatest weakness is also what makes it extraordinary."
The academy remained completely silent.
"If your descendants fail to inherit that same life attribute, the Unique Myojin dies with you."
A heavy stillness settled over the room.
"Even if your offspring possess the same attribute, they may never awaken it if they fail to follow the path of refinement that created it."
He stopped at the center of the academy, turning to face every student.
"Remember this."
His voice echoed throughout the enormous hall.
"Your rank in this world is not determined by your clan name alone."
The orange Leo emblem behind him glowed softly as countless nanobots flowed through its edges.
"It is your Skills and your Techniques that decide how high you will stand. Never neglect them."
The academy fell into complete silence.
Not a single Zodiacian spoke.
Every student sat absorbing the weight of the lesson as the living walls of the Leo Academy continued their silent pulse around them.
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