Chapter: Seeking a Path Beyond
Astral Academy – Northern Corridors, Elder Wing
The courtyard behind him had fallen silent, but Anay's footsteps echoed sharply against the smooth stone of the northern passageways. The faint glow of spirit-lamps lit his way, casting long shadows across the worn walls of the Elder Wing.
His duel with Sato had left whispers trailing behind him—but now, Anay's mind wasn't on crowds or sparring. It was on the path ahead.
If I'm going to grow stronger… I can't stay within these walls.
The outer world called to him—not for glory, not even for challenge, but for something deeper. A need to push himself where no safety net existed. But protocol at the Astral Academy was strict: no student was permitted to leave academy grounds without an authorized elder escort.
And so, here he was.
Searching.
Requesting.
Hoping.
He stopped at the first room just past the meditation chamber. The door was half-open, incense trailing through the air. An old instructor was inside, slowly weaving a paper seal in the air.
Anay bowed lightly. "Pardon the interruption, Elder."
The man looked up, startled. "Ah… Anay, was it?"
"Yes. I… wish to seek permission to train outside the academy. If possible, I would request a guide."
The elder raised a brow. "Outside?"
There was a long pause, then a slow sigh. "I'm currently preparing spiritual wards for the examination summit next month. I won't be available."
Anay bowed again, respectfully. "Thank you, Elder."
He moved on.
Door after door.
Some were empty.
Others offered polite rejections.
One elder was leading a healing expedition to the northern lakes.
Another was preparing defensive talismans for the Rune Archives.
One elder didn't even open the door—his apprentice simply shook his head and whispered, "In deep isolation. Won't speak for another three weeks."
Anay felt no bitterness. Only still resolve.
I chose this.
Still, he was beginning to understand how rare an opportunity it truly was.
The academy's rules weren't just to shelter students—they were to protect the fragile balance outside. Even small training missions had to be logged, reviewed, and guided.
And the elders… they had their own duties.
He paused under the old cypress tree at the back of the elder trail, letting the breeze touch his face. His eyes wandered to the eastern peaks far beyond the academy's boundary wall.
The world out there seemed vast. Wild. Waiting.
But for now… he remained inside it.
He exhaled.
He walked on.
At one corridor, two younger students stood whispering. They stepped aside as Anay passed, clearly recognizing him from the courtyard duel earlier. Their conversation dropped to a hush, then picked up behind him in hushed tones.
"That's him. The one who beat Sato…"
"Think he'll enter the Tournament of Spirits next term?"
He didn't react.
He didn't slow.
Their voices faded.
Up ahead, a door creaked open slightly. A figure stepped out—another elder—but before Anay could approach, a group of senior staff rushed up to her. "We need your judgment on the relic from Site 7, Elder. Now."
The elder nodded without hesitation and followed them without even seeing Anay nearby.
He let her go. There was no point in forcing it.
Not now.
Not when the time wasn't right.
But the weight inside his chest grew heavier with each passing moment. He had made up his mind—to walk forward. But the world wasn't ready to open its gates just yet.
He finally found himself back in the outer ring of the courtyard where a line of spirit lanterns floated along the walkway. Students passed in pairs. Distant bells rang from the central tower.
The academy was at peace.
But he wasn't here for peace.
He sat on the edge of the stone railing and looked out toward the horizon.
No one had said yes.
But no one had said never.
I'll find a way. Even if it takes time.
Even if I have to wait… and keep asking.
He leaned back slightly, eyes locked on the stars above.
Something in him stirred. Quietly.
And he whispered to himself, as much a promise as a statement:
"I will leave these walls."
"And when I return… I'll be someone they can't ignore."
"And when I return… I'll be someone they can't ignore."
Anay's words dissolved into the wind, but the conviction in them echoed within his chest. He stayed seated on the edge of the railing, watching as the stars above shimmered in patterns he had once traced as a child. But tonight, they looked different—like distant roads calling out to him.
Down below, a soft murmur rolled through the academy paths. Students were still talking. The ripple from his clash with Sato hadn't died out yet.
A group of three senior students passed nearby. One of them glanced up, recognized him, and lowered his voice.
"He didn't even go full power…"
"Then why did the fight last so long?"
"He was holding back. I swear. It looked like he wanted to test something."
Anay didn't move.
He let their voices pass over him like falling leaves.
If I let words move me, I'll never be ready for the silence of true battle.
He pushed off the railing and stood.
There was still a gentle wind in the air, but the academy had mostly returned to calm. He made his way through the lantern-lit walkways toward the inner courtyard again—not looking for attention, not looking for praise.
Just… clarity.
Each elder he had approached earlier had declined, not out of disrespect, but simply duty. Every single one was already burdened with something important. And the truth was, Anay respected that.
But it didn't make things easier.
He still needed someone—an elder willing to act as his official guardian beyond the academy wall. Without it, stepping into the outer world wasn't just dangerous—it was against regulation.
There must be a way.
He returned to the hallway just outside the elder wing. It was nearly empty now, save for a young assistant sweeping the floor with a spirit-thread broom. The quiet scratch of bristles against stone echoed softly.
Anay paused.
Then turned.
There was one last thing he could try.
He approached the mission board on the wall nearby—a crystalline display that recorded the names and assignments of elders currently stationed in, or away from, the academy.
He tapped the crystal with his fingertip, and soft lines of spiritual text shimmered to life.
Pages of elder duties slid across the surface:
Elder Myako – Research division, Locked in spell decoding (Unavailable)
Elder Tsun – Healing Temple, tending to spiritual fatigue cases (Unavailable)
Elder Rahn – Off-site, Deep Beast Realm Watch (Unavailable)
Page after page… red.
Anay exhaled slowly.
Then he noticed one glowing blue.
Not a name—just a status:
[Status: Returning – Elder Assignment Not Yet Posted]
A curious line. Whoever it was hadn't been assigned a new task yet. They were technically unoccupied—but also possibly not ready to be approached. The line pulsed gently, as if updating live.
Anay stepped back.
I can't just gamble on someone's return.
But maybe… just maybe, if he waited… someone would return. Someone not bound by too many duties. Someone willing to go.
But for now, the path remained closed.
And he needed to get stronger—mentally, physically, spiritually—while he waited.
He left the board behind and headed back down the stairs into the academy's quieter garden, stopping by the koi pond. Fireflies blinked above the water. The world here felt untouched by conflict or ambition.
He crouched by the pond, letting the silence sink into him.
"Zettai Anant," he whispered in his heart, "We'll go beyond. No matter how long it takes."
The breeze answered. Silent, steady.
Just then, someone called softly from a hallway arch behind him.
"Anay?"
It was a second-year student, holding a scroll. "A message came in from the head registrar. They said someone might return to the academy in the next 9 or 4 days. An elder—no name listed."
Anay raised an eyebrow. "Thank you," he said simply.
The student bowed and left.
Three days.
That was enough time to sharpen his will further.
As the moonlight draped across the gardens and the halls behind him fell quiet, Anay stood again—silent but firm.
He didn't need answers tonight.
He just needed patience.
And a promise to himself that wouldn't break.
"I will step into that world. And when I do… I'll be ready."