Each student in the class was given fifty Khaos crystals, the standard amount provided by the academy for cultivation during each session. The crystals were placed beside every available seat in the hall. As soon as the session began, all the students started cultivating under the instructor's guidance. Some students struggled to control the energy flow, causing it to be lost and dispersed outside their bodies. However, a few talented individuals managed to absorb seventy percent of the energy, earning praise from the instructor for their impressive achievement.
"Wow, Selene, actually absorbs 100% of the energy, that's so crazy," some student said while looking at her with envy and admiration.
Selene wasn't the only one to accomplish this feat; Kanji, Riku, and the rest of the heirs also absorbed around ninety-one to ninety-five percent.
Tho others were impressed and looked at each heir with admiration, the instructor wasn't.
"Why won't they accomplish this when they have all been taught the best technique to accomplish this?" instructor Zephyrion thought, embodying a sense of indifference.
Deep within Kurogami's aperture, the walls were faintly colored a light brown, indicating their frailty. Against all odds, Kurogami emerged from his aperture, a feat that seemed impossible, yet here he was. This was not his original aperture; its weakness had granted him an unexpected freedom.
As he stepped into the void, he found himself in an expansive black space. Here, two orbs spun in harmony, reminiscent of the yin and yang symbol. One orb glowed with a timid brown hue, reflecting its fragile state, while the other remained shrouded beneath layers of a deep, dark red, the core of his being since birth; its appearance was like a black hole.
Outside the world, Kurogami grabbed multiple Khaos stones at the same time, and he started absorbing them.
Dachi stayed on his right side while Ren stayed on his left.
Ren opened his eyes after struggling to absorb eighty percent of one crystal. He was proud internally. He was able to accomplish this only because of Kurogami, guidance when he asked him a question in the room. Daich also benefited from this and had instantly absorbed 15 Khaos crystals, hitting ninety-nine percent. He was way faster than the heirs, who were around five to eight.
"Wow, Daichi is so amazingly able to do that instantly," Ren thought, clearly happy seeing this.
Ren gazed at Kurogami and was even more shocked. Kurogami had both hands full of khaos crystals; he could be said to hold twenty in each.
Kurogami started absorbing the crystal on his left hand first. The flow of the energy was gradually controlled. It moved swiftly, finding its way to the core. As it got closer to his core, the dark core awoke, sensing the energy coming; a force started pulling the energy into it, the energy flow, which was heading toward the weak core, changed direction to the strong core. The force pull was like a black hole dragging a spaceship closer.
Kurogami was outside is aperture observing this, and he was gradually losing control of the energy he absorbed.
"The force pool even got stronger," Kurogami thought. He then clapped his two hands together, concentrating; he soon got control and dragged it back. He couldn't win; the immense pool was something he was incapable of fighting against. What he could only do was to slow down the absorption; he struggled with it, but this kept the hungry shark core at bay.
The crystal on his left hand was gradually turning to white dust outside the world. Kurogami then started absorbing the energy in his right hand. The energy went smoothly to his weak core
There was still a lot of force in, but not as much as the first energy. The khaos energy entered its weak core, and the energy gradually condensed, forming into a liquid. This took more time and energy to condense together; several hours passed, and soon a drop of khaos essence formed and dropped into his weak core.
Only a drop formed and added to his aperture. The Khaos energy in his body was ten percent; now it is eleven percent.
The energy left is not even able to form another drop. Kurogami removed it from his weak, and the dark core instantly absorbed it.
Kurogami faced a dilemma: on one hand, his original core consistently sought to absorb the energy within his body, always pushing for more power. On the other hand, the diluted Khaos crystals he had been consuming were insufficient to fill his apertures. Despite their potency, they couldn't match the raw Khaos energy his body was capable of handling. He felt torn between using what he had and the potential of the unrefined energy that awaited him.
While other Khaos essences are faint in nature, Kurogami's essence is composed of raw Khaos. This means that just one percent of his own Khaos essence could be equivalent to a hundred percent or more of a faint essence.
Kurogami's essence was a striking liquid green, a vivid reminder of the raw power it contained. After almost a month of relentless gathering, he had successfully stored up 11% of Khaos essence. Each drop represented hours of labor and focus.
"This progress is very slow. I need to find a way to get a raw khaos essence; only with that can I actually start growing," Kurogami thought.
"I need more resources, this 50 crystal won't do, I don't even have a bank, or any means of helping," Kurogami thought a lot. After thinking for several minutes, he decided to stop cultivating.
Kurogami opened his eyes. The class was already over, and everyone seemed to have dispersed. He looked around him. Ren was already asleep beside him. Daichi was waiting, observing him.
The Khaos crystal in Kurogami's hand has long turned to dust.
Daichi looked at Kurogami, his eyes brightened up, showing a trace of Khaos energy; he was surprised. He could tell that Kurogami had absorbed all these crystals 100 percent, yet his cultivation didn't seem to improve much. Daichi found this strange but chose not to question him about it.
"he only gave a funny facial expression. 'Should we go and get food?" he asked.
"Yeah," Kurogami said.
"Daichi, I need cash. Do you have any idea how I can get that?" Kurogami asked.
"How much are we talking?" Daichi asked.
"shit load of cash," Kurogami said.
"Alright, I got you, but we have to wait till the weekends," Daichi said while waking Ren up They all went out of the class.
Soon it was Saturday morning, and the morning sun poured softly over the academy, golden light spreading through the courtyard like a calm wave. The air was fresh, the wind gentle, one of those rare mornings that made the city beyond the academy walls look peaceful.
Inside the dorm, Daichi adjusted his loose white t-shirt, the fabric hanging easily over his dark, baggy trousers. His red hair glowed faintly in the morning light as he tugged at the sleeve, turning to look at Kurogami.
Kurogami wore something simple, a plain baggy shirt that looked slightly oversized, its edges fluttering with each movement. He didn't care much about style, yet somehow, he always carried that quiet presence that made people look twice.
"Where are you guys off to this early?" Rin asked from his bed, still half-asleep, his hair sticking up in every direction.
Daichi grinned. "We're grabbing a few things outside the campus. Don't wait up."
Rin waved lazily. "Yeah, yeah, don't get caught doing something stupid."
Daichi chuckled, throwing his own jacket over his shoulder, dark, heavy, and stylish in a rugged way that somehow fit him. "You should worry more about cleaning this room before we get back."
The two laughed as they stepped outside, the dorm door sliding shut behind them. The academy gates shimmered faintly in the distance, reflecting the morning sun as students passed through.
The city beyond was already alive, stalls opening, airships humming faintly overhead, the faint smell of metal and morning bread filling the air.
As they made their way down the path leading out of the school, Kurogami opened the school gate and they both stepped outside the school grounds. Here, even if anything happens to them as long as they aren't in the school grounds, the school would take no responsibility for this. As they walked down the road, a familiar voice called from behind.
"Leaving the campus without me? That's cruel, you know."
The two turned. Raidan stood there, arms crossed, a smirk on his face. The sunlight caught his eyes just right, making him look sharp and composed as always.
Raidan wasn't alone; he was with five other nobles, standing in the middle like the boss of them all. None dared to go against him as he walked closer to Daichi and Kurogami.
"And to what do I owe this pleasant visit?" Daichi asked, maintaining a straight face.
He knew Raidan's temper, and his arrival certainly wasn't due to deep bonds; he was basically trouble.