Returning to the Academy

Inside the room prepared for the banquet, Xol, Izuriel, Smith, and Hao were eating leisurely. The group would praise Hao cooking and Xol could feel many differences between the normal dishes and the dishes prepared by a Magical chef. Not only was the taste incredible but as he swallowed it, he could feel the various type of mana complementing itself and nourishing him even before arriving at his stomach. Finally, as he had read some of his stats increased as he finished a dish.

Chatting once everyone finished eating Hao accepted Xol as his pupil once Xol raised the point. Hao stated the condition that Xol didn't teach anyone else until he finishes the training of Magical Chef. Accepting Xol stretched the hand of Hao and they talked a schedule.

Smith offered to make a cooking knife for Xol which Xol rejected as he felt comfortable with the knife Kingo made, after some questioning and with Izuriel reassurance that nobody would take something from Xol with him close by. Xol removed the disguise ring off and showed the knife true strength. Smith was really surprised at the knife skills, more so when he used the shapeshift skill, and understood why Xol would prefer this hunting knife to a cooking knife since he could transform it to a suitable blade depending on his needs.

Finally, Hao raised the topic of Izuriel and him becoming sworn brothers, which Izuriel asked if he was sure as he had many enemies and would make a strong enemy of the Evenspire clan. Saying he knew the story and he was sure Hao asked again and this time Izuriel accepted.

"Before you go Izuriel, may I talk with you some matters privately?" Hao said with a serious face.

"I guess it would be alright, Xol would you give a moment before we return to the academy." Izuriel said.

"Un."

"Come Xol, let me teach some useful knifes design you could use with that knife." Smith said guiding Xol outside.

"So, what's the matter, judging by the fact you flinched when stretching Xol's hand I guess is related to him?" Izuriel said with a serious tone.

"You're correct that is something related to him. I'll need for him to come every day. He has a special constitution and it's in very bad shape, if I'm correct he must had passed many years eating the bare minimum or almost starving and this had incurred some serious problems in it, his organ are in really bad shape, same with his bones and other body parts, but the natural meridian he had are pretty dried and are close to a snapping point." Hao said with a very serious face

Izuriel was bewildered by this information, he had suspicion Xol had a constitution but wasn't expecting for Hao to uncover it so easily.

"If you wonder how I could detect it, it's thanks to my side job, I detected the malnourishment state he's in as I shook his hand, I don't know what constitution he has or benefits it could offer if it was in better condition. I can reverse some problems but must prepare a diet for him and need him to come daily for it, so his meridians don't snap." Hao said seeing the surprised face of Izuriel

"I see, I'll explain this to Xol and get him a permit to exit the academy more frequently." Izuriel nodded "I'll thank you on his behalf, also please refrain from telling anyone including Xol about this."

Izuriel explained Xol's condition to Hao giving every detail he had and would notify him a soon a possible what her sister had found on him and what the staff member that followed Xol notified an hour or so ago.

"I see, don't worry he's my benefactor for recovering the cooking knife I commissioned Smith and without it, I don't think I could've passed my rank up nor class up." Hao said after understanding Xol's circumstances.

"Well I guess its time for me to return." Izuriel said standing up.

"Izuriel one more thing I'll need to ask, as you mentioned the Evenspire clan, are you still planning revenge on them for your fiancée's death?" Hao said delicately.

"If I did what would you do?" Izuriel said with a solemn face.

"I like you to forget the idea in all honesty, if it wasn't for your sister arriving as backup and saving you, you'll have also died that day. This was 30 years ago and you're still recovering from some of those injuries, but he had become even stronger and is close to ascending. If you intend to advance even knowing this, I'll support you but remember to prepare carefully." Hao said

"Don't worry I'll not enter blindly and prepare thoroughly, that day we were ambushed and they had everything on their favor." Izuriel said as he softened his expression knowing Hao would support him.

Biding their farewells Xol and Izuriel left the restaurant, as they returned Izuriel explained to Xol Hao asked to come daily since he going to prepare a diet for him to help in his growth. Izuriel reassured Xol he would get him a permit so the school doesn't ask for contributions as he goes to the restaurant.

Entering the academy Xol bid farewell to Izuriel as he went to his dormitory, Izuriel then proceeded to return to his office. Entering his office, Izuriel worked on various documents for a pair of hours before Zestari entered the office.

"Teacher Izuriel pays respects to the principal." Izuriel said as he stood up bowing his head and clasping his hand toward his sister.

*Sigh

"I'll normally say to not do the cultivation world formalities and just ask to act like the other teachers, but I'll let it slide considering what I'm looking you for." Zestari shook her head and took a chair from her storage ring, she had learned her lesson at carrying one last time.

"I got a tool to evaluate if Xol has a constitution, and it revealed he has the Eclipse Body constitution sadly its in very poor state furthermore Amelia said that based on the injuries age if Xol had used a berserk skill three years ago or in other incidents he would had died then. Based on this I think it would be the second personality case." Zestari said with a solemn face as she crossed her arms. "Currently Amelia is researching how to cure Xol."

"I see, you did get notified on the evens that happened in front of the Crimson Coiling Dragon correct?"

"Un."

"Chef Hao detected Xol has malnourishment and asked me to allow Xol to go his establishment so he can remedy reverse this." Izuriel said. "I would like for you to sign Xol a permit to exit he academy without paying contributions and Amelia to talk with Chef Hao."

"Now then I would like to hear the report of what the staff member as I only saw Xol's status briefly before focusing on helping him." Izuriel said with some embarrassment as he pretty much messed up the chance to uncover more information to help in the long run.

"According to the staff member, as you called him to help him, his name started flickering before starting to erase itself and his HP and MP started increasing considerably. He reported there wasn't killing intent like Jun case so that's lead me to think that there is a small window before the second personality comes out." Zestari said, "Now then how do we proceed?"

"From the explanation, it seems Xol is the second personality as his name was being replaced and his stats increased. This book by a fellow mana investigator Farina Orish describe steps to help a person reconnect its mana pool, as the affected person need external help we should give to whoever Xol choose *Sighs*" Izuriel sighed remembering the look in Xol eyes and how he had already preparing to become his student.

"So, as he wants to be your disciple its already in his owner hands." Zestari teased.

"Oi, even if helped him today I'm not lowering my standard, this could take months before he achieves it." Izuriel said with a serious face.

"I know, but as we figured out there a small-time window to stop him and with that, we may stop him as we did today furthermore Xol has a deep bottom-line." Zestari said as she extended a hand. "For now, I'll have the same staff member to keep monitoring him."

*Sigh

"Don't act like that, if it's makes you feel uncomfortable just accept him right now and deal with the problem." Zestari lectured.

"For now, I let you work in your new cultivation technique you're working while I make Xol don't trigger." Zestari said recovering the chair and exiting.

Seeing her sister exit Izuriel sighed and returned to work but he couldn't erase the feeling he overlooked something about Xol case. It would take some time for him to notice that Xol having natural meridians was another important variable to what Xol was suffering and that it wasn't anger that caused the changes but a despairing situation.

Taking some documents from his desk drawer, he started transcribing and updating some things on a certain book. Before he immersed himself in his investigation like always ignoring that feeling he closed the book seeing it was already evening.