Chapter 24: Rune of Knowledge (1)

A/N: Boom! 🎉 Another Extra Chapter unlocked because you all crushed the goal! Keep it up, and enjoy the read! 🚀📖

**

Ash stepped forward.

The murmurs in the hall did not cease.

If anything, they became a soft but persistent hum in the background, voices blending into an indistinct mass of whispers.

Some were hushed, barely audible, while others carried a subtle edge of excitement.

But none of it was directed at him.

No, their attention was fixated on someone else entirely.

Ray Dawson.

The "All-Affinity" user.

The rising legend.

A name that had already begun cementing itself in the academy's history. The kind of person who would be the subject of every hushed conversation, every envious glance, and every hopeful admiration.

And yet—despite the overwhelming focus on Ray—there were still a few pairs of eyes that did not waver from Ash.

Eyes that observed.

Eyes that judged.

Eyes that questioned.

Elva.

Elysia.

Melissia.

Elva's expression remained unreadable, her face an impassive mask of control.

But her eyes told another story entirely. There was scrutiny in her gaze, a sharpness that cut through the noise, watching his every movement with an intensity that felt almost suffocating.

Elysia's crimson eyes flickered for a fraction of a second, a subtle shift that would have gone unnoticed by most.

She had clearly thought of something, though what it was remained a mystery.

And then there was Melissa. Unlike the other two, her expression held something else entirely—an unusual mixture of curiosity and contemplation.

But Ash did not concern himself with any of them.

He exhaled slowly, forcing himself to remain detached, and took a step forward.

His fingers brushed against the orb's surface.

It was smooth and cold. Almost unnaturally so.

The moment his hand made full contact, a faint hum resonated beneath his skin, a vibration so subtle that he almost dismissed it.

And then—

A deep violet glow pulsed from the orb.

The light flared for a brief moment before settling into a steady, unwavering hue. Strong, yet not overwhelming. Bold, yet contained.

Lightning.

Ash did not react. His expression remained indifferent, his posture unshaken. But beneath the surface, a quiet sense of relief washed over him.

Just Lightning.

No abnormalities.

No shocking revelations.

No unwanted attention.

He had prepared himself for the worst, for the possibility that something unusual might manifest, that he would become a spectacle before the entire academy.

But nothing of the sort happened.

It was simple, Uncomplicated and Ordinary.

Good.

He let his fingers curl slightly before retracting his hand, withdrawing from the orb's surface as if the entire event had meant nothing to him.

But just as he turned away, a strange sensation crept over him.

Something in the air felt off.

---

[ELVA QUILL]

Elva had been watching Ash long before this moment.

From the very first day of the entrance exams, she had taken notice of him—not because he had stood out, but because he had been entirely forgettable.

At first glance, he was nothing more than another ordinary participant, someone unremarkable in every sense of the word.

He had blended so seamlessly into the crowd that she had nearly dismissed him without a second thought.

But then—

Something had caught her attention.

The first test.

While others were struggling against their inner thoughts, he gained his focus almost within few seconds.

And it wasn't just the speed that had stood out—it was the way he carried himself.

He hadn't displayed even the slightest hint of tension, hadn't wasted time second-guessing himself.

She had seen this kind of behavior before.

A certain level of detachment.

A level of willpower that only came with experience or an understanding far beyond one's age.

And she liked that.

Then came the second test.

When she had examined the answers of the student who had ranked at the top, she had been momentarily stunned.

The level of maturity in those responses, the sheer clarity of thought, was something that should have belonged to someone far older than twelve.

And yet, when she finally looked at the boy responsible for them, she had felt nothing but disappointment.

His frame was weak, unimpressive. His body lacked the physicality of someone truly strong.

But then there was his mana.

It was pure.

Too pure for someone who was supposedly unremarkable. He had done his best to contain it within himself, but her eyes could see through it instantly.

She believed that he would become a good mage someday, but after seeing his potential, she was disappointed.

Even so, she had let it go. She had assumed he was just a boy with a sharp mind but no real strength.

And then—

The third test happened.

In that he was beaten badly and,

The moment he lost consciousness, she had thought that was the end of it. That her initial judgment had been correct, he was weak nothing else.

But then after half hour he woke up.

And he walked away as if nothing had happened.

That had unnerved her.

Even she, who prided herself on her ability to see through people, had been taken aback for a split second.

And she hated feeling confused.

It was why she had chosen to keep an eye on him.

After rewatching his video feed, she reached the conclusion that he manipulated everyone.

He had manipulated her perception—her, a Mythical-ranked being.

He had somehow convinced millions of spectators that he was nothing but average.

And that, in itself, was not something an ordinary child could do.

Even deceiving this many people requires a level of intelligence that is anything but normal.

Which was why she had made her decision.

Why she had personally placed him in Class 1S.

Why she had chosen to become their teacher.

Because her instincts had never been wrong before.

And her instincts told her—

Ash Burn was anything but normal.

So, when he stepped forward and placed his hand on the orb, she watched.

She had expected something.

Something more.

More affinities.

Something like Ray.

Something that would finally confirm what she already knew deep down.

But—

Nothing happened.

The glow remained unchanged. A single, steady violet.

Seconds passed.

And then, he removed his hand.

Elva's breath hitched.

For the first time in a long while, doubt crept into her mind.

She had been so sure.

So absolutely certain.

But maybe—

Maybe she had been wrong.

The thought sent an unpleasant shiver down her spine.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she almost didn't register his voice.

"Teacher, should I leave?"

Her eyes snapped to his.

For a brief moment, all she saw was an ordinary gaze. 

But something felt wrong.

She forced herself to respond.

"Yes," she said, her voice almost distant.

She barely even noticed him turning away.

Her mind was still running in circles.

'If he isn't hiding his affinity, then what is it?'

A new thought surfaced.

His class… yes, that must be it.

The tension in her chest eased slightly.

Yes. That made sense.

Maybe his affinity was normal.

But his class?

That could still be something else entirely.

And she would find out.

One way or another.

She took a deep breath.

Shaking off the lingering thoughts, she straightened her posture and turned her attention back to the students.

Her moment of uncertainty had passed. Now, she was back in control.

"Alright," she said, her voice regaining its usual steady authority. "Now, off you go."

The students immediately began to stir, a few of them exchanging glances before gathering their things.

"Today's the first day, so take some time to explore the campus," she continued, glancing at the time. "And—fill out the courses you wish to study. The form will be sent to your academy watches shortly."

A brief pause.

Then, with finality, she added—

"Dismissed."

The atmosphere in the room shifted as the students started moving. Some whispered among themselves, others excitedly discussing their classes. But amidst all of that, there was an undeniable shift in focus.

A single name that was now on everyone's lips.

Ray Dawson.

The first human in history to possess all affinities.

The sheer weight of that fact was not lost on Elva.

Even though she had been preoccupied with Ash earlier, there was no denying it—Ray Dawson was a once-in-a-generation existence.

Perhaps even once-in-humanity.

And she knew exactly what that meant.

If the principal doesn't take action soon, those bastards will jump at him like a pack of hyenas.

There was no time to waste. She had to inform him before things spiraled out of control.

Meanwhile, as expected—

Ray was immediately surrounded by his classmates the moment they were dismissed.

The air buzzed with admiration, jealousy, and awe.

Excited voices filled the space.

"You're incredible, Ray!"

"An all-affinity user… I can't believe I'm witnessing this in my lifetime."

"Are you single?"

He was the center of attention.

The brightest light in the room.

And when the students finally began to file out, she, too, vanished.

**

Outside the Hall

The corridors were still lively with murmurs of excitement, but Ash had no interest in any of it.

He had only one thing to do.

He called out without hesitation.

"Melissia."

His voice was calm, but the effect it had was immediate.

She turned toward him, her brows furrowing in irritation.

Around them, the surrounding students stopped in their tracks.

Their gazes snapped toward the source of the voice.

Their interest was unmistakable.

Ash Burn, calling out to Melissa Ravencroft?

A spectacle was unfolding before their eyes.

And they wanted to see it.

Ah, fuck! Ash internally groaned, Why the hell are they just standing around and watching?

He had been so focused on getting this over with that he hadn't accounted for the attention.

Should I have waited until she was alone?

He thought about it for half a second.

Nah. That would have taken too long.

Without missing a beat, he approached her and spoke in a low voice.

"There's too much of a crowd. Let's change places."

He didn't wait for her response.

Turning on his heel, he began walking toward the academy gardens.

Melissia, for a moment, hesitated.

But ultimately, her pride wouldn't allow her to back down from the bet.

With a huff, she followed.

The moment they were out of sight, the suppressed murmurs erupted into hushed conversation.

"Do they… know each other?"

"Who knows? But Melissia followed him without a word."

"That's weird, right? Melissia never just follows anyone."

"Hey, shut up… Ethan is here."

At that, the whispers died down instantly.

Ethan stood a few paces away, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

His expression was unreadable.

But the sharpness in his eyes as he watched them leave was unmistakable.

***

The Academy Gardens

The walk had been short.

The moment they reached the secluded space, Ash leaned casually against a tree, folding his arms across his chest.

Melissia, on the other hand, looked pissed.

"I won the bet," he reminded her, his voice calm but firm. "So you owe me a favor. You remember, right?"

She scowled. "Yeah, yeah, I do. What do you want? Just say it and be done with it."

Ash didn't waste time.

"I want one item from your family's vault."

The moment the words left his mouth, Melissa's expression darkened.

"Just give me a list of what's inside," he continued, unaffected by her reaction. "I'll choose one. Don't worry, I know my place—I won't take anything too valuable."

Melissa scoffed,

"Do you even understand what you're asking for?" she said, incredulous. "That's not possible."

Ash exhaled slowly, his gaze meeting hers.

Then, in a perfectly neutral tone, he said—

"Do you want me to tell everyone that Melissia Ravencroft is a crybaby? That she throws tantrums over not receiving respect?"

Melissa's breath hitched.

Ash took a step forward, lowering his voice slightly.

"Or… would you rather your father find out about your love for Ray Dawson?"

Her eyes widened.

Her entire body went rigid.

"Y-You—!" she stuttered, her face twisting in anger.

Her finger shot up, pointing at him furiously.

"Don't you dare—!"

Ash remained utterly unfazed.

"If you're going to use magic, go ahead," he said flatly. "But just so you know… we're on academy grounds. And if the Class Representative wants to lose some grade points, then hey—pretend I didn't say anything."

Melissia's jaw clenched.

Her hand trembled slightly before she finally, begrudgingly, lowered it.

A long silence stretched between them.

Then—

"…Fine," she spat.

"It'll take 2 days at maximum," she bit out, glaring at him. "But don't you dare blackmail me again. If you do, it won't end well for you."

Ash raised his hands in surrender, his expression almost amused.

"I promise," he said smoothly. "I won't even talk to you after this."

She scoffed, turning on her heel.

Without another word, she stormed off.

Ash remained where he was, his back still against the tree.

Then, closing his eyes for a brief moment, he exhaled slowly.

Now this is handled, too.

With that thought, he pushed himself off the tree and started walking.

Time to head to the library.

***