Chapter 169 Change [3]

Chapter 169 Change [3]

"Like I explained before, using your senses other than your eyes is far more important in actual combat."

With my eyes closed, I listened to the voice echoing. I stood straight, touching the hard surface of a boulder.

My body tensed as the smell of the dried-up ground engulfed my nostrils.

"There will be times when your eyes will betray you," a strict and cold voice echoed again. "Times when what you see won't be real."

I nodded my head slightly to her words, keeping my senses focused on the boulder.

"Now, try using it again," she commanded, her voice trailing off.

"Huff..."

I drew in a deep breath before exhaling softly as I used Ruah.

It surged through my body, moving towards the arm that touched the boulder.

The lump of Ruah moved towards my fingertips.

Ruah is both exhausting and exhilarating energy to use.

It felt like the raw power of the stars bursting through my skin, tearing through my body.

It tore through the boulder, too.

My eyes went white, then black, then snapped back into an unpleasant sharpness.

Warmth spattered over my hand from within.

A dull THUMP cut through the silence as the broken, crushed boulder fell to the floor in a pile of silk.

The light returned to my eyes as I glanced back at Lauryn's silent face.

I jerked my hand to alleviate the burning warmth.

"You still can't control it," she commented, looking at the boulder. "It wasn't supposed to break apart."

"I still don't understand," I grumbled, genuinely frustrated. "How am I supposed to let Ruah pass through a non-living object without breaking it?"

"Learn how to do it before you ask why," she rebuked, glaring at me.

"Yeah, whatever," I whispered under my breath as I walked toward the water bottle.

Opening it, I took a sip as I turned around to look back at her.

"Will you tell me where the mid-term exams will be held if I ask?" I questioned, walking closer.

"No," she replied instantly without thinking, "your exams will happen next week anyway, why bother asking?"

"I see," I mumbled, gulping down the entire bottle.

'Why did I even ask?'

I wondered, glancing at her as she fixed her mahogany hair properly.

Like always, she was in a bad mood for no apparent reason.

She trained me harshly today as well, but I am already used to it.

"Classes will start soon," she commented, glancing at me. "Don't be late." n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Leaving those words, she turned around before walking out of the training ground.

"Sigh..."

Sighing, I glanced at my reddish left hand.

Using Ruah for attack is hard, and even with my body that is being tempered with Neplh and Muspelh, I still take some damage.

'I hope learning how to use Ruah in a fight comes in handy later on.'

If I learn and get the hang of it, it might become my trump card in the mid-term exams.

[...Why did you even ask when you already know where the exams will be held?]

El asked, his voice doubtful.

'Because I don't know if my influence has changed anything again or not.'

With what happened to Ethan and how things turned out around him, I can't help but be anxious about the mid-term exams.

'I don't even know how things will turn out.'

Cleaning up my body with a towel, I thought silently.

If anything, I know my mother will do something terrible.

Anyway, they live in a safe place under my mother's protection, so there shouldn't be any problem for now.

As I walked, I could feel quite a few gazes on me, some with malice and some with adoration.

'...I still can't wrap my head around how some girls even have a crush on a guy like me.'

I mused, stretching my body as I looked around.

My body, which had no muscles at the start, has now grown muscular. Even my height has increased by several inches.

'Huh?'

My steps abruptly stopped as someone blocked my way.

"...What?" I asked, looking at the silver-haired girl standing in front of me.

Her crimson eyes stared into mine as she stood without saying anything.

A few students stopped to look at us, including the twins who had now moved to the sidelines to enjoy the show.

'Those two fuckers are always the same.'

I grimaced, glaring at the two who took out a pack of popcorn, while Aaliyah gave me an apologetic look.

"I need to talk," Shyamal's voice made me look back at her.

"About what?" I asked, tilting my head.

"It's personal," she whispered softly, her eyes still staring at me.

"Personal?" I asked, even more confused now.

Since when was there anything personal between us?

"What—?"

"What's going on?" A high-pitched voice cut in, making me look back.

Walking through the crowd of students, Ethan arrived close to us.

He looked at both of us before glaring at me, "What are you doing to her, Azariah!?"

Ruby also walked behind him as she glared at me as well.

"None of your business," I replied, frowning.

He then turned around and looked at Shyamal as he asked softly, "Do you need my help?"

Her nose wrinkled as he stood close.

Taking a step back, she hid behind me as she replied sharply, a look of disgust on her face, "No."

'..Right, Vessels hate the smell of Avatars,' I mused, observing her unusual response.

Ethan looked at her silently, then he glanced at me, his eyes turning cold, "What did you—?"

"Enough, I don't have time for this," I interrupted as I glanced back at Shyamal. "If you really want to talk, then find me sometime later."

She nodded, her crimson eyes still staring at me.

"Sigh..."

Sighing heavily, I walked away from them.

'Why is she such a weirdo?'

I wondered, rubbing my temples.

My phone vibrated as I took it out from my pocket.

My steps halted again as I looked at the number—Ashlyn's number.

Quickly picking it up, I whispered, "Hello, Ashlyn? Are you alright?"

"....."

I just heard heavy breaths without any reply.

"Ashlyn?" I whispered again.

A long silence lingered, making me wonder if the call was disconnected.

"....Az," I heard her voice—a broken, trembling voice.

"....Ashlyn?" I asked, hardly recognizing her voice.

"....Every...one died," she whimpered, her voice cracking.

"Wha—what, hey, what are you saying?" Confusion and anxiety filled my mind as I asked, desperate for answers.

"My...sister....She isn't here anymore."