Chapter 224: Feast

“Upgrade.” Noah said, loud and clear.

Advancement meant power and evolution, along with the kind of strength that would pull him even closer to what he needed to become.

But to upgrade Devour… that was different.

Devour wasn’t just another spell. It was a piece of him.

It had saved him more times than he could count, and unlike every other spell he had, Devour had never failed him.

His lips curled faintly. “I’m not done with you yet.”

The moment he confirmed, a surge of raw mana slammed into him like a tidal wave, tearing through every vein and muscle.

His breath hitched as the world around him dimmed. The ground shuddered beneath his feet.

For a brief second, he felt like he was being consumed. Like Devour itself was eating him.

Then, it was gone.

The silence afterward was deafening.

Noah straightened slowly, rolling his shoulders. His armor flickered, dark mist curling around his arms like living smoke.

He could feel the difference now.

Devour sat in the back of his mind now, not as an extension of his will, but as something alive. Something watching.

Another notification flickered before his eyes.

[Feast – S-rank]

[Unleashes a maw of sentient darkness that consumes matter and energy. Caution advised. Prolonged use may attract attention from unstable abyssal entities.]

Noah read the description twice, a humorless chuckle slipping from his lips. “Sentient darkness, huh? Sounds about right.”

The warning didn’t bother him. If anything, it intrigued him. He’d been using Devour for all this while and still hadn’t seen an inkling of the unstable abyssal entities in question.

He wasn’t the kind of person to shy away from power because of danger.

Everything about his existence was already dangerous.

He looked around the cavern one last time, before walking towards the center.

At the heart of the room stood a crystal.

It was transparent but glowed faintly with light, like a beating heart trapped inside glass.

He reached out and placed his palm against it.

A flash of light filled the chamber, bright enough to blind.

The next thing he knew, he was standing back at the entrance of the monolith.

The familiar rocky archway stood above him, the early morning breeze brushing against his face.

He glanced down at his hands. They were still trembling faintly from the aftershock of his upgrade.

Around him, the guards patrolled in a casual rhythm, completely unaware of his sudden appearance.

Except one.

Captain Roderick.

The man stood near the outer perimeter, his arms crossed, gaze sharp as ever.

His armor gleamed faintly under the fading starlight, and even from a distance, Noah could feel the man’s awareness, like he had been expecting him.

Their eyes met.

For a moment, neither moved.

Roderick’s expression was blank. There was no hostility, nor surprise. Just understanding.

Then, ever so slightly, the man gave a tiny nod.

Noah inclined his head in return. Then, without a word, his figure vanished.

Null Stride.

He reappeared in his dorm room, the faint pop of displaced air the only sound breaking the quiet.

Outside the window, the horizon was beginning to pale, the first traces of dawn staining the sky.

He exhaled, exhaustion catching up with him at last.

His body felt heavy, like every muscle was weighed down by rocks.

He pulled off his leather cloak and folded it neatly before placing it into his spatial ring.

“Finally,” he murmured, looking down at his ribs.

The pain had dulled but not disappeared. His body was a mess of bruises and lingering aches.

The thought of rest was tempting, but another thought crossed his mind, one far more practical.

He needed treatment.

The infirmary was close, and the early hour meant few would see him.

Noah left the room, locking the door behind him.

His boots echoed softly against the floor as he stepped into the lift. It rattled faintly on its way down, carrying him to the ground level.

When he stepped outside, the air hit him. It was cold, crisp, and damp with morning dew.

The sky above was a canvas of soft gold and blue, the stars fading from view.

He walked across the academy grounds, the early sun painting the grass silver.

It was peaceful, deceptively so. The kind of peace he had never truly trusted.

By the time he reached the infirmary, the nurse on duty was there, sorting through shelves of potions.

She looked up in mild surprise as Noah entered, her eyes immediately taking in his disheveled state.

“Hero Webb,” she greeted, setting aside a vial. “You’re injured again?”

“You could say that.”

She frowned, motioning for him to sit on one of the cots. “What happened this time?”

“Training,” Noah said easily, settling onto the bed.

The nurse arched a brow. “Training?” She stepped closer, her gaze sweeping over him. “If this is training, I’d hate to see what you look like after a real fight.”

Noah chuckled, the sound dry. “You’d be surprised.”

She muttered something under her breath, casting a series of diagnostic spells.

Blue light shimmered over his body, outlining the damage. Her eyes widened slightly as the scan finished.

“Broken ribs… hairline fractures on your left arm… internal bleeding?” She looked back at him sharply. “You call this training?”

Noah gave a faint shrug. “It was productive.”

The nurse sighed heavily, shaking her head. “You heroes are all the same. Can’t tell the difference between ambition and suicide.”

She raised her hands, summoning healing light. The warm glow spread across his chest, seeping into his flesh and knitting bone.

He felt the ache begin to ease, replaced by a soothing warmth.

The light spread to his arm next, mending the microfractures and easing the bruises.

“You’re lucky you came here when you did,” she said, focusing. “Another few hours with that internal damage and I’d have had to call Professor Geldrin.”

“I’ll try to schedule my near-death experiences better next time.”

Her lips twitched despite herself. “You do that.”

When she was done, she retrieved a small glass vial filled with amber liquid from her belt and handed it to him.

“This will take care of the rest. It’ll stop any lingering bleeding and stabilize your mana flow.”

Noah took it without hesitation, downing the potion in one gulp. It burned faintly on the way down, but almost immediately, he felt the cooling relief spreading through his core.

The nurse gave him one last assessing look, then softened slightly. “Get some rest. You’ve pushed your body too far.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She moved away, returning to her work, and Noah laid back against the pillow.

His body felt lighter now. The pain had dulled to a manageable ache, and fatigue began to creep in, heavy and irresistible.

He didn’t fight it. Within minutes, his eyes closed.

When he opened them again, sunlight was streaming through the infirmary windows, warm and bright.

He blinked once, his senses slowly unfurling. And then he froze.

Professor Cecilia was standing at the foot of his bed, arms crossed, her gaze fixed squarely on him.

The morning light caught the gold in her eyes, making them brighter, and infinitely more dangerous.

Noah sighed quietly, sitting up. “Professor.”

Her expression didn’t soften. “I heard you’ve been training lately.”

And the way she said the word made it sound like a crime.

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