Chapter 104: Video and discussion

Teacher’s residence ,

Zane’s room,

The faint blue glow of a holographic screen flickered across the room, rising from the slim, grey laptop on the desk. The projection stretched upward, painting light over the walls, playing scenes Zane watched with a quiet, steady interest.

Half reclined on his chair, Zane lounged as if the moment held no urgency, one arm propped lazily while his eyes stayed fixed on the unfolding images.

The recording played Zayne’s battle—Caelum’s presence, the clash with Kin, each blow carrying the weight of hidden truths.

From the laptop’s side, a miniature projection of Eira floated, glowing faintly as she zipped excitedly around the main hologram. Her voice, brimming with amusement, rang out:

“And here, here—this is the best scene, boss!”

The screen froze mid-frame—Zayne’s fist colliding against Kin’s face. Kin’s expression captured perfectly: betrayal, shock, disbelief tangled together in a single instant.

Eira burst into laughter, sharp and delighted.

“Ahahahaha! Boss, look at him! For an Abyssal—an actual embodiment of lies and betrayal—to believe Zayne that much… unbelievable! He really fell for it! He actually believed that zayne won’t use his fist! ”

Zane’s lips twitched into a faint smirk, a quiet chuckle escaping him.

“…It is a little funny,” he admitted, deep purple eyes glimmering faintly as he regarded the scene again.

The holographic projection dimmed to black, its light fading until only the faint glow of Zane’s recliner lamp remained. He leaned back, fingers drumming lightly against the armrest, his expression unreadable.

“Caelum Lysander…” he murmured, voice low but steady. “The Chairman himself. He will be returning soon. And Abyssals… seals… all of it.”

His gaze slid to the miniature Eira projection still floating near the edge of the now-blank hologram. His tone sharpened slightly, not angry, but probing.

“Tell me, Eira… why is it that I didn’t receive this much information about the Abyssals, the war, and the seals—until now?”

Eira stilled mid-air, her tiny form blinking as though caught off guard. Then she straightened, answering carefully.

“Well… the war and the sealing—according to the recording—happened around seventy thousand years ago in mortal-world terms. But in Everion years… that’s only seven years ago.”

She twirled slowly in the air, voice softening.

“I ascended thirty thousand years ago, mortal count. That’s just three Everion years. I was young back then, compared to the monsters who had already lived there for countless ages. A… talented youngling, maybe, but still only a child in their eyes.”

Her tone grew faintly bitter, then steadier again.

“That’s why Sylas chose me as his assistant. Not because I was experienced—but because I was sharp enough, adaptable enough. But even so…” She lowered her gaze. “He never told me of any great war. All I knew was of the Abyssals, their forms, and that they had once been sealed away. Nothing beyond that.”

Zane studied her for a moment, the silence stretching, his deep purple eyes unreadable in the dim light. Then, slowly, he gave a small nod.

“…Hmmm. I see. That explains it.”

Eira’s miniature form floated closer to the recliner, her tone more serious now.

“Boss… aside from all that—this Chairman guy, Caelum Lysander… he’s a demi–high being. He wields divine mana.”

Zane’s eyelids lowered half a beat, then he chuckled.

“What about it? Does that frighten you?” He tilted his head, smirking. “Even if he has divine mana, does it affect me in any way?”

Eira blinked. “Doesn’t it? That’s divine mana!”

Zane laughed, sharp and amused.

“Ahahaha… you think pure mana is any kind of threat to me? Remember, Eira—Zayne defeated you back then, even when you possessed far more pure mana than this Caelum fellow could ever dream of.”

“U-Umm…” Eira fidgeted mid-air, then tilted her head. “But Boss—I’m clearly saying divine mana. Yet you keep calling it pure mana. Why…?”

Zane smirked, shifting his glass aside.

“You’ve been on my island for this long, yet you haven’t read a single file, have you?”

Her holographic face reddened faintly, embarrassed.

“U-Uh… well… I like being with you, Boss, so I thought…”

Zane sighed softly, raising his hand, palm upward. “Then watch closely.”

A ball of pale blue mana gathered above his palm, glowing softly. Eira leaned closer, confused—until the hue began shifting, deepening, purifying. The glow turned into a pure white sphere, faint sparkles dancing inside it.

Eira’s eyes widened. “T-That’s… divine mana…? But Boss, you—how…? You shouldn’t have had any—and you changed it just like that…?”

Zane’s smirk sharpened. The sphere pulsed once, then its brilliance dimmed. Smoke began to coil from its surface until it became a writhing mass of shadowed black, corrupted and foul like Kin’s essence—only heavier, darker, suffocating.

Eira flinched back, her voice trembling. “I-It can’t be…! That’s… that’s abyssal corruption… but even thicker than Kin’s…”

“Not quite.” Zane’s tone was calm, unhurried.

The black mass trembled, then shifted again. The smoke burned away as if consumed from within, revealing a warm golden glow. The ball shimmered with calm brilliance, radiant yet serene, soft golden light swirling gently like a living sun.

Eira gasped, her voice breaking. “W-What is that…? That golden glow…?”

“This,” Zane said, his deep purple eyes gleaming faintly, “is what divine mana truly is.”

Eira’s entire body trembled as she stared, but before she could steady herself, the golden glow began to blur. It collapsed inward, reshaping, becoming something stranger—neither light nor dark.

The sphere settled into a mass of grey-white energy, featureless, like fog made of pure existence itself. Then, silently, it seeped back into Zane’s body.

Eira’s scanners flared, flickered, and died, unable to register a trace. Her tiny voice cracked.

“W-What… what was that?! My systems—my scanners couldn’t even detect it. It’s like it wasn’t there at all… Boss… what was that energy…?”

Zane leaned back again, closing his hand. A faint, knowing smile curved his lips.

“That,” he said softly, “is called Null. The energy that is nothing… yet everything.”

Eira’s lips parted, but no words came out. “…W-What…?”

Zane waved his hand dismissively, picking his glass back up.

“That’s enough for now. You wouldn’t understand—not yet. Read the files on the island if you want answers. That’s how you’ll come to know what Null truly is.”

Eira’s projection lowered, her voice almost a whisper.

“…So that’s why… Boss doesn’t care about divine—no, pure mana.”

Her holographic eyes widened as realization struck.

“Because… he already has that.”

Zane leaned back in his chair, swirling the last few drops of juice in his glass, a small smirk playing on his lips.

“Besides that… three years, huh,” he muttered to himself. “By then, I can train my students to beat the hell out of even the strongest Abyssals.”

Eira’s tiny holographic form tilted forward, concern etched across her features.

“If the Abyssals attack, there’ll be interference from the Highs as well… and the mortals will get stuck in their war.”

Zane’s smile deepened, calm but sharp.

“And that’s why my students will save the day. I train them such that they can.”

He paused, his expression darkening slightly, a shadow of irritation flickering in his deep purple eyes.

“Besides that… Zayne is getting too cheeky, trying to drag me into this brotherly mess. But… oh well. I’ll take care of him next time.”

A faint, sinister smile curved his lips.

At that moment, a knock came at his door. Zane rose, moving toward it effortlessly. When he opened it, he saw Seris Velmira standing there, adjusting her glasses.

“Good evening, Professor Zane,” she said politely.

Zane’s lips curved into a small smile. “Good evening, Miss Velmira.”

Seris spoke quickly, almost formally. “Professor Zane, Vice Chairman Lucen has ordered all first-year professors to gather. He intends to announce the dungeon expedition—it will take place in two days.”

Zane’s eyes narrowed slightly, a glimmer of calculation in them. Two days, huh… he thought.

With deliberate movements, he draped his grey overcoat over his shoulders. “Let’s go,” he said, and followed Seris out of the room, already plotting his next steps.

—

Somewhere,

Far, far away, in the tranquil realm of Everion, lush greenery stretched endlessly, punctuated by floating castles that drifted gracefully through the sky. A sense of serenity and peace blanketed the land, yet something stirred above the clouds.

A bright, comet-like light streaked across the sky, glimmering like molten silver. Then, abruptly, it stopped midair. From its glow emerged a figure: Eirenyssa—or rather, a clone of her, though she claimed the name proudly—floating with an unyielding poise. Her stormy grey hair fanned out behind her, whipping gently in the celestial wind, and her piercing grey eyes sparkled like tempered steel.

“I… finally reached Everion, my lord,” she whispered, her voice carrying a mix of triumph and reverence.

As she hovered there, memories of Zane flooded her mind—her creator , the strategist, the enigmatic figure who had left an indelible mark on her thoughts. A small, almost wistful smile curved her lips as she recalled him, even amidst the grandeur and stillness of Everion.

Eirenyssa glided effortlessly through the sky, her stormy hair trailing behind her like a living shadow, until she approached one of the floating castles. With a graceful descent, she landed on the polished stone platform.

Immediately, the immortal guards stationed there—tall figures clad in silver armor trimmed with golden linings—turned their heads in unison. Their voices rang in perfect harmony as they intoned, “Welcome, Miss Eirenyssa. Lord Sylas is awaiting your arrival.”

Eirenyssa inclined her head slightly, a shadow of determination crossing her stormy features. Quietly, she muttered under her breath, “I’ll do my best for you, my lord.”

With that, she stepped forward, the soft click of her boots on the stone echoing through the empty courtyard as she made her way toward the heart of the floating castle.

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