Ascenders Rift

Evan soon arrived at the female dorms of the campus, he then made a request for Emilia to come and meet him nearby the entrance. As he calmly stood there, a few other girls couldn't help but observe from a distance taking in his refined features; some even started to blush as they spoke in hushed tones.

"Do you know who he is?" One girl asked curiously.

"No idea... but he's hot..." Another said with a hint of fire in her eyes. "Maybe I should..." Yet, as she was about to suggest going over, there was a disturbance.

"Hmph!" A disdainful snort sounded as a scantily dressed girl with a bob hairstyle walked forward.

The previous girl who spoke couldn't help but take a step back as she muttered to her friend, "Well, if it isn't that slut Anne..."

The girl's friend said with a sigh, "Let it go sis; she always takes the good ones."

"Tsk! Fine." The girl said in discontent as she turned and left with her friend.

At this time, Anne had already noticed Evan, her eyes beamed as she fixed her hair and promptly made her way over like a dainty maiden in the summer's heat. Only, in this case, it was night… as she arrived before Evan, she was preparing to open her mouth to say something, but it was at this time Evan moved.

Anne was excited; she knew she looked good and was hardly resistible by many of the opposite sex. However, never did she think that a hotty would suddenly act first, without her putting in too much effort.

She closed her eyes patiently, waiting to be enveloped and flirted with, yet it what she wished for didn't arrive. Evan had merely bypassed her without even so much as brushing against her shoulder.

Anne, who waited, was shocked; she quickly turned her sights to behind her only to see a dazzling golden-haired young girl whose looks were no inferior to the topmost beauties in the school.

Anne wasn't pleased; she cursed in her mind, "Who is this bitch?"

As she thought that, she couldn't help but grit her teeth in silence, but when Evan opened his mouth and said, "Emilia, let's go speak over there..."

Anne only grew silent, as a dark feeling rose from her chest, she glared at Emilia and shouted in her mind, "Just you wait..."

Not long after, Evan and Emilia had left this area leaving behind the bitter and angry looking Anne.

Within a corner of the hostel, Evan looked around carefully before he fixed his sights on the fidgeting Emilia, that had her head held down. She didn't know what he called her here for, though she didn't have feelings for him her face was still slightly red, and her feet kicked against the floor due to her own wild thoughts.

Evan seeing this couldn't help but sigh as he thought back to Fatty's statement, he thought, "So, it seems that I might be at fault... I should end this before it buds even further,"

Having said this, Evan quickly cleared his thoughts and spoke, "Emilia, I have something important to give you."

Emilia hearing Evan promptly looked up, her bright blue eyes flashed with a hint of shyness as she spoke, "B-Brother Evan... I-I'm not that kind of girl... I don't have that kind of feeling..."

Evan, hearing this shook his head, he promptly accelerated the conversation, "Emilia, take this..."

As he said this, he placed a black crystal pendant in her palms. Emilia seeing this made a surprised face, she lifted her head and looked at Evan with even more reddish face as she spoke, "B-But this is too precious, I... I really can't..."

Evan sighed as he spoke, "Emilia, this little trinket is very important, rest assured it's not for any other meaning. I am handing this over to you as a form of protection... do you trust me?"

Emilia hearing these words was a bit embarrassed by her earlier thoughts, but she soon cleared them away and replied with a grateful look, "Brother Evan, if you say that it's for my safety, then I will keep it. I will always trust the one who saved my life..."

Evan seeing this smiled and nodded as he patted her head and spoke, "Good, remember, always keep it with you and don't let anyone see it. Someday, I will explain it to you, okay?"

Emilia nodded her head at those words and replied with a smile, "Okay."

Evan smirked before turning around and heading off as he spoke, "Well, tomorrow is a new day; see you later, Emilia."

"Goodnight, Brother Evan," Emilia said with a wave, her eyes then look on the necklace which she promptly placed into her pocket with a sweet smile on her face as she left this silent region.

After Evan left this area, he soon met up with Fatty Joe and Rick; the trio then spent the rest of the night drinking before they went back to their dorms exhausted. Evan took the chance when they were sleepy to give them the pendants before he jumped on his bed and called it a night.

****

Time passed quickly, and a new day had arisen within EarlingStar. The Morning Star Academy, much like its name, was an academy for early starters, everyone rose from their sheets early as they quickly readied themselves and prepared to head towards the school meeting grounds.

At this time, Evan, Rick, and Fatty Joe were already headed towards the student briefing ceremony along with the bundle of students as they spoke amongst themselves.

"It's quite a crowd, isn't it?" Fatty Joe said.

"You're right, today marks the beginning of a brand-new system after all..." Rick said in reply.

"Indeed..." Evan added as he followed along by their sides.

Fatty Joe then grabbed the collar of the neckless hidden behind his shirt as he spoke, "Evan, you can't be telling me that you've gone and practice voodoo, right? Why must I continue to wear this thing?"

Rick was also puzzled by it; his eyes flashed as he added, "Mm. Evan, you still have yet to convince us why we must wear these things."

Evan frowned at this; he knew that trying to convince these two won't be easy, especially so for someone like Rick. It's already a good thing that the crystals can shroud their stats and details from those awakened. As such, even if Rick was awakened, he couldn't see the details.

Evan pondered before he spoke with a wink, "Don't overthink on it, do me a favor and continue wearing them. I can promise you that the person I bought them from said they were authentic spirit charms... good for the body and mind..."

Fatty Joe was a bit suspicious, but he no longer wanted to ponder this subject he spoke, "Fine... I'll let it be for now."

Rick, on the other hand, remained indifferent, he gazed at Evan deeply as he said nothing and kept the necklace on his person. Soon, they had arrived at a wide-open auditorium. Inside of it was a large number of chairs and a single large podium with a projected screen.

Currently, more and more students were entering and arranging themselves at their appointed locations. Evan, Rick, and Fatty Joe went to the section meant for newcomers as they casually found a place to sit.

Soon, the gorgeous Emilia had appeared as she sauntered towards their position with a bright smile on her face. She looked at everyone with varying expressions showing a curious look towards Rick, a joyful look towards her brother and a reddish face when she saw Evan as she greeted, "Good morning Big Brother! Brother Evan and Mr. Rick..."

It appears Fatty Joe had given her the details of Rick. Soon, Evan had nodded, as Fatty Joe step forwards to give her a big hug. However, when Rick saw the golden-haired beauty, his eyes couldn't help but flash as he went into a slight daze.

Fatty Joe noticed Rick's state, he asked questioningly, "Eh? You okay, Rick?"

As if he was shocked by an electric current, Rick jumped as he replied stutteringly, "Eh? I-I-I I'm great, it's a p-pleasure to meet you."

As he said this, he made a polite nobleman bow towards Emilia, as she saw this, Emilia tilted her head to the side showing a strange expression. Fatty Joe thought nothing of it, but Evan who saw Rick's mannerisms was stunned he thought, "This guy... never have I seen him so worked up... could it be...?"

He was about to make some speculations, but it was at this moment, an aged voice was heard. "Ahem!"

As everyone heard the cough, silence resumed as everyone else had focused on the podium. At this moment, a few individuals dressed in formal wear were noticed.

At the head of this group, an old man with a bald head and a creasy forehead stood silently. He swept his eyes across the auditorium observing all the students as he nodded and spoke, "Greetings everyone, I would like to take this chance to welcome you all to this year's semester. It will, without a doubt, be the most important year yet. But as for the detail, you will each come to know during this month. Now in the words of a wise man, I will leave you all with a thoughtful anecdote to accompany you throughout this new year. Chaos is a form of balance existent in all things, only by striving on with diligence can one exceed its turmoil..."

Evan, who listened to the final words, couldn't help but knit his brows as he carefully looked at the dean and thought, "Those words... to think he said something like this back then..."

The old dean smiled strangely as he said these words, he then gestured towards his side and spoke, "Now then, allow me to introduce to you, a few very special guests..."

Evan's eyes shifted towards the direction of the guests; there, he saw three persons, two men, and one woman. As Evan saw them, his face grew serious as he felt a dark aura emitting from their core, "Such strength..."

He thought as he felt that they were definitely many times superior to Ralph, one of the individuals seemed to have good senses, he shifted his eyes across the room, carefully inspecting the faces of everyone. Yet, no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find anyone that was notable.

The person smiled as he muttered, "Well-well, someone capable of spying on me, this should prove to be an interesting game..."