The moment Asher stepped into the tunnel, his eyes fell upon a few students from other Academies who had always watched Asher's battles alongside everyone else and were already waiting within the tunnels as though anticipating his return. Asher felt their gazes, he felt their emotions, but his eyes remained calm, and he didn't bother reacting to any of it, as he simply had no reaction to give.
He ignored them and walked forward, their eyes following him from behind as though they wondered if he was truly human, as though they wondered whether, if they stabbed his heart, he would bleed red or even actually die.
As Asher walked, he was stopped by a familiar bald man who was now dressed in another yellow-styled kasaya monk robe. Another set of monk prayer beads and a Mala bead necklace already rested around his neck, yet the boy wore no space rings on his fingers, as though he simply didn't need them.
