Chapter 44 — The Team's Test
The days following the Asura incident passed in a strange calm.
Not peace—peace implied closure—but a quiet settling, like dust after a collapse. Repairs were underway across the city. News feeds replayed fragments of the battle from every possible angle, though none showed the truth clearly. Civilians talked in hushed tones about invaders, advanced spaceships and barriers that had saved their lives.
Inside Lin Xuan's mansion, however, things felt almost ordinary.
Vaibhav stood across from Lin Xuan in the inner hall, posture straight but expression serious. Alicia stood slightly behind him, hands clasped, listening.
"We've decided," Vaibhav said. "We want to join Null Spire Military Academy."
The words hung in the air.
Lin Xuan didn't respond immediately.
He stood by the window, hands behind his back, gazing out at the distant skyline. For several seconds, the only sound was the faint wind brushing against the glass.
Alicia shifted slightly. Vaibhav didn't move.
Finally, Lin Xuan spoke.
"…I expected that."
Vaibhav looked up.
Lin Xuan turned around, his expression unreadable—but there was a faint curve at the corner of his lips.
"Null Spire is dangerous," he continued calmly. "It doesn't care about background, talent, or excuses. People die there. People break there."
He paused.
"That's precisely why it's the right place for you."
Relief flickered across Vaibhav's face.
"I won't stop you," Lin Xuan said. "I'll support it."
Alicia let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"Thank you, Master," Vaibhav said sincerely.
Lin Xuan nodded once. "Prepare yourselves. Once you enter, there's no room for hesitation."
Later that day, engines hummed in the driveway.
Lin Xuan's car rolled out first, Dion behind the wheel, Anika lounging in the back seat beside Lin Xuan as usual. Vaibhav followed in his own car, Alicia seated beside him.
Their destination was clear.
Shin's house.
When they arrived, the door barely had time to open before a small blur slammed into Lin Xuan's legs.
"Brother Lin!!"
Hinata wrapped her arms around him with all the strength her small body could muster. Lin Xuan blinked once, then gently rested a hand on her head.
"…Hello, Hina."
Inside, Professors Akari and Hiroshi greeted them with mixed expressions—concern, resignation, and something close to pride.
Shin leaned against the wall, arms crossed, pretending he wasn't listening.
Lin Xuan didn't waste time.
"Shin will be leaving with them," he said calmly. "To Null Spire Military Academy."
Akari sighed heavily. "I knew this day would come."
Hiroshi adjusted his glasses. "He was never going to stay ordinary."
Shin opened his mouth. "See? Told you—"
"Shut up," Akari snapped instantly.
Lin Xuan continued evenly. "He'll be protected as much as that place allows. And he won't be walking blindly."
That was enough.
Akari waved a hand. "Just don't get him killed."
"No promises," Anika added cheerfully.
Akari glared. Anika smiled wider.
The goodbye that followed was… chaotic.
Hinata refused to let go of Shin, clinging to his arm like her life depended on it.
"No! You're not leaving!"
Shin awkwardly patted her head. "C'mon, shorty—"
Before things escalated, Anika crouched down beside Hinata, eyes sparkling.
"Hey," she whispered dramatically. "Want me to show you real monsters someday?"
Hinata froze. "…Real ones?"
"Big ones."
"…Okay."
The grip loosened instantly.
Shin stared. "Traitor."
Hinata stuck her tongue out at him.
Before leaving, Lin Xuan raised his hand.
Four sleek Nexus bands materialized, floating gently before Vaibhav, Alicia, Shin, and Nanao—who had arrived quietly during the chaos.
"These are upgraded," Lin Xuan said. "New functions."
As the bands snapped onto their wrists, interfaces flared to life.
• Expanded Storage — multiple weapons, high-grade potions, already stored
• Regional Map — green zones marked safe, red zones marked dangerous
Shin whistled. "This is unfair levels of cheating."
Lin Xuan ignored him.
Their next stop was unexpected.
A private salon.
Lin Xuan's salon.
Vaibhav stared at the sign. "You… own this too?"
"Yes," Lin Xuan replied calmly, already tying an apron.
Moments later, Vaibhav sat in the chair, unsure what to expect.
Lin Xuan worked in silence.
When he finished, Vaibhav looked up.
His hair was sharp and slicked back, clean and precise, revealing his forehead. A single lock was left free, falling naturally over his face—controlled, confident.
Alicia stared.
"…You look different," she said softly.
Vaibhav flushed. "Is that bad?"
"No," she replied quickly. "It suits you."
Shin was next.
Lin Xuan stepped aside.
Anika took over.
"Sit."
Shin didn't resist.
When it was done, his hair had been dyed blond—but streaks of his natural black remained at the sides. Messy, layered, wild. Familiar—but sharper.
"Whoa," Shin said, inspecting himself. "I look dangerous."
"You look stupid," Anika replied.
Then Anika turned to Alicia with a mischievous grin.
"Makeup time~"
Alicia endured it—barely.
When Anika reached for dye, Alicia immediately shook her head. "No."
Anika smirked. "Why? Vaibhav likes your silver hair."
Vaibhav choked. "B-Big Sister—!"
Alicia turned red. "Stop saying his name!"
Anika laughed. "Aww, look at them."
Vaibhav and Alicia both tried to protest at once.
It only made it worse.
They returned to the mansion as dusk settled, the courtyard bathed in soft amber light. The air was calm, almost deceptively.
Lin Xuan stopped at the center of the courtyard and turned to face them.
"Show me," he said simply.
Vaibhav blinked. "Show… what?"
"The new tactic," Lin Xuan replied. "The one you devised together."
Vaibhav hesitated. "Master, there's a problem. I currently don't have an armor-type beast spirit. Or a gauntlet-type one."
Shin nodded. "Yeah. Without those, the formation falls apart."
Lin Xuan didn't react.
"…That won't be an issue."
The ground beneath their feet shifted.
At first it was subtle—a low vibration, like something moving far below the surface. Then dark matter-like substance rose from the stone itself, fluid yet heavy, wrapping around Vaibhav's body.
Vaibhav barely had time to inhale before it sealed around him.
The substance hardened into a full-body armor—dark, seamless, alive in a way metal never was. It fit perfectly, responding to his breathing, his stance, his intent.
Shin swore. "You've got to be kidding—"
Before he could finish, the same substance surged upward around him as well, condensing into sleek armor that reinforced his legs and torso, the weight perfectly balanced for speed.
Alicia felt it next.
The dark substance didn't harden around her—instead, it spread outward, forming a translucent energy shield that hovered close to her body, humming softly, responsive to her movements.
Lin Xuan looked at them evenly. "Now."
They didn't question it.
Alicia moved first.
She stepped forward and angled her energy shield at roughly forty-five degrees. The surface shimmered, its elasticity refined—not a wall, but a launch point.
Shin inhaled sharply.
In the next instant, he was gone.
The ground cracked beneath his feet as he accelerated, reaching blistering speed in seconds. He grabbed Vaibhav by the shoulder mid-run, timing his stride perfectly.
At the last possible moment, Shin hurled him.
Vaibhav struck the angled shield.
The barrier flexed.
Then released.
Vaibhav was catapulted skyward, body spinning as the armor shed itself mid-air, dissolving back into the ground below. His gauntlet formed instantly, weightless but dense.
He drew a single breath.
Energy compressed.
Rotation locked.
Starbreaker Maul ignited.
White-hot energy coiled around his gauntlet as he descended, spiral tightening, air screaming as the force concentrated into a single point.
Lin Xuan watched calmly.
Vaibhav came down like a falling star.
The strike landed—
Just short.
The shockwave blasted outward, cracking the courtyard stone and flattening the air itself, but Lin Xuan stood untouched, his robe fluttering faintly.
Silence followed.
Vaibhav landed hard, skidding back, breathing heavy. "I—I missed."
Lin Xuan shook his head once. "No. That was enough."
He stepped forward. "Your timing is correct. Your coordination is correct. The execution is already lethal."
The dark substance retreated, sinking back into the ground as if it had never existed. The armor vanished. The shield dissolved.
Vaibhav looked down at his hands. "Master… what was that?"
Lin Xuan met his gaze. "Something you don't need to know yet."
That answer ended the discussion.
Night settled fully soon after.
The courtyard lights flickered on, warm and steady. Shin stretched, groaning. Alicia leaned against Vaibhav, exhaustion finally catching up to her.
They were stronger than before.
And soon—
They would leave.
Null Spire waited.