"Haah…"
A tired breath escaped Rio as he walked through the vast hallways of Nexus Academy.
Morning light poured through the towering windows lining the corridor, painting long golden patterns across polished marble floors. Students moved past in uniforms of black and silver, some chatting excitedly, others hurrying with books tucked under their arms.
Everywhere he looked, the academy breathed prestige.
And pressure.
Soon, he arrived before a separate building standing apart from the main dormitories.
It rose like a private tower, its white stone walls engraved with ancient runes and academy insignias. Tall glass panels reflected the sky, while enchanted lamps floated near the entrance even in daylight.
A residence reserved for the elite.
One man stood before the entrance, dressed in formal academy security attire.
His sharp gaze landed on Rio.
"This building is designated for students who have achieved special—"
Rio silently raised the keycard.
The guard's tone changed instantly.
"…Apologies."
He stepped aside and bowed slightly.
"You may enter."
"The room reserved for the Apex is located on the highest floor."
Rio gave a small nod and walked inside.
The lobby was quieter than the rest of the academy, lined with dark wood, silver decor, and soft lighting that made it feel more like a noble estate than student housing.
He entered the lift alone.
As it rose, the floor numbers glowed one by one.
1.
2.
3.
Then finally—
Top Floor.
The doors slid open.
Only one room stood there.
1-A
Rio stared at the engraved plaque.
A faint smile touched his lips.
"I'm guessing Samuel lives below me, then."
He tapped the keycard against the door.
With a soft click, it opened.
Rio stepped inside—
And stopped.
His eyes widened slightly.
The room was enormous.
It was less a dormitory and more a private suite.
A spacious living area spread before him with dark leather couches arranged around a low glass table. Floor-to-ceiling windows covered one wall entirely, revealing a breathtaking view of the academy grounds, forests beyond, and distant mountain ranges under the morning sun.
To the side stood a sleek kitchen with polished black counters and silver appliances far beyond anything a student needed.
Bookshelves lined another wall, already stocked with academic texts, combat theory manuals, and historical records.
A separate training chamber stood beyond a sliding door, reinforced with mana-resistant materials for safe indoor practice.
The bedroom itself held a king-sized bed draped in clean white sheets, a walk-in wardrobe, and a private balcony overlooking the campus.
Even the bathroom looked expensive enough to insult nobles.
Rio whistled softly.
"…Not bad."
He soon headed to the shower.
Cold water poured over his hair and shoulders, washing away the lingering scent of the infirmary.
He stood there longer than necessary.
The water ran down his face while his mind remained tangled.
His reflection in the glass still unsettled him.
That child.
Those memories.
The knife.
Rio's eyes narrowed.
"I need to find out who Rio Valen is."
He remembered only fragments.
A noble family.
Exile.
A child born without mana affinity.
Disgrace.
His hand rose to his forehead.
The most irritating part was that this world, despite all its advanced technology and magical systems, still hid information behind bloodlines and imperial control.
And no empire was worse than the Astryx Empire.
They buried records.
Erased scandals.
Controlled lineage archives like state secrets.
"I have no clue what the Valen family even is…"
He let out a slow breath.
"Haah…"
The water continued to fall.
But it did nothing to ease the weight growing inside his mind.
——
Far above the academy, where the air thinned and the world below shrank into insignificance, a lone mountain stood wrapped in untouched wilderness.
The forest that crowned it was unnaturally pristine.
Every leaf seemed too vibrant.
Every branch too perfect.
The wind moved gently, yet never disturbed the stillness.
At the center of this quiet domain, a woman walked.
Nephius.
The Retainer of Beauty.
Her steps were light, almost absent, as though the world itself adjusted to accommodate her presence. Sunlight filtered through the canopy above, yet seemed to favor her—lingering just enough to outline her figure, to reflect faintly across her flawless skin.
A small, serene smile rested on her lips.
Then—
The air shifted.
Darkness gathered.
Not the absence of light, but something denser. Heavier. A presence that swallowed space itself.
A man stepped out from it as if emerging from another layer of reality.
Xeno.
The Retainer of Death.
The forest did not welcome him.
Leaves stilled.
The wind halted.
Even the light dimmed slightly in quiet rejection.
He stood before her, his form half-veiled in shadow, violet eyes gleaming with a predatory amusement.
"Nephius," he began casually, as though greeting an old acquaintance, "I suppose you already know."
She did not stop walking.
She did not even look at him.
Xeno's grin widened.
"That Subject 082 is alive."
Silence.
Only the faint sound of her footsteps against fallen leaves answered him.
"The others wouldn't like this," he continued, voice almost playful. "If they found out."
Nephius stopped.
The forest seemed to pause with her.
"And?" she asked.
A single word.
Soft.
Indifferent.
Xeno's smile sharpened.
"I'm thinking of making him mine."
He tilted his head slightly, interest gleaming in his eyes.
"He's got quite the talent."
A pause.
"Of course… it's nothing compared to what he used to be."
"Bu—"
His voice cut off.
Nephius had opened her eyes.
The world changed.
An immense pressure descended without warning, crushing the air itself. The trees trembled. The ground beneath them cracked ever so slightly, unable to bear the invisible weight.
Xeno's grin faltered for the briefest moment—
Then returned.
He did not step back.
He did not yield.
Instead, the darkness around him thickened, coiling like a living entity, resisting the overwhelming force pressing down upon him.
Nephius finally turned to face him.
Her expression had not changed.
But her eyes—
They were no longer gentle.
"He is mine."
Her voice was quiet.
Yet it carried something absolute.
Something that did not allow contradiction.
"Mine."
The pressure increased.
"Mine."
The forest groaned.
"Mine."
The shadows around Xeno flickered violently.
"Mine."
Even the air began to distort.
"Mine."
Xeno clicked his tongue, irritation flashing across his face.
"Tch… crazy bitch."
His voice lost its playful tone.
"You're still obsessed over that freak?"
His eyes narrowed.
"You do realize he isn't the same person anymore."
Nephius did not blink.
"Interfere…"
Her gaze sharpened.
"And I will kill you."
For a moment—
Silence.
True silence.
Even Xeno felt it.
Then—
He laughed.
Low at first.
Then wider.
"Oh~ very well."
He raised his hands slightly in mock surrender.
"I'll watch him a bit longer."
His eyes gleamed.
"But if he ends up amusing me…"
A slow, dangerous grin spread across his face.
"I'll take him for myself."
The shadows swallowed him again.
And he vanished.
Just like that.
The forest slowly returned to life.
The wind resumed.
The leaves rustled.
The pressure faded.
Nephius stood alone once more.
For a few seconds, she remained still.
Then—
Her lips curved.
Her face flushed faintly, as if touched by a thought she refused to share.
"Mine…"
She whispered it softly this time.
Almost gently.
"Retainer Rio…"
Her fingers curled slightly, as though grasping something unseen.
"You belong only to me~."