Chapter 24: Friends... With Benefits
As Akasha and Luna stood in front of the man, Akasha made a mental note to scan her details once all this was over and done with.
The middle-aged human male slowly raised his head to look at them.
In that instant, his eyes narrowed sharply.
To him, Akasha was nearly indiscernible—his form blurred and almost unperceivable, as if the very air around him warped and distorted reality itself.
’What?’ The man thought as immediately the man’s face paled, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
He quickly bowed deeply, voice trembling with respect.
"Esteemed one... what brings you to the Academy of Veils?"
Seeing such a reaction, Akasha raised a brow internally.
’Are things really this dramatic?’ he wondered, knowing his power was probably respectable enough to allow him to travel without worry.
He had never imagined that simply looking at him would command such respect, yet in this moment, a strange, indescribable feeling began to rise within him.
’Heh... after a lifetime of neglect, now my mere presence is enough to make others tread carefully,’ he mused, realizing that the thought of gaining even more power was becoming all the more enticing.
If power brought this kind of respect, he couldn’t deny it—he wanted it, all of it, as much as he could ever obtain.
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Luna’s soft laughter echoed within him.
"Exactly, love. This is precisely the reaction you’ll see as long as you have power. And right now, to him, you probably seem like an incredibly influential figure."
Akasha shook his head slightly at this.
With a casual glance, he saw the man was merely Tier 7 with a Lesser bloodline.
He then activated one of his affinities, his blood-red eyes locking onto the man’s gaze as he leaned forward, letting his vampiric traits show in full glory.
[Charm Affinity]
The man’s expression softened, his eyes growing distant as Akasha’s voice carried a gentle, persuasive warmth.
"It’s been a long time, hasn’t it, Instructor Veylan?" he said, his tone easy, as though they were old acquaintances.
"Don’t you remember? I’m an old friend of the Academy of Veils. Haha, after a long spell in seclusion, I’ve finally come back. It’s nice to see the place still holding strong."
The man’s posture relaxed completely, a warm, familiar smile spreading across his face as if greeting an old comrade.
"Elder Dream! Of course, of course!" He said as if remembering who Akasha was and what he meant to the Academy.
"I hope you’ve been well! The higher-ups are currently in a meeting at the main peak. You probably don’t want to miss it."
Seeing everything fall perfectly into place, Akasha smiled, recalling from his training that affinities relied entirely on how many someone possessed and the level of battle output they could produce.
With the Instructor not only holding a lower rank but also possessing a total battle output that was hardly worth noting, there was simply no way he could stand against anything Akasha decided to unleash.
"Lead the way then."
The man nodded eagerly and turned, the grand gates of the Academy of Veils slowly swinging open with a deep, resonant groan, revealing the sprawling grounds and towering structures beyond.
-----
As they stepped beyond the gates.
Akasha paused for a moment, taking in the campus around him... or if it could be called that.
Because it didn’t look like a campus at all.
The place was massive — so vast that the ends stretched beyond what his eyes could see through the dim mist.
Ancient trees with dark, twisting trunks lined the wide stone paths, their branches heavy with glowing dark leaves.
In the distance, through the haze, he could make out the massive main academy building — a grand, towering structure of dark stone and white accents that rose high into the sky like a silent fortress.
Luna walked beside him, her eyes also moving across the scenery with quiet interest.
She glanced around, with the same attentiveness as Akasha, taking in the floating lanterns, the misty courtyards, and the distant figures moving between the buildings.
Instructor Veylan pointed ahead, his voice respectful.
"From this point, you can simply fly beyond the Main Academy Building. That’s where new recruits are being distributed." He then gestured further into the mist.
"Beyond the Main building are the true Academy grounds... and once there, you won’t be able to miss the Main Peak."
Akasha gave a small nod and said, "I appreciate the help."
Veylan returned the gesture with a slight bow before turning to make his way back toward the entrance.
Without lingering any longer, Akasha and Luna lifted into the air once more, gliding effortlessly above the vast, sprawling grounds of the Academy of Veils, the wind carrying them smoothly along their path.
----
On the other side of the Main Building, the Academy of Veils sprawled endlessly, vast enough to seem like it stretched for light years in every direction.
Five distinct mountain peaks surrounded a vast central pit that looked like an entirely separate world.
Inside the pit lay sprawling cities, bustling sects, powerful clans, and countless shops and structures, forming a vibrant civilization thriving beneath the towering peaks.
And all of this was every faction the Academy of Veils had ever conquered during their reign over the Southern Continent.
As anything beyond their Academy... were either those they planned to conquer or outright enemies.
Luna gestured toward a mountain right in the middle of the pit of civilization.
It towered high even into the sky, its peak shrouded in mist and ancient grandeur.
"That must be the Main Peak that we can’t miss," she said, mocking Veylan’s earlier words with a playful tease.
Without further words, they headed straight for it.
----
As they descended and landed gracefully in front of the gates, small walls surrounded the entrance, giving the area a quiet, secluded feel.
From her perch on one of the walls, a beautiful young woman—looking around twenty—casually watched the scene.
She had long brown hair that cascaded down her back, massive breasts, and a full yet slim figure that radiated natural allure.
She seemed to be waiting for something or someone as her posture was relaxed but attentive.
When Akasha touched down, her brown eyes locked on him at once.
’Hmm?’ she mused, her gaze narrowing a bit.
’He doesn’t resemble anyone from the academy... and he’s obviously as powerful as the Peak Masters...’
Even to her, she could barely make out his true appearance—his form was blurred and almost ethereal, as if reality itself struggled to fully define him.
But her view was far clearer than what the previous instructor had seen, though still nowhere near what Akasha looked like truthfully.
A mischievous smile crept across her face.
’Oh... this is interesting... very interesting. He’s definitely not from around here,’ she thought, eyes fixed on him.
At the Academy of Veils, there weren’t many disciples who could dodge her gaze so well.
She might not have been the most talented or the strongest, but she was still stronger than of her instructors.
The only ones as elusive as Akasha were the Peak Masters and the Head Master—figures she knew all too well.
Akasha caught her gaze but brushed it off as he strolled toward the guards.
Noticing how easily he looked away, she raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued, watching as the guards let him pass without hesitation, treating him like an old friend or someone of significance.
Seeing him enter the Main Peak only intrigued her more.
’What the hell.... did they just let him in?’
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