[year 2029]
Months had slipped by in a way that felt almost unreal, as if time itself had quietly bent around Akshat Aether's existence, because despite the fact that he had not stepped foot inside AUMC even once during that entire period, skipping every lecture, ignoring every academic responsibility, and completely abandoning the structured life that once defined students within those walls, there was not a single consequence waiting for him when the results were announced, not a single question raised by the administration, and not even a whisper of doubt from the system that should have rejected him, because somehow, even after missing the second-year final examinations entirely, his name still appeared among the passed students, clean and untouched, as if reality itself had been rewritten to accommodate his absence, and everyone who understood the deeper power structures of AUMC knew exactly why that was the case, because this was not luck, nor coincidence, but rather a silent demonstration of something far more terrifying and absolute—
Kurana's supremacy.
And now, after all those months, Akshat finally returned.
The moment he stepped through the gates of AUMC, there was a subtle shift in the atmosphere, something intangible yet undeniable, as though the space itself had acknowledged his presence and adjusted accordingly, because this time, the feeling wasn't that of a student coming back to a familiar institution, nor someone revisiting a place tied to memories, but instead it carried a completely different weight, something deeper and far more dangerous, as if every structure, every corridor, every silent observer within those walls belonged to him in a way that didn't need to be declared aloud, because ownership like this didn't rely on words, it radiated naturally, pressing down on everyone who existed within that space.
From Hostel 1 to Hostel 7, every block that once functioned as separate territories now existed under a single invisible authority, and the students who occupied those spaces no longer saw Akshat as just another individual walking past them, but as something far above their level, someone whose presence alone demanded silence, causing conversations to die mid-sentence, footsteps to slow down unconsciously, and gazes to drop without resistance, because instinctively, they understood that standing in his path or even drawing unnecessary attention could lead to consequences they were not prepared to face.
Akshat walked through the corridor with calm, measured steps, his expression unreadable yet naturally dominant, his hands resting casually as if nothing around him required effort or concern, and it was in that moment, as his gaze drifted forward without much interest, that something unusual caught his attention, something that didn't align with what he knew, causing his steps to slow ever so slightly.
She was there.
Kuroda Haruki.
Walking through the corridor as if everything was normal, her posture steady, her expression composed, her direction clearly aimed toward attending classes like any ordinary student, and yet the mere sight of her existing in that moment, alive, functioning, and moving forward as if nothing had happened, created a quiet contradiction in Akshat's mind, because the last time he had seen her, she had been standing on the edge of something far more final.
And that realization pulled him backward, into memory.
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The junkyard had been silent that day, filled with the kind of stillness that made every word feel heavier than usual, as Akshat stood beside Kurogami, his eyes slightly narrowed while observing the distant emptiness, before finally breaking the silence with a question that carried both curiosity and calculation, because he didn't ask things without purpose.
"Why is she so determined to become your successor?"
Kurogami didn't answer immediately, his gaze remaining distant for a moment longer as if deciding how much to reveal, before finally speaking in a tone that carried no emotion, yet held the weight of something deeply personal.
"Her family was destroyed."
The words landed simply, but their meaning stretched far beyond their simplicity, causing Akshat's attention to sharpen slightly as he turned his head just enough to show interest.
"The ones still alive," Kurogami continued after a brief pause, "were taken."
Akshat's eyes focused more clearly now, his voice lowering just enough to match the seriousness of the topic.
"Taken?"
Kurogami's response came without hesitation.
"By the Fallen Star Auction."
The air itself seemed to grow heavier at the mention of that name, as if it carried a reputation that didn't need explanation, and for a brief moment, silence settled between them, not empty, but filled with understanding.
"To get them back," Kurogami added, his tone steady, "she needs power, influence, and above all, money."
Akshat processed that quietly, his mind already moving ahead, analyzing possibilities, weighing outcomes, and then, as if the entire situation had aligned perfectly with something within him, he tilted his head slightly and asked a question that seemed simple on the surface, yet carried a deeper intent.
"So the successor gets paid well?"
Kurogami glanced at him, just briefly, before answering.
"Yes."
And that was enough.
Because in that exact moment, a slow smile formed on Akshat's face, one that didn't carry warmth or kindness, but something far more dangerous, something calculated and precise, as if a new path had just opened in front of him, one that he was more than willing to walk.
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The memory shifted again.
To the night before.
The rooftop of Hostel 1 stood silent under the cold sky, the wind moving freely across the open space, carrying with it a sense of finality that wrapped itself around everything it touched, and at the very edge of that rooftop stood Kuroda Haruki, her figure still yet fragile, her presence balanced between existence and disappearance, because all it would take was a single step forward for everything to end.
Her thoughts were unreadable from the outside, but her silence spoke enough.
And then—
A voice broke through.
"Jumping won't solve anything."
It was calm, almost indifferent, yet perfectly timed, cutting through the atmosphere in a way that forced her body to freeze before she could take that final step.
She didn't turn immediately, but she knew who it was.
Behind her, standing with complete ease as if the situation carried no urgency at all, Akshat Aether watched her, his hands resting casually, his expression unchanged, his presence alone enough to shift the entire moment.
"You're weak right now," he continued, his tone direct and unfiltered, not offering comfort, not offering sympathy, but stating a fact in the simplest way possible, "and weak people don't get what they want."
Her hands trembled slightly, not from fear, but from the truth in those words, because they hit exactly where it hurt the most.
Silence stretched between them again, but this time it was different.
Because Akshat stepped forward just slightly.
"Join me."
That made her turn.
Her eyes met his, searching, questioning, uncertain.
And then he gave her something she didn't expect.
"I'll buy your family back."
The wind seemed to pause, as if even the world needed a moment to process those words, because they weren't spoken as a possibility, nor as a hope, but as a statement, something that would happen.
"On the day of the auction."
She didn't say anything, her silence gives the answer.
-----------
The present returned.
Akshat continued walking through the corridor, passing by Kuroda without stopping, without speaking, without even acknowledging her presence outwardly, yet everything that needed to be said had already been established, because this was no longer about words, but about a silent agreement that had already taken root.
And as he moved forward, the space around him once again bent subtly, quietly, naturally—
Because this time, he wasn't just part of AUMC.
He had already begun to rule it.
End of ch 66
To be continue...
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