The next day arrived without much ceremony.

Shadow and Lucian walked side by side toward their first lecture, the academy grounds already alive with movement. Students moved in groups, some loud, some quiet, all carrying that same mix of confidence and curiosity.

They reached the lecture hall and stepped inside.

The room was already half full. Students were scattered across rows, talking in low voices, some laughing, some pretending not to care while clearly caring a lot.

Then Shadow walked in.

It didn’t go unnoticed.

A few heads turned. Then more. Then whispers started spreading like a quiet ripple. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

His performance during the test had already done the work. His appearance just made it worse.

Shadow ignored all of it and walked straight toward the front row, calm and unbothered, as if none of them existed.

Lucian followed and sat beside him without a word.

A moment later, Jane, Talia, and Jaden joined them.

Jane sat smoothly, composed as always. Jaden dropped into his seat like he had no awareness of anything. Talia sat last.

They exchanged a few casual words, nothing important, just enough to pass time.

Then the room shifted.

The lecturer walked in.

He was a bald man in his forties. His steps were steady, deliberate.

And his presence...

...arrived slightly before the rest of him.

His belly led the way, firm and unapologetic, pushing forward like it was a separate entity from the rest of his body.

Shadow stared just for a second,then looked away.

’If one of those buttons gives up, I’m leaving. I don’t care what class this is.’ he murmured as he kept thinking about the buttons that held the belly monster contained.

Talia slowly turned her head toward him. She didn’t hear his thoughts, but she knew.

’I’m sure he’s bad mouthing him in his mind.’

Shadow felt her gaze and turned.

They locked eyes.

She squinted.

He stared back.

Neither moved.

A quiet, unnecessary tension formed.

Jane noticed it.

"Is something wrong?" she asked softly.

Talia blinked and looked away.

"Ah... nothing my—"

Jane cut her off immediately.

"What did I tell you yesterday? Call me Jane here."

Talia paused.

Then nodded.

"Mm."

The lecturer reached the front.

"Quiet, everyone."

His voice wasn’t loud.

But it carried.

The room slowly settled.

Conversations died down. Chairs adjusted. Attention shifted.

Professor Brigg placed his hands behind his back.

"I am Professor Brigg," he said calmly. "I will be teaching you stealth and presence suppression."

There was a pause.

A very small pause.

Then—

Shadow broke.

It started as a small shake.

Then another.

He pressed his lips together, trying to hold it in, but a strange sound slipped out.

Not quite a laugh.

Not quite a cough.

Something in between.

He tried to fix it but, it got worse.

A few students nearby reacted instantly, muffled laughter escaping before they could stop themselves.

It spread.

Quiet, but noticeable.

Professor Brigg’s expression hardened. His hand slammed onto the desk.

The sound echoed.

Silence followed immediately.

"You."

His finger pointed forward.

At Shadow, since he was the first one to react and the closer to him.

"Stand up."

Shadow stood. Still coughing.

Still barely holding it together.

"Is there something funny you would like to share with the class?"

Shadow shook his head slightly, covering his mouth.

"No... cough... sorry, professor," he said, voice barely controlled. "I was born with a weak body. Sometimes... I can’t control my coughing. It’s a chronic disease."

Professor Brigg stared at him longer than necessary.

His gaze lingered not just on Shadow.

It shifted.

Briefly.

Toward Jane.Then Talia.Then back.

Slow, measured and uncomfortable.

Talia’s expression changed slightly.

’...what was that?’

Jane noticed too.

But said nothing.

Professor Brigg finally gestured with his hand.

"Sit."

Shadow sat immediately.

"That was close," he muttered under his breath.

Jaden leaned forward slightly.

"Is it true?" he asked, genuinely curious. "That you were born with a weak body?"

Silence.

Everyone looked at him.

Jane slowly shook her head.

’This guy... how gullible’

Shadow didn’t even respond.

Professor Brigg stepped forward again, resuming like nothing had happened.

"Stealth is often misunderstood," he began, voice steady.

He took a step.

The floor made a faint sound.

But noticeable.

"Most assume it is simply the act of moving quietly."

He shook his head.

"It is not."

Another step. Heavier this time.

"It is the control of presence."

"The ability to exist... without being acknowledged."

Professor Brigg’s gaze moved across the room again.

It lingered too long on certain students.

Talia shifted slightly in her seat.

Jane crossed her arms.

"A skilled individual does not hide," he continued. "They are simply... not noticed."

He moved again.

The fabric of his uniform stretched slightly. A faint sound followed.

"Sound is only one part of it," Brigg said. "Movement, intent, awareness—these all contribute. You are not avoiding detection. You are controlling perception."

He turned and picked up a piece of chalk and started writing on the board.

"Even in a crowded space..."

"...it is possible to remain unseen."

Professor Brigg placed the chalk down.

"You will learn to reduce your presence," he continued, completely serious. "Control your intent. Manipulate perception."

"By the end of this course..."

"...you will be able to stand in plain sight..."

"...and not exist."

Then suddenly, professor Brigg took a step forward but before his foot touched the ground, he disaapeared from everyone’s sight.

"What"

"Where did he go"

"I swear he was just in front of us just now"

Students turned their heads looking for him but they couldn’t find him.

"He’s good" Lucian said.

Shadow only smiled but didn’t say anything. He was alread looking to his right in a certain direction.

Suddenly professor Brigg reappeared again but now he was way close to the first row right in front of Jane.

’look at this brat, she’s got one hell of a body and what’s with these two big melons the one beside her is carrying. I swear kids these days are different.’ professor Brigg thought to himself as he looked at both Jane and Talia with lustful looks.

Jane was startled when she noticed how close he was and flinched immediately.

"Hahaha, you see. That’s how you can supress your presence" professor Brigg brushed his creepy behavior with that sentence.

He made his way back to the front of the hall.

"That will be all for today. We will go deeper about this subject in the coming lectures" he said before leaving.

"Woah, did you see that?"

"I know right? It was crazy. I wonder if I’ll be able to do the same"

"Hehe i know why you want this so bad"

"Shut up you pervert"

Students discused between themselves.

Talia looked at Jane with a worried look

" Are you okay? "

Jane let out a sigh

" I’m fine, i just don’t like that man’s weird look"

"And you shouldn’t" Shadow chimed in.

The group looked at him.

"Why is that?" Lucian asked.

Shadow shrugged his shoulders "I don’t have an answer for that but i feel like you should be careful" Shadow said while looking at Jane before he stood up to leave.

Jane looked at his back as he exited the hall. But unknown to Shadow, Jane wasn’t the only one looking as more pairs of eyes looked at him as he left the hall.