Chapter 180. Trending

Succubi Chapter 180. Trending

I fastened the belt.

Adjusted the cuffs.

Rolled my shoulders once.

The uniform settled like it belonged.

I looked at myself again.

A faint grin tugged at my lips.

I stepped out of the changing area.

The staff glanced up from his desk.

Paused.

Then nodded once.

Approval granted.

Without words.

I gave him a mock salute.

He pretended not to see it.

Fair.

I didn’t linger.

I pushed through the doors and jogged down the corridor, boots striking the floor in steady rhythm.

The academy halls stretched long and wide, sunlight pouring through tall windows, dust particles dancing in the beams like lazy spectators.

My pace picked up.

Heartbeat steady.

Breathing controlled.

The training grounds came into view, wide stone arena, scorched in places from earlier impacts.

Students scattered around in clusters.

Practicing spells.

Swinging weapons.

Arguing about theory.

Life resumed.

Normal.

Except when I stepped back into the open,heads turned.

Not dramatically.

Not loudly.

Just… noticeably.

A few Arcana students paused mid-incantation.

Kyra, across the field, spotted me and grinned immediately.

Adrian blinked like he was checking if I’d respawned.

Felix raised both hands.

“He’s back! Budget restored!”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop the corner of my mouth from lifting.

I walked back to my spot in the arena.

Boots scraping lightly against stone.

The air still smelled faintly of ozone and dust from earlier explosions.

Elise stood near the center, pen in hand again, notebook tucked under her arm.

She glanced up.

Her gaze traveled from boots.

To shoulders.

To collar.

Assessment.

No commentary.

Just evaluation.

Then she nodded once.

“Continue.”

That was it.

No praise.

No sarcasm.

Just continue.

I stepped into position.

Rolled my neck once.

The stone beneath my boots felt steady. Solid. Familiar. The earlier chaos had faded into scorched marks and cracked edges on the arena floor, quiet evidence of what had happened. The dome was gone. The dust had settled. Students were reforming into lines.

Elise tapped her pen against her notebook.

“Student versus student,” she said calmly. “Control. Efficiency. Adaptation.”

Her eyes landed on me.

Then shifted slightly.

“Evan. Adrian.”

Adrian froze.

Actually froze.

His head snapped toward me like someone had just announced his execution date.

“Oh c’mon!” he groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Why me and Evan? Give me a break.”

A few students snickered.

Kyra outright laughed.

Adrian pointed at me accusingly. “You better not kill me.”

I grinned slowly.

Full, easy confidence.

“Don’t worry,” I said. “I’m your best friend.”

He squinted at me. “That’s exactly what a villain says before destroying someone.”

We stepped into the center circle.

No dome this time.

No teacher intervention unless someone actually bled.

Adrian adjusted his stance, muttering under his breath. He wasn’t weak. Far from it. His instincts had sharpened. I’d seen it earlier when he dodged Elise’s stray attack without hesitation.

He inhaled.

Mana flickered around his arms.

“You’re not allowed to go full power mode,” he warned.

I lifted both hands innocently.

“I’ll behave.”

He didn’t believe me.

Elise lifted her pen slightly.

“Begin.”

It was a short battle.

Adrian lunged first, fast and sharp. I Shadow Stepped aside, shoved him off balance with Telekinesis, then countered his sweep by summoning three Dark Orbs. Their gravity pulse pulled him forward just enough for me to close in and halt a Shadow Blade at his shoulder. He surrendered.

Elise’s pen scratched across paper.

“Control improved,” she noted calmly. “Both of you.”

The rest of the class followed in pairs.

Clashes echoed across the arena.

The class flowed smoothly after that.

When lunch finally arrived, the tension lifted like someone had loosened a collar.

Students dispersed toward the main courtyard and cafeteria halls.

I walked casually, hands in pockets.

Normal.

At least that’s what I tried to look like.

But then…

I heard it.

Whispers.

Soft at first.

Then layered.

“Did you see that dome tremble?”

“He withstood Instructor Elise.”

“AOE against her? As a semester one?”

“That’s insane.”

“He’s Arcana, right?”

“Valor said he didn’t even get knocked out.”

I kept walking.

Didn’t turn my head.

Didn’t react.

But I heard everything.

Not just Arcana.

Valor too.

Even Titan.

Across the courtyard, a Valor group leaned together.

One of them lowered his voice.

“I heard he’s using forbidden magic.”

Another nodded. “Yeah. That’s not normal Arcana casting.”

I felt something stir in my chest.

Anomaly.

My ears kept catching fragments.

“He survived Elise.”

“She wasn’t holding back.”

“He moved like a Valor.”

“No, like a Titan.”

“No, like something else.”

Valor especially looked uneasy.

Respect mixed with suspicion.

Admiration mixed with doubt.

I took a seat near the edge of the courtyard.

Alone. Either Leon or Evelyn was here yet.

Adrian dropped into the seat across from me with a sigh.

“You’re trending,” he muttered.

“Wonderful.”

He leaned closer. “You’re not actually using forbidden stuff, right?”

I raised a brow.

He studied my face.

Then waved it off. “Never mind. If you were, you wouldn’t admit it.”

I physically recoiled.

“Hey,” I said, cringing. “I’m not using any forbidden magic. I’m a legal guy.”

He raised a brow.

“Very convincing.”

I rolled my eyes and reached into my bag, pulling out my lunch box.

Lilith’s lunch.

I opened it.

And yeah.

Luxury.

Neatly arranged slices of roasted meat glazed in dark honey sauce. Steamed rice infused with herbs. Grilled vegetables cut with precision. Even a small dessert wrapped separately like a treasure.

Adrian stared.

“…Can I trade with my lunch?”

I glanced at his tray.

Gray stew. Questionable texture. Bread that looked emotionally exhausted.

“No,” I said immediately.

He looked at me like I’d just kicked a puppy.

I sighed.

Fine.

I picked one slice of meat and handed it over.

“Here. Just count me as a good guy.”

His eyes sparkled like I’d handed him a relic artifact.

“You are,” he said sincerely.

Before I could respond, a shadow fell over the table.

Leon arrived, with a tray stacked like a small mountain.

And behind him…

Evelyn.

Carrying a second tray.

I blinked.

“Why do you need two?” I asked.

Leon looked offended.

“Growth phase,” he said solemnly.

Evelyn just sighed.

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