Chapter 226: Lust

Words : 1965 Updated : Sep 25th, 2025

Noah strode through the arena's training halls, his mind running over everything that had transpired in the last twelve hours. The Purge. Lila's involvement. The mental block. The heightened security. The potential attack on the tournament. Too many variables. Too little time. He clenched his fists as he walked, his pace quickening. If he was going to bring this up to anyone, it had to be Lucas Grey. Lucas was his senior—third year, the number one ranked student in the academy. More than that, he was cool-headed, rational. If anyone could help him navigate this mess without throwing everything into chaos, it was him. Sophie was too emotionally invested in it to be tactical. All their lives depended on being smart about this. Because all of these were at the end of the day, speculations. He found Lucas right where he expected—inside one of the elite training halls, running drills with a weighted blade in hand. Noah stood at the entrance, watching as Lucas moved in a near-perfect sequence. His strikes were precise, his footwork effortless, his breathing controlled. He barely looked like he was exerting himself, and yet every motion carried a lethal grace. Lucas finally noticed him and lowered his blade, exhaling. "Noah," he said smoothly, wiping a light sheen of sweat from his brow. "What brings you here?" Noah stepped forward. "I need to talk to you." Lucas arched a brow, tossing his towel over his shoulder. "Sounds serious." "It is." The two moved toward a quieter corner of the hall, where Lucas leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Alright," he said, his gaze sharp now. "Talk to me." Noah inhaled, choosing his words carefully. "I've been digging around, and I've come across something big—something that explains why security's been so tight this year." Lucas's expression didn't change, but Noah saw the slight shift in his stance—the subtle way his body tensed. "Go on," Lucas said. Noah hesitated, then exhaled. "There's an organization. They call themselves The Purge." Lucas's fingers tapped against his bicep. "Never heard of them." "You wouldn't," Noah said. "They're underground. Very underground. And from what I've gathered, they're not just some small-time radicals. They're organized. And they're planning something." Lucas was quiet for a moment, then nodded slowly. "That would explain the heightened vigilance." His gaze flickered with something unreadable. "We knew something was up. Minister Reign's been on edge. The EDF's doubled their surveillance. But no one would tell us why." Noah frowned. "So they did know?" Lucas sighed, rubbing his chin. "I had a feeling. They didn't want to alarm anyone, but there was no way security was this tight just for show. You don't randomly fortify an academy-level tournament unless there's a real threat." He studied Noah now, his sharp eyes narrowing. "Where did you hear this from?" Noah tensed. 'Shit,' He knew Lucas would ask that. But he couldn't give him an answer. Not without selling Lila out. "I can't say," Noah said finally. Lucas didn't react immediately. He just held Noah's gaze, measuring him. Then, he smirked slightly. "That's not a great answer." "I know," Noah admitted. Lucas sighed and pushed off the wall. "Alright," he said. "Let's assume you're right. What else do you know?" Noah hesitated. "Not much. Just that... they're definitely planning something. And they've been hiding in plain sight." Lucas ran a hand through his hair. "That's vague as hell." Noah crossed his arms. "Yeah, well, I'm working with what I got." Lucas chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "Fair enough." Then his expression sobered. "Listen, Eclipse. If you're right, then this is big. But without solid proof, we can't do anything except be on guard." He clapped Noah's shoulder firmly. "Stay sharp. Keep your eyes open. Report any suspicious behavior." Then, with an approving nod, he added, "Good job, Eclipse." Noah nodded, though his thoughts were still racing. Lucas didn't push further for his source, which was good. But there were still too many unknowns, too many gaps. As they parted ways, Noah exhaled deeply and made his way back to his dorm. He needed to change. He had a training session with Lila soon. And with everything going on, he needed to be at his absolute best. ___ Later that day, Noah sat cross-legged in the dojo, the cool air brushing against his skin as he focused on the energy swirling around him. The dim lighting of the training hall cast long shadows on the stone floor, making the space feel even more isolated. Lila was late. She was never late. His fingers tapped against his knee, the restlessness gnawing at him. His thoughts kept circling the same question—had something happened? Had they found out she'd told him? If these people were dangerous enough to put a mental block on their own members, there was no telling what they'd do if they suspected a leak. 'Calm down, Noah.' Letting anxiety take over wasn't going to help. He exhaled, closing his eyes, and tried to shift his focus back to his training. Lila had taught him how to draw in negative energy—rage, fear, resentment. It was the opposite of what Master Anng had drilled into him. The old man had always said chi should flow like a river, calm and steady. That emotions should be controlled, not harnessed. Calm state of mind was needed to guide the chi flow. But Lila instead was saying he should weaponize these emotions. Lila's technique was different, It welcomed the storm. Noah pressed his palms together, steadying his breathing. He reached out. Slowly, the energy began to stir. The air around him thickened, and he could feel it now—anger, frustration, desperation—lingering like an invisible current. It wasn't his emotions, but the echoes of others. The people who had fought here, lost here. The countless students who had trained in this very dojo, pouring their exhaustion and struggles into these walls. A red-and-white glow flickered to life around his hands. 'Good...' He let the energy build, spiraling around his arms, pulsing with raw intensity. It was chaotic, but he was beginning to understand it. Still, it wasn't enough. Noah opened his eyes and exhaled slowly. He needed to push further. A thought crept into his mind—what if he combined it with void energy? He had tried mixing his chi with void energy before. The two had always clashed—Master Anng's teachings were too disciplined, too structured, while his void energy was wild, unpredictable. But this chi? Lila's chi? Maybe it could work. Noah stood up, rolling his shoulders before summoning his Eclipse blade. A ripple of energy pulsed through him as the black sword materialized in his grip, its surface coated in a thick layer of purple void energy. The moment he tried to infuse the red-and-white chi into it, the energy flickered—unstable. He tightened his grip and forced more chi into it. The blade vibrated violently. The energy repelled each other, sparks of red, white, and purple crackling in defiance. The pressure in his hand grew unbearable—like trying to force two magnets together. Then— BOOM! The chi exploded, sending Noah stumbling backward. His Eclipse blade flickered out of existence as he landed on the ground, panting. 'Damn it...' He sat up, rubbing his arm. That was the third time he'd tried, and each time, the same thing happened. The energy simply wouldn't meet. Was he missing something? Noah gritted his teeth, determination burning in his chest. He wasn't going to quit. Again. He summoned his Eclipse blade once more, watching the familiar purple aura coil around it. This time, he slowed down, drawing in the red-and-white chi more gradually. He let it flow through his veins, let it seep into his muscles. The energy reached the blade, hesitating—warring against the void. Noah gripped tighter, focusing. Almost there— CRACK! The blade shuddered violently, and just before another explosion, Noah desummoned it, cutting off the energy before it could backlash. Panting, he dropped into a seated position, catching his breath. 'Still not enough.' He exhaled, rubbing his forehead. Maybe he was missing a link—a way to bind the two energies instead of forcing them to mix like oil and water. Before he could dwell on it further— "Wow," a familiar voice cut through the air. Noah glanced up, his heart skipping a beat. Lila stood at the entrance of the dojo, arms crossed, her usual smirk in place. "Don't know between you and Lucas who trained more." Noah chuckled, brushing the dust off his clothes as he got up. "When we represent Academy Twelve—and humanity against the Harbingers—every day is a chance to grow stronger." Lila rolled her eyes playfully. "Yeah, yeah. Save the inspirational speech for the tournament." Despite her teasing, Noah could see the curiosity in her gaze. And maybe... the slightest bit of approval. ___ Hours passed, sweat clung to their skin, and the once cool air had turned thick with exertion. Noah wiped the sweat off his forehead, rolling his shoulders as he caught his breath. Lila was relentless. She never half-assed anything, especially not when it came to chi manipulation. But through all their practice, one thing gnawed at him. The pool. This chi—this red-and-white energy—was unstable, difficult to grasp in large amounts. Every time he reached out for more, he hit a wall. It was like trying to drink from a cup with only a few drops left. Once they finally called a break, he leaned back against a stone pillar, watching Lila stretch out her arms. The question had been rolling around in his mind for hours now, but he'd been waiting for the right moment. "So," he started casually, "how do I pull in more?" Lila raised a brow. "More what?" "This chi." He gestured to his hands. "There's not enough to draw from. It's like I'm scraping at the bottom of a dried-up well. Barely anything to absorb." Lila hummed in thought, stepping closer. "That's tricky," she admitted. "Like I told you before, this energy has sources. Pain, anger, jealousy..." She stopped just a foot away, her eyes gleaming with something unreadable. Then, her voice dropped lower. "...even lust." Noah stiffened. Lila took another step, erasing the space between them. He could feel the warmth of her body, the light scent of sweat and something intoxicatingly sweet. "If you want more," she continued, "then you need to make your own pool. Create your own emotions. Feel them." Before he could process what she meant, she reached for his hand. And placed it firmly on her breast. Noah froze. His breath hitched. Lila didn't break eye contact. Instead, she pressed her hand over his, forcing him to squeeze the soft mound beneath his palm. The heat of her skin seeped through his fingers, sending a jolt of something foreign straight to his brain. His head went blank. No thoughts. No calculations. Just the overwhelming awareness of her body against his. Lila tilted her head slightly, a teasing smirk playing on her lips. "I'll show you how it works." And then— She kissed him. Soft. Testing. Just a press of lips. She pulled back an inch, searching his face for a reaction. Noah didn't move. He couldn't. His mind was still short-circuiting. Lila took his silence as encouragement. Her fingers curled around his wrist, holding him in place as she leaned in again—this time, not pulling away. The second kiss was deeper, slower. Deliberate. And Noah? He was still too stunned to react.

Chapter 226: Lust

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