Chapter 80 Core extraction

Words : 961 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Miss Brooks studied Noah in the hallway, her glasses catching the morning light. The corridor was empty except for them, their footsteps having faded into silence. "Eclipse," she said, her voice softer than in class but no less intense. "I've reviewed the previous competition records extensively." A pause, heavy with meaning. "Do you know how many 1b students have ever made it to the representative team?" Noah shook his head, trying to keep his expression neutral. "Three." Her red lips curved into a slight smile. "In the academy's entire history. Three exceptional students who showed... particular talents." The way she emphasized those last words made Noah's chest tighten. "I expect to see your name during selections, Eclipse. Don't disappoint me." Before Noah could respond, she turned and walked away, her heels clicking against the floor in a rhythm that sounded almost like a countdown. 'She knows something,' he thought, watching her disappear around the corner. 'But how much?' "Dude!" Kelvin burst out of the classroom, nearly colliding with him. "What was that about? You look like you've seen a harbinger." Before Noah could answer, movement down the hall caught his attention. Cora and Lila were walking past, their red skirts swishing in unison despite their contrasting styles – Cora with her usual tomboy swagger, hands in her blazer pockets, while Lila maintained her perfect posture. Cora gave them a casual nod as they passed, but Lila's eyes remained firmly forward, as if the wall ahead contained the secrets of beast core manipulation. Once they were out of earshot, Kelvin grabbed Noah's arm. "Okay, what in the seven hells happened with you and Lila? Last I heard – which, by the way, was when I was still wallowing in my own drama – she asked you to the gala. Now she's acting like you're invisible, and you're climbing out of Sophia Reign's quantum bathtub?" Noah leaned against the wall, suddenly feeling tired despite the morning's earlier euphoria. "It's complicated." "Complicated?" Kelvin's voice cracked. "We face harbingers and extract cores from deadly beasts. That's complicated. This is just you being..." He waved his hands frantically, searching for words. "I turned her down," Noah said quietly. Kelvin froze mid-gesture. "You what?" "For the gala. I said no."@@@@ "You..." Kelvin looked like he might faint. "You turned down Lila? Busty blonde bomb, Lila? The girl who can throw training dummies across the field with her mind? The same Lila who half the first-year boys would fight a rogue beast to date?" "Yes, that Lila." "And then," Kelvin continued, his voice rising with each word, "not even twenty-four hours later, you hook up with Sophia Reign? Have you seen the school forums? Your face is everywhere! There's a picture of you getting out of her Clexus that's already got three thousand likes!" Noah winced. He hadn't thought about how it would look. In his defense, he'd been rather distracted by... well, everything about Sophia. "Look," Kelvin lowered his voice, glancing around the now-empty hallway, "I get it. Sophia Reign is... she's basically academy royalty. But Lila's our teammate. We go on expeditions together. We face life-and-death situations together. And now..." The professor's eyes swept the room. "You'll be working in pairs today. One to conduct the primary extraction, one to monitor core stability. The slightest mistake..." He left the sentence hanging meaningfully. Laboratory assistants moved to each station, depositing sealed containers. Noah's stomach tightened as their specimen was revealed – smaller than the demonstration model but no less alien. "Remember your protocols," Heimdall called out. "Core-detection first. Map the energy pathways. Do not – I repeat, do not – make any incisions until you've fully understood the core's position and defense mechanisms." Noah reached for the detection probe, but Lila had already grabbed it. Her movements were sharp, angry. "I'll map," she said curtly. "You monitor the readings." 'This is going to be a long class,' Noah thought, moving to the monitoring station. He could hear Kelvin and Cora across the room, already falling into their usual comfortable rhythm. "Beginning scan," Lila announced professionally, though she wouldn't meet his eyes. The probe hummed to life in her hands, casting a pale green light over their specimen's iridescent plates. The first few minutes passed in tense silence, broken only by necessary communication. "Energy spike at junction three," Noah reported. "Noted." Lila's response was clipped. They continued like this, the air between them growing heavier with each exchange. When Noah handed her a crystalline scalpel, their fingers brushed accidentally. Lila yanked her hand back so violently that the scalpel clattered to the floor. The sound echoed through the lab. Several heads turned their way. "Is there a problem at Station Seven?" Professor Heimdall called out. Lila was already pulling off her gloves. "I need air," she announced, her voice tight. Before anyone could respond, she was striding toward the door. "Professor," Noah called out, already removing his own protective gear, "permission to..." Heimdall waved him off with a knowing look. "Make it quick, Eclipse. That core won't wait forever." Noah hurried after Lila, catching the heavy lab door just before it closed. Behind him, he could hear Heimdall resuming his lecture about core defense mechanisms, but right now, there was a different kind of explosion he needed to prevent. The corridor outside was dimly lit, designed to be soothing to recently extracted cores. Lila had stopped a few meters ahead, her back to him, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "Lila," he started, but what could he possibly say to make this right?

Chapter 80 Core extraction

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