Yuki continued to pummel Damien until she felt absolutely satisfied. It was at that point all of them felt things returned to normal and everything was right again. Cal helped Damien back to his feet while he helped him dust him off. All the while Damien carried the brightest smile he had in a long time.

“I’ve missed you guys. I didn’t plan on being gone for two years but here I am.”

Damien finally took the time to really look at his friends. Everything happened so fast that he couldn’t see the differences they now carried. Cal carried himself with much more confidence which Damien thought was impossible. He also grew out his blonde hair down to his shoulder to give himself an aloof look. Besides that he was still rather skinny and grew much taller, but not as tall as Damien. They were separated by a head in height. Erik on the other hand didn’t grow anywhere vertically. Instead he grew in width in what he could grow in height. Erik’s face was much more square and mature, almost making him appear to be an adult Dwarf. He also began to grow a stubble of facial hair. A sign of what is to come in the near future.

‘I wasn’t the only one that changed. It’s sad I couldn’t be here, but oh well. Now let’s see Yuki… wow.’

Damien’s eyes finally laid straight into Yuki’s. Her red eyes were as piercing as ever. It made anyone feel like they were prey under her gaze. However, that wasn’t what entranced Damien. Her once childish features had long begun to disappear leaving her with a womanly aura. Her facial features were much sharper and daring. Damien couldn’t help but take a large nervous gulp under her gaze. Yuki easily noticed the change in his demeanor and asked him in a suspicious tone.

“Yes? Why are you looking at me so dumbly?”

Damien quickly snapped out of his nervous state and put his mind to work.

‘I have to come up with something, quick! Yes! Bring up her hair and how I am surprised she cut it so short!’

Damien was fast to think of her hair. Yuki used to have her hair in a bun, but now she had cut it all off preferring to have a short pixie cut. She did not want the hassle of having to do her hair everyday and it was a sign she was focused entirely on cultivation. Although she didn’t have any suitors due to her attitude there were many that held her in their hearts. This was a sign for all of those so thought “fools” to never try. Damien looked at her hair to bring attention to it and finally spoke in a fidgety tone.

“You look good… wait, that's not what I meant! I like your hair. It fits you. I mean it’s a good change, that’s what I was looking at!”

Damien flushed dramatically as he wished there was a hole he could crawl in. He let out his thoughts without a filter and became a little straightforward. Yuki was a bit stunned while the others sucked in a cold breath. Cal and Erik started giggling to themselves, making Yuki more irritated. Damien saw things becoming more embarrassing for him so he called over Kyro to distract them. Kyro swiftly flew in and adeptly landed on Damien’s hair. He made his space comfortable by clawing about Damien’s clunky hair and perched himself proudly over everyone. Kyro cawed piercingly making himself out to be a normal crow.

“Look, this is my friend Kyro! I met with him while I was out and he took a liking to me. He comes with me wherever I go!”

Cal and Erik listened with glistening eyes and started poking Kyro randomly. Kyro snapped at them with his peak and spilt their blood rather easily. They both cried out, sucking on their fingers with apprehension toward Kyro. While this happened Yuki eyed Kyro with narrowing slits. She could feel something was different about the crow and even more so if it could slice Erik’s hardy skin open. She had her suspicions but decided to keep it to herself. To keep them off the precious subject Damien began rambling about his time away. With the help of Kyro, they had devised a story that could fit all the missing holes if they had any questions. They listened intently as Ari, Leylin, and Nora held their own private conversation.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Leylin felt the tenseness in the air, but decided to ignore altogether. He brought his arms out wide intending to give Nora a hug.

“Oh, you are as beautiful as ever, Nora. Prim like roses, but guarded in a brush of thorns. Let yourself be free in my arms.”

Leylin threw himself toward Nora like a beggar in the street chasing for coins. He was adeptly bushed away and put in his place like a fool. Ari looked on with a dark under glow in his eyes. He was witness of this scene one too many times. Especially when Nora became the Vice Headmaster to relieve Ari of much of his workload. It was apparent in Nora’s face that she had become quite tiresome from this job already. Leylin would go on and even beg on his knees on a constant basis trying to court Nora that it became a joke to the students in the academy. Ari finally grew tired of the charade and stomped his way over between them. His steps were like earthquakes and immediately put Lelyin on alert. Lelyin stood straight at attention without a single emotion in his face.

This would’ve been an impossible sight in the past, however Ari had beaten some discipline into him. Before there was no one that had the strength to do so, but it was a different story at StarPoint Academy. Ari was more than enough to handle Leylin and it showed now. The more Ari thought about the troubles he had to go through because of Leylin, the more his veins bulged on his bald shiny head.

“You are becoming more trouble than you're worth, ‘Protector Leylin’. The liability you impose on everyone is always enhanced when you're involved! Did you have to go that far and cause mayhem in the city!? Now have to go explain to others and save your ass!”

Leylin’s audibly gulped with cold sweat dripping down his back. Not even the King of Atria put this much fear in his being. Leylin eyed Nora secretively, begging for a way out. She rolled her eyes, but still complied.

“There was a reason for it, Headmaster. Just like I noticed, Leylin saw obvious holes in his Sword Dao. He has said he came here to teach Damien and as his previous professor I would’ve done the same. That child needed to learn or it could’ve been too late.”

Ari took what she said with consideration while he wiped the forming sweat on his brow. He looked over to Damien and his group of friends excitedly talking amongst one another, then looked straight into Leylin’s eyes.

“Although this is true, you couldn’t have waited to do so in a more private and civilized manner? Did you have to use a forbidden Heaven Realm Technique in front of the whole academy!? Do you realize the potential harm you put them in?”

Nora was ready to speak up once with her lips parted halfway, but Ari stopped her last second.

“I do not want you speaking for him.”

Nora obliged easily, and took a step back. Ari stood shorter than Leylin, but with a presence bigger than anyone here. Leylin then mustered the courage to speak albeit softly.

“Ari, I mean Headmaster Sord, the situation was actually more dire than you think. Damien cultivates at a rapid speed that is unheard of. He could have gone to cultivate right away and gone through a breakthrough. By then it would’ve been too late. As for the technique I used, well I wanted to show him the path forward so that it could encourage him. For the other students, I may have done you a favor. The hopeless cases will probably drop out and stop being a waste of resources while the others will be reinvigorated to cultivate.”

Leylin’s soft voice faded out in the end, not sure if Ari would accept his explanation. Ari seemed to be in serious contemplation until Nora whispered something in his ear. Suddenly, his aura disappeared and gave Leylin a simple nod in acceptance. Leylin was appreciative toward Nora who mouthed the words ‘You owe me one.’ Ari dismissed Leylin back to his duties and stood beside Nora.

“Now we have to figure out what to do with Veron’s boy. I’m sure he knows he made it back by now.”

Nora nodded curtly and responded back with her thoughts.

“It is best to reintegrate as soon as possible. Remedial classes are a must unless he can show he is beyond it. I recommend these classes to gauge his level in different fields. At this point in his life he should have already chosen a focus. You never know, he could change his mindset.”

Ari thought it over for a few moments. It was apparent Damien was focused entirely on cultivation and nothing else. However, going Nora’s route would also help the academy know of his strength and future aspirations.

“Alright, I approve of this plan. I’ll have you in charge of this and I hope you see through it thoroughly. Time is something we are running out of and that boy is the key to it all.”