SSS Void Ascension: I Devour All Elements

Sunrays filtered into the room and chose to settle under Killian’s eyes. He fluttered his lashes open, his red iris catching the light.

For a moment, he only stared upward blankly, feeling strangely refreshed despite the deep exhaustion still weighing down every part of his body.

Everything that happened yesterday was the past. The evolution, the excruciating pain, and the interrogation that was heading nowhere. He tried to lift his head.

"What the...." His limbs felt unbearably heavy, as if someone had tied stones to every part of him during the night. He exhaled tiredly into the pillow and closed his eyes again.

’So I can’t move. Well, there isn’t anything important for me to do this morning.’ He snuggled back in bed, holding his pillow tightly against his chest.

The only thing on his schedule was Evelyn’s match, and that would start by two in the afternoon. So he could stay here till then. That thought comforted Killian enough that he nearly drifted back to sleep.

His eyes lazily moved toward the clock near the opposite bed to check how much time he had left to sleep.

11:17 AM.

Killian’s eyes shot open. He blinked once. "What?"

He pushed himself halfway up immediately before regretting it as pain shot through his muscles.

"Ugh, I thought it was still early morning. How did I sleep for ten hours?"

The room was quiet. Too quiet. His eyes slowly moved across the dorm until he realized he was alone. Everyone had already left.

Killian dropped back onto the mattress dramatically before forcing himself over the edge of the bed. Instead of standing, however, his body simply gave up halfway and he rolled off completely.

THUD.

He lay face-first on the ground silently for a few seconds. He shifted to his side, keeping his eyes closed. That was embarrassing but at least nobody was there to see him.

"Look what you did to me."

"After effects of evolution. You are actually handling yours pretty well. Other Void Users couldn’t move an inch."

Killian slowly dragged himself toward the door with whatever dignity remained in his soul, his fingers weakly gripping the floor as he crawled. "I will just have a shower then return to bed—"

Then a voice suddenly came from above him.

"Are you feeling okay?"

Killian froze. Slowly, he raised his head.

Reginald floated near the upper part of the room with crossed legs, wind swirling quietly beneath him while he meditated near the ceiling as if that was the most natural thing to do.

Killian stared, his left eye twitching. Then realization clicked.

’He had the sneaky Wind element!’ "You were there... this whole time?" Killian asked weakly.

Reginald opened one eye, looking mildly amused. "Yeah, before you woke up. Why are you crawling?"

Killian wanted to evaporate. He forced himself to sit on the ground. ’At least it was only Reginald.’ "I’m tired," he admitted while still on the floor. "But my body has to move today."

Reginald finally lowered himself using the wind, before stretching a hand out toward Killian.

A soft current wrapped around Killian’s shoulders and helped lift him upright easier than expected.

"If you’re this exhausted then you don’t have to go anywhere," Reginald said. "Just sleep."

Killian leaned against the wall tiredly. "My friend has a match. I want to watch it. I already told her I will.

Reginald frowned slightly. "The beginning matches aren’t usually important... wait," he stared at Killian for a moment. "Your friend is a girl? You have female friends?"

"Yeah." Killian slowly slid to the ground again. "But I can’t even stand up straight. Maybe I’ll try again in an hour."

"Actually," Reginald suddenly adjusted his posture. "I’d like to watch the matches today. And someone from our region is apparently fighting. After their match, we can see your friend’s match."

Reginald said while avoiding eye contact a little too obviously. But Killian only shrugged. Reginald and Evelyn were both Wind users so they could learn a thing or two from each other.

"Alright."

Reginald looked him over once before speaking again. "So do you want to go wash up first? You look half-dead."

"I don’t think I can carry myself."

"I have pills."

Killian stared at him tiredly. He knew what pills those were, and they were usually expensive. He couldn’t understand why Reginald was giving it for free just so they could watch a match.

Reginald somehow looked more excited than necessary.

"Alright...."

The two headed toward the bathroom area after Killian popped some pills into his system.

Reginald quickly clarified midway, "Remember, I’m not just watching your friend’s match only. There’s someone else from my region fighting today."

Killian looked at him doubtfully. "Right. And why are you following me to the bathroom again?"

"To arrange my hair," Reginald added quickly. "It will mess the room up if I do it there. My hair is brittle."

"Right." That sounded believable enough for Killian.

The exhaustion faded once warm water hit Killian’s body during the shower. He stood beneath it quietly, letting the heat run down his shoulders while the ache in his muscles slowly loosened.

Outside his stall, Reginald sat near the mirrors fixing his hair carefully. The room stayed peaceful for a while.

Then, Reginald suddenly started singing. In a girl’s voice.

Killian froze mid-motion under the water.

The voice sounded so natural that if he hadn’t already known the truth earlier, he genuinely would’ve thought there was a girl inside the bathroom.

’That guy probably forgot that I am even here.’

Minutes later, Killian stepped out of the bathroom feeling far more alive than before. He changed into his Warden uniform, and adjusted the sleeves lightly before walking out of the changing area.

He stared at himself in the mirror, feeling satisfied as it had been a while since he wore his official uniform. He left his stall.

Reginald looked up immediately. "Oh. That uniform is really good on you. You have specific taste," Reginald added while fixing his own sleeves absentmindedly.

Killian looked down at the uniform briefly. "Thanks, but it wasn’t my idea," Killian replied, understanding the garters and stitches made it look unconventional. "My sister arranged it and my friend said she wanted everyone in my group to match."

Reginald paused slightly. "The same friend whose match you want to watch? That girl?"

"Yeah."

Reginald slowly nodded after that.

Killian narrowed his eyes at the strange pause, but eventually brushed it off as the two continued walking through the halls together.

It was already 12:05 PM, and Killian felt like he had overcome a great hurdle by being ready before 1 PM. While he headed to the cafeteria area, Reginald continued walking toward the main hallway.

"Where are you going?" Killian called out.

Reginald blinked once before turning back. "To watch her match?"

Killian stared at him. "It starts at two."

"Oh." Reginald cleared his throat awkwardly. "Yes. Yes, of course. All matches start after 2 PM so hers must be the first."

Killian folded his arms slowly. That was suspicious again. It felt like Reginald was more excited for the match than he was.

’Had he never watched a girl fight before? There’s nothing to it really.’

But instead of pressing it further, Killian brushed it off. "By the way... are you an A-Rank student?"

Reginald looked mildly surprised. "Why did you guess that?"

Killian went quiet for a moment.

"Well, you are in Dorm Dragon."

The thought had kept him awake at night. There had to be a reason why the rest of his roommates were in Dorm Dragon.

They must have an absurd level of potential.