Lucas stepped into his new academy room, taking in his surroundings with a sharp gaze. The space was decently sized but nothing extravagant—just enough for three people to share without stepping on each other's toes. Three beds lined the walls in different corners, each with a small storage chest at the foot. The wooden floor had scuff marks, likely from years of students coming and going, and the window let in a sliver of light, casting long shadows across the room.
Shortly after, Lira arrived, leading three other academy servants who carried the rest of his belongings. They placed everything down carefully, clearly used to handling noble students' luggage.
"Thanks, guys. You can put them here," Lucas said, motioning to a corner.
The servants nodded and did as instructed, expecting to leave immediately after. But before they could, Lucas reached into his robes and handed a small pouch of coins to Lira.
"Share it with them," he instructed casually.
Lira took the pouch and, without hesitation, handed out the money. The servants froze for a second, looking at each other in disbelief.
"T-Thank you, young master!" one of them finally stammered.
The others quickly followed suit, bowing slightly before leaving, murmuring among themselves about how rare it was for a noble student to even acknowledge their presence, let alone reward them.
Lucas barely paid them any mind. His attention shifted when two figures entered the room.
His roommates.
The first guy was tall, lean but with a wiry strength to him. His dark brown hair was messy, as if he barely cared about appearances, and his sharp eyes held a hint of amusement, as if he was always ready to joke about something. He carried himself with an easygoing confidence.
The second was bulkier, broader in the shoulders, with golden-blond hair tied back in a short ponytail. His jaw was strong, and he had a slightly arrogant smirk on his lips, the kind that told Lucas he was probably the more aggressive of the two. His posture screamed that he wasn't someone who backed down easily.
They both glanced at Lucas and nodded in greeting.
"Hey, new guy," the dark-haired one said, his voice casual. "Guess we're roommates now."
Lucas gave a short nod, acknowledging them, but his eyes quickly caught the way the blond guy was eyeing Lira. His gaze lingered too long, traveling down her body with a look that made Lucas's blood simmer.
A slow, menacing smile formed on Lucas's lips, but there was nothing friendly about it.
"You'd better take your eyes off her if you don't want them plucked out," he said, his tone calm but laced with warning.
The blond guy blinked and chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, man, I'm just admiring. That's all."
Lucas didn't blink. He just kept staring, his eyes cold, unwavering.
The atmosphere in the room grew tense, the casual energy from before evaporating.
The blond guy shifted uncomfortably before clearing his throat. "Alright, alright. My bad," he muttered, turning away.
Lira, standing quietly by Lucas's side, felt warmth spread through her chest. She liked this. She liked that Lucas stood up for her without hesitation.
Lucas turned back to his belongings, uninterested in further small talk, but he wasn't done setting the tone.
"Now listen," he said, his voice steady but firm. "I don't want anyone touching my stuff. If you do, you'll regret it. I'm not here to fuck around."
The dark-haired guy raised an eyebrow. "The hell's wrong with you, man? You met us in this room. We set the rules, not you."
Lucas stopped what he was doing and turned, locking eyes with him.
Cold. Unreadable.
The room felt smaller in that instant. The dark-haired guy stiffened, his body reacting before his mind could. A cold shiver ran down his spine as he felt an unseen pressure settle over him. He had sensed Lucas's Adept rank earlier, but now… now it felt heavier. Like Lucas wasn't just another adept cultivator, but something more dangerous.
A moment passed.
Then another.
The guy exhaled sharply and gave a nervous chuckle, raising his hands. "Look, man… it's all jokes. Don't get worked up over it."
Lucas didn't say anything.
He just turned back to his things, already dismissing them from his thoughts.
The tension eased, but it was clear—Lucas wasn't someone to mess with.
"How should I arrange the loads, Master?" Lira asked, glancing at the various crates and bags they had brought from the market.
Lucas stretched his arms and nodded toward the corner of the room. "Stack the heavier ones near the wall, the lighter ones on top. I'll sort through them later."
Lira obeyed without question, moving gracefully as she arranged the items exactly as he directed.
Behind them, the two guys Lucas had met earlier were whispering to each other, their voices hushed, but Lucas' heightened senses picked up every word.
"How's that even possible? He's in the same rank as us… didn't he just start cultivating recently?"
"Trust me, man. He feels stronger… and it's not just his aura. He's got this… presence. He's scary. We better not get on his bad side."
Lucas smirked, pleased with what he heard. This was exactly what he wanted. He didn't need anyone trying to push him around, and fear was an excellent tool to ensure that.
Before he could bask in that satisfaction for long, the door swung open with a loud creak, and two familiar figures strolled inside.
"Hohoho… look who we have here. The talk of the academy." Edric Vale's voice dripped with mockery. Behind him, Damian Voss stood with his arms crossed, his eyes burning with frustration.
Lucas didn't even need to ask—he could already feel the hostility radiating from them, especially from Damian. That fool was still holding onto their last encounter.
Lucas raised a brow. "Are you here for trouble?"
"Trouble?" Edric chuckled, nudging Damian. "Nah, we're just here to say hello to our dear friend."
Damian, however, had no interest in pleasantries. He stepped forward, his expression hard. "He might be here to play nice, but I'm here to warn you. Don't ever cross me like you did back at the stalls. I won't stand down next time."
Lucas stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter. "I'd smack and beat you a hundred times over, man. You're weak, and I'm even stronger now." His lips curled into a playful smile, but his tone carried an unmistakable edge.
Damian's face turned red with fury. Without thinking, he lifted his hand, summoning several sharp icicles in midair, their jagged edges glistening under the dim light.
Before he could launch them, Lucas' two roommates stepped forward.
The dark-haired guy raised his palm...Earth Qi surrounding his palm, ready to strike any moment. The other guy smirked, his fingers flickering with small orbs of fire, glowing brighter by the second.
"You mess with him, you mess with us," the fire user said, his voice calm but firm.
Damian's icicles trembled slightly before dissipating. Edric placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a sharp look. The tension in the room was suffocating, and the reality of the situation was clear—if a fight broke out here, they wouldn't just lose. They'd be humiliated.
Not only that, but causing trouble in a dormitory could lead to serious penalties from the academy authorities.
Damian clenched his jaw, taking a step back. "Tch. This isn't over."
Without another word, he and Edric turned and left, the door slamming shut behind them.
Lucas exhaled, his smirk returning as he turned to his roommates.
"Well," he said, crossing his arms. "Guess you two aren't so bad after all."
The dark-haired one grinned, lowering his hand. "Don't get used to it. We just don't like uninvited guests."
The fire user chuckled. "Yeah, and if anyone's gonna bully you, it's gonna be us."
Lucas smirked. He could tell they were half-joking. Maybe this dorm arrangement wouldn't be so bad after all.
After Damian and Edric left, Lucas turned his gaze toward his two roommates. They had stepped up for him without hesitation, and while he didn't need the help, he appreciated the gesture.
He exhaled and straightened up. "I guess I should introduce myself first. I'm Xa—"
Before he could finish, the dark-haired guy smirked. "We know," he cut in. "Everyone knows who you are now."
Lucas arched a brow. "That so?"
The guy nodded. "Name's Cassian," he said, crossing his arms. "And this is Garrett."
Garrett gave a small nod. "Yeah, like Cassian said, we already knew about you. Hard not to when the whole academy won't shut up about you."
Lucas smirked slightly. "Let them talk. Doesn't change anything."
Garrett chuckled. "True, but you have to admit, it's kinda crazy. You were beaten half to death, in a coma for months, and now you're cultivating like a monster. People love a dramatic comeback."
Lucas shrugged. "I don't care what they think. As long as no one gets in my way, we'll get along just fine."
Cassian and Garrett exchanged glances before Cassian clapped Lucas on the shoulder. "Fair enough. Just don't bring too much trouble to the room, yeah?"
Lucas smirked. "No promises."
Then he gestured toward Lira, who had been quietly organizing his things. "This is Lira," he said. "She's with me."
Cassian and Garrett both looked at her, and Garrett let out a low whistle. "With you, huh?" he said with a grin.
Lucas shot him a warning glance, and Garrett quickly raised his hands in surrender. "Relax, man. Just making conversation."
Cassian chuckled. "Nice to meet you, Lira."
Lira bowed her head slightly. "Nice to meet you too, sirs."
Lucas nodded, satisfied. He wasn't here to make friends, but at least his roommates didn't seem like complete fools.