In the middle of a classroom that had previously been filled with complaints and disbelieving looks aimed at their new teacher, the atmosphere gradually began to shift. Exafanos, standing calmly and authoritatively at the front, began explaining his unique theory of magic. His right hand held a piece of white chalk, dancing across the blackboard with elegant yet firm movements, leaving behind traces of magical formulas the students had never seen before.
Every word that came out of his mouth seemed to radiate an aura that pierced through ordinary understanding, giving the impression that what he was teaching wasn't mere magic—but something deeper, more ancient, and profoundly divine.
The students, who had initially been indifferent, grew silent. They watched Exafanos with new eyes—eyes filled with curiosity, awe, and confusion. Some began taking notes seriously, copying every symbol and term he wrote on the board. Others attempted to practice the theories immediately. The results varied—some managed to produce a small burst of energy from their palms, while others accidentally caused the air around them to chill due to unstable temperature manipulation.
Still, there were those who failed—whether from lack of comprehension or unstable magical energy. But even so, no one complained anymore. Instead, they began discussing among themselves, helping each other decipher the theories Exafanos had shared.
Seeing this drastic shift in the classroom's atmosphere, Exafanos gave a faint smile. He said nothing, but inside, he was satisfied—though he showed no outward sign of it.
Soon after, the bell signaling the end of the class rang. The students rose from their seats—some still buzzing with excitement over the lesson, others deep in thought. Exafanos put away his chalk and slipped some notes into his cloak, then made his way out of the classroom.
Before he could leave entirely, five students caught up with him. Three girls and two boys approached, stopping directly in front of him. One of them—a short-haired redhead who looked confident and intelligent—stepped forward.
"My name is Mia," she said with a smile. "This is Lana, Asa, Andra, and Ale."
They introduced themselves one by one. Their faces were serious, but full of determination.
"We... would like to request extra classes from you," said Andra, a quiet but focused boy.
Exafanos furrowed his brow slightly. He looked at each of them with sharp yet calm eyes. Their request surprised him—they had only just met, and now they were already asking for more lessons?
He paused for a moment, then declined gently but firmly. "No."
The group looked disappointed, but not deterred.
"Please, just one extra session," Lana pleaded softly. "We've never seen magic taught like this before."
They tried to convince him further, but Exafanos remained unmoved. He only acted by his own will—never under pressure, especially not for someone else's request. He walked away without another word, leaving the five students standing there—disappointed, yet still spirited.
Exafanos made his way to the headmaster's office. Inside, he saw Lithuana sitting relaxed, accompanied by an elderly man he didn't recognize, and Bella, who appeared as calm as ever.
Lithuana greeted him at once. "Oh, Exafanos. Come, have a seat. How was your first lesson?"
"Decent," Exafanos replied simply.
Bella, seated beside her, smiled gently and poured him a cup of hot tea. Steam curled into the air, spreading a calming aroma through the room.
The old man smiled broadly, eyeing Exafanos from head to toe.
"So this is Exafanos, huh? The young man Lithuana and Bella keep mentioning. Looks young, full of energy, and... quite handsome too," he said with a chuckle. "Seems like he'd make a fine son-in-law."
Exafanos remained silent in response. No exaggerated reaction, no reply. The man quickly realized the awkwardness and introduced himself.
"My name is Alban. I'm Lithuana's father."
Exafanos nodded briefly, introduced himself as well, and the conversation shifted into light chatter until they all prepared to head home.
As Exafanos walked with Bella, they passed a small garden at the edge of the academy. There, Rose sat with her friends, quietly laughing as they enjoyed the sunset.
Upon seeing Exafanos, Rose stood and approached. "How was your day, Exafanos?"
"Fine," he answered briefly.
Bella added a few lighthearted remarks before they all exchanged farewells and continued on.
This time, however, Exafanos didn't return to Bella's home. He chose instead to go back to his own house—a modest place he maintained with peace and simplicity.
With the power of "erasure," he removed the concept of distance with a single step. In the blink of an eye, he was standing in front of his house. Bella, watching from behind, could only stare. From her perspective, Exafanos took a step—and the world around him simply shifted. He vanished.
His house was as it always was. The plants he tended were thriving. A few weeds grew between the stones, but they weren't bothersome.
He began pulling the weeds gently. But then—his ears caught something. A whisper, faint and nearly undetectable to anyone but him. A voice not from this world.
"The destruction of all realms draws near... Everything shall return to absolute void..."
Exafanos froze, gazing up at the sky. With a thought, he erased the limits of his vision, piercing through dimensions and reality itself, observing every corner of Gordos's multiverse.
In one distant reality, he saw it—a cosmic humanoid entity. Its size defied comprehension—larger than the combined mass of a million suns, its body composed of galaxies, stars, and shattered fragments of existence spinning within.
The creature was slowly devouring Gordos's multiverse.
Facing it stood Ares and Gordos, along with other powerful beings. They attacked the entity. Gordos's conceptual power—capable of shaping and splitting existence—struck it directly. But as soon as the concepts touched the being's body—they vanished.
No effect at all.
That creature was the Eternal Void—sovereign of the absolute nothingness. It existed before all things. Before time, dimensions, or even the idea of creation. It was the void.
To it, the existence of the universe was an intrusion. It sought to return all to the original state—total nonexistence.
Gordos panicked, as did Ares—the god of destruction who could annihilate anything with just a glance. But even his eyes had no effect on Eternal Void.
The entity had no beginning. Thus, it did not truly exist—but neither did it not exist. It was a paradox of being—like Exafanos himself.
The battle shook all realities. The strikes from these absolute beings shattered galaxies, cracked worlds, and rattled the boundaries of dimensions.
Yet Eternal Void... remained unmoved.
And from afar, Exafanos simply watched—for now.
To be continued...