"Hum♪ Hum♪ Hmm♪" Humming a soft tune, his radiant golden locks moving with every skip of his step, Dharma finally returned to the starting point.

He was glowing.

"Huh? What happened to you guys?" Dharma inquired, shocked at the state of Rogue and Mana.

Standing straight with his arms crossed, blood leaking through his temple, nose, lips, and various parts of the body, soaking his clothes, Rogue replied with a dark gaze.

"Nothing at all." 

‘I did what I had to. I protected you two from an awkward conversation and beating with our grandmaster.’

Meanwhile, not caring about Rogue's condition, Mana stood with a slightly hollow gaze and a pale complexion.

"I now understand," he whispered.

My mom isn't the only crazy one. Origin Cultivation must have some adverse side effects on females to make them so moody. It's like… they are always in the state of that time of the month…

"Leave those two," Klyde spoke calmly, but even the disciples could hear the hidden animosity in their professor's voice.

Meanwhile, the accompanying second-year disciples didn't stay back and left the auditorium promptly, leaving the excited disciples to chat amongst themselves.

"So… what's your situation?" Dharma inquired.

"99 rpm, rare compound element," Mana muttered while recalling Lilia's excited expression, the innocent glimmer in her wide green pupils as she detailed various non-lethal poisons awaiting Mana had he not exposed his origin in time.

Rogue and Dharma blinked in surprise.

"93 rpm, light element. I win, Rogue," Dharma grinned.

"I don't… care," Rogue coughed.

'Bastard. I'm bleeding! And that's what you care about? Winning? I was a fool to give you two days of my time on the console!' Rogue gritted his teeth.

"Mr. Growsky, here is the medicine to heal your disease. It will also patch your injuries."

Klyde finally took out a small pill from his pocket and handed it to Rogue.

"Disease?" Dharma inquired while Mana broke out of his plane of nightmare and looked towards Rogue curiously.

"Yes, Mr. Growsky's tongue is infectious. This pill shall take care of it," Klyde replied.

"I would have never known. Rogue, did you ever pass the infection onto someone else by physical contact of the tongue? A girl or a boy? We should contact them and ask Klyde to disinfect them, too," Dharma inquired with a serious expression.

"It is most likely a boy," Mana mused.

Popping the pill into his mouth, Rogue felt the healing capabilities of the exotic pill and finally smiled.

"Why the hell would it be a guy? Huh?" he instantly shouted as his throat healed.

"I mean, isn't it obvious?" Mana inquired.

"What's obvious?" Rogue growled.

"Let's look at the situation rationally. First, your tongue is infectious. If we have to find the recipient of this infection, we have to reflect on your actions. You won't mind brutalizing females if they cross your path or look at you in a wrong manner but Dharma and I are being tolerated till now."

Mana's serious expression and calm explanation attracted everyone. Even Klyde hid his smile as he observed Rogue's expression growing distraught.

'How's that medicine tasting, kid? I'm sure it tastes like retribution.'

"It could be considered that friends are treated differently. But we three clearly have a lot to go… well, you might even tolerate me just because I allowed you and Dharma to stay under my roof.

But I did not stop to consider this. 

Why was your first instinct to crash into my place in the first place?"

Nerves now popping over Rogue's temple, yet he kept a soothing smile. Watching Mana's flapping hole which he would not be tolerating once he got his fill of playing detective.

"All these instances have led me to believe that you, Rogue, might still be in your closet and just doesn't know it yourself—"

"Cough! Cough! Help—" A loud shout brought everybody's attention as one of the disciples vomited a mouthful of blood.

A male disciple.

Rogue's bloodied face paled but Klyde made his way with a deep frown over his aged face.

'Mana's explanation was too entertaining and I let myself lose focus for a moment.'

Crouching near the student, Klyde pressed a few bulging veins around the Disciple's neck as his condition stabilized. 

"Klyde… is this—" Sam inquired with slight pity in his gaze.

"Origin Infection, yes," Klyde nodded while Rogue let out a sigh of relief.

"Origin Infection?" Dharma frowned, not aware of the term.

"Ah, you didn't know? One in a group of ten-million individuals is loved by Fate. It is theorized that once the connection is severed the threads of fate around that person, Fate itself would vow vengeance against its target of affection. That is the source of Origin Infection. Although, this is extremely rare… who would have thought we'll get to see it ourselves. Anyway, this infection doesn't affect the potential of the cultivator and only inflicts pain for a month or two." Mana looked towards the unconscious youth.

"Come on, let's go to the ground," Rogue interjected and patted Mana's shoulder.

"What for?" Mana inquired curiously.

"To show my love for you, of course," Rogue turned and smiled, making Dharma and Mana sweat simultaneously.

"Say, Dharma, can you feel it?" Mana inquired as Rogue began walking towards the exit of the auditorium.

"The overwhelming sense of demise as if I had broken my Mom's china set and painted the walls of my mansion… yes, I felt it loud and clear."

Meanwhile, a few disciples looked towards the unconscious youth and then at Rogue's back. 

Nodding silently, they followed Rogue, more interested in the fight that might occur.

"I don't think he will hold back. Although, he should learn how to take a joke," Dharma frowned.

"It's alright," Mana smiled.

"Rogue already said that he wanted to dominate the semester, completely aware and shameless enough to use his advantage. The first semester also lines up with physical combat so either now or some other day, I would have to spar with Rogue."

Finding Mana's words reasonable, Dharma nodded and followed Mana. Sighing and looking at the unconscious youth, he thought for a moment and took out his smartphone.

Opening the chat group related to sect matters, he made arrangements for Xues to be admitted to the healing wards.

Then, he opened the chat group— Seven Turds.

Forest's and Corrupt's personal disciples are going to spar on the ground. Observe. I bet Grind Jewel on Corrupt's nasty disciple. Anyone interested in making a bet?

Pure: Sure, I bet on Forest's newbie then. A Disheartened Bloom.

No replies came further but Klyde already sensed his own disciples moving towards the ground.

"Now… What is with the trend of always running after origin cultivation? You could have become a rising star under orthodox cultivation…" He shook his head and waited for the officers to arrive and take the boy from him before slowly making his way towards the ground.

---

In the Administration Wing of the sect, Lilia found a bespectacled and handsome dark-haired youth with bright green pupils calmly listening to a plain-faced individual's report all the while watching something with an impassive expression.

Instantly sensing the familiar, bitter gaze, Forest looked up and locked his eyes with Lilia.

Seeing that she really didn't have anything to say, he began viewing the contents of the smartphone once again. The surrounding Disciples seemed quite used to the appearance of famous Cultivators and continued with their task undisrupted.

"You're here. The mission is marked as completion, good job," the youth next to Forest smiled kindly, his brown gaze flickering with affection only revealed when the holder of gaze was pleased himself.

"Whatever," Lilia crossed her arms over her chest and waited silently.

Finally, with a soft sigh, Forest looked up and locked his smartphone.

"I saw that your interactions with Mana were not all that pleasant."

"He's a pervert!" Lilia emphasized.

Thinking for a moment, Forest looked towards the youth and stated plainly.

"Leave."

"No, Alfaas will stay right here. Whatever you have to say to me can be heard by him."

Forest looked into Alfaas' eyes and stated somberly.

"Leave."

"Yes," Bowing his head, the short-haired youth left, not looking up even as he passed Lilia while she clenched her fists in frustration.

"Have you heard of a popular lore— Rebirth in Origin?"

Not minding Lilia's expression, Forest inquired anyway.

"...No."

Leaning against the reception desk, Forest adjusted his glasses and spoke up.

"In the beginning of Origin Cultivation, it was believed that one's origin is actually a gateway to his past and future incarnation. After all, an origin represents personal fate and beliefs developed at the cost of nature's will surrounding us. You are right to doubt the existence of such a supernatural concept.

However, rumors and folklore have a basis. An actual origin.

Mana is from a family that still retains its ancient heritage. 

By exposing oneself with a sincere heart, knowing that he was being monitored, he still bowed in acceptance and stated the terms. He was following the will of his grandmother, a popular divinity in the ranks of Origin Cultivation. Had Mana been born a female, he would have exposed himself without any hesitation, still…

No, even if he were to hesitate, he would have executed his elder's will with utmost belief."

"What… Did you mean by that? Why would he follow his elder's words with utmost trust?" Lilia inquired, a little irritated at Mana himself who didn't have a will of his own despite having such a great talent.

"I don't know how to answer that. Why does someone do anything asked by someone else? This line of thinking is too broad and prone to many inconsistencies. And I don't plan to find such answers myself."

Gritting her teeth, Lilia inquired coldly.

"Aren't you his master? Isn't it a master's role to help through disciples' problems?"

"That may have been true in the Orthodox Cultivation. A master and disciple form a deep bond. In many situations, they would even become dao partners. But I am a master in imparting knowledge. Under my regiment, Mana will bloom into a proper forest filled with the knowledge of wealth."

'You're just an asshole,' revealing a disgusted expression, Lilia turned on her heels when Forest's expression rang.

"Huh?"

Rarely showing any shift in mood, Forest's outburst was shocking and Lilia turned with a surprised expression.

"No… he shouldn't be this rash," Furrowing his brows, Forest instantly walked past Lilia but now extremely interested, she quickly jogged behind Forest and finally found a small gathering but…"Why are all of them here?!" Lilia gasped in shock.