The morning sun streamed through the infirmary window, painting golden rectangles across Malcolm's bed. After four days of enforced rest and Healer Ming's increasingly bitter remedies, he was finally being released. He pulled on his freshly laundered Academy robes, noting how they hung a bit looser than before. The storage ring processing and subsequent recovery had cost him weight he hadn't been able to spare in the first place.

  "Remember," Healer Ming said, handing him a small cloth pouch of medicine, "one packet steeped in hot water morning and evening for the next seven days. The channel damage is healing well, but residual instability could cause headaches or dizziness if left untreated."

  "Yes, ma'am," Malcolm replied, tucking the medicine into his robe pocket. "Thanks for patching me up."

  The healer's stern expression softened slightly. "You were fortunate. Soul space expansion at your rate typically causes more severe complications. Whatever method you're using..." She paused, choosing her words carefully. "Perhaps moderation would be advisable in the future."

  Malcolm nodded, wondering just how much she really knew or suspected. "Lesson definitely learned."

  Outside the infirmary, Malcolm was surprised to find not just Mira waiting to escort him back to classes, but Jirou as well. The studious boy adjusted his glasses nervously as Malcolm approached.

  "Decided to join the welcome party?" Malcolm asked with a grin.

  "I've been assigned to brief you on the material covered during your absence," Jirou explained. "Master Seiran thought a peer perspective might be more... accessible than Riven-senpai's instruction."

  "Translation: Riven's a terrible teacher and you drew the short straw," Malcolm said.

  The faintest ghost of a smile crossed Jirou's face. "I volunteered, actually."

  This was unexpected. "Seriously? Why?"

  Jirou glanced at Mira, who was watching their exchange with an unreadable expression. "Academic interest," he said simply. "Your demonstration raised several theoretical questions I hope to explore."

  "I'm sure Sinclair-san will appreciate your assistance," Mira interjected smoothly. "However, we should proceed to the Foundational Principles lecture. Professor Liko does not tolerate tardiness, even for recently discharged patients."

  As they walked across the Academy grounds, Malcolm was acutely aware of the stares and whispers that followed him. Word of his evaluation demonstration had clearly spread throughout the student body, transforming him from "that strange Western kid" to "that strange Western kid who did something impossible and collapsed."

  "Is it going to be like this all day?" he muttered to Jirou.

  "Likely longer," Jirou replied matter-of-factly. "The Academy rarely witnesses such dramatic events. When Grandmaster Kaiven himself takes interest in a first-year student, particularly one admitted through... unconventional channels, speculation is inevitable."

  Great. Just what he needed—more attention when he was trying to keep a low profile. Malcolm adjusted his robe self-consciously, wishing he could be invisible for just one day.

  "Your condition will not exempt you from normal academic expectations," Mira reminded him as they approached the lecture hall. "Professor Liko has indicated that you will be required to complete all missed assignments in addition to current coursework."

  "Of course she did," Malcolm sighed.

  "I can provide my notes from the missed sessions," Jirou offered. "They're quite thorough."

  "Thanks. I appreciate that." Malcolm meant it. Between Riven's stack of scrolls and Liko's makeup work, he'd need all the help he could get.

  The lecture hall fell silent as Malcolm entered, dozens of eyes tracking his movement to his seat. Professor Liko paused momentarily in her preparations, her gaze sharp as it fixed on him before continuing with her setup.

  Malcolm slid into his assigned place, trying to ignore the stares. A folded piece of paper already rested on his desk. He opened it cautiously, half-expecting some kind of prank or insult. Instead, he found a neatly written list of page references and assignment notes in Jirou's precise handwriting.

  Before he could properly examine them, Professor Liko rapped her instruction rod sharply on the demonstration table.

  "Today we continue our exploration of elemental transmutation pathways," she announced. "Those who completed the assigned reading should be prepared to discuss the differential properties of cross-elemental binding techniques."

  Malcolm flipped frantically through his text, trying to find the relevant section. He'd barely skimmed the assigned readings during his infirmary stay, focusing instead on crafting his documentation for Master Seiran and researching the historical precedents Sorha had provided.

  "Sinclair-san." Professor Liko's voice cut through the rustling of papers. "Since you have rejoined us, perhaps you would explain the primary distinction between fire-water and earth-air transmutation bonds?"

  Every head turned toward him. Malcolm froze, his mind completely blank. He hadn't even realized there were different types of transmutation bonds, let alone their distinctive properties.

  "I, uh..." he began, scrambling for anything resembling an answer.

  "Page three hundred forty-two, third paragraph," came a barely audible whisper from beside him. Jirou, with his eyes still fixed firmly on his own text, had slid his open book slightly in Malcolm's direction.

  Malcolm glanced down, quickly scanning the indicated passage. "Fire-water bonds require a stabilizing catalyst due to their naturally oppositional properties," he began, paraphrasing the text, "while earth-air bonds form through complementary resonance and can be established without external stabilization."

  Professor Liko's eyebrows rose slightly. "Correct, if somewhat simplified. And the practical significance of this distinction?"

  Malcolm continued, gaining confidence. "It means that combining fire and water essences in alchemical processes requires a third element or binding agent, making them more complex but potentially more powerful when successfully stabilized." He thought back to his evaluation demonstration, when he'd used the mountain sage essence as a buffer between the fire-based bloodroot and water-based silverleaf. "Without proper stabilization, the essences would neutralize each other."

  "Indeed." Professor Liko regarded him with a mix of surprise and lingering suspicion. "Perhaps your time in the infirmary was not entirely wasted." She turned back to the class. "As Sinclair-san has noted, oppositional elements require intermediary binding. This principle underlies all complex alchemical formulations..."

  Malcolm exhaled slowly, shooting Jirou a grateful look. The other boy gave a slight nod, almost imperceptible, and returned his attention to the lecture.

  The rest of the morning passed in a blur of theory and demonstrations. Malcolm struggled to keep up, his mind still foggy from recovery and overwhelmed by the complicated concepts he'd missed during his absence. By midday meal, his head was pounding despite Healer Ming's remedies.

  "You look terrible," Sorha observed bluntly as she slid onto the bench across from him in the dining hall. "Should you even be out of the infirmary?"

  "Probably not," Malcolm admitted, picking listlessly at his rice. "But I can't afford to fall any further behind." He glanced around to ensure they weren't being overheard. "Did you seriously watch me through crystal-enhanced vision? That's kind of creepy."

  Sorha's lips curved in an unrepentant smile. "In Ashkari, we value observation as the highest form of learning. Consider it a compliment to your interesting techniques." She leaned forward, lowering her voice. "Did you look at those book references I gave you?"

  "Some of them. The restricted texts mysteriously appeared with my morning medicine yesterday, just like you said they would." Malcolm kept his tone casual despite his excitement. "Pretty interesting reading. Especially the part about the Sixth Dynasty practitioner who expanded his soul space through spatial artifact processing."

  "I thought you'd find that relevant," Sorha replied, her eyes gleaming. "Historical precedent is a powerful shield against accusations of unorthodox methodology."

  "Are you speaking from experience?"

  Sorha's expression grew more guarded. "Let's just say I understand what it's like to work within a system while pursuing knowledge the system doesn't necessarily approve of."

  Before Malcolm could press further, a shadow fell across their table. He looked up to find Lian Koda standing there, perfectly composed in his senior student robes, a thin leather folio tucked under one arm.

  "Sinclair-san," Lian said with a shallow bow. "I trust you're recovered sufficiently for academic engagement?"

  "More or less," Malcolm replied cautiously.

  "Excellent. As Grandmaster Kaiven's research assistant, I've been tasked with documenting your unusual alchemical approach." He placed the folio on the table. "This contains observation schedules and documentation requirements. Your first supervised practical session is tomorrow afternoon."

  Malcolm stared at the folio as if it might bite him. "Supervised practical session?"

  "Per your conditional status requirements," Lian reminded him. "All independent experimentation must be documented and approved in advance." His gaze shifted to Sorha, cool assessment in his eyes. "Lin-san. I wasn't aware you had taken an interest in first-year students."

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "Academic curiosity," Sorha replied with a casual shrug that no Kagetsu native could have managed. "Cross-cultural perspectives are my specialty, after all."

  "Indeed." Lian's tone made it clear he didn't believe this was her only motivation. "Well, I should not interrupt your meal further. Sinclair-san, please review the documentation before tomorrow's session. Preparation is essential for productive observation."

  With another precise bow, he departed, moving through the dining hall with the confident grace of someone who knew exactly where he belonged in the hierarchy.

  "Well, that's going to complicate things," Malcolm muttered, eyeing the folio warily.

  "Perhaps," Sorha mused, "or perhaps it presents an opportunity."

  "How exactly is being watched like a hawk by Kaiven's personal spy an opportunity?"

  "Because sometimes the best hiding place is right out in the open," Sorha replied. "Show them something that looks like what they expect, gets similar results, but isn't actually your void pool. They'll think they've figured you out and stop digging deeper."

  Malcolm considered this. It wasn't a bad strategy—showing just enough to satisfy the observers while keeping the void pool's true capabilities secret. But it would require careful planning and perfect execution.

  "I'd better see what I'm up against," he said, opening the folio.

  Inside was a meticulous schedule of observation sessions, documentation requirements, and evaluation criteria. Lian had organized everything with characteristic precision, creating a comprehensive framework for monitoring Malcolm's methods. At the back was a handwritten note in elegant calligraphy:

  Initial focus: Tripartite essence extraction and harmonic stabilization. Reproduce evaluation demonstration under controlled conditions. – L.K.

  Malcolm's heart sank. Of course they wanted him to reproduce exactly what he'd shown at the evaluation—the one thing that most clearly showcased his void pool's unique capabilities. How was he supposed to fake that convincingly?

  "You look worried," Sorha observed.

  "They want me to reproduce my evaluation demonstration," Malcolm explained. "Which I can only do using my void pool. But I can't let them see that."

  Sorha glanced over the documentation, her brow furrowing. "Challenging, but not impossible. You'll need a convincing alternative method that creates similar visual results."

  "Got any ideas? Because I'm drawing a blank."

  "Actually, yes." Sorha's eyes lit with that unsettling intensity Malcolm was coming to recognize. "But we'll need specific materials and privacy to develop it." She glanced around the dining hall. "Not here. Meet me at your workspace after classes. The one with the canvas tarp that doesn't quite close properly," she added with a mischievous smile.

  Malcolm's afternoon consisted of remedial flame cultivation with Flamecaller Hirayama and a soul space examination by a senior theory instructor he'd never met before. The flame session was predictably frustrating—while other students managed at least small flickers of visible flame, Malcolm's energy continued to flow toward his void pool rather than manifesting externally.

  The soul space examination was more concerning. The examiner, a thin woman with silver-streaked hair who introduced herself only as "Master Yona," had Malcolm access his expanded soul space while she performed elaborate sensing techniques with crystal-tipped rods.

  "Most irregular," she muttered repeatedly, making notes on a long scroll. "Accelerated expansion without proportionate boundary stabilization. Energy flow patterns entirely non-standard. What method of meditation did you say you practiced?"

  "A combination of traditional techniques and, uh, Western adaptations," Malcolm replied, trying to sound confident despite his anxiety. Would she detect the void pool? Recognize its true nature?

  Master Yona made a noncommittal noise, placing her crystal rods at specific points around Malcolm's head. "Your meridian channels show evidence of recent strain and healing. Healer Ming's work, I presume?"

  "Yes, Master."

  "Good. She's quite skilled." Master Yona made several more notes, then fixed Malcolm with a penetrating stare. "Your soul space configuration is highly unusual, Sinclair-san. The energy movement suggests an active processing mechanism rather than simple containment."

  Malcolm's heart nearly stopped. "I've been told my soul space has an Absorptive Nexus structure," he said, falling back on the terminology from Master Seiran's book. "A specialized variant documented in historical texts."

  "Hmm." Master Yona's expression revealed nothing of her thoughts. "Grandmaster Ito's classifications. Rather outdated, but not without merit in certain cases." She rolled up her scroll with efficient movements. "You will continue weekly examinations as per your conditional status requirements. I recommend daily balancing exercises to stabilize your expanded boundaries. Without proper reinforcement, rapid expansion can lead to structural instability."

  "I understand," Malcolm said, relief washing over him. She hadn't demanded to see the void pool directly, though her observations suggested she suspected something beyond standard soul space mechanics.

  By the time classes ended, Malcolm was exhausted, his head throbbing despite the medicine. But curiosity about Sorha's plan overcame his fatigue. He made his way to the dumping ground, nodding to Elder Mozu, who was sorting through a pile of discarded cultivation vessels near the entrance.

  "Back among the living, I see," the old man observed. "Try to stay that way this time."

  "That's the plan," Malcolm assured him. "Just some light organization today, nothing fancy."

  Elder Mozu snorted. "See that it stays that way. I've got enough to do without scraping you off the ground again."

  Malcolm's workspace was exactly as he'd left it days ago—the tarp still stretched between twisted trees, his salvaged equipment arranged on makeshift tables. Someone, probably Elder Mozu, had covered everything with an additional tarp to protect it from the elements. The only sign of his collapse was a dark stain on the packed earth where his blood had dripped.

  He busied himself tidying up, checking his stock of materials and making mental notes of what he'd need to replace. The void pool had been inactive since the storage ring processing, and he could almost feel its eagerness for new material, a peculiar sensation like hunger but not physical.

  "Sorry," he whispered to it. "We're on hiatus for a while."

  "Still talking to yourself, I see," Sorha said, appearing silently at the edge of the workspace. She carried a cloth-wrapped bundle under one arm. "I'd be concerned, but most great innovators have unusual habits."

  "Says the girl who spies on people through magical crystal vision," Malcolm retorted, but without real heat. "What's in the package?"

  Sorha unwrapped the bundle, revealing several small pouches of powder in different colors, a set of delicate crystal rods, and a slim volume bound in black leather. "The key to your supervised demonstration tomorrow."

  "Which is...?"

  "A variation on essence stabilization techniques from Ashkari," she explained, setting the items on his workbench. "I have the same problem you do—techniques that don't align with Kagetsu standards. Over the years, I've developed methods that approximate their results while appearing to follow their rules."

  She opened the black volume to a marked page, revealing detailed diagrams of crystal arrangements. "This technique uses pre-prepared essence powders and crystalline resonance to create visible essence orbs similar to your void pool extractions, but through means that look suitably traditional to satisfy observers."

  Malcolm studied the diagrams with growing excitement. "So I can fake the extraction process by hiding these essence powders in plain sight, then using the crystals to make them form into those floating orbs?"

  "Precisely," Sorha confirmed. "The trick is in the preparation. Each essence powder must be correctly balanced and separately contained until the demonstration. The crystals create the resonance field that allows the powders to coalescence into visible orb form."

  "And the stabilization pattern between the orbs?"

  "That's where your actual ability comes into play," Sorha said. "The formulation doesn't require void pool processing, but it does need someone with fine energy control to maintain the pattern once formed. Your demonstration shows you have that skill, regardless of how you normally extract essences."

  Malcolm examined the essence powders, each a different vibrant color that matched the orbs he'd produced during his evaluation. "Where did you get these? They're incredibly pure."

  "I have my sources," Sorha replied with a mysterious smile. "Let's just say not all of Kagetsu's suppliers adhere strictly to Academy-approved methods."

  They spent the next hour practicing the technique, with Sorha demonstrating the crystal placements and Malcolm learning how to trigger the essence powder conversion at the right moment. It was tricky, requiring precise timing and subtle energy manipulation, but by their fifth attempt, Malcolm managed to produce a reasonable facsimile of his void pool extraction.

  "Not bad," Sorha approved as three small essence orbs hovered above Malcolm's palm, connected by faint threads of light. "It won't fool a true master up close, but in a supervised demonstration with some theatrical misdirection, it should suffice."

  "What about the actual combination effect?" Malcolm asked, carefully letting the orbs dissipate. "The void pool lets me merge essences in ways that shouldn't be possible under traditional rules."

  "That's where this comes in," Sorha said, pulling out one last pouch from her bundle. Inside was a crystalline powder that seemed to shift colors as it caught the light. "Harmonic catalyst from the southern mountains of Ashkari. Extremely rare and technically restricted in Kagetsu due to 'unstable properties'—their words, not mine."

  "Is it dangerous?" Malcolm asked warily.

  "Only to traditional thinking," Sorha replied with a grin. "It temporarily overrides natural essence repulsion, allowing opposing elements to combine briefly without neutralizing each other. In Ashkari, we use it for complex medical formulations. Here, they banned it because it doesn't follow their rigid elemental correspondence rules."

  Malcolm studied the shifting powder with newfound respect. "So this is how you've been managing all this time—finding ways to work within their system while using your own methods."

  "When you're an outsider like us, you adapt or you wash out," Sorha said, her expression growing serious. "Don't get me wrong—the Academy has real knowledge worth learning. But all these traditions? They can box you in if you let them. The trick is figuring out what to take from them while still doing your own thing."

  As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the dumping ground, they packed up the materials. Sorha showed Malcolm how to hide the essence pouches in specially designed compartments within a standard alchemical kit, invisible unless you knew exactly where to look.

  "Remember, the performance is as important as the technique," she advised as they prepared to leave. "Kagetsu practitioners expect certain movements, specific phrasing. Make them see what they expect to see, and they'll fill in any gaps themselves."

  "Why are you helping me?" Malcolm asked suddenly. It was a question that had been bothering him since she first approached him in the infirmary. "What do you get out of this?"

  Sorha paused, considering her answer. "Let's just say I recognize a kindred spirit. Someone trying to navigate between worlds, just as I do." Her eyes met his directly. "And perhaps I believe that the Academy needs to be reminded that there are valid approaches beyond their traditional methods. You've become a focal point for that discussion, whether you intended to or not."

  "Great, so I'm your test case for changing centuries of tradition," Malcolm said with a wry smile. "No pressure or anything."

  "You're already doing it on your own," Sorha pointed out. "I'm just providing a few tools to help you survive the process." She shouldered her now-empty bundle. "Besides, watching Lian Koda's face when you successfully reproduce your demonstration while following all his precious protocols will be worth the effort."

  Malcolm had to laugh at that. "Now that's a motivation I can understand."

  As they walked back toward the Academy buildings, the evening bells tolling in the distance, Malcolm felt something he hadn't experienced since before his evaluation—a sense of possibility, of having a plan rather than just reacting to one crisis after another.

  Tomorrow's supervised demonstration would be a challenge, but with Sorha's technique and his own growing skills, it was one he might actually survive. And if he could convince Lian and by extension Grandmaster Kaiven that his abilities, while unusual, still followed recognizable alchemical principles, he might earn some breathing room to continue exploring his void pool's true potential.

  The pieces were aligning—historical precedent from the restricted texts, a plausible methodology to demonstrate publicly, and even a few allies like Sorha and Elder Mozu. For the first time since his collapse, Malcolm felt like he might be gaining control of his situation rather than just being swept along by it.

  Of course, that was usually when things got really complicated.