Chapter 24 Unlocking the Puzzle
Evelyn's POV
Michael continued, "Some species are born with unstable energy sources."
I lifted my head and stared straight at the professor without any hint of avoidance.
Michael was still talking on the podium, but I was already having trouble focusing.
When the bell rang, Michael assigned homework.
I walked out of the classroom, and the sunlight was streaming down through the clouds just right.
We walked side by side toward the cafeteria. Kane walked very slowly, as if thinking about something.
"Kane, Professor Martin asked me earlier if I'd had any healing treatment," I couldn't help but break the silence, telling him about the little incident in class. "She said my wound was healing much faster than expected, not even like what regular potions could achieve."
Kane's steps suddenly stopped. He turned his head, and those eyes flickered with light—curiosity and shock.
"Think carefully. Besides Dr. Clark's ointment, have you received any other treatment? Or when you were unconscious, did anyone perform any treatment on you or touch you?"
After listening carefully to Kane, I thought seriously and shook my head with certainty.
Kane's gaze became deeper. "If none of that happened, then most likely, this power is coming from within yourself."
Kane pulled me to find a corner to sit down. He took out a small notebook he carried with him from his pocket and quickly jotted down something.
I curiously leaned over and found it was full of his records about what kind of shapeshifter I might be.
"If Professor Martin said that, it proves she also finds this strange. If your body is speeding up healing on its own without strong external intervention, it means your cell activity, your Mana Circuit has some kind of special self-repair mechanism."
He stopped writing and looked at me, his eyes bright. "Most shapeshifters need healing magic or specific potions to help them recover after getting injured. But you seem different. You're like some creature with extremely strong vitality, or maybe you have healing abilities yourself. And your healing power is very quiet, very gentle, so much so that even you can't feel it."
Kane was recording intently in his notebook. He was really seriously searching for the answer to what kind of shapeshifter I am.
In his eyes, I seemed to be a precious puzzle waiting to be solved.
During lunch, Kane was still quiet. The Kane who had just made a surprising discovery and talked a lot had disappeared again.
He kept observing me, trying to discover any new changes I might have. But I had nothing, still telling him interesting things from class.
The afternoon class was Shapeshifting 101, still taught by Ambrose, and I still didn't like him.
As soon as I walked into the classroom, I felt an oppressive atmosphere.
Ambrose stood on the podium, his gaze coldly sweeping across the class. When his eyes landed on Kane and me, he didn't pause at all, as if we were just two puffs of air.
This feeling of being ignored was even harder to accept than being targeted.
Kane pulled me to sit down. We still sat in some inconspicuous corner in the back row.
"This class combines theory and practice," Kane said to me in a low voice, trying to ease my tension.
"Ambrose is annoying, but some of his theories are right. If there's anything you don't understand, I can teach you."
And Ambrose on stage really kept treating us like we didn't exist, so Kane had no choice but to teach me.
"What does shapeshifting feel like?" I asked, confused.
"It's a kind of resonance. Once you figure out what you really are, it becomes very simple, because you'll find that naturally fitting part, or some core feeling. You don't need to force it, just let that power flow through like water."
Kane explained carefully to me, very detailed.
"But I still don't know what I am," I said, feeling a bit dejected.
"That's why we need to try," Kane's voice was firm. "Close your eyes, forget about Ambrose, forget about everything around you, and feel the energy flowing in your body. Just simply feel it."
I took a deep breath and obediently closed my eyes. The classroom was quiet, with only Ambrose's occasional voice.
I tried to empty my mind and focus my attention inward. At first, I felt nothing. Kane's voice was low, with some gentle relaxation.
Slowly, a strange feeling appeared. At first, it was a faint tingling, like static electricity when taking off a sweater in winter, or like countless tiny needles gently pricking the skin.
This feeling wasn't painful, but rather soft and even, traveling through my blood vessels throughout my body.
"Do you feel it?" Kane asked.
"Mm, a little tingly," I responded quietly.
"That's magic flowing," Kane's tone carried a hint of encouragement.
"Good, that's progress."
As if encouraged by him, I became a bit bolder and tried to guide the tingling sensation to gather at my eyes.
I figured that no matter what kind of shapeshifter I was, I should have eyes. I wanted to try to see if I could sense anything else. Just as I tried to concentrate, the gentle tingling instantly vanished, replaced by a dead silent darkness.
Not the kind of darkness after closing your eyes, but as if someone had covered my face with a black cloth, and even the feeling of light through my eyelids disappeared.
I suddenly opened my eyes. Kane was looking at me with concern.
"Just now, everything in front of me was pitch black, a nothingness kind of black."
I said nervously, my voice trembling slightly.
Kane paused for a moment. He didn't panic, just said calmly, "Don't be afraid, don't rush. Take a deep breath, it'll recover soon."
I did as he said, and sure enough, the darkness before my eyes faded, and my vision became clear again.
Seeing me gently patting my chest, Kane comforted me softly, "You did great."
The bell finally rang. I breathed a long sigh of relief.
Kane and I walked out together.
"Let's go to the library!" I said. Kane nodded in agreement.
Thornwick Academy's library was huge and ancient, the air filled with the smell of old paper and ink.
We found a quiet corner to sit down. Kane poured a glass of water for each of us, then turned and moved between the bookshelves. When he came back, he was carrying a pile of heavy old books.
I looked at him and asked, "Kane, what are you looking for?"