The Astrean family dinner, meant to formalize Aron's ascension as heir, takes a sharp, gruesome turn. Edward, the patriarch, announces Aron's succession, then calmly informs him that while the family won't punish him for Eric's death, he should beware Eric's maternal family's retaliation. Aron, caught completely off guard, is thrown into a panic, vehemently denying the murder and believing it was an enemy assassination. The room freezes, the tension thick enough to cut with Edward's spatial blade, as everyone tries to process this accusation. Then Asher, sipping apple juice as if discussing the weather, casually confesses: "Well… I killed him." He reveals Eric ordered a maid to poison his food, so he killed the maid, then possessed her body as a "vessel" to kill Eric. The revelation of "took over her body" and "lost one vessel" leaves Edward and Aron stunned, unable to question further, as Asher calmly warns Aron against trying to kill him and casually congratulates Edward on reaching Immortal Rank, a detail Aron hadn't even noticed. This scene shatters the family's illusions about Asher, exposing his chilling pragmatism, his hidden power, and his complete indifference to familial bonds when his peace is threatened. It leaves Edward terrified of Asher's true nature and the possibility of revenge, cementing his decision to keep Asher isolated, a tension that will inevitably break.

Asher enters Aetherium Academy, a prestigious institution ruled by the Saint-rank headmaster, Eldric, who is renowned for his impartiality. Asher's goal: live quietly and skip classes. His plans immediately hit a snag when Eldric, a Saint, instantly perceives Asher's absurd mana control, exposing his hidden talent during orientation. This forces Asher to publicly admit he scored low on purpose, prompting Eldric to highlight his genius and offer an escape: top rankers can skip classes. Asher, ever pragmatic, immediately sets his sights on ranking up. In the subsequent mana control class, Asher effortlessly maintains a perfect mana construct for over thirty minutes while casually sipping juice, outperforming even the top four students who struggled immensely. Professor Elisa, initially irritated by his flippant attitude and bizarre excuses, is left speechless by his raw, untamed talent. His peers, initially viewing him as just a duke's weird son, now see him as something abnormal, a monster of control. Asher, meanwhile, reveals his "optimized social behavior" to his new friend Noah and teammate Aria: he acted quiet to avoid trouble, but now that he's been exposed, there's "no point pretending anymore." This sets up his academy interactions as a series of clashes between his desire for peace and his inherent, disruptive power and personality.

Asher's unique mindset is brutally highlighted in two key encounters. First, in a training ground duel, he faces Adam Windrake, a noble he challenged to secure class-skipping privileges. Asher, fighting without a physical sword, effortlessly crafts mana blades, uses instant spatial teleportation, and disarms Adam by teleporting his sword away mid-combat. His precise, efficient victory, achieved with minimal effort, leaves Adam humiliated and his teammates, Leon and Celestine, wary of his true power. Later, in the cafeteria, Asher's nonchalance provokes Victor Helios, Rank 12, who demands a duel. Asher repeatedly refuses, calling himself a "coward" and dismissing Victor's anger with absurd logic ("You're blocking the light"). Victor, utterly defeated by Asher's baffling indifference, retreats in frustration. This incident solidifies Asher's reputation as someone unshakeable by conventional noble pride or threats, but it's immediately followed by his most absurd display: submitting a meticulously detailed cafeteria reform proposal to the Student Council, complete with budget calculations and projected morale improvements. His older brother Aron, head of the Discipline Committee, and even Crown Prince Lucien Voltaris, the Student Council President, are left bewildered but ultimately approve the trial, cementing Asher's bizarre influence and priorities.

The academy's survival test on a beast-filled island provides the perfect stage for Asher's true nature to shine. The rules are harsh: no external items in subspace, team eliminations, and points for killing beasts and rivals. Asher's team, consisting of Aria, Noah, and Adam, finds themselves isolated and outmatched by the combined forces of Leon Zevark, Celestine Voltaris, and Kevin Vermont's undead army. When confronted, Asher's initial strategy is to simply wait out the conflict, but when forced to fight, a terrifying, villainous smile spreads across his face. He unleashes overwhelming killing intent, paralyzing most of the opposing students. He then reveals his clones, splitting his cultivation to create a "fair" 1v1 scenario against the three Gold-rank leaders. Asher's clone brutally dismembers Celestine, severing all her limbs, and nearly kills Leon, only stopped by the timely intervention of his great-uncle, Walter Astrean, an Immortal-rank elder. This shocking display reveals Asher's ruthless efficiency and willingness to inflict severe, debilitating injuries, rather than just defeat, when his peace is threatened. The aftermath leaves Celestine in shock and Leon trembling in fear, solidifying Asher's image as a terrifying, detached monster who will go to extreme lengths to protect his desired quiet life.