It was an intense stare, enough to strike a soul.
Their meals in this world followed a strange, limited pattern: meat, porridge, bread, and meat again.
Nobody could identify what type of meat they were eating, but they'd grown accustomed to not expecting answers.
The room had tall, arched stained-glass windows letting in natural light, along with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The dining room walls were built with the usual red brick and wooden panels.
Four long wooden tables with matching benches dominated the hall, while Halo occupied the last one against the wall, enjoying his meat.
Opposite him was Theron, bandages wrapped around his head as he aggressively stabbed the poor steak on his plate in a repeated motion.
Halo let out a sigh. Theron seemed to be murmuring something, and though he couldn't hear him, he was sure of his words. "You are dead, Wick."
This didn't bother him much because there was only so much Theron could actually do.
They were about to have survival lessons with Caster in the dining room for some reason, and regardless of that, Halo could destroy Theron's carefully crafted image by lying about their encounter with the Sinner.
Theron had already been lying about his bravery.
'He could have died, and it would have been my fault. Yet I feel no sorrow, no guilt. How monstrous have I become?'
Halo smirked with his hand brushing through his white hair, failing to lose eye contact with Theron.
'Perhaps this is my true nature.'
Soon the other students arrived, and when they reached the dining room, Halo ended up sitting between Aelia and Liam.
The three of them had grown more at ease with one another, despite Liam having said very little during their time here.
Cough!
Caster's cough echoed through the walls, drawing all the attention to him.
"Uhm… this is our first survival lesson, but I'd like to use this chance to explain what Sin Shards are truly capable of."
The words left Caster lazily; it was as though he was on the verge of sleep.
Halo adjusted himself on the bench; too much of Caster's laziness might be a lull.
"So when it comes to survival…"
The hall grew awkwardly silent, confused murmurs filling the air.
"Wait, weren't you supposed to go over Sin Shards first?"
Caster gave Tyson, who sat beside Theron, a lazy look.
"No. Survival first…
"Surviving in this world depends on a few things: knowing what to eat, what not to eat, and how to prepare them."
Halo felt a tap on his shoulder, stealing his attention in Aelia's direction.
"Uhm…" she struggled to keep eye contact, repeating her usual eye movements. "I… I think these steaks come from the Sinners."
"Huh?" Halo blinked repeatedly, his expression mimicking his disgusted thoughts. He wasn't particularly affected by the steak's origin; he'd had it worse. It was his obviousness that stung him.
"They look almost identical to real-world animals… maybe they're the only ones this world has."
Halo swallowed hard, his initial disgust shifting into comprehension. He'd been in this world for nearly five days, consuming meat daily. How had he never considered that possibility?
The Toddler Sinner he and Theron encountered looked remarkably like a reindeer.
It seemed almost artificially created, considering how closely it resembled the real animal.
But even that wasn't sufficient evidence for him to reach such a conclusion.
He rubbed his temples incredulously as Caster validated every point Aeliana had made.
His gaze shifted to Aelia, whose golden eyes wandered anywhere but toward Caster.
She was obviously brilliant—she'd been correct multiple times before—yet she seemed completely uninterested in Caster's lesson.
How had someone like her ended up in this world? Both she and Seraphim seemed almost angelic.
Still, Halo knew it was best if he listened to Caster since he didn't have Aelia's intellect.
***
Caster went on to teach them about the common foods in this realm, some that resembled their previous world's cuisine and others that seemed completely different and unique, using samples he had prepared beforehand.
He explained which kinds of Sinners to hunt and which weren't safe to eat. From his descriptions, it was clear there were reckless and desperate people out there, given the dangerous creatures they were willing to try consuming.
While Caster didn't elaborate extensively on which Sinners were inedible, he outlined several warning signs: those that consumed humans, those containing Sin Shards, and those with human-like appearances. All of these categories were strictly off-limits.
That got Halo thinking. How could they tell if a Sinner had already consumed a human? What disturbed him more, though, was learning that some Sinners looked human.
He'd assumed they would all be revolting creatures, including the humans who had transformed into Sinners.
This world was indeed full of surprises.
"About the Sin Shards," The words left Caster lazily, his eyes giving in to sleep. He seemed tired from talking alone.
"When a Sin Shard is consumed, it passes on a fragment of the fallen's True Sin… and with it, a sliver of their greatest ability."
He rubbed his eyes.
"So here's how it works: when a god picks you, you get a True Ability… something tied to your Only Sin. But that's not the same as what a Sin Shard gives. Shards only boost raw stats like strength, speed, or defense."
Caster paused for a moment, his expression growing lazier, as though he was contemplating whether to postpone the class.
After a brief moment, he let out a heavy sigh.
"However, Sin Shards may be traded, whether to sharpen your True Ability… or to gamble on a Secret."
Halo's eyes narrowed in suspicion. If that were true, then people could skip consuming Sin Shards entirely and just barter them for secrets or True Ability enhancements. There was bound to be a catch.
Perhaps, the Sin Shards may be shared or traded, but the fragments of the True Sin would remain.
He wouldn't make the mistake of being naive again.
"However, the cost in Sin Shards for every improvement is dictated by your True Ability… some of you may need far more than others."
A deep exhale.
"Secrets are tricky. Very."
Halo smirked.
"The secret you gain is tied only to the fallen, and you can never take more than one. Choose carefully… in this world, nothing taken can ever be returned."
"Don't spend all your Sin Shards at once. You'll need plenty if you intend to climb the ranks. Remember, it's a universal currency of this world."
Halo repositioned himself uncomfortably. They hadn't even encountered the true horrors of this world yet, and already he could tell that he and several others were exhausted by it all.
So many rules to follow, even as he couldn't help but commit each one to memory. And undoubtedly, there would be more.
"There are things you'll be told in time, but at this moment, they're better left unsaid." Caster said and without waiting for a reaction, began walking out of the room.
"Halo can we train together?"
"Huh?" Halo turned in Liam's direction. The words came at him too fast and were uncalled for, making it hard for him to process it all at once.
He had to watch Liam struggle to repeat it.
Halo had never been one to seek companionship. His understanding of friendship was stunted compared to others. But even he understood the weight of this world. No one could handle it alone.
Though he wasn't sure since he didn't have anything unique up his sleeve, he reluctantly agreed.
It was for the best.