His aura flickered again. "I’m not done."

Lucas’s smile faded slightly. "...You’re really pushing it."

From the sidelines, murmurs filled the air.

"He’s still standing?"

"That’s not possible. Lucas should’ve ended this long ago!"

"He’s... enduring it."

"That guy... Edwin. He’s different."

(I have fought with Jin and Elysia before midterm, but this guy is different.) Lucas thought.

The two fighters stood facing each other again, the ruined training ground between them.

Lucas raised his sword in a ready stance.

Edwin’s hands trembled, but he adjusted his grip, setting his stance firm once more.

"Come," Lucas said. "Show me if that ’valor’ of yours is real."

Edwin exhaled deeply, then dashed forward—one last time.

Their blades met with a thunderous CLANG, and light erupted once again across Ground Two.

The emergency bell continued to echo across the academy grounds.

Students from every division—first years, second years, and third years—had gathered at Ground One, the main plaza where urgent announcements were usually made.

Some students whispered among themselves, unable to stay quiet even during the official gathering.

"Do you know?" a third-year girl muttered to her friend. "Edwin and Lucas are still fighting right now!"

Her friend gasped. "What? Still? Didn’t he just fight Lena a while ago?"

"Yeah! He actually defeated her! Sent her flying out of the campus—people said they saw it!"

The murmurs grew louder.

A few meters away, Jin and Elysia stood side by side among the first-year section.

Both had caught the same rumor drifting through the crowd.

Jin’s brows furrowed. "Edwin’s fighting again?"

"This isn’t good." Elysia talked.

Jin clenched his fists. "If Lucas is involved, this could end badly. That guy’s ranked fourth among the third years."

Without another word, the two of them broke away from the crowd, sprinting toward the western field—Ground Two, where the earlier fights had taken place.

A few students noticed and began murmuring again.

"Hey, where are they going?"

"To the west ground... maybe to stop the fight?"

"Or to watch it—everyone’s talking about it anyway!"

Within minutes, whispers spread like wildfire across the academy.

At Ground Two

Deep cracks split the soil, and fragments of broken fences and training poles lay scattered everywhere.

The ground was filled with traces of mana burns, deep sword marks, and circular depressions from impact.

In the center, Edwin and Lucas were still exchanging blows.

Their movements had slowed compared to before, but each strike still carried weight and precision.

CLANG!

CLANG!

BOOM!

Their swords collided again, creating bursts of light and shockwaves that rippled through the field.

Dust whirled around them, forming a chaotic storm.

Lucas smirked. "Not bad, first-year. Still standing?"

Edwin, sweat dripping down his forehead, adjusted his grip.

His breathing was heavier now, his uniform torn and dust-covered. "You talk too much."

Lucas chuckled. "That’s the spirit. But words don’t win battles."

He lunged forward, swinging his blade in a rapid arc.

Edwin barely managed to block it, the force pushing him back several steps.

His boots dug trenches into the ground, and his arm trembled from the impact.

As Lucas pressed his advantage, Edwin’s eyes caught movement from the edge of his vision—a shadowy figure slowly approaching from afar.

He squinted through the dust. "Who the hell is she?"

The figure grew clearer as it came closer. Torn uniform, bruised face, yet fierce eyes filled with rage.

"Is that... Lena?" Edwin talked to herself.

Lucas stopped for a moment, glancing in the same direction. "Oh great, the Rank Nine returns."

Lena stepped forward, her voice trembling with anger. "You think... you can just throw me away like that, first-year?"

Edwin sighed softly. "You’re still not done?"

Before anything more could happen, a sharp laugh echoed from behind Lena.

"Well, well. What do we have here?"

A group of six upperclassmen approached from the northern path.

At the center of the group was Ethan, his usual arrogant smirk plastered on his face.

Behind him were his allies—each wearing the academy insignia of the Heroic Division.

"Hey, junior," Ethan called out as he walked closer.

"Do you want to be beaten up like your friend?"

Edwin’s brows furrowed. He took one step forward. "So it was you who did it?"

Ethan raised an eyebrow, pretending not to understand. "Hmm? Did what?"

"You and your group... you beat up Jin the other night, didn’t you?" Edwin said.

Ethan laughed mockingly. "Ah, so the rumor reached you, huh? Maybe. Maybe not." He tilted his head.

"What are you gonna do about it, hero boy?"

Before Edwin could answer, Lucas’s voice cut sharply through the tension.

"Enough," he said firmly, his sword was still raised. "This is my fight. Stay out of it."

Ethan turned his gaze toward Lucas.

"Oh? The proud Rank Four wants a fair duel now?"

Lucas’s eyes hardened. "This isn’t your business, Ethan. You’ve had your fun picking on first-years. But this match—you stay out."

Ethan’s smirk faltered for a moment. "You’re ordering me around now?"

"I’m warning you," Lucas said, stepping slightly forward.

"If you interfere, you’ll be next."

Even Ethan’s subordinates shifted nervously.

Ethan chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Fine, fine. Don’t get so serious, Rank Four." He turned slightly, motioning to his group.

"I am rank 2. I can defeat you easily but i will let you fight this little rat"

"Let’s just watch, shall we? Maybe this little hero will give us a better show."

Lena glared at Ethan as she passed him, whispering, "Don’t ruin this. He’s mine."

Ethan smirked. "Sure. I’ll just enjoy the view."

Meanwhile, in Professor Sylvia’s Office

Far away from the chaos of Ground Two, Professor Sylvia sat at her desk in her office.

The sound of the emergency bell still echoed faintly through the window.

"The emergency bell?" she said.

"What’s happening now?"

She turned toward the two students standing before her—Kael and Selena.

Kael stood quietly, hands behind his back. Selena, on the other hand, seemed restless, glancing between Kael and the window.

"What news could possibly cause such chaos?" Sylvia murmured again before focusing on Kael.

"Anyway, what you were talking about earlier..." Her tone became serious.

"Is it true?"

Kael’s eyes flickered for a moment before he nodded slowly. "This is all I can tell you, Madam."

Sylvia leaned back in her chair. "You found it beneath the ruins of Virelton, correct?"

Kael didn’t reply, only lowering his head slightly.

Selena leaned closer, curiosity sparking. "Wait, Madam Sylvia, what are you two talking about? Found what?"

Sylvia exhaled softly, resting her chin on her hand. "Something that shouldn’t exist anymore."

"It wasn’t meant to be found. But I couldn’t ignore the energy it emitted."

Selena frowned. "Energy? Like... mana energy?"

Sylvia shook her head. "No. ."

A brief silence filled the office before Sylvia stood up abruptly.

She turned to the window, watching the faint glow of mana lights flickering from the far training grounds.

"...And now this chaos," she muttered. "The bell, the duels... this academy is starting to unravel."

Selena blinked. "Do you think it’s connected?"

Kael said softly, "Everything is connected."

Sylvia turned to him sharply, but before she could question him further, a faint boom echoed from the distance—one strong enough to make the window glass rattle.

She froze. "That direction... Ground Two."

"Anyway," Sylvia said, "let’s head toward Ground Two. Let’s hear what news they’ve got."

Kael and Selena exchanged glances, both sensing the tension beneath her calm voice.

"Okay, madam," they replied in unison before following her out of the office.

The three of them walked quickly through the stone corridors of the academy.

Students hurried past in the same direction, murmuring excitedly about the emergency gathering.

By the time they reached Ground Two, the large open training field had transformed into a makeshift plaza filled with hundreds of students.

Banners fluttered in the wind, each bearing the crest of different guilds—names written in gold and silver ink that shimmered under the sunlight.

The air was lively, buzzing with curiosity and excitement.

At the front of the field, a temporary stage had been set up.

As Sylvia, Kael, and Selena arrived, Aldric raised his hand, and the crowd quieted instantly.

"Good afternoon, students," Aldric began.

"I have called this gathering to make an important announcement."

He paused, scanning the crowd.

"Today, I have invited representatives from several Hero Guilds across the continent. These guilds have come to offer recruitment opportunities to our students—specifically, those who will soon graduate from the academy."

Aldric continued, "Whoever is interested in pursuing a career under the guidance of a guild after graduation shall enroll today. This is your chance to prove your worth and connect with the strongest organizations in the realm."

With a slight wave of his hand, Aldric gestured toward the edges of the field.

One by one, banners were raised higher, revealing the guild names: Silver Dawn, Obsidian Fang, Twilight Vanguard, Azure Seraphim, and more.

As soon as Aldric stepped down from the stage, the students began to disperse excitedly, rushing toward the booths and banners.

The noise returned—chatter, laughter, and speculation filled the air.

"Hey, have you ever heard of this guild?" one boy asked, pointing at a blue banner with a silver phoenix.

"It says a top hero nation’s general is in this guild!"

"Seriously?" his friend replied. "Then I’m signing up for that one!"

A group of girls standing nearby giggled. One of them whispered, "Look, that guild leader’s standing right there... He’s so handsome! I’m definitely joining his guild!"

Selena, standing beside Kael and Sylvia, looked around curiously. "It feels like a festival," she murmured.

Sylvia nodded slightly.

"The guilds rarely visit this early in the year. Something’s motivating them to come now."

Kael’s gaze swept across the crowd. "Or perhaps they’re searching for someone specific," he said quietly.

Sylvia glanced at him. "Someone specific?"

He didn’t answer, his eyes fixed on a black banner far away—Obsidian Fang, known for taking on dangerous, high-tier missions that others avoided.

Its symbol—a fanged wolf wrapped in chains—seemed to pulse faintly with dark mana.