“What was that?!” one of the students yelled, the shock clear in his voice.

“It’s an attack, be careful!” Felix shouted, his eyes scanning the dark surroundings.

Elara swiftly took charge, called out to the group, “Everyone, stay together and be ready for anything. We don’t know what’s out there.”

As the initial shock faded, the group quickly took defensive positions, their expression tense and ready for confrontation.

A minute passed, and then another blast shattered the silence.

*Boooooom!!!*

This time, the origin of the blast was visible through the trees. Violet, assessing the situation quickly, directed, “The battle is happening not far away from here... Elara, take your team and go check it out.”

With a serious nod, Elara led her team toward the source of the blast, choosing a detour to approach cautiously.

Meanwhile, Violet, Felix, an elven girl, and three other boys formed a protective circle around Lorian, their eyes darting to the shadows cast by the intermittent flashes of light.

As distant explosions continued, Felix, trying to pierce the uncertainty, asked, “Any guesses what it could be?”

Violet pondered for a moment before replying, “We can’t be certain about the cause. It could be other sections engaging in battle, a natural phenomenon, some kind of trap, or perhaps something orchestrated by the Academy itself. We simply can't be sure.” Her suggestions covered the range of possibilities, reflecting the uncertainty of their predicament.

The students murmured in agreement with her assessment, though the lack of certainty kept them anxious and vigilant.

As time dragged on, Violet's gaze turned to Lorian, her brows furrowing. “Where has your brother disappeared to again?”

Lorian shrugged nonchalantly, his expression unfazed by Theo’s absence, which only deepened Violet’s frown.

After half an hour, the sounds of blasts finally began to wane, but the tension among the students did not dissipate. They remained on high alert as the sky gradually lightened.

As the first hints of dawn colored the eastern sky orange, birds began to chirp, heralding the new day. It was then that Theo emerged from the forest, walking towards them from the opposite direction of the commotion.

Violet confronted him immediately. “Where had you disappeared to?” Her tone was filled with worry, seeking an explanation for unannounced absence.

Theo stopped in his tracks, his expression unyielding as he met Violet's questioning gaze. "Nearby..." he stated simply.

Although he did not appreciate Violet's questioning, which felt too controlling, he recognized her position. As the team leader responsible for King’s safety, and with his role being to protect Lorian, her concerns were valid.

However, Violet was not satisfied with Theo's vague response, but she chose not to press him further at that moment. It was clear neither Lorian nor Theo felt intimidated by her authority, which only added to her wariness.

Unlike the others, Violet had always sensed that Theo was not an ordinary student despite his quiet demeanor and supposed lack of mana. To her, he was an enigma, a seemingly endless abyss whose depth her keen senses struggled to gauge.

As she continued to scrutinize Theo, trying to decipher more from his impassive demeanor, the sound of approaching footsteps diverted everyone's attention.

Elara and her team returned, shifting everyone’s attention from Theo to the newcomers.

Felix glanced toward his friend Garrick, who was trailing just behind Elara. Garrick immediately began to relay their findings, “Another section has their home territory just half a kilometer from here. The fight was happening there. It seems they were attacked by another group but managed to overwhelm the enemy with their superior numbers.”

“It was Section D that was attacked, but it’s still unclear whether the attackers were from Section B or C,” Elara added more details to the report.

Felix, puzzled by the detailed analysis, turned to Elara. “How did your highness discover all that?”

With all eyes on her awaiting an explanation, Elara elaborated, “The defending section consisted mainly of Canorian, Dwarves and Orcs, while the attacking group was led by humans and some elves.”

This clarification helped the students understand her reasoning, knowing that Section D was predominantly filled with beings from Feralon, which aligned with the racial composition Elara described.

“But why did you guys return?” Felix asked, his curiosity piqued by the team's sudden withdrawal.

To his question, Violet pointed out, "The sun is already up, and they would be disqualified for remaining in another team's home territory past dawn."

Remembering the rules, Felix sealed his mouth to stop himself from further blabbering.

Violet continued, laying out the plan for the day. “Since it’s morning, we should start gathering resources and information as planned. However, you can also rest and sleep as you see fit…” She then turned and headed towards the forest, taking the initiative on resource gathering on her own.

Elara and her team, still weary from the night's events, decided to retreat to their tents for some much-needed rest instead of joining the early resource hunt. The atmosphere at the camp had shifted with the rising sun; the lively buzz of the night gave way to a tranquil morning.

Theo and Lorian also retreated to their own tent to catch some sleep. As the hours passed, the camp remained quiet.

Six hours later, Theo awoke from a light sleep. Peering over, he saw Lorian still deeply asleep. The cramped space of their tent meant they were only separated by a pillow’s distance. If it were just the two of them, Theo could have summoned comfortable bedding from his golden vault. However, he knew that would only stir envy and questions among the others if they discovered his spatial storage was not confiscated by the academy.

Stepping out of the makeshift tent, Theo found the campsite almost deserted, with most students taking advantage of the time to rest.

An hour passed, and gradually, Lorian and the others began to wake up. However, a pressing issue quickly became apparent—there was no water available for basic needs like freshening up.

“Has someone discovered any water sources yet?”

“I don’t think so as we were all sleeping.”

“Ah, this damn expedition… The Academy should have at least provided us with some water to use.”

The students grumbled among themselves, voicing their general discontent.

Meanwhile, Theo sat quietly by the beachside, his gaze fixed on the gentle waves caressing the sandy shore.

Lorian soon joined him, settling down beside his brother. Over the sounds of the murmuring study, he commented dryly, “They are noisy…”

Theo glanced at him, probing, “Aren’t you worried about the water situation?”

Lorian shook his head, his demeanor calm and unfazed. “Neria and I have endured far worse. Days without food or water was normal for us.”

Theo nodded, understanding more deeply the hardships Lorian and Neria must have endured during their childhood. It was likely that Lorian, being the protective older brother, had often sacrificed his own share of resources for Neria's sake, especially when times were toughest.

Behind them, the rest of the group, motivated by the urgent need for water and food, moved toward the forest. Watching them disappear into the dense foliage, Theo waited until he was certain they were out of sight. Then, he discreetly pulled out two VigorVita Coconuts from his golden vault.

Lorian's face lit up with a grateful smile as Theo handed him one of the coconuts. Unsheathing the sword he usually carried, Lorian began to peel the outer shell, while Theo did the same. Without a word of question, he savored the nourishing contents, appreciating the unexpected treat.

Once they finished, Theo carefully collected the empty shells. He was mindful to conceal any evidence of their existence, placing the shells back into his golden vault. If others discovered these coconuts, it could lead to unnecessary questions or jealousy, given the scarcity of resources in the camp.

Just then, the rustling of a tent zipper broke the morning quietude as a student emerged, rubbing her eyes wearily as she adjusted to the morning light. Both Theo and Lorian, who had just finished discreetly disposing of their coconut shells, noticed her.

Her orchid purple hair fell messily over her face. With both hands, she swept it back and secured it with a rubber band, clearing her vision. As her eyes scanned the now deserted campsite, she quickly spotted Theo and Lorian staring in her direction.

Violet walked over to them with a puzzled expression. "Why has everyone left?" she asked, stopping a short distance away.

"For resources," Theo replied simply.

"It’s no use," She murmured under her breath, more to herself than to anyone else.

Theo, unaffected by her pessimism, settled down on the sand, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

Lorian, however, furrowed his brows in curiosity. "Why?" he probed, seeking more insight.

Violet sighed as she joined Theo on the sand, settling down with a weary slump. "I scouted the area nearby but found nothing edible. I even wonder where your brother managed to find those coconuts... The Academy surely made this expedition challenging," she grumbled, her frustration seeping through.

Lorian remained standing, his gaze drifting back towards the forest where the students had ventured in search of resources. The absence of any visible figures suggested they had traveled far from the home territory.

Theo, noticing Lorian’s contemplative look, inquired, "Are you okay?"

Lorian hesitated, then nodded his head lightly. His expression revealed his internal conflict, torn between wanting to help his classmates but reluctant to impose further on Theo.

Violet, typically fierce and commanding around the students, now looked subdued. She too stared out at the dancing waves, her usual stern demeanor softened by fatigue.

Lorian, still on his feet, watched the duo and the distant forest. Finally, he couldn't hold back his concern and voice out his thoughts. "Shouldn’t you be out looking for resources rather than sitting here?" he asked pointedly.

Violet shot him a sharp glare. "I've only had two hours of sleep," she snapped back, her voice thick with irritation. "I’ve searched enough. I’ll go again after I’ve rested a bit more," she retorted in a grumbling voice.

Theo observed the exchange, catching the hesitant look on Lorian’s face as he processed Violet's sharp response.

Lorian's concern for his classmates was evident, his gaze frequently drifting towards the forest where students had vanished in search of resources. Despite his urge to help, he remained rooted to the spot.

As the designated king responsible for the Sovereign Emblem, Lorian was bound to ensure its safety by staying within their home territory—a zone where other sections were forbidden to enter during the day.

Meanwhile, the ocean waves rhythmically collided against the shore, creating a soothing sound. Theo and Violet sat side by side in silence, each lost in their own thoughts, watching the relentless ebb and flow of the water.

Standing slightly apart, Lorian wrestled with his dilemma. He pondered over possible solutions, but the role of the expedition king restricted his movements, leaving him feeling helpless.