It had been a month since Darell had recovered.

During that time, he and his friends had diligently trained in the academy's training hall, pushing themselves to reach level 14.

The Varona Royal Academy had a unique schedule where magic classes were held six days a week, while combat classes were limited to three days.

This arrangement aimed to ensure that students could handle the intensity of combat training without compromising their overall growth.

With one day a week designated as a free day, Darell and his friends took the opportunity to explore the capital city.

Today, they were sitting in a fancy restaurant, enjoying a meal and engaging in casual conversation.

These outings had become a regular occurrence for the group, whether it was dining in luxurious restaurants or going out in picnics.

Emma had playfully declared that every outing should be considered a date, much to Darell's amusement.

After finishing their meal and settling the bill, they still had ample time before needing to return to the academy.

At Emma's insistence, they went on a sightseeing adventure, immersing themselves in the city's sights and sounds.

Emma, affectionately clinging to Darell's arm, intertwined her fingers with his and engaged in lively conversation.

Lilith joined in, linking her arm with Darell's and radiating a bright smile.

The attention they received from onlookers, filled with envy and jealousy, didn't faze Darell.

To his surprise, Darell noticed that Ariel and Eric were also engrossed in their own private conversation, displaying a loving and affectionate atmosphere.

It was unusual for Eric to openly show public affection, making Darell appreciate the happiness exuding from their interaction.

The envious gazes from men didn't escape Darell's notice, but he cherished the cheerful and smiling faces of his friends.

His happiness, however, was short-lived as he felt an unsettling presence and swiftly activated his skill [Sense].

Among the crowd, he identified a figure observing them discreetly, likely reporting their movements to someone in the academy whom Darell had found out as the "boss."

Although the individual's surveillance didn't provoke any immediate action from Darell, he remained vigilant.

Any attempt to harm or interfere with his group would unleash his wrath upon them, whether through covert measures or confrontation.

The following day arrived, and Darell and his companions were resting on a safe floor within the dungeon.

They had successfully reached the 10th floor, but they were cautious about rushing through the dungeon in a single day, wanting to avoid a repeat of their previous unfortunate encounter.

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Instead, they focused on honing their battle instincts and becoming more seasoned in combat.

After a productive day of training, they decided to conclude their exercises and left the training hall.

They hurried back to their respective dorm rooms to freshen up quickly before meeting at the dining hall.

It was there that they would gather to share a meal and exchange stories of their experiences.

The Varona Royal Academy placed significant emphasis on preparing its students to face the formidable beasts.

This approach stemmed from a tragic event that unfolded thousands of years ago.

During that time, the Kingdom of Gavaria lacked a formal academy, and individuals had to acquire new skills and combat techniques by hunting beasts and collecting their valuable beast cores.

Learning new skills was a difficult challenge since there were no dedicated institutions available.

To incentivize skill development, the king organized tournaments where the victors would be rewarded with high-ranking beast cores.

This led to a surge in tournament participation, and parents urged their children to enhance their mana and acquire new abilities.

Unfortunately, this opportunity was primarily accessible to wealthy noble families, while commoners were left to engage in perilous battles against the beasts, fighting for their survival to grow stronger.

In the eastern region of the Kingdom of Gavaria, a small town nestled amidst a dense forest stood as home to approximately 10,000 commoners.

Their daily lives were filled with various activities, and some among them were enticed by the allure of tournament rewards.

These brave individuals ventured into the nearby forest, engaging in battles against formidable beasts in hopes of obtaining their precious beast cores.

However, only a select few young men and women managed to increase their mana and attain rank 03 skills.

The majority of the town's inhabitants, wary of the risks involved, chose to ignore the tournaments altogether and instead focused on their daily routines.

Unfortunately, tragedy horrifyingly struck them.

One fateful night, as the people slept peacefully within their homes, the ground beneath them quivered.

The forest surrounding the town trembled, and with escalating intensity, trees shattered and collapsed.

The frightened residents abruptly awakened, rushing outside in a state of sheer horror.

Their faces contorted with terror as they beheld an immense horde of beasts charging relentlessly toward them.

Panic consumed the town, and its inhabitants scattered, seeking refuge in their homes.

Some valiantly attempted to defend their homes, while others clutched their children, desperately attempting to flee.

Alas, all their efforts proved futile, for the horde consisted of beasts ranked 4 or higher.

The town's commoners, devoid of even enough mana to learn rank 01 spells, found themselves ill-equipped to fend off such powerful beasts.

How could they hope to defend themselves against such overwhelming odds?

That fateful night witnessed the town's complete decimation, as the relentless onslaught of beasts brought devastation and tragedy to every corner.

Within the bustling capital of the Kingdom, at the same time, a crucial meeting was underway, presided over by the King himself.

However, the proceedings were abruptly interrupted as a servant burst into the room, gasping for breath.

The King's brows furrowed, initially disapproving of the intrusion, but his irritation dissipated upon observing the servant's grave and horrified expression.

"Your Majesty!" the servant uttered, his voice trembling slightly, "The town of Lont has fallen victim to an onslaught of beasts."

When the servant relayed this distressing news, the people in the meeting angrily shouted.

The King's gaze hardened, his concern evident.

"Are there any survivors?", the King asked, his voice tinged with a mix of dread.

In response, the servant remained silent, merely shaking his head.

* BANG *

The King furiously pounded his fist upon the table, causing it to break apart and disintegrate.

In the aftermath of his enraged outburst, he wasted no time in issuing a command to a hundred individuals, urging them to ready themselves for battle.

Their destination: the town of Lont.

Each of these warriors possessed the knowledge of spells ranked at seven or even higher.

Upon reaching the town, their hearts sank as they beheld a scene of utter revulsion and horror.

The remnants of its inhabitants were strewn about, while homes lay torn asunder, consumed by flames.

It was a sight that stirred profound disgust and deep-seated anguish within their souls.

On that fateful day, the once-thriving forest was reduced to ruins, its once-verdant beauty destroyed.

Having returned from the harrowing ordeal, the King wasted no time in issuing a royal decree.

Its mandate was to construct an academy, where individuals of all backgrounds could be equipped with the knowledge of spells and trained to combat the beasts, should another horde ever rear its savage head.

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Darell proceeded towards the dining hall, his stride interrupted as he came to a sudden halt.

His gaze was fixated on a particular group of individuals, led by none other than Abel and his loyal subordinates.

He noticed them purchasing huge amounts of weapons and potions from the weapons hall.

He was confused and thought, 'What the hell? Why is Abel buying so many weapons and potions? More importantly, how is able to buy them? He doesn't have the necessary academy points or money that is required to buy them. Then, how is buying them?'

'What if...?', Darell's eyes widened as he realized, 'What if the boss is a Duke or of even higher status? Yes! That's it! Only a Duke or someone even higher can throw away so much money on buying so much weapons and potions! Yes! Now, it makes perfect sense! The boss can give so much money to Abel to buy them because he is a Duke! But... the main question is... why? Why is he doing this? What would he gain from it? Satisfaction? Political gain?'

He saw Abel and his subordinates carry them out of the weapons hall and thought, 'But... a Duke as an enemy is not good. It's scary. A Duke has much more power, connections, etc.'

He clenched his fists and thought, 'But... I have a limit. I can only tolerate so much. If the boss can't restrain themselves, then they must be prepared to face the consequences.'