CHAPTER 40: ACADEMY BECKONS, SHADOWS LINGER

A warm breeze rolled across the wasteland that had once been a thriving forest.

Now, it was a jagged scar on the land — a freshly formed valley, deep and unnatural, as though the earth itself had been torn apart. The sky above was clear, tinted in warm shades of crimson and orange, painted by the light of the twin suns that hovered over Orimund, casting long shadows over the broken terrain.

From the horizon, the thunder of hooves echoed across the scarred terrain.

A convoy of armored riders approached swiftly, a midnight blue flag billowing in the breeze at their front. Embroidered in its center was a striking golden six-pointed star, encircled by a ring of interlocking chains, all outlined in brilliant white.This is the symbol of Valdoria kingdom.

This was Division Nine of the Valdoria Kingdom, codename: Cipher — the kingdom’s elite investigation and disaster-response unit.

Leading them was a woman in gleaming heavy armor. As they came to a halt and dismounted, she removed her helmet, revealing snow-like white hair that shimmered under the dual sunlight and deep ocean bluish-green eyes that sharpened the moment she gazed upon the scene.

She was Captain Valeriana Azurecrest , known throughout Valdoria kingdom for her sharp mind and unmatched investigative instincts.

Behind her stood two royal mages—one male, one female—draped in long, ornate robes embroidered with the same six-pointed star symbol. Mana flickered faintly around them as they surveyed the land with grim expressions.

Several knights followed suit, dismounting and stepping into formation.

Valeriana stepped forward, boots crunching over cracked earth.

"...This isn’t just a natural disaster," she muttered, eyes scanning the jagged edges of the valley. "Forests don’t turn into valleys overnight."

"Everyone—start investigating. Document everything. I want traces of mana, energy surges, environmental disturbances. Look for any hint of what happened here."

"Yes, Captain!" the knights responded, fanning out across the scorched terrain.

Valeriana turned to the mages.

"You two—focus on lingering mana. See if you can identify the type or origin."

The male mage knelt and pressed his hand to the ground, murmuring incantations. The female raised her staff, and faint blue glyphs began to spin in the air. Their brows furrowed as the residual energy signatures began to take shape.

Valeriana’s gaze drifted toward the distant town barely visible from the rise.

Valeriana then gestured toward a few knights near her.

"You, with me. We’re heading to the nearby town—Eldrin. There must be someone there who saw or heard what happened."

Two knights saluted sharply.

"Yes, Captain Valeriana!"

As the squad split to carry out their tasks, Valeriana stood still for a moment longer, the wind tugging at her white hair. Her gaze swept across the valley, troubled.Though the sky was calm and the red sunlit hues bathed the land warmly, there was something unsettling about this place. The air still whispered with the remnants of an unfathomable power.

"...This wasn’t just a fight," she whispered to herself. "This was something far beyond."

---

High above the clouds, Zane soared through the crimson-tinted skies, his black coat fluttering behind him as the twin suns cast their warm glow over the land. It had been two days since he’d left Eldrin.

During his journey, he’d passed over lush forests teeming with wild beasts, snow-capped mountains crawling with monsters, and numerous small cities scattered across the vast kingdom. If he truly wanted, reaching the border city would’ve taken him seconds—or less. But Zane wasn’t in a hurry. He wanted to see this world for himself.

And now, floating above the final ridge, he finally saw it—the border city of Valdoria.

Massive stone walls loomed in the distance, bustling with life and military presence. Zane descended softly onto the grassy field just out of view from the main gate. He recalled how Ron and Lia had reacted when he flew before.

"Hmm... I guess not many people in this world can fly freely," he muttered, hands in his coat pocket.

"Well, whatever."

He walked toward the main gate, flashing his traveler pass to the guards. With a quick inspection and respectful nods, they let him through.

The moment he stepped inside, his eyes widened slightly.

The city was vast—far bigger than any of the towns or cities he’d passed, and Eldrin couldn’t even be compared. The streets were wide and clean, packed with vendors, adventurers, knights, and merchants. Towers loomed in the distance, and magical crystals glowed softly at every corner.

His internal battle power system blinked to life, silently scanning nearby individuals:

234...

187...

354...

156...

Zane chuckled.

"Heh... the average battle power here is higher than the strongest people in Eldrin," he thought.

"Well, except for that librarian girl."

As he strolled through the city, taking in its architecture and buzz, a sudden familiar energy tugged at his senses.

He paused. A grin formed on his lips.

"Finally here, huh?"

The camera shifts—across the crowded gates, Ron and Lia arrived on horseback, exhausted, dusty, but determined. Their eyes widened as they took in the grand city before them.

Their journey had ended.

---

Back inside the bustling border city, Zane wandered through the wide streets, taking in the sights, sounds, and scents of a place teeming with life.

His eyes flicked over glowing lanterns fueled by mana, children chasing each other around a floating orb toy, and armored guards moving in formation. His expression remained calm, but inside, he was already thinking ahead.

"So Ron and Lia should be heading for the academy exam soon..."

He smirked faintly, his boots clicking softly on the stone pathway as he walked.

"I wonder what their faces will look like when they see me... standing there... not as a participant... but as a teacher at Astralis Arcanum."

A chuckle escaped him.

"That’s going to be... fun."

He looked up at the sky for a moment—both suns still cast their red-tinged glow across the city. His gaze drifted slightly, thoughtful.

"And that small black growing spots in Ron’s fate aura...I want to know its reason."

His smile faded slightly. His eyes narrowed, thoughtful.

"Interesting."

He turned a corner, and the towering structure of the academy came into view—Astralis Arcanum. It dominated the landscape, rising like a fortress of knowledge and power. Massive towers of crystal-infused stone shimmered under the twin suns, and arcane runes pulsed gently on the massive front gates.

Zane had seen it from the sky before—how it sprawled across nearly half the city. But from ground level, the scale was even more impressive.

And so was the crowd.

The academy entrance was a sea of hopefuls—nobles in elegant robes, commoners with hopeful eyes, beastkin with fur-lined cloaks, elves with sharp gazes, dwarves in runed armor... Every race, every walk of life.

All drawn here for one reason: admission into the greatest academy in Valdoria.

Zane stood at the edge of the crowd, hands in his pockets, grey coat fluttering in the warm wind.

"Let’s begin the show."

---

Meanwhile, in Eldrin Town...

Captain Valeriana stood calmly near the town square of Eldrin, her heavy armor gleaming faintly under the reddish sunlight of the twin suns. While her knights fanned out through the streets, questioning townsfolk and scanning for any sign of unusual mana, she observed quietly—watching reactions, noticing body language, calculating.

Most civilians, though confused and wary, answered obediently. The presence of armored knights bearing the kingdom’s symbol was enough to command respect—and fear.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed behind her.

A knight approached with urgency, saluting swiftly. "Captain Valeriana!"

She turned her head slightly, voice stern. "Weren’t you assigned to the valley site? Why are you here?"

The knight bowed lower, his tone serious. "Apologies, Captain. A new directive just arrived—an additional investigation order."

Valeriana’s eyes narrowed. "Explain. Immediately."

The knight took a breath. "A request has come directly from Marquis Montague. His third son, along with his personal guard, was last reported to have entered this town... and has since gone missing. The Marquis wants Division Nine to handle the matter."

Valeriana’s expression hardened. "Marquis Montague’s son... missing here?"

She looked toward the quiet buildings of Eldrin with renewed focus, her oceanic eyes sharpening. "That complicates things."

She turned to her lieutenants and mages. "Continue the primary investigation at the valley—but double-check records of recent visitors. Find out everything about outsiders who’ve come through this town in the past week. And inform the local officials we’ll need access to their ledgers."

The knight saluted again. "Yes, Captain!"

Valeriana whispered to herself, "What in the world happened here..."

.

.

.

The sun dipped behind the hills as Division Nine’s banner fluttered gently over the town’s guard post. Valeriana stood near the command table, arms folded, her expression unreadable as knights moved around gathering intel.

Moments later, a knight approached and handed her a fresh set of documents.

"The list of all outsiders who entered Eldrin in the past week, Captain."

She scanned the list in silence, her sharp eyes narrowing as she flipped through the pages. Then she tapped the parchment five times with her gloved finger.

"These five," she muttered. "Something feels off. Especially this one..." Her finger stopped on a single name.

"Zane Creed."

Turning to the knight, she said, "Find out where all of them are staying. I want full surveillance—now."

The knight saluted. "Understood, Captain!" He swiftly departed on horseback.

Valeriana stared at the name once more.

"Zane Creed, huh...?" she whispered.