CHAPTER 35: CAMP

When Athar woke up the next day, it was with a serene sense of satisfaction. Although he knew the problem had not been completely resolved and there was a good chance more trouble was headed his way, he could not ignore the accomplishment he had achieved the night before.

Taking down Dervin would always remain a significant milestone in his life, no matter how powerful he became in the future. It was the first time Athar had broken through his shell and has accomplished something courageous.

After freshening up, he made his way to the Resource Centre and collected his weekly quota of supplies.

With the 10 beast cores he had picked up yesterday, Athar was now only five cores short of reaching the breakthrough he had projected to achieve in two months.

He was not overly concerned about meeting his goal. He still had the mana pills—and he would be accumulating more in the coming weeks. At worst, he might be delayed by an extra week before reaching E Rank. That was acceptable.

While Athar busied himself calculating the resources he would need for the breakthrough, he remained completely unaware that mysterious and powerful forces had begun to stir in the shadows. Forces that, somehow, were all connected to him.

"Good morning, everyone," Vale greeted the class during the first lecture of the day. "I have often noticed that the morning after a holiday, students are far less receptive to my lectures."

A few students chuckled, some sheepishly. It seemed true after all.

"I suppose the hangover from yesterday’s fun is not so easy to shake off," Vale added with amusement.

He paused for dramatic effect, a sly smile forming on his lips.

"But," he said, voice rising with enthusiasm, "today, I bring news that is sure to perk up every last one of you and jolt you out of that post holiday daze."

Even before Vale had revealed anything, the class straightened in their seats. The lingering lethargy from the break vanished, replaced by curious whispers and expectant eyes.

"So," Vale continued, his smile broadening, "the good news is... starting tomorrow, you will be participating in your very first beast hunting and resource collection camp."

A wave of excitement rippled through the classroom. Murmurs broke out as students exchanged thrilled glances. Most of them already knew what the camp entailed and what it meant for the students.

"For those who are not familiar," Vale said, "let me explain a few simple things."

"Approximately every two months, we send our students, under the supervision of teachers, into the forest outside the academy to participate in a resource gathering and monster hunting camp. This is done to help you grow, to face the realities of the forest and to enrich your experience and prepare you for the future when you would have to inevitably fight the beasts."

"You would not be going alone," he continued. "All six batches of the first year students will be joining."

"I believe the first two batches have already completed two camps, while the third and fourth have participated in one each. This will be the first time for the fifth batch and, of course, your batch- the sixth."

The jolt of excitement increased tremendously in the class. It would be the first time that they would be having any kind direct interaction with students from other batches.

"Since it would be your first time," Vale went on, "most of you will focus solely on resource gathering."

"You will be under strict supervision from your teachers. Only if they deem you ready will you be allowed to engage in actual beast combat that under their direct supervision."

"The students from the other four batches, especially the first two, will have more freedom and responsibility."

"I am telling you all this in advance so you do not create any fuss when the time comes," Vale added, his voice firm and commanding. "Make sure you learn the rules and your specific duties ahead of time. If there are any additional instructions, your designated teacher in charge will inform you."

"Be prepared by tomorrow morning," he added. "This will be your first real step into the field."

"And," Vale said in a slightly heavy voice. "Although we take all the necessary precautions possible, we cannot rule out any accident completely."

"Most of the times, the reason for such an incident is carelessness and stubbornness of the students. I understand you all are young people with hot blood... but please follow the instructions of the teachers very carefully. A single misstep and it may cause you a serious injury or even your life."

"Am I clear?" Vale asked and the students replied in a chorus of, "yes."

"Good," Vale said. "Now, that tomorrow you will be going for your first camp in the forest, let us discuss some of the most common beasts and herbs in this forest."

After Vale’s class concluded, Athar made his way to the library.

Though he was already somewhat familiar with the concept of beast hunting and resource gathering camps, the fact that he would now be participating in one compelled him to gather more detailed information.

Fortunately, the library had small booklets dedicated to the topic, freely available for all students. Athar picked one up and spent the next couple of hours carefully studying its contents.

The first thing he learned was the location: the forest where the camp would be held was called The Sticky Forest, situated about 70 kilometers from Nawarin City. The forest had earned its unusual name due to a particular species of beast commonly found there. One Athar was now keenly curious to see for himself. Vale had also spent quite some time in detailing their characteristics and the ways to deal with them.

The camp was generally held for 3-5 days and the specific number of days would be informed by the teacher in charge tomorrow. The most unusual rule? Students were not allowed to bring anything to eat or drink. Whatever they needed had to be collected from the forest itself. Basically, a survival experience.

Next, the booklet elaborated on the activities expected from the students. As Vale had already explained, the sixth batch, Athar’s batch, would primarily be tasked with resource collection rather than actual beast hunting. The most common resource to be gathered was herbs, though there were other valuable materials scattered throughout the forest as well.

Then came the rules and precautions. Most were expected. Listen to the supervising teachers, do not stray too deep into the forest, and avoid engaging with unidentified or unknown beasts. But one rule, in particular, caught Athar’s attention.

Any resource collected by a student, be it herbs, monster cores, or valuable beast parts would be the student’s property. The students would be sole owners of whatever they got from the forest.

They could choose to exchange these items with the academy for points or sell them elsewhere. The decision was entirely up to the student.

Though not entirely shocking, Athar was genuinely surprised that the academy did not claim any share of the resources gathered. It felt almost too generous.

But for Athar, it was a pleasant surprise.

It meant that, with some smart planning and a bit of luck, he could walk out of this camp not just stronger, but significantly richer in both resources and cultivation opportunities.

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