CHAPTER 123: BENEATH THE SURFACE.

For a brief moment, the entire plaza fell silent.

All eyes turned toward the glowing runes beneath Kael’s feet—bright lines of magic that confirmed his return just before the exam deadline.

The tension in the air slowly shifted to murmurs and exchanged glances.

"You cut that one close," Kalden remarked, his tone calm but not exactly friendly.

Kael gave a faint smile, sweat still clinging to his brow. "Close... is still on time."

Professor Sylvia stepped forward, her sharp gaze locked on him. "And what exactly were you doing, Mr. Ashford?"

Kael straightened his posture, still catching his breath from the long journey. "Since I went on a solo path and got a little lost on the way back," he said simply.

A few students nearby scoffed, clearly not buying the excuse.

"Right. Solo. More like chasing treasures. Does he think he is a hero?" one of them muttered.

"He always thinks he’s smarter than the rest of us," another whispered, eyeing the large, weighty pack slung over Kael’s back.

Even so, no one missed how tightly Cecelia exhaled the breath she’d been holding. Her shoulders eased ever so slightly.

Relief flickered in her eyes, though she said nothing.

Elysia, on the other hand, stood completely still, her expression unreadable as her gaze followed Kael.

Sylvia took a step closer, her voice lowering. "Next time, your return will take priority over any personal gain. Is that clear?"

Kael met her eyes without flinching. "Understood, Professor."

But deep down, his thoughts were already elsewhere.

(If I hadn’t gathered these materials... if I’d come back empty-handed... I’d be walking blind into the next battle. I don’t have the luxury to be that unprepared.)

He said nothing more, letting them think what they wanted.

He had his own path to walk—one that didn’t need their approval.

Kael stood quietly at the front of the submission table. He didn’t look nervous or proud—just silent.

In front of him, the instructor glanced at the few beast cores Kael placed on the metal tray.

Compared to other students, especially Edwin’s group, Kael’s submission looked pitiful.

Earlier, Edwin’s team had swaggered up to the table with smug smiles, handing over a large collection of glowing beast cores. They had hunted together, taken down several beasts, and their results showed it.

Their tray had practically overflowed with shining cores of various colors and sizes.

But Kael?

Just five mid-grade cores rolled slightly across the tray with a soft clink. No flashy high-tier finds.

No extra tokens. No signs of a great battle.

The instructor raised an eyebrow. "This is all?"

Kael gave a small nod. "That’s all."

From behind him, a few students began whispering to each other. Some chuckled under their

breath. A few openly scoffed.

"Tch. What a joke."

"I knew he’d flop."

"Probably got lost and picked up scraps on the way back. hahaha."

Many had thought Kael wouldn’t make it back at all. After the second day of the exam, no one had seen him.

While others fought in groups and returned to camp each night, Kael had disappeared into the deeper, more dangerous parts of the forest.

Some even assumed he’d been killed or gave up and ran.

But Kael didn’t say anything. He didn’t defend himself. He didn’t explain why his haul was so small. He simply turned away and walked off without a word, not even waiting to hear how many points he’d earned.

What the others didn’t know—and could never guess—was that Kael had hunted alone in the wildest, most dangerous zones of the forest.

He had faced powerful beasts by himself. Some had almost killed him.

But he won. And instead of handing over everything he’d collected, Kael had carefully hidden the most valuable items at the corner of the forest.

He kept the best for himself—beast cores, sharp fangs, rare claws, exotic hides, and even a few intact beast hearts.

All of it was meant to be sold later, far away from the academy, through a secret contact in Virelton’s underground market.

With the money, Kael planned to buy the things he truly needed: real combat gear, potions for healing, enchanted weapons, and maybe even a proper skill book.

He had no one backing him—no family wealth, no team, no support. If he wanted to survive what came next, he had to rely on himself.

The academy only cared about scores and rankings. But Kael had stopped caring about those a long time ago.

Let them laugh. Let them think he failed.

He wasn’t playing to win points.

As time goes on.

The sun had begun to set, casting a warm orange glow through the tall trees that loomed over the clearing.

The air was quiet now, with only the gentle rustling of leaves and the occasional chirp of distant birds.

The once chaotic battlefield—where students had fought, struggled, and pushed themselves to the limit—was now still. The tension from the exams had eased, replaced by a quiet calm.

Professor Sylvia stood at the front of the group. Her sharp eyes swept across the gathered students, who stood in rows—some exhausted, others still catching their breath, and a few glancing around for their friends.

Her voice rang out clearly, steady and firm, as the wind carried her words.

"Now that everyone has submitted their exam materials and cores," she said, "we’ll begin our return to the academy. For those of you who are day-scholars, you may head home but be sure to return tomorrow for the post-exam discussion."

She paused for a moment, allowing the words to sink in. "Hopefully, no one was seriously injured during the exam."

A soft murmur of relief passed through the students. Some visibly relaxed, while others exchanged tired smiles, glad that the ordeal was finally over and that no one had been lost or critically hurt.

Sylvia continued, her tone softening just slightly.

"As for your results, they will be released after your midterm break. Take this time to rest and reflect. Think about what you’ve learned—not just from your victories, but also your mistakes."

She glanced over the students, her expression thoughtful.

"Many of you fought real beasts for the first time. That experience, that fear, that adrenaline... it’s worth far more than just a grade on paper."

The students grew quiet again, her words settling in like the last rays of sun through the trees.

"Now," she concluded, "gather your things. We move in five minutes."

And with that, the Chapter of the midterm exam slowly came to a close, as students began preparing for the journey back—tired, wiser, and forever changed by what they had faced in the forest.