Editor : Amethyst00



The Azo Desert, located from the southern continent to the mid-west.

"Come to think of it, isn't the Azo Desert a restricted area?"

At the question from second-year Knight Department student Haviden, Juen nodded.

"That's right. For beastkin, this place is sacred."

"Is there a special reason?"

"According to legend, it's said to be the hometown of Azonia."

"Oh? Really?"

"Didn't know? You should study other races' histories, too."

At Juen's words, Haviden shrugged his shoulders.

"But aren't there several places suspected to be Azonia's hometown? The beastkin restrict access to places other than the Azo Desert as well."

"That's true."

"What? What a letdown."

Clicking his tongue in disappointment, Haviden let out a deep sigh.

"Anyway, doesn't it seem like Leo-sunbae is getting more and more ruthless?"

"When has he ever not been like that?"

Juen sighed, and Aina made a resigned face.

"We just have to get used to it."

"But we're almost at our destination."

Juen unfolded a map.

Being from the southern continent, he was skilled at navigating deserts.

As the three of them pressed on under the blazing sun—

Rumble…!

They felt a small tremor.

Screeeech!

Along with it, a faint, birdlike scream was heard.

"What was that sound?"

"Someone screaming?"

When the three turned around—

Whoosh!

Sand shot high into the sky.

Like a whale spouting water from the ocean floor.

"That's… a Skull Orca?!"

An undead-type monster made using the bones of a giant killer whale.

A dangerous creature that swims not through the sea, but through the desert.

Aina quickly picked up Juen.

Though a Knight Department student, Haviden also used elemental arts. He summoned a low-level wind elemental using spiritual power.

Blessed by the wind elemental, Aina and Haviden began running at incredible speed.

"Waaaaaaah!"

A familiar scream came from behind.

"Luke?"

Juen looked back in shock.

Aina also glanced back and froze.

Luke was running for dear life, being chased by the Skull Orca.

In his arms was Leah, the second-year representative of Seiren Academy.

"Faster! Run fasterrrr!"

Terrified, Leah clung to Luke's neck with all her might and screamed hysterically.

"So the second-year rep from Seiren is here too."

At Haviden's mutter, Aina's eyes turned slightly sharp.

Her gaze locked onto Leah, who was clinging to Luke.

"Aina! Look out! In front!"

Juen suddenly screamed.

A massive boulder appeared ahead.

But Aina, without even looking ahead, ran straight toward the rock at full speed.

"Aaaaaah! Look where you're going!"

Juen's desperate scream echoed through the sky.

bl

In the middle of the desert, at a large campsite.

Tents and wagons filled with supplies were everywhere.

Walking around the perimeter with Lunia, Drianna spotted Aru atop a wagon.

"Aru, what are you doing up there?"

"Watching the others come."

"Can you see them well?"

"Yep, really clearly. Oh, maybe not for you since you're short."

At those words, Drianna climbed up and smacked Aru on the head.

Clutching her head and rolling around, Aru eventually sat back down.

Sitting cross-legged, she resumed watching the desert horizon.

Drianna asked while watching her.

"Is it okay for you to sit like that in a skirt?"

"I'm wearing shorts underneath."

Lifting her uniform skirt slightly, Aru answered nonchalantly.

"You always ask us to be nude models, and now you care about modesty?"

"Aru, you're misunderstanding. I only want to see your bodies for art's sake, not for anything perverted."

Listening in, Lunia spoke up.

"When will the first-years arrive?"

The third-years were already at the camp, and many second-years who traveled with them had arrived too.

But there was no sign of the first-years.

"I think the Black Rabbit dropped the first-years in a completely different area."

"Knowing how nasty he is, I wouldn't put it past him. It'll take them longer."

Clicking her tongue, Drianna spotted a sand fountain rising far out on the desert horizon.

Lunia's expression turned dumbfounded as she saw the second-years being chased by the Skull Orca.

"Those exist too?"

"That looks tough even for second-years."

Squinting, Aru identified the students being chased.

"Should we take care of that bony whale first?"

As Aru cracked her knuckles, Drianna said,

"No. I'll take care of it."

She pulled a massive battle axe from a subspace.

Gripping a weapon larger than herself, she shouted and threw it.

Crack-crack-crack-crack!

The axe spun like a boomerang and smashed the Skull Orca to pieces.

GROOAAAARRRR!

The monster disintegrated into powder.

"Hmm. Judging by the flight speed, it needs some tweaks."

Pulling out a memo pad, Drianna scribbled notes.

"What are you writing?"

"Improvements for my weapon. I'm a blacksmith before I'm an artist."

"No, you're just a blacksmith. Not an artist."

Lunia corrected her, but Drianna ignored it.

"I've been too caught up in being an artist and neglected my blacksmithing. But a blacksmith must never be secondary."

"Of course. Because you are a blacksmith."

"So chatty."

Drianna lightly jabbed Lunia in the side with her fist.

"Gack?!"

Lunia collapsed, clutching her ribs.

Twitching on the ground, she groaned.

"I'm still alive…"

Meanwhile, the second-years arrived at the campsite.

Juen panted heavily, drained.

Though they hadn't crashed into any obstacles, the narrow dodging like acrobatics had rattled him enough.

Aina set Juen down and approached Luke.

"Um… Leah. It's over now."

"I-it is?"

Leah peeked out from Luke's chest.

"Ahem! I must've looked so shameful."

"No, I was scared too."

"Thanks for carrying me. I didn't have enough mana output to use a Fly spell…"

"No worries. We'll have to work together a lot, and we're friends, right?"

"Friends…"

Leah echoed the word and then chuckled.

"Well, even so, I'm still going to beat you."

Then, she started poking Luke's chest.

"You have such a soft-looking face, but your body's firm?"

"I'm a knight."

"Oh?"

Eyes sparkling, Leah began touching Luke all over.

"T-that tickles."

Luke gave an awkward laugh.

"Back off."

Pouting slightly, Aina pulled Leah away from Luke.

Watching it all, Lunia spoke.

"Why don't you all stop chatting and go wash up?"

Startled, the second-years snapped out of it and headed toward the wagons.

"Thank you for helping us."

"This is the end of the test, right?"

Still wary, the students looked at Drianna, who nodded.

"The test's over. Relax and rest well."

Only after hearing that did the second-years let their guard down and enter the camp.

"Now we just need the first-years to arrive?"

"Probably take another day."

Aru flopped down as she rocked side to side.

"So boring."

To that, Lunia warned,

"Whatever you do, don't say that to Leo."

"I'm not that dumb!"

Aru pouted.

bl

"Ah! Class rep! I—mmph!"

Eliana, about to shout near Leo's tent, had her mouth covered by Eiran from behind.

As she flailed in surprise, Chen Xia commented in admiration,

"Amazing, Miss Eiran. You reacted faster than I did. But if we let her go, she might scream, so we need to quiet her down."

Eiran hesitated before cautiously asking,

"Should I break her neck?"

"MMMPH!"

Eliana shook her head violently as Chen Xia replied awkwardly,

"Even so, breaking her neck might be a bit…"

"MMMMMM!"

Eliana clasped her hands together with a tearful look of gratitude.

"I was thinking of giving her a mild sedative."

"MMMMMMMMMMMMMPH!"

Eliana thrashed even harder, as if to say how is that mild?!

At that moment, the tent flap opened, and Leo appeared.

"What are you all doing?"

Startled, Eiran released Eliana.

"Class rep! Eiran and Xia were bullying me! Talking about breaking my neck! Drugging me!"

Leo soothed her with a gentle voice.

"It looks like all the second-years are here now. Go gather everyone."

The three of them went to call the 2nd and 3rd years from around the camp.

Once gathered, Leo spoke.

"We're now moving to the actual test site."

Chloe asked,

"Isn't this the test site?"

"It is, but the test will be held underground."

At that, the fox beastkin Ruwen raised her hand.

"The city beneath the Azo Desert is a 3,000-year-old relic from the Age of Dawn. You can't just go in. It possibly be Azonia's birthplace. Only selected beastkin can enter."

"It's not possibly her birthplace. It is."

Leo answered.

"How do you know that?"

"Because the Elemental Lord of Radiance said so."

The Radiant Elemental Lord, Laruel.

An Elemental Lord of Light who has existed since the Age of Dawn and was contracted with the dragon Rodia.

Upon hearing this, the Azonia students began murmuring.

It was news even to them that this was Azonia's real birthplace.

If Laruel said so, then it must be true.

Aru raised her hand.

"Black Rabbit. If the test site isn't Azo, then where? There's nothing under here but Azo City ruins."

Leo answered.

"There's another ruin beneath Azo City."

"There is?"

Shocked expressions appeared on the Azonia students' faces.

"You've been there."

"Me? I've never even been to Azo ruins."

Aru tilted her head.

"Whether by chance or fate, the Grand Warrior Azonia and the Brave Aaron were born in the same land."

"Huh?"

Confused, Aru's tail suddenly stood up stiff like an exclamation mark.

"Ah! Don't tell me!"

At her reaction, Leo nodded.

"Yes. In the Age of Dawn, there was a city called Azo. But during the Age of Calamity…"

Leo looked down at the ground.

"There was a city called Raysar."

The refugee city Raysar.

The hometown of the Hero Aaron—

'And the city where I purged the most traitors.'