One Week Later…

  Although dawn had yet to fully brighten the skies, hundreds of students streamed out from their dorms. Excitement buzzed in the air for some; unease weighed heavily on others. Most, however, watched the selected few with barely concealed envy. Today, those deemed worthy by their combat and support instructors would receive their first official mission.

  Hendrix trailed at the rear, his gaze darting from side to side while the crowd pressed forward at a brisk pace.

  Is he really not going to show up? It’s been a week already.

  He searched the faces around him but found neither a trace nor whisper of Adam. Only strangers—and the same familiar classmates—filled his view.

  “I should’ve followed him back then,” he muttered, fists clenched.

  Don’t tell me that rumor is true…

  He shook his head furiously. “There’s no way. He can’t be dead. He can’t.”

  “Still searching for him?” a soft, melodious voice asked beside him.

  Hendrix turned. A petite girl with curly black hair hiding half her face matched his pace. Daggers glimmered on her belt, the steel catching the pale morning light.

  He sighed, offering no answer.

  “I know he was your roommate,” she continued gently. “But if he’s not here, there might be some truth to the rumor—”

  “Fien,” Hendrix snapped, his tone sharp. “Anyone could’ve started that nonsense. For all we know, he’s just busy in the city. If he were dead, the Registration Hall would’ve confirmed it.”

  Fien’s expression softened. “Maybe they just haven’t confirmed it yet.”

  He opened his mouth but couldn’t refute her words.

  She lowered her gaze. “He made a lot of enemies after his performance in combat class. Leaving the academy alone was reckless. You were lucky not to be dragged into that mess.”

  Hendrix said nothing, his silence speaking louder than any defense.

  Then Fien leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “I didn’t want to say this before, but… you know Hamo, the information broker?”

  Hendrix nodded warily.

  “Mavis told me he personally confirmed the rumor.”

  Hendrix froze mid-step; his breath caught in his throat. It can’t be… Adam…

  “I know this hurts,” Fien said, her hand tightening on his arm. “But you need to be careful.”

  He blinked at her. “What do you mean?”

  “If someone really killed him, who’s to say they’ll stop there? If you start digging, you might end up like him.”

  The warning hung heavy between them.

  “I’d rather you drop this altogether,” she said softly. “But if you can’t… please, just be careful. I don’t want to lose you.”

  Hendrix closed his eyes, guilt twisting in his gut. I should’ve gone after him that day. This is all my fault.

  “Hendrix?” she whispered. “Will you promise me that?”

  He forced a smile. “Yeah. I love you. I don’t want to lose you either.”

  Fien smiled faintly, her grip tightening. “Then let’s catch up before the others start something stupid.”

  Together, they hurried toward the main courtyard.

  Amid the crowd, a hooded figure watched them from a distance.

  Was that… Hendrix?

  Adam narrowed his eyes. It’s him.

  Then he saw the girl holding Hendrix’s arm and couldn’t help but chuckle. Never change, Hendrix. Never change.

  A quiet laugh escaped him, muffled by the mask that covered his face. His hair—now ink-black under Manipulator’s effect—hid any trace of his former identity.

  He scanned the crowd, noting every movement, every unfamiliar face. It’s only been a week since that incident, but it doesn’t look like Raventhorn or the Armstrongs will give up anytime soon.

  At least Erik Gilmore hadn’t exaggerated their influence. Their network was frighteningly efficient. Somehow, they had revealed that Klien’s companions were detained, tortured, and handed over to the Armstrongs. A massive bounty had been placed on Klien’s head, and now the family had dispatched agents to confirm whether he was still alive. Returning to the academy earlier had been out of the question.

  “Thankfully, Varidan’s rules are lax enough,” Adam murmured beneath his breath.

  As long as he completed his missions, upheld academy regulations, and appeared when summoned, the staff would have no reason to trouble him.

  He lingered at the edge of the gathering, scanning for suspicious figures. Minutes passed; none stood out.

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Shame I won’t get to eat at the cafeteria as often anymore.

  His gaze turned toward the academy building, a strange melancholy stirring in his chest.

  Erik Gilmore’s place isn’t as comfortable as Varidan’s dorms, he thought, but it’s a thousand times better than that dump Vicar stuck me in. It’ll do for now.

  Finally satisfied that no one was watching, Adam turned away and vanished into the crowd.

  One Hour Later…

  Adam stood among hundreds of students in a vast, brightly lit hall. Towering statues of former students lined the walls; each carved in a triumphant pose with their names etched in gold beneath them.

  “Hey! That’s Sasha Gill—the Poison Queen!” someone shouted.

  “That’s the Goliath, Dustin Hays!” another voice joined in.

  “Look—it’s the Reverent! He went to Varidan, too?”

  “Wait… isn’t that Rhette Reeves? There are over twenty Reeves statues here!”

  The hall buzzed with admiration and chatter. Adam ignored it all, his gaze lingering on one particular statue—Rhette Reeves.

  Isn’t Vicar’s last name Reeves?

  His eyes swept the hall, searching for any statue that resembled Vicar or Adelaide, but found none.

  Strange… most of these look fairly new.

  From what he could tell, not every student even recognized the names being honored. The lower ranked Awakened stared in awe, while the higher-ranked looked on with mild disinterest—or thinly veiled disdain.

  There’s no way these are the best Varidan has ever produced, Adam thought, lips curling faintly.

  A thunderous voice cut through the din.

  “Silence!”

  The single word shook the air. Conversations died instantly as the students scrambled into straight lines.

  Dean Hensley’s voice carried across the hall. “You may recognize some of these faces. They once stood where you stand now, filled with excitement and ambition. And through their effort, their names were etched into history.” She paused, letting the silence build. “Prove yourselves worthy, and one day, the next generation will remember you as well.”

  Determination flickered in the eyes of many students. Adam simply shook his head, a wry smile tugging at his lips.

  “Varidan does not condone mediocrity!” Hensley’s voice thundered again, reverberating so powerfully the statues themselves seemed to tremble.

  “Four portals will open shortly,” she continued. “A-ranks, step into the blue portal. B-ranks, gray. C-ranks, yellow. D- and E-ranks, the colorless portal. Your instructors will brief you further once you arrive. Good luck.”

  Four portals flared to life in front of the assembly, each one shimmering with distinct hues.

  For a heartbeat, no one moved; until a cocky laugh split the silence.

  “See you losers later!”

  Adam recognized the voice instantly. Helias strode confidently into the blue portal and vanished. That broke the hesitation; soon, the hall erupted into motion as groups poured into their respective gates.

  Adam stretched his arms with a quiet sigh and began walking. Let’s see what’s so special about these dungeons.

  He was ten steps from the portal when a voice called out.

  “Hey, friend—wait a minute!”

  Adam turned to see a plump man hurrying toward him, waving cheerfully.

  “My name’s Hamo,” the man said, extending a hand. “Haven’t seen you around before. What’s your name?”

  Adam regarded the hand briefly, then the man’s smiling face. “Can I help you?”

  Hamo laughed, a little too loudly. “Straight to the point! I like that.” He lowered his hand and dug into his uniform, pulling out two small gray books. “You might not know me, but I deal in information. These beauties contain everything you need to know about the creatures you’ll face in E- and D-rank dungeons, and how to kill them.”

  Adam’s gaze lingered on the books, then flicked back to Hamo.

  “Now, you might be wondering how you’re supposed to memorize all this before heading in, right?” Hamo grinned, eyes gleaming. “Well, for a special discount, I’ll throw in a memory-way! Ever heard of one? Forged from lightning in the magma pits of the snowy North—it lets you absorb a whole book instantly!”

  For the first time, Adam smiled behind his mask.

  Hamo’s grin widened greedily. “Tell you what, you can have both books and the memory-way for only three hundred bronze—”

  “Not interested,” Adam said flatly, already turning away. “Good day.”

  “Wait—hold on!”

  But Adam didn’t stop. He stepped into the colorless portal, vanishing before Hamo could finish.

  Hamo clicked his tongue in annoyance and tucked the books back into his coat. Still, his eyes remained fixed on the colorless portal.

  “I’ve memorized every face in Year One… but that’s definitely the first time I’ve seen him,” he muttered, counting on his fingers. “New transfer? Or maybe he lives off campus…”

  For an information broker, being in the dark was unbearable.

  “I’ll find out who you are soon enough,” he said, scanning the hall. His attention shifted to another student, and his trademark grin returned.

  “Hello there! Might I interest you in something special? Name’s Hamo, and today I’ve got an exclusive deal—”

  Moments later, Adam emerged in a vast grassy plain.

  This place again?

  He glanced at the ground, half-expecting that strange humanoid to rise from it once more.

  “Please choose from the following locations,” intoned a mechanical voice.

  [Locations Available]

  Wehan. Lurin. Cemil. Wrathriver. Targarth. Bealan.

  Adam scanned the list. He recognized every name.

  “Regardless of the location, your mission’s difficulty will remain the same,” the voice clarified.

  He studied the options one last time. “Targarth,” he said.

  A small amulet appeared at his feet, and the voice spoke again.

  “Keep your map safe. It also contains your mission details.”

  A new portal shimmered into existence before him.

  “Remember, Varidan will not offer any assistance during missions. Upon completion, report to the nearest guild representative in the area. They’ll ensure your safe return to Varidan territory. Everything you need is marked on the map. Good luck, Adam. We have high expectations for you.”

  The corner of Adam’s eye twitched, but he said nothing. He picked up the map and stepped into the portal.

  His vision warped. A heartbeat later, he was sprawled across barren ground.

  Is this the place?

  He raised a hand to block the blinding sunlight and pushed himself up.

  “Oh? A Varidan student.” The unfamiliar voice carried a mocking lilt. “It’s been a while since one of your kind showed up here. Boys, looks like the dungeon might yield something special today.”

  Adam’s gaze fixed on a burly, middle-aged man encased in thick armor. Six men stood around him in similar gear, grinning as they pointed in his direction.

  Guild members?

  To their left, a group of women in revealing, snow-white robes watched from a distance. Though their outfits left little to the imagination, the air around them bristled with killing intent. On the right, more than twenty Awakened in gray trench coats stood silent and still, their bloodlust almost tangible.

  Of the three groups, they were by far the most dangerous.

  None of them met his eyes. Their attention was fixed on the towering ruin ahead; a majestic structure crowned by a cylindrical tower that rose twenty feet high, glinting beneath the merciless sun.

  That must be the dungeon.

  A faint smile tugged at his lips beneath the mask. He deactivated Manipulator. Hisses and startled murmurs rippled through the crowd, but he ignored them.

  “Hey, kid,” the middle-aged man called. “Where’s the rest of your party? The dungeon will open soon.”

  Adam glanced at him once, then continued walking.

  A massive shield slammed down in front of him, halting his steps. The man behind it glared. “Are you deaf? He asked you a question.”

  Adam looked him over from head to toe, then sidestepped him without a word.

  “Look at this crazy bastard—”

  “Kade, that’s enough. Leave him be,” the older man ordered.

  “Damn Varidan students,” Kade muttered loudly. “Always acting like they’re special.”

  Adam didn’t turn back. A faint smile lingered beneath his mask as he walked toward the ruin.