Book 1 Chapter 921

921.

Ajo Desert, located in the west-central part of the southern continent.

"Now that you mention it, isn't the Ajo Desert a restricted area?"

Juen nodded at the question from Harvidun, a second-year student in the Department of Knights.

"That's right. This place is a sanctuary for beast-humans."

"Is there a special reason?"

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

"Oh, really?"

"Didn't you know? You should study the history of other races too."

Harvidun shrugged at Juen's words.

"But there are many places presumed to be Azonia-nim's hometown. And there are other places besides the Ajo Desert where beast-humans control entry."

"That's true."

"What? That's disappointing."

Harvidun clicked his tongue as if regretting it, then sighed deeply.

"Anyway. Don't you think Senior Leo is getting more and more malicious?"

"When has Senior Leo not been like this? It's not a one or two-day thing."

Juen sighed, and Aina wore a resigned expression.

"We just have to get used to it."

"Still, we're almost at our destination."

Juen unfolded the map.

As someone from the southern continent, Juen was skilled at navigating the desert.

It was as the three of them were pushing forward towards their destination, enduring the scorching sun.

Ku-gu-gu-gu-gung!

A small vibration was felt.

Kyaaaaaaaaak!

Along with it, a faint, bird-like scream was heard.

"What's that sound?"

"A person?"

When the three turned around.

Puwak-!

Sand shot up high into the sky.

It looked like a whale spouting water in the ocean.

"That's… a Skull Orca?!!"

An undead-type monster made from the bones of a gigantic orca.

A dangerous monster that swims in the desert, not the sea.

Aina quickly picked Juen up.

Harvidun, though a knight student, also used spirit magic and summoned a low-level wind spirit by conjuring spiritual power.

With the blessing of the wind spirit, Aina and Harvidun began to run at incredible speed.

"Uwaaaaaaaaaaah!"

A familiar scream came from behind.

"Luke?"

Juen looked back with a surprised expression.

Aina also glanced back and her face immediately hardened.

Luke was being chased by the Skull Orca, running frantically.

In Luke's arms was Leah, Seirun's class representative.

"Run faster! Fasterrrrr!"

Leah, terrified, tightened her arms around Luke's neck, clinging with all her might and screaming at the top of her lungs.

"Seirun's second-year representative is there too."

Aina's eyes sharpened slightly upon hearing Harvidun's murmur.

Aina's gaze was fixed intently on Leah, who was clinging to Luke.

"Aina! Front! Front!"

At that moment, Juen shrieked, as if screaming.

A huge rock had appeared in front of them.

Aina merely ran at full speed towards the rock, not bothering to look ahead.

"Aaaaaargh! Look ahead!"

Juen's desperate scream echoed high into the sky.

***

A huge campsite located in the middle of the sand desert.

Numerous tents were set up here, and wagons laden with supplies were abundant.

Driana, walking the outskirts of the campsite with Lunia, spotted Ar on top of a wagon and asked.

"Ar, what are you doing?"

"Watching the kids come."

"Can you see well?"

"Yeah. I can see well. Oh, you're short, so you might not be able to see well."

At that, Driana climbed onto the wagon and immediately smacked Ar on the head.

Ar, holding his head and rolling left and right, sat back down.

And with his legs crossed, he resumed watching the desert beyond.

Seeing this, Driana said.

"Is it alright for you to sit like that while wearing a skirt?"

"I'm wearing shorts underneath."

Ar casually replied, lifting his school uniform skirt slightly.

"You're always asking us to be nude models, so why are you pointing out something like this?"

"Ar, you seem to be mistaken. I only want to see your nakedness for art's sake; I have absolutely no ulterior motives."

Lunia, who had been listening to their conversation, spoke up.

"When will the first-years arrive?"

The third-years had already arrived at the campsite, and a considerable number of second-years who had joined the third-years had also arrived.

But there was no sign of the first-years.

"It looks like the Black Rabbit dropped the first-years in a completely different place."

"Considering that human's malevolence, it wouldn't be surprising. It'll probably take longer for them to come."

Driana, clicking her tongue, spotted a sand plume rising on the desert horizon.

Lunia made an incredulous expression upon seeing the second-years being chased by the Skull Orca.

"Something like that was there too?"

"That looks like it'd be too much for the second-years' level, doesn't it?"

Ar squinted, checking the faces of the fleeing students.

"Should we deal with that bony whale first?"

Driana spoke, watching Ar crack his knuckles.

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

Saying that, Driana pulled out a massive battle-axe from subspace.

Pulling back the battle-axe, which was larger than her own body, Driana let out a yell and threw it.

Kwa-ra-ra-ra-ra-rak-!

The battle-axe flew like a boomerang, pulverizing the Skull Orca.

Kueeoeoeoeo!

The Skull Orca's body disintegrated into dust.

"Hmm. Judging by its flying speed, it needs improvement."

Driana pulled out a memo from her pocket and busily wrote something.

"What are you writing so much?"

"Improvements for the weapon I made. Because I'm a blacksmith before I'm an artist."

"No. You're just a blacksmith, not an artist."

Lunia corrected her, but Driana didn't listen.

"I feel like I've been too caught up in being an artist and neglected my role as a blacksmith. I am both an artist and a blacksmith… Being a blacksmith can never be a side job, you know."

"Of course. Because you're a blacksmith, not an artist."

"You're chattering a lot."

Driana lightly punched Lunia in the side.

"Cough?!"

Lunia clutched her side and collapsed.

Lunia, fallen on the ground, twitched.

"I, I'm alive."

In the meantime, the second-years arrived in front of the campsite.

Juen, exhausted, gasped for breath.

Though they didn't collide with obstacles, the acrobatic escape, narrowly dodging everything, was enough to make Juen's heart pound.

Aina put Juen down on the ground and approached Luke.

"Um… Leah. It's all over now."

"I-It's over?"

Leah, who had been burying her face in Luke's chest, peeked up.

"C-Cough, cough! I showed a disgraceful side of myself."

"No, I was scared too."

"Thank you for running with me. My magic output wasn't enough to use Fly magic, so…"

"No, it's nothing. We'll have many opportunities to work together in the future, so we should help each other. And we're friends, aren't we?"

"Friends…"

Leah repeated the word softly, then chuckled, "Pooh-hoob."

"Well, I'll still defeat you though."

Saying that, Leah suddenly poked Luke's chest.

"Your face looks soft, but your body is firm?"

"Because I'm a knight."

"Oh-ho?"

Leah's eyes sparkled as she touched various parts of Luke's body.

"I-It's ticklish."

As Luke gave an awkward laugh.

"Get away."

Aina, her cheeks slightly puffed, pulled Leah away from Luke.

Lunia, watching the scene, said.

"Why don't you all stop fooling around and wash up?"

At her words, the second-years startled, came to their senses, and approached where the wagons were.

"Thank you for your help."

"Is the test over with this?"

Driana nodded, watching them who hadn't yet let down their guard.

"The test is over with this. Rest easy and relax."

Only after hearing that did the second-years lower their guard and enter the campsite.

"Now, only the first-years need to arrive, right?"

"Won't it take about another day?"

Ar, sitting down, swayed his body left and right, then flopped down.

"I'm bored."

At that, Lunia said.

"You, never say that to Leo."

"I'm not that stupid!"

Ar grumbled.

***

"Ah! Class rep! I'm bo… Mmph!"

Illiana, who was approaching Leo's tent and about to shout, was grabbed from behind by Eiran, who covered her mouth.

Chen Xia admired Eiran, seeing Illiana struggling with a flustered face.

"Amazing, Miss Eiran. You reacted faster than me. Anyway, if we let her go now, Miss Illiana might scream, so we should silence her."

At that, Eiran pondered, then cautiously asked.

"S-Shall I break her neck?"

"Mmph-mph-mph-mph!"

Illiana shook her head wildly, and Chen Xia said in a troubled voice.

"No matter what, breaking her neck is a bit…"

"Mmmph!"

Illiana clasped her hands together with a touched expression.

"I was going to gently give her medicine."

"Mmmph-mph-mph-mph-mph!"

Illiana struggled wildly, as if asking how that was gentle.

Just then, the tent door opened and Leo appeared.

"What are you guys doing?"

Eiran let go of Illiana with a flustered face.

"Class rep! Eiran and Xia are bullying me! Saying they'll break my neck! And give me medicine!"

Leo, having soothed Illiana who was complaining with a tearful face, said.

"It seems all the second-years have arrived, so gather the students."

At his words, the three called the second and third-years from various parts of the campsite.

Once all the students were gathered, Leo said.

"From now on, we'll be moving to the test site."

At that, Chloe asked.

"Wasn't this the test site?"

"It is, but the actual test will be conducted underground here."

At that, Ruen, a fox beast-human, raised his hand.

"The city underground in the Ajo Desert is a ruin from the Age of Genesis 3000 years ago, so we can't just enter it, can we? It's a place that might be Azonia-nim's hometown, so only chosen beast-humans are allowed to enter."

"It's not 'might be' her hometown, it actually is her hometown."

Leo replied to Ruen's question.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because the Great Spirit of Radiance said this was Azonia's hometown."

Rarllel, the Great Spirit of Radiance.

The Great Spirit of Light who had existed since the Age of Genesis, and the sworn partner of Rodia, the Dragon of Genesis.

At Leo's answer, the Azonia students began to murmur.

This was the first time they had learned that this was truly Azonia's hometown.

If it came from the Great Spirit of Light Rarllel, it was almost certainly true.

In the midst of it, Ar raised a hand.

"Black Rabbit. If the test site isn't Ajo, then where is it? There's nothing but the Ajo city ruins underground here."

Leo replied to that question.

"There's another ruin beneath the city of Ajo."

"There is?"

The Azonia students, led by Ar, looked surprised.

"It's a place you've been to too."

"Me too? I've never even been to the Ajo ruins."

Ar tilted his head.

"Whether by chance or destiny, the Great Warrior Azonia and the Hero Arion were born on the same land."

"Huh?"

At Leo's words, Ar, whose expression grew even more perplexed, had his tail stand up stiffly like an '!'

"Ah! No way!"

Leo nodded at Ar's reaction.

"Yes. In the Age of Genesis, there was a city called Ajo on this land. But in the Age of Calamity…"

Leo looked down at the ground.

"There was a city called Reisar."

Reisar, the refugee city.

The hometown of Hero Arion and…

'The city where I purged the most traitors.'