Book 1 Chapter 921

921.

The Ijo Desert, located in the south-central part of the continent.

"Speaking of which, isn't the Ajo Desert a restricted area?"

Jewen nodded at the question from Habiden, a sophomore from the Knights Department.

"That's right. It's a sanctuary for beastfolk."

"Is there a special reason?"

"Legend has it that it's the homeland of Azonia."

"Oh? Really?"

"Didn't you know? Study more about the history of other races."

Habiden shrugged at Jewen's words.

"But there are several places speculated to be Azonia's homeland. There are other places besides the Ajo Desert that beastfolk control access to."

"That's true."

"What? That's a buzzkill."

Habiden, who seemed disappointed and licked his lips, let out a sigh.

"By the way. Doesn't Senior Leo seem to be getting more and more wicked?"

"Hasn't Senior Leo been like this for more than just a day?"

Jewen sighed, and Aina had a look of resignation.

"We just have to get used to it."

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

Jewen unfolded the map.

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

Just as the three of them pressed on towards their destination, enduring the scorching sun.

Rumble!

A small vibration was felt.

Screech!

Along with it, a faint shriek, like that of a bird, was heard.

"What was that sound?"

"A person?"

When the three of them turned around.

Whoosh!

Sand shot up into the sky.

It looked like a whale in the sea spouting water.

"Is that… a Skull Orca?!"

An undead monster made from the bones of a giant killer whale.

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

Aina quickly scooped Jewen up.

Habiden, who used elemental magic as well as being in the Knights Department, invoked his spiritual energy and summoned a low-level wind elemental.

As the wind elemental's blessing imbued them, Aina and Habiden began to run at tremendous speed.

"Waaaaaaah!"

A familiar scream was heard from behind.

"Luke?"

Jewen looked back with a surprised expression.

Aina also glanced back and her face hardened.

Luke was being chased by a Skull Orca and running wildly.

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

"Run faster! Fasterrrr!"

Leah, terrified, clung to Luke's neck with all her might and screamed at the top of her lungs.

"The second-year representative of Seirun is here too."

Hearing Habiden's mutter, Aina's eyes sharpened slightly.

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

"Aina! Front! Front!"

At that moment, Jewen screamed.

A huge rock appeared before them.

Aina, without thinking about looking ahead, ran towards the rock at full speed.

"Aaaaaaaah! Look where you're going!"

Jewen's desperate scream echoed into the sky.

***

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

Tents and shelters were set up in abundance, and there were many wagons loaded with supplies.

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

"Ar, what are you doing?"

"I'm 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 those words, Driana climbed onto the wagon and smacked Ar on the head.

Ar, holding his head and rolling from side to side, sat back down.

Then, with his legs crossed, he peered into the desert again.

Watching him, Driana said,

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

"I have shorts on underneath."

Ar answered nonchalantly, lifting his school uniform skirt slightly.

"You keep telling us to be nude models, yet you point out something like this?"

"Ar, you seem to be mistaken. I only want to see your naked bodies for art, I have 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 many of the second-years who had come with them had also arrived.

However, there was no sign of the first-years.

"The black rabbit must have dropped the first-years somewhere else entirely."

"Considering that human's wickedness, it wouldn't be surprising. It will take longer for them to arrive."

Driana, who clicked her tongue, spotted a sand geyser erupting beyond the desert horizon.

Lunia, who spotted the second-years being chased by the Skull Orca, wore an incredulous expression.

"There was something like that too?"

"That seems to be too much for the second-years."

Ar narrowed his eyes and confirmed the faces of the students being chased.

"Shall we take care of that bone whale first?"

Seeing Ar cracking his knuckles, Driana said,

"No. I'll handle it."

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

Driana pulled the battle axe, which was larger than her own body, behind her and threw it with a battle cry.

CRASH!

The battle axe, flying like a boomerang, shattered the Skull Orca.

ROOOOAR!

The Skull Orca's body turned to dust and scattered.

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

Driana took out a memo from her pocket and wrote something diligently.

"What are you writing?"

"Improvements for the weapons I made. Before I am an artist, I am a blacksmith."

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

Lunia corrected her, but Driana didn't listen.

"I was too caught up in being an artist and neglected my role as a blacksmith. I am an artist and a blacksmith… Blacksmithing can never be a side job."

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

"You're chattering too much."

Driana playfully punched Lunia in the side.

"Oof?!"

Lunia clutched her side and collapsed.

Lunia, lying on the ground, writhed.

"I… I'm alive."

Meanwhile, the second-years arrived in front of the campsite.

Jewen, exhausted, gasped for breath.

Although they didn't crash into obstacles, the acrobatic escape that narrowly avoided them was enough to make Jewen's heart pound.

Aina gently placed Jewen on the ground and approached Luke.

"Uh… Leah. It's all over now."

"Is… it over?"

Leah, who had buried her face in Luke's chest, peeked out.

"Ahem! I've shown a disgraceful sight."

"No. I was scared too."

"Thank you for running with me. My magic power wasn't enough to cast Fly magic…"

"No. We'll have many opportunities to work together in the future, so we should help each other. And we're friends."

"Friends…"

Leah repeated the words softly and then let out a chuckle.

"Well, even so, I'll be the one to defeat you."

Saying that, Leah poked Luke's chest.

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

"I'm a knight."

"Oh?"

Leah's eyes sparkled as she touched Luke's body here and there.

"I'm… ticklish."

As Luke smiled awkwardly.

"Get off."

Aina, with a slightly puffed-out cheek, separated Leah from Luke.

Lunia, watching the scene, said,

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

At those words, the second-years snapped out of it and approached the wagons.

"Thank you for your help."

"Is this the end of the test?"

Driana nodded at them, who were still on guard.

"This is the end of the test. Rest assured and take a good break."

Only after hearing those words did the second-years relax their guard and enter the campsite.

"So, are we just waiting for the first-years now?"

"It might take another day or so."

Ar, who had sat down, shifted from side to side and lay down with a thud.

"I'm bored."

At those words, Lunia said,

"Don't you ever say that to Leo."

"I'm not that stupid!"

Ar grumbled.

***

"Ah! Class president! I'm bo…"

Iliana, who was about to call out as she approached Leo's tent, was grabbed from behind by Eiran, who covered her mouth.

Chen Xia admired Iliana, who struggled with a panicked expression.

"You're amazing, Eiran. You reacted faster than I did. By the way, if we let her go like this, Iliana will probably scream, so we need to silence her."

At those words, Eiran pondered and asked cautiously,

"Shall I… break her neck?"

"Mmphmphmphmph!"

Iliana shook her head frantically, and Chen Xia said in a troubled voice,

"Even so, breaking her neck is a bit…"

"Ugh!"

Iliana clasped her hands together with a moved expression.

"I was going to give her medicine in a gentle way."

"Ugh, ugh, ugh!"

Iliana thrashed wildly, as if saying, "How is that gentle?"

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

"What are you guys doing?"

Eiran let go of Iliana with a surprised look.

"Class president! Eiran and Xia are bullying me! They said they'd break my neck! And give me medicine!"

Leo, after comforting Iliana, who was complaining with a tearful face, said,

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

At those words, the three of them called the second and third-years from all over the campsite.

When all the students had gathered, Leo said,

"We will now move to the test location."

At those words, Chloe asked,

"Isn't this the test location?"

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

At those words, Ruen, a fox beastfolk, raised his hand.

"The city under the Ajo Desert is a ruin from the Age of Genesis 3000 years ago, so you can't just enter it. It's a place where only selected beastfolk can enter, as it may be Azonia's homeland."

"It's not that it may be his homeland, it actually is his homeland."

Leo replied to Ruen's question.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because the Great Spirit of Radiance said this is Azonia's homeland."

The Great Spirit of Radiance, Laruel.

The Great Spirit of Light, a covenantor of Lodia, a Genesis Dragon that has existed since the Age of Genesis.

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

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

It was no exaggeration to say that Laruel, the Great Spirit of Light, was almost certainly correct.

Amidst this, Ar raised his hand.

"Black rabbit. If the test location isn't Ajo, where is it? There's nothing but the Ajo City ruins here."

Leo replied to that question.

"There is another ruin beneath Ajo City."

"There is?"

Led by Ar, the Azonian students looked surprised.

"You've been there too."

"Me too? I haven't even been to the Ajo ruins."

Ar tilted his head.

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

"Huh?"

Ar's tail stiffened like an exclamation mark, his expression becoming even more bewildered at Leo's words.

"Ah! Don't tell me!"

At Ar's reaction, Leo nodded.

"Yes. In this land, there was a city called Ajo during the Age of Genesis. But during the Age of Disaster…"

Leo looked down at the ground.

"There was a city called Leysar."

The refugee city, Leysar.

The homeland of the Hero Arion…

"The city where I purged the most traitors."