The sessions officially resumed, and little by little, the academy returned to normal.
However, new rules were immediately enforced. Bringing unregistered potions into the academy was now strictly banned. Any potion had to be examined first by the Scientists before being declared safe.
The restriction didn't stop at the academy grounds, it extended across the entire Scalebound Citadel and throughout the Blossomdale Kingdom.
The adventurers assigned to guard the city and the kingdom — known as the Royal-Sentinels — began patrolling tirelessly in rotating shifts, all under the direct orders of King Radomir. The peaceful atmosphere felt thinner now. More alert! More cautious!
Danir, meanwhile, had to face his punishment for disobeying Mr. Cerulean's order during the incident.
While the class session was ongoing, he was required to perform his Hardwork routines—1000 squat-thrusts in front of everyone. All while his classmates studied. As Leopoldo and his group looked especially satisfied, clearly enjoying Danir's public humiliation.
But Danir didn't complain. He accepted the punishment. Because in his mind, humiliation was temporary. Attributes were permanent.
If enduring this meant getting stronger, then it was worth it, knowing that after that, he will be gaining a +10 to all his attributes.
Summer was nearing its end — only a week left before the season changed. Somehow, in the middle of training, studying, and surviving academy life, Danir had completely forgotten about his own birthday. He was about to turn eight. But becoming an adventurer had taken over his thoughts so completely that something as simple as a birthday no longer mattered to him.
At the end of the semester, a special event awaited the Freshmen. It was called the First Labyrinth Training.
The academy pioneers had constructed an artificial labyrinth training field specifically for this purpose. During this event, the Freshmen would raid it for the first time as part of their practical assessment.
Meanwhile, the Sophomores conducted their labyrinth training schedule early of the semester, Juniors in mid-semester, and the Senior's immediately-after the Junios in order to avoid schedule conflicts.
Freshmen came last due to the fact that as newcomers, they needed to have an excessive orientations and trainings first before engaging in that battlefield.
Inside the Labyrinth Training Field, the Freshmen were only permitted to face Novice-rank slime monsters located in the first and second areas.
Their objective was simple:
Each party had to collect slime fluids. Known as an essential material used in potion-making. It may sounded simple. But for these beginners—it would be a little dangerous knowing that this was their first true taste of labyrinth combat.
To pass the test, each party had to completely fill their storage bottles with slime fluid. Every member carried one bottle with a volume of one liter.
There were thirty freshmen this semester, divided into six separate parties, five members each. Only five of those parties were considered competent. None of them wanted Danir with his reputation as a "deadling," he ended up joining what the others jokingly called as "The Rejects."
Their role distribution was terribly unbalanced — a Mage, a Knight-Paladin, a Gunslinger, a Brawler and Danir as a BladeMagus. They had no supporter role at all. No healer. No enchanter. No priest or a cleric that made his party members felt a little risky.
For their formation, Danir chose to stand at the frontline beside their level 6 Brawler Tonio Paxley. Danir planned to make their Knight-Paladin, Merki Valdonaz, a level 10 high-elf to stood in between as the protector of their backline and a buffer to the frontline. At the backline were the mage, Poyach Hillson level 6 human mages, along with their level 8 human gunslinger, Marion Lordbell.
To Danir's surprise, they were sincerely friendly that's why he quickly bonded with them. That for the first time in his life — even back on Earth — he felt like he had real friends. All of them were sons of nobles, yet none looked down on him. That alone meant something.
The training officially began as they entered the Labyrinth Training Field. Danir felt a mix of excitement and awe. He could hardly believe what he was seeing — a fantasy dungeon inside a fantasy world.
The place was vast, built with moss-covered brick walls and illuminated by torches that burned with endless flames. A dark atmosphere surrounded them., yet Danir felt no fear.
When they reached the first area, they spotted more than twenty slimes. Without hesitation, Danir charged forward with his daggers, underestimating them. A big mistake he didn't know.
One slime — twice his size — suddenly engulfed him. Even Novice-rank slimes were dangerous. They could swallow a person whole and suffocate them slowly inside their gelatinous bodies, decompose until nothing remained.
Luckily, his party reacted quickly. They pulled him out before he drowned.
"Killing a slime isn't about slicing randomly." Merki explained. "You have to destroy its eyes. They don't have organs like other creatures. The eyes act as their core. That's what gives them life."
"No brain. Just instinct." Tonio added.
Danir coughed, embarrassed.
"Thanks. I thought they'd be easy. My fault… I didn't read the guide Mr. Cerulean gave us yesterday." He admitted.
"Damn! I charged in without thinking… just like Alec." he thought bitterly. "Father was right. Observe first the enemy's weakness before attacking."
This time, Danir decided to use his trump card.
His Quillon Daggers weren't effective inside the slime's body, and throwing them would leave him defenseless, especially that they were at the uncomfortable place unfamiliar to their faces.
So he raised his hands slightly and focused.
"Ice Shard Daggers."
He didn't speak the words aloud.
Seven icy daggers formed midair.
With a flick of his hand, one launched forward and pierced a slime's eye, freezing half of its body as his Ice Shards Daggers hit its eye.
Merki stared. "What? Incantation-less magic? How did you do that?"
The others were also shocked.
"Keep it quiet." Danir said with a grin. "This is my trump card."
He launched the remaining shards, killing several slimes instantly. However, there was a drawback. His ice magic froze half of the slime's body, making it harder to collect more enough fluid.
"Hey, we won't gather much if you keep freezing them." Merki pointed out.
"I suggest you act as a distractor." Tonio said.
"Let us handle the finishing blows." Poyach seconded.
Tonio and Poyach had been friends since childhood. Tonio is brawler who chose the Boxing Art, while Poyach is a mage who was with a fire magic affinity.
Tonio performed a powerful combination of jabs, hooks, and uppercuts hitting the core of the slimes.
"Fireball!" Poyach shouted, blasting another one apart.
Marion activated his passive skill, Recoil-Grip — similar to what the Gunslinger scriptor Hilda possessed — allowing him to fire his rifle steadily despite its rapid recoil. Though not as precise as Nezcar, he still managed to take down multiple slimes, even if he wasted some bullets.
After clearing the first area, they collected the slime fluids. But only three bottles were completely filled. So they went deeper.
Danir discovered something important. Even if he didn't land the final blow, as long as he participated in battle, he still gained experience. Experience was distributed equally among all active party members. That meant he could serve as a decoy or controller while others delivered the finishing attacks.
Interesting.
He still had his mana-regenerating potion untouched in his pocket. When they reached the second area, they repeated the same strategy.
Soon, all their bottles were completely filled.
"And now that we're done, let's head out." Poyach said.
"Wait..." Danir said. "What if we go deeper and level up more?"
Merki hesitated. "Sounds tempting."
"I'm in." Marion said. "Still got bullets left."
"I already used my last mana potion." Poyach admitted. "I'll wait near the entrance."
"Scared?" Tonio teased.
"Shut up." Poyach shot back.
They advanced to the third area. The slimes there were noticeably larger.
Merki froze. "This is what Mr. Cerulean warned us about…"
He remembered what Mr. Cerulean said to them that they were only allowed to enter up to the second area. Beyond that, the slimes were Intermediate-rank.
"Relax." Danir said confidently. "I've killed an Elite-level Winter Vulture before." He bragged.
That boosted Merki's courage.
Without hesitation, Danir cast Ice Shard Daggers again, freezing seven slimes at once.
But these were stronger.
The ice began slowly melting.
"Merki! Tonio! Marion! Shatter them before they recover!" Danir shouted.
Merki buffed himself and charged, smashing the frozen slimes into pieces. Tonio also charged towards with his powerful blows and Marion supported from behind, finishing off the partially frozen ones.
After casting twice in a row, Danir's mana was nearly depleted. He quickly drank his mana-regenerating potion. Instantly, his mana refilled. He cast two more attacks. Even then, more slimes kept appearing.
They exchanged glances. "Retreat!" Merki shouted."It wasn't worth pushing any further."
They exited the Labyrinth Training Field safely.
By the end of it, four of them had gained five levels each. While Poyach, who stayed behind near the entrance, gained only two.
And just like that—the so-called "The Rejects" party had quietly outperformed expectations.
At last, they returned to the academy and submitted their collected slime fluids. After inspection, their party was officially marked as passers.
Next semester, they would return—not as freshmen, but as sophomores. A small step forward. But for Danir, it felt bigger than that.
Later, the Academy's Adventurer-Scriptors conducted a routine inspection of the Labyrinth Training Field. They were surprised.
Every assigned area had been cleared properly according to Mr. Cerulean's instructions.
Except for one, Danir's group had advanced beyond the permitted zone and cleared the half part of the third area as well.
Mr. Cerulean stood silently, arms crossed, staring at the report. "That lousy Granger…" he muttered under his breath. "Just like his father. Can't follow a simple instruction."
For a moment, his stern expression shifted.
His thoughts drifted back many years ago to Jared Granger, Danir's father. They went in here the academy together—the very first group of students to ever step into the academy since it was established by its pioneers, lead by the dragon slayer that time, Radomir Drogonovich.
Back then, they were rivals. Fierce ones. Always competing. Always clashing. And somehow… History seemed to be repeating itself.
Cerulean let out a quiet scoff, though there was something else hidden beneath it. Not anger. Not entirely. Perhaps irritation mixed with reluctant recognition.
"The apple truly doesn't fall far from the tree." he murmured. And somewhere deep inside—Old embers of rivalry flickered once again.