The mountain wind gradually softened as the Great 17 descended the final ridge.
Behind them, the jagged cliffs where they had hunted were slowly disappearing into the distance. The terrain transitioned from sharp rock formations into rolling forest hills that surrounded the academy valley.
Kai walked among them in silence.
His sword rested calmly at his side, while the faint hum of the system lingered quietly in the back of his mind.
600 RP.
The system had reached its storage limit.
Kai knew that meant something important.
But he had not decided how to spend the points yet.
Ahead of them, the tall stone towers of the academy were beginning to appear above the forest canopy.
The place looked massive even from a distance.
High defensive walls surrounded the entire campus, while several towering structures rose above the outer courtyard.
Training arenas.
Lecture halls.
Combat testing grounds.
Living quarters.
It was a city of warriors.
Marcus stretched his shoulders as they walked.
"Well… that was a decent hunt."
Kairo chuckled.
"Decent? You say that every time we fight half a mountain of beasts."
Marcus grinned.
"If the beasts stop trying to kill us, then I'll start saying it was a good day."
Lena walked calmly beside Victor near the front.
Victor glanced over his shoulder toward the group.
"We'll report the hunt results once we return."
Kairo raised an eyebrow.
"You mean you'll report it."
Victor smirked faintly.
"Someone has to."
Aiden continued walking at the front, his posture relaxed but controlled. Even without speaking much, his presence naturally kept the group organized.
The number one rank carried weight.
Kai studied the others quietly.
Each of them had handled the hunt differently.
Victor fought with precision.
Lena relied on speed and timing.
Kairo used agility and creativity.
Marcus focused on brute force but had surprisingly good control.
Even the quieter members of the Great 17 had fought efficiently.
None of them were reckless.
None of them were weak.
That was why they held their positions.
A few minutes later, the forest path widened into a stone road.
This road connected directly to the academy's main gate.
Several lower-ranked academy students were already moving along the road, either returning from smaller hunts or heading toward the outer training fields.
The moment they noticed the Great 17 approaching—
The whispers started immediately.
"Look… it's them."
"All seventeen are back already."
"They went into the mountain zone today…"
"Did they clear it again?"
"They probably did."
The murmurs followed them as they walked.
Kai could feel the attention from dozens of students.
Some looked impressed.
Some looked nervous.
Some looked envious.
Marcus smirked.
"Still famous."
Kairo laughed.
"You enjoy that too much."
Marcus shrugged.
"I didn't say I didn't."
Victor ignored the whispers entirely.
He approached the academy gate where two instructors stood guard.
The instructors immediately straightened.
"Report?" one of them asked.
Victor nodded.
"Intermediate mountain zone cleared for the day. Multiple predators eliminated."
The instructor looked impressed.
"Any injuries?"
Lena answered calmly.
"None serious."
The instructor nodded.
"Understood. Good work."
The large gates slowly opened for them.
The Great 17 walked inside the academy courtyard together.
Students quickly stepped aside to clear the path.
The academy courtyard was massive.
Stone training circles filled the open space while hundreds of students practiced combat techniques under instructor supervision.
Weapon clashes echoed across the yard.
Swords struck shields.
Spears pierced wooden dummies.
Some students were practicing physical conditioning.
Others were sparring in controlled duels.
Kai watched everything as they walked through the courtyard.
The academy never stopped training.
Aiden finally spoke again as they approached the central training hall.
"Tomorrow we return to normal schedules."
Marcus groaned dramatically.
"Classes again."
Kairo smirked.
"You sound like a child."
Marcus pointed at him.
"I fight monsters for fun. I don't enjoy lectures."
Lena rolled her eyes.
"You should probably listen more in class."
Victor nodded.
"Strategy classes are important."
Marcus waved a hand dismissively.
"I win fights with fists, not books."
Aiden glanced at him.
"Books prevent you from dying."
Marcus sighed.
"Fine. I'll try to stay awake."
A few members of the group laughed quietly.
Kai remained silent, but he noticed something important.
Even though the Great 17 were the strongest students—
They still attended normal classes.
Still trained.
Still improved.
Strength at the academy was never considered finished.
It was always evolving.
The group eventually reached the main academy staircase.
From here, the Great 17 would separate and return to their individual schedules.
Victor stopped walking and looked at everyone.
"Good work today."
Marcus nodded.
"Same tomorrow?"
Victor shook his head.
"No. Personal training day."
Kairo stretched his arms.
"That might actually be more exhausting."
Lena glanced toward Kai briefly.
"You handled yourself well today."
Kai nodded slightly.
"Thank you."
Marcus smirked again.
"Yeah. I want to see you fight more often."
Kai didn't respond to that.
Aiden stepped forward toward the staircase.
"Rest tonight. Classes begin early."
One by one, the members of the Great 17 began heading toward different wings of the academy.
Their schedules were not always identical.
Some had combat lessons.
Others had strategy lectures.
Some trained privately.
Within minutes, the group dispersed.
Kai was left walking alone toward the dormitory wing.
The academy halls were quieter inside.
Tall stone corridors stretched across the building, lined with large windows that overlooked the courtyard.
Kai walked slowly toward his room.
When he finally stepped inside and closed the door behind him—
The system activated immediately.
SYSTEM INTERFACE OPEN
Reward Points Storage: 600 / 600 (MAX)
Recommendation: Spend RP to unlock upgrades.
The shop menu expanded again.
More options appeared this time.
SYSTEM SHOP
Hybrid Vision Deep Scan — 250 RP
Sword Mastery Module — 200 RP
Endurance Reinforcement — 150 RP
Advanced Combat Instincts II — 180 RP
Predator Awareness — 220 RP
Kai studied the list carefully.
Each upgrade could significantly increase his abilities.
But spending the points meant committing to a specific direction of growth.
Hybrid Vision upgrades would increase perception.
Sword mastery would improve combat skill.
Endurance would improve stamina and durability.
Combat instincts would enhance reaction speed.
Predator awareness would help detect hidden threats.
Each had value.
Kai sat down on the edge of his bed.
The room was quiet.
Outside the window, the academy courtyard lights were beginning to turn on as evening approached.
Students were still training below.
Kai closed the interface for a moment.
He didn't rush the decision.
Because the next upgrade could shape the way he fought for the rest of his time at the academy.
The system notification appeared again.
RP CAPACITY FULL
Further RP rewards will be paused until points are spent.
Kai exhaled slowly.
That meant he would need to spend them soon.
But not tonight.
Tonight was for rest.
Tomorrow—
Classes would begin again.
Training would continue.
And new system quests would almost certainly appear.
Kai laid back slightly, staring toward the ceiling.
His body still carried faint traces of energy from the crystals he had absorbed earlier.
The power was growing.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Exactly the way he intended.
Outside the window, the academy continued its endless rhythm of training and preparation.