The academy bell echoed across the courtyard.
A deep metallic sound rolled through the stone corridors as students began moving toward the lecture halls. Training fields slowly emptied while instructors redirected groups toward the academic wings of the campus.
Kai walked with the others toward the strategy hall.
The building was tall and rectangular, constructed from dark gray stone that had weathered decades of battles and harsh winters. Inside, large wooden doors opened into a spacious lecture chamber designed to hold several hundred students.
Marcus groaned quietly as they entered.
"Strategy class…"
Kairo smirked.
"You complain every time."
Marcus dropped into a seat beside him.
"Because every time we sit here, someone tells us how not to die."
Victor sat calmly at the front row, already preparing a notebook.
Lena sat nearby while several other elite students filled the surrounding seats.
Kai took a seat near the middle of the hall.
Students continued entering until the room was nearly full.
Then the instructor arrived.
Professor Darian.
Unlike Halvern, Darian wore lighter robes instead of combat armor. His silver hair and sharp eyes gave him the appearance of someone who had seen countless battles but preferred to analyze them rather than fight them directly.
He placed a large map on the central table.
"Today's lesson," Darian began, "is Beast Territory Behavior."
Several students leaned forward.
Darian tapped the map.
The map showed several mountain ranges and forest regions surrounding the academy.
"These zones," he continued, "contain dozens of beast species. Each species follows its own patterns."
He pointed to a large red-marked region.
"Intermediate predators often claim territory."
Kai listened carefully.
Darian continued.
"If you enter their territory alone, they will attack immediately."
Marcus whispered quietly.
"Sounds familiar."
Kairo elbowed him.
"Be quiet."
Darian continued speaking.
"But when multiple hunters enter a territory together, the beasts sometimes hesitate."
Kai considered that.
It explained why the Great 17 had occasionally encountered multiple predators near each other without immediate attacks.
Darian drew another circle on the map.
"However, rare beasts behave differently."
The room grew quieter.
"Rare beasts do not defend territory."
He paused.
"They expand it."
Victor nodded slightly as if confirming something he already knew.
Darian continued.
"They hunt other beasts. They dominate weaker predators. They reshape ecosystems."
A student raised a hand.
"What happens if a rare beast reaches the academy forests?"
Darian answered calmly.
"We eliminate it immediately."
The hall fell silent again.
Darian continued the lecture.
"For the next hour, we will analyze different beast combat patterns."
Kai listened carefully.
The professor described dozens of behaviors.
Ambush predators.
Pack hunters.
Territorial giants.
Burrowing monsters.
Each creature required different tactics to defeat.
While the lecture continued, the system suddenly activated.
SYSTEM QUEST GENERATED
Study Advanced Beast Behavior
Objective: Analyze and remember combat patterns described during class.
Reward:
+60 XP
+40 RP
Kai blinked slightly.
A study quest.
That was new.
He focused more carefully on the lecture.
Darian began describing specific weak points for different beast types.
"Large armored beasts often appear invulnerable," he said while pointing at a diagram.
"But their joints remain vulnerable."
Kai mentally stored the information.
The system interface flickered slightly as it recorded progress.
Darian then moved to another diagram.
"Flying predators rely heavily on momentum during dives."
Another student asked a question.
"How do you counter them?"
Darian smiled slightly.
"You break their rhythm."
He demonstrated using a wooden pointer.
"Force them to miss their dive once."
He paused.
"They rarely survive the second attempt."
Kai nodded slightly.
That matched some of the hunting techniques used by the Great 17.
The lecture continued for nearly an hour.
By the time Darian finished, several students were furiously writing notes.
Marcus leaned back in his chair.
"Okay… that one was actually useful."
Kairo nodded.
"See? Books help."
The system notification appeared again.
QUEST COMPLETED
Study Advanced Beast Behavior
Reward Granted:
+60 XP
+40 RP
Current Totals:
XP: 2,432
RP: 80
Kai dismissed the interface quietly.
The class began to empty as students left for the next training sessions.
Victor stood and stretched slightly.
"Next class is weapon drills."
Marcus grinned.
"Finally."
The group left the strategy hall together and returned to the training courtyard.
Instructor Halvern was already waiting.
Rows of wooden training weapons were laid out across the field.
Halvern crossed his arms.
"Today's drill focuses on solo combat endurance."
Several students immediately became more serious.
Halvern pointed toward the forest training zone behind the academy.
"You will enter individually."
Marcus blinked.
"Individually?"
Halvern nodded.
"You will face whatever beasts you encounter."
A murmur spread across the students.
Halvern continued.
"These are controlled zones. Instructors will monitor the area."
He paused.
"But you will fight alone."
Kai felt something shift in the atmosphere.
Even the members of the Great 17 became more focused.
Halvern pointed toward a rack of weapons.
"Take what you need."
Kai picked up a training sword.
Marcus grabbed a heavy wooden axe.
Victor took a spear.
Lena selected a thin practice blade.
Aiden chose a simple longsword.
Halvern walked toward the forest entrance.
"Begin."
Students began entering the training forest one by one.
Kai stepped through the trees calmly.
The forest here was different from the mountain hunting grounds.
Smaller.
More controlled.
But still dangerous.
Leaves rustled under his boots as he moved deeper into the trees.
The system activated again.
SYSTEM QUEST GENERATED
Solo Combat Exercise
Objective: Defeat beasts alone within the training zone.
Rewards:
+XP per beast defeated
+RP per successful elimination
Kai nodded slightly.
The hunt had begun again.
But this time—
He was alone.
Kai moved quietly through the forest.
His senses sharpened automatically.
A few minutes passed before he heard movement ahead.
Branches snapped.
Something large moved through the underbrush.
Kai activated Hybrid Vision Deep Scan briefly.
The world shifted.
A large animal form appeared beyond the bushes.
Heavy muscle movement.
Thick hide.
A Rockback Lizard.
Kai deactivated the ability immediately.
The beast stepped into view.
Its body was covered in dark stone-like scales.
Its jaws opened slightly as it noticed Kai.
Kai raised his sword calmly.
The beast hissed and lunged forward.
Kai stepped to the side.
The blade flashed.
The first strike cut across the creature's exposed neck joint.
The lizard roared.
It spun violently and tried to bite him.
Kai dodged again.
His sword moved faster this time.
Two strikes.
Three.
The system upgrades were clearly improving his control.
The beast staggered.
Kai stepped forward and drove the blade through its throat.
The creature collapsed.
The forest returned to silence.
Kai knelt beside the corpse and removed the crystal from its chest.
The moment it touched his hand—
The system appeared.
Beast Crystal Detected
Absorb Crystal?
YES / NO
Kai glanced around.
No one was nearby.
He selected YES.
The crystal dissolved instantly into glowing particles.
Energy flowed into his body again.
Warm.
Controlled.
The system confirmed the reward.
Crystal Absorbed
+45 XP
+35 RP
Kai stood again.
His endurance allowed him to continue without fatigue.