The walk back to the city felt nothing like the trip out that morning.
When they had first stepped into Sector Twelve, the students had been buzzing with nervous energy. Voices carried loud through the trees, footsteps were quick and unsure, and every shadow made someone point and whisper. They were chasing adventure.
Now the group moved in near silence.
Not from exhaustion.
From something heavier.
They had seen the wilderness bare its teeth. One Stoneback Bear had almost turned their training run into a nightmare. If Seo Dojin had not been there, if Aaron had not moved exactly when he did, things could have ended very badly.
Rei kicked a small pebble along the dirt path. It skittered ahead and disappeared into the grass.
"I thought hunting monsters would feel heroic," he said quietly.
Aaron glanced over. "And now?"
Rei let out a long breath. "Now it just feels dangerous."
Aaron gave a soft chuckle. "That is probably the more honest version."
The tall steel walls of Lemuria City grew larger in the distance. From here they looked like a gray mountain range cutting across the horizon, solid and unchanging. Those walls were the only reason humanity still had a place to call home. Eighteen years of rebuilding after the Collapse had turned every city into a fortress.
Inside the walls belonged to people.
Outside belonged to everything else.
When they finally reached the main gate checkpoint, the guards straightened at once. Most of them were seasoned hunters or retired soldiers. Their eyes swept over the group with practiced sharpness.
Seo Dojin stepped forward and spoke quietly with the gate officer. The officer nodded and waved them through.
"Training group returning from Sector Twelve," he called out. "Clear them."
The heavy metal gate rumbled open.
The moment they stepped inside, the familiar sounds of the city rushed back in. Voices, cart wheels on stone, merchants shouting from market stalls. For many of the students it felt strangely comforting, like sliding back under a warm blanket after being out in the cold too long.
Rei stretched his arms with dramatic relief. "Ahhh. Civilization."
Aaron smiled a little. "You say that like we were gone for a month."
"It felt like a month," Rei replied, dead serious.
Behind them a few students were still replaying the day's events in hushed voices.
"Did you see how big that bear was?"
"I really thought we were finished."
"And then Aaron just—"
The conversation cut off when Seo Dojin turned around.
His voice was calm but carried weight. "What happened in the forest stays in the forest."
The students blinked.
Seo Dojin continued. "You can report the training results to the academy. That's normal." His eyes flicked briefly toward Aaron. "But exaggerating things won't help anyone."
The warning was clear. Monster hunting was serious business. Rumors and attention could create problems nobody needed.
The students nodded quickly. "Yes, Instructor Seo."
Seo Dojin gave one last nod. "Good. Training ends here. Head back to your dorms and rest."
The group started to break apart. Some headed straight for the academy gates. Others peeled off toward nearby food stalls, already talking about hot meals and cold drinks.
Rei stayed beside Aaron as they walked.
"You know people are going to talk anyway, right?" he said under his breath.
Aaron shrugged. "Probably."
"You killed a Stoneback Bear as an E-rank Laborer," Rei added. "That's not exactly the kind of thing people forget."
Aaron smiled faintly, but inside his head the system panel flickered quietly.
Player: Aaron Emegrey
Level: 10
The growth speed was ridiculous. But Aaron understood the truth clearly. Level ten was still nothing in the grand scheme. The wilderness held monsters dozens of levels higher. Getting arrogant now would be the fastest way to die.
As they approached the academy gate, Rei suddenly stopped.
"Wait."
Aaron looked at him. "What?"
Rei pointed ahead. "Someone is waiting."
Near the entrance stood a small group of older students. At the front was a tall young man in a dark combat uniform. A long sword rested casually across his back. The others stood slightly behind him, clearly treating him as the center of the group.
Rei frowned. "That's Zheng Luic."
Aaron raised an eyebrow. "Should I know the name?"
Rei looked surprised. "You really don't?"
Aaron shook his head.
Rei lowered his voice. "He's one of the strongest students in our year. S-rank class. Stormblade Swordsman. Already level fifteen."
That explained the attention.
S-rank awakenings were rare. Most cities only saw one or two a year.
Zheng Luic noticed them approaching. More specifically, his gaze settled directly on Aaron.
The chatter around the gate quieted.
Zheng stepped forward. His expression stayed calm, but his eyes were sharp.
"You're Aaron."
"Yes."
Zheng studied him for a moment. "I heard something interesting today."
Rei muttered under his breath, "Here we go."
Zheng continued evenly. "They said an E-rank Laborer killed a Stoneback Bear."
A few nearby students turned their heads. The rumor had already started spreading.
Aaron did not look surprised. "People say a lot of things."
Zheng's lips curved slightly. "True."
For a second neither of them spoke.
Then Zheng asked the simple question everyone was waiting for.
"Did you?"
Rei held his breath.
Aaron met Zheng's gaze calmly.
Then he smiled faintly.
"Yes."
The courtyard went completely silent.
Zheng looked at him for several long seconds.
Then he laughed softly, a low sound that carried real amusement.
"Interesting."
He turned and started walking away without another word.
But before he disappeared into the crowd he added one last line over his shoulder.
"Try not to die before the academy tournament."
Aaron raised an eyebrow. "A tournament?"
Rei exhaled slowly beside him. "Great."
Aaron glanced at his friend. "What?"
Rei rubbed his face with both hands. "You just caught the attention of the strongest guy in our year."
Aaron looked toward Zheng Luic's departing figure.
Then he smiled slightly.
"That sounds fun."