The next morning, the Academy’s sky was covered with a layer of gray clouds.
A cold wind blew through the Academy’s massive buildings, moving the flags installed on the towers.
Lian walked quietly along the stone-paved path. The elite team meeting was at nine in the morning in the central conference hall.
The closer he got to the main building, the more Awakened he saw. Students in expensive combat gear, children of great families, members of famous guilds.
People who had been trained from childhood to become professional hunters.
The National Academy of Awakened is the largest in the country and recognized as one of the best in the world. In fact, using the word "country" might not even be accurate anymore.
After the apocalypse that happened 250 years ago, many countries fell and many nations were destroyed.
After that, the United Nations was changed to the United Federation of Nations, and all remaining countries joined this federation as states.
Although the word "country" is still used instead of "state," the situation is different from before. They no longer have presidents, and all countries only have prime ministers.
And the head of the United Federation of Nations, elected by people all over the world every five years, gets the title of World President.
Each country has its own internal government, but everyone is still required to follow the Federation’s orders as the central government.
Lian entered the building without paying attention to the looks around him. A few minutes later, the large doors of the conference hall opened before him.
The space inside was much larger than he had expected.
Multiple rows of seats, massive holographic screens, floating 3D maps, and about thirty elite students.
Among the crowd, most were second-years. A few were third-years.
But from the first year... only three were present. Lian, Selina, and Liana. The same blonde girl with a mischievous face and a permanent smile.
When Liana saw him, she immediately waved her hand.
"Hey! Over here!"
Lian approached.
Liana tapped the empty seat next to her.
"Come sit here."
Selina also nodded.
Lian sat without any extra words. At that moment, he noticed many gazes locked onto him.
Whispers immediately started.
"Is that him?"
"The survivor of the tenth realm?"
"I heard he became level ten."
"Nonsense."
"He wasn’t even an Awakened a week ago."
"He must have a big family behind him."
"Well, he is from the Vorhelm family, but I heard he was exiled."
"Then how did he become level ten?"
"It doesn’t make any sense."
"See? Almost half the hall is talking about you. How does it feel to be famous?" Liana laughed.
"Fame is not that good. I prefer peace." Lian shrugged.
This answer made Selina stare at him for a few seconds, then she smiled, as if his answer had pleased her.
At that moment, the hall doors opened. All voices stopped. Professor Aldric Voss entered.
His long black robe moved behind him. His presence alone was enough to silence the hall.
He went straight to the front of the hall. No introduction, no greeting. He just raised his hand.
A moment later, a massive holographic map appeared in the air.
A map of the country.
On the map, a red point shone near the northern border.
A few seconds of silence followed.
"Three days ago, this city fell." Aldric then spoke.
Several people in the hall frowned.
The image became larger. The city ruins appeared. Semi-destroyed buildings, blood-stained streets.
Smoke.
Fire.
And traces of hundreds of battles.
"More than eighty percent of the population was evacuated, but hundreds of civilians are still trapped inside the city." Aldric continued.
"The military, with the help of Awakened, has managed to create a safe zone in the southern part."
"But monsters still control most of the city."
"What is the level range of the monsters?" One of the third-years asked.
"Mostly low level. Reports range from level 7 to 15, but their numbers are significant."
"This city had never faced a monster attack before, and its military readiness was very low. Unfortunately, this caused this incident."
Then Aldric’s gaze became colder.
"And before anyone gets the wrong idea... this is not a training mission."
His voice became heavier.
"If you make a mistake... you will die."
"This mission shows you a very small corner of the Ruined Realm."
Silence... the hall became completely quiet.
No one was joking. Everyone knew Aldric was not the type of professor to exaggerate.
At that moment, a young man stood up from the front row. Black hair, a serious face, and a gaze full of confidence.
Level fifteen.
One of the Academy’s strongest students, Cassian Dric.
Aldric pointed at him.
"Cassian Dric will be the operation leader."
Several people nodded. This choice was completely natural. He was the strongest second-year student and predicted to be the next Student Council President.
In terms of combat ability, he was not inferior to even the best third-years.
But the meeting was not over yet. Aldric opened another list.
"Now the operation teams will be announced."
Names were read one after another.
Then suddenly...
"Lian Vorhelm."
Several people raised their heads.
"Forward team." Aldric continued.
For a moment... absolute silence took over the hall. Even Liana widened her eyes. Selina also raised her eyebrow for the first time.
Forward team?
The most dangerous part of the operation? Where the strongest people are sent?
They knew Lian would be in this operation, but they thought he would be like them in the rear team, saving and ensuring the safety of survivors.
Cassian immediately stood up.
"Professor, is this a joke?" His voice was serious.
Aldric did not even look at him.
"He is just a first-year. How can he be a member of the forward team?" Cassian continued.
This time, several others also agreed.
"That’s right."
"He has no experience."
"He only became an Awakened a few days ago."
"This doesn’t make sense."
Aldric quietly threw a folder on the table.
"Test results."
Everyone fell silent.
Without changing his expression, he said.
"Physical power, speed, decision-making. All results were checked." Then his cold gaze moved over the crowd.
"I select people based on ability."
A pause.
"Not age, not family, not reputation." His voice landed like a hammer on the heads of those present.
No one could say anything, because the truth was simple. If Aldric had personally selected him... it meant he had seen something that the others had not.
Cassian sat down quietly, but his gaze remained on Lian. This was not the end.
Lian could feel it.
The meeting continued for about another hour. Entry routes, safe points, operation zones, and mission rules. Finally, Aldric concluded the meeting.
Students left the hall one by one. But just as Lian was about to leave... Aldric’s voice stopped him.
"Vorhelm you may stay."
Lian stopped. Within a few seconds, the hall was almost empty. When the last person left, Aldric turned back to the map.
A few moments of silence passed.
"There is something you need to know. Something I didn’t tell the others." He then said.
"Yes, professor?" Lian frowned.
Aldric stared at the red point on the map.
"That city... the real reason for its fall was not normal monsters."
Lian said nothing.
"Before the city fell... several witnesses gave similar reports. All of them spoke of an unknown creature."
An unpleasant feeling formed in Lian’s heart.
"Some said it looked like a human. Some said it looked like a monster. But they all agreed on one thing."
Lian asked quietly.
"What?"
Aldric stared at him for a few seconds.
"Wherever that creature appeared... other monsters moved out of its way." He then said.