A week passed.
Seven days that for most Academy students seemed like normal days, but for Lian, each day was worth several weeks.
Since he had bought his new equipment from the black market, he had spent almost all his free time training.
His new armor was no longer unfamiliar on his body. The speed boots had now become part of his fighting style.
The new sword was also no longer considered a fresh weapon.
He had not held a sword in years, and he needed to practice to regain the feel of swordsmanship. Fortunately, this one week was enough.
He had swung it hundreds of times in the training ground.
Hundreds of strikes.
Hundreds of dodges.
Hundreds of simulated battles.
Professor Valerius had not eased up on his strictness even for a moment during this time.
Every day a test, every day training, every day new scenarios. Sometimes students had to survive for hours in deadly simulations.
Sometimes they had to fight multiple enemies without rest, and sometimes they had to make decisions that depended on the lives of virtual people.
But at least in this one week, the elite students had also improved a lot, and now they were finally ready to enter the Ruined Realm.
According to the news, a portal would be created at the Academy tomorrow, with its destination being their country’s base in the Ruined Realm, and finally all of them could go there, explore, and become stronger!
In this one week, Lian’s level had not changed. He was still level 10, and contrary to what many people thought, this did not bother him at all.
There was no constant and illogical growth. He knew very well that the further he went, the harder it would be to level up.
True power was not just in raising a level number. Control, experience, skill in mastering weapons, these were also part of power.
During this time, news of the fallen city was broadcast almost every day in the media.
Images of fire, destroyed streets, evacuation of survivors, military operations, and reports that became more concerning each day.
It was not that the government had only waited for Academy students to be deployed during this week and done nothing. Their operations had continued more or less, and they were trying to rescue all the survivors.
Finally, the day of deployment arrived.
Early morning.
The Academy air seemed heavier than ever. The sky was gray, and a cold wind flowed between the buildings.
All members of the selected team had gathered in the central conference hall.
This time, the meeting atmosphere was completely different. No one was talking. No one was joking. Everyone knew that today was the end of training.
From this moment on, real danger would begin.
A few minutes later, the hall doors opened. Aldric entered, the same black robe, the same calm face, but his gaze was heavier than before.
He went to the main platform without any introduction.
He raised his hand.
A massive 3D map of the fallen city appeared in the air.
All eyes were fixed on it.
"Over the past seven days, evacuation operations have continued." Aldric looked at the image for a few moments and then said.
Different points lit up on the map.
"About ninety percent of identified survivors have been evacuated from the city."
Multiple green points appeared around the city.
"Four new military bases have been established, several temporary defensive walls have been built, and reconnaissance teams continue to enter and exit regularly."
A few students became somewhat calmer. If this was the case, then the situation in that city was more or less under control, and there was no longer any life-threatening danger.
But this calm only lasted a few seconds.
Aldric continued.
"But the good news ends here."
The hall fell silent again.
Aldric’s gaze stayed on the map.
"The number of monster attacks has increased over the past week."
Several red points appeared on the map.
"Each day more than the previous." Then his voice became a little colder.
"As if something inside the city is making sure of this."
For a moment, Lian remembered that confidential file again. The satellite images, the destroyed streets, and the unknown creature that monsters moved out of its way.
But he said nothing.
At that moment, the hall doors opened again.
This time, a man in a formal Federation uniform entered. Multiple medals could be seen on his uniform. He stood next to Aldric without delay.
"Colonel Reynolds will deliver the final report." Aldric said.
The Federation officer nodded and placed several files on the table.
"Over the past seven days, four teams of professional hunters entered the city." He then said.
Several students listened more carefully.
"Three teams returned, and one team... is still missing."
The atmosphere suddenly became heavier. No one spoke, because everyone understood the meaning of this sentence. This was no longer an academic exercise.
Real hunters had disappeared.
People with years of experience. People who had survived ruined realms many times.
Even Cassian frowned for the first time. If the situation was that dangerous, why were they sending students?
This did not make any sense! They were only putting students’ lives at risk!
He wanted to object but knew this was not the time.
"We still hope they are alive." The colonel continued.
But no one in the hall believed this.
After a few minutes of silence, Aldric took control of the meeting again. He displayed a new list on the screen.
"Before deployment, the team members will be introduced."
The first name appeared.
Cassian Dric, operation leader, level 15, second-year student, one of the Academy’s strongest talents.
Cassian quietly stood up.
Several students looked at him with respect.
After him, other names appeared.
Selina Messer, level 7. Water Mage, field control and support specialist.
Selina quietly nodded.
Then Liana Brown, level 7, Summoner, reconnaissance and indirect engagement specialist.
Liana looked excited. There was excitement, but also anxiety.
After that, it was the turn of second and third-year students.
Daniel Hart, sniper, level 12, long-range target elimination specialist.
And the list continued. Each name announced added more weight to the mission. This was no longer a student group.
This was a real operation team. For each section, an Awakened had been considered. It was clear that Professor Aldric had thought carefully and obsessively about the selections.
After the meeting ended, everyone moved toward the deployment field. There, someone was waiting for Lian.
Kain.
In the same uniform, hands in his pockets, and the same face that always seemed caught between jokes and worry.
When Lian approached, Kain sighed.
"Are you sure there’s no danger? Why didn’t you reject this mission? You just came back from danger."
"Don’t worry." Lian laughed.
Kain smirked.
"If you die and don’t come back, all your stuff is mine." He then said.
"Keep your dreams small."
"What?"
"First there needs to be an inheritance, then we can talk about dividing it."
Kain laughed, but a few seconds later, his laughter faded. Both knew these jokes were just to hide worry.
"Where is Seraphina?" Lian changed the subject and looked around. He could sense that girl’s presence nearby, but it was strange that she had not come here.
"She was just here, and coincidentally said she had something very important to tell you about this mission. Something she had accidentally found out and was very important. But suddenly her phone rang, and she said she would be back soon."
"But since then, about ten minutes ago, there’s been no sign of her. Maybe she was so worried that she was afraid her words would upset you because she doesn’t want you to go?"
"She doesn’t want me to go? What’s this about? Why are you all acting like this? You know this is a mission, right? I’m not going there to die."
"I didn’t say anything." Kain shrugged.
"That girl is just sensitive." He then added.
"Ah, tell her not to worry." Lian nodded, then said goodbye and left with the rest of the group.
Minutes later, the sound of military sirens echoed in the air. All heads turned in one direction, and for the first time, Lian saw the deployment portal.
Massive.
Its height was over twenty meters. A metal ring with a sea of white light spinning in its center. Dozens of guards were stationed around it.
Military Awakened, Federation officers, support units, snipers, military mages.
The power gathered at that location was enough to impress any student.
For the first time, Lian realized just how seriously the government had taken this mission, and this made him frown. What was with this amount of military preparation?
This mission was starting to seem stranger and stranger, as if something hidden was behind it.
Suddenly, Seraphina’s face appeared in his mind. According to Kain, that girl had wanted to tell him something very important about this mission, but had suddenly disappeared.
Although Kain said she might just not be able to see him leave, what if she wanted to tell him a secret but was stopped?
And there was something else bothering him. If a real team of professional Awakened had truly gone missing in that city, then why did the government still want to send a few students to save them?
What was going on here?
But was the government really plotting and scheming against a few students?
Was he just being too paranoid?
On the other hand, no one was speaking. Only the sound of military equipment and portal energy could be heard.
Aldric stepped forward.
His gaze moved over all the team members.
"Move." He then just said one sentence.
Members entered the portal one after another. Cassian was first, then third-years, second-years, and finally all three first-years.
Lian took one last look at the Academy, at Kain, at the familiar buildings, hoping he was just being too paranoid.
And then he stepped forward.
White light swallowed everything. For a few seconds, nothing existed.
No sound, no image, no time. Then the light faded. Lian felt the ground under his feet again.
Cold air hit his face, and when he opened his eyes, he was standing on the massive walls of a border military base.
All team members were in front of him, and in the distance... for the first time... he saw the fallen city.