"Eh? Dream?"
"No, You must hear it wrong" She immediately retorted
Alex's brain went to high speed and arrived at one conclusion. 'They were not on the same page'
He wanted to confirm it first, "What dream?"
"No-Nothing!" Alicia was too embarrassed. She tried to push away Alex with her hand instinctively. But...
"Ouch!" But, the one her hand met was Alex's strong body. With Alex's strong body, She felt like pushing a wall with her hand but with too much momentum, and the result is her hand is hurt.
Alex looked at her, dumbfounded. Alicia holds her hand in pain. Alex worried about her, "Alicia, Let me take a look at your hand"
"Yo-you, Idiot!" She ran away toward the bath.
Alex was amused. She was pretty unreasonable. First, she tried to push him away, then now she was the one who ran away.
After a while, Alicia got out of the bathroom and they left the room and went toward the dean's courtyard as usual. On the way, Alicia's face was very red all the time and refused to talk to him. Alex only shook his head in silence.
When they arrived, as usual, Alex checked Firia progress in alchemy. Alicia tried to practice the 'Frozen World' that Alex gave her yesterday.
...
Two months passed by like that. Alicia practicing her 'Frozen World' and 'Sky Movement'. Firia practicing her 'Alchemy' and 'Sky Movement' while Alex practicing his 'Sanguin Sword Art', 'Luminous Spear Technique' and 'Sky Movement'.
Alex reached the second stage of the Sky Movement. He mastered all the steps up to the second stage and with the Luminous Spear Technique, his handle of the spear wasn't that rough anymore, it has become more refined. Before, when he used a sword in right hand and spear in his left hand. His handle on the spear was still a bit rough on the edge. Now with this 'Luminous Spear Technique', his dual-wielding style become balanced. Unfortunately, with all of his rapid progress, there is still no result in his 'Sanguin Sword Art'. His Seventh Slash already stabilized and mastered perfectly, but he is still nowhere to reach the Eight Slash.
In these two months, Firia reached the first stage on 'Flash Step' and 'Fleeting Step' of the 'Sky Movement'. But the most satisfying result is that Firia already started to try making rank 2 pills. Though her success was still very low it was only a matter of time, after all, she only a rank 3 mage, to make a rank 2 pills usually needed rank 4 or above mage. She also already familiar with the rank 1 pills and can make them with ease. The dean even praised her for her efforts. He secretly thanked her because she helped him supplying the pills demand from the military or the markets. With her taking over rank 1 pills demand, he can focus on rank 2 pills.
Not only Firia, Alicia's progress also very rapid. She already mastered all of the first stages of the 'Sky Movement' excluding the 'Sky Step'. But the remarkable result is her 'Frozen World'. after these two months, she can fight with rank 4 monsters with ease, which made Alex felt relieved.
And the last one is Sherry. She lazying around as always. Once a day, she came to Alex for her 'Nourishment', of course, he didn't mind about it and gave his flame straight away and leaving Sherry Satisfied. But, the problem is that she always lazying around. So he asked Sherry for sparring. He thought that Sherry was only lazying all days, but after the sparring, this thought was diminished. He found out that Sherry also has practiced in her way. So, after that sparring, he didn't bother with her anymore and let her do what she wants.
Fortunately, In these two months, Zircodina Princess, Rieze, still hasn't arrived at the academy. She was estimated to arrive at about half a month later. But, Alex and the rest already gone away for the 'Event'.
The time has come. The two months of normal days had passed. The second Academy's event for Second-year Students. The competition in Death Forest. They needed to march out to Bawon Fortress and kill monsters in the Death Forest. The dean summoned the four of them. Alex and the rest arrived at his office, the dean was busy with doc.u.ments as he looked at them.
"Sigh, the time has come. Tomorrow you all will go to the Bawon Fortress" The dean said
"Bawon Fortress? You mean..." Alicia and the rest surprised. These two months passed instantly, maybe because they have so much to do, they didn't realize that two months have passed.
"Yes, the second academy's event for you, Second-year students. Tomorrow, you will set off toward Bawon Fortress and kill those monsters in Death Forest for two months. You don't need to worried about how many monsters you have killed, because there are no points for that. Because there are no scores, you can do what you want, whether to kill monsters in that forest or lazying around the fortress."
"Eh? Do what we want?" Alex was surprised. "What do you mean about that, Teacher?"
"Literally. You can do what you want. Whether you wanted to kill monsters in that forest or lazying around the fortress"
"But, won't the other students will just lazying around if it's like that?"
"Hehe, they can if they want. But Alex, have you forget about the requirement to advance to the third year?"
"Yes, you need to reach rank 3. You don't mean..."
"Yes, almost all of the second-year Students now are in rank 2 if you exclude the abnormal you. Though you three can rest if you wanted. If they wanted to reach rank 3. They will need to rank up in this event. After all, there is no event for the second year anymore. The rest of the year was only self-studying in Academy. That's why, the one who failed to reach rank 3 in this event, will be expelled!"
Alex and the rest were astonished. Though Alicia and Firia already know about the event, they didn't know about the reason behind it. Now that they thought about it, it is true that there is no more academy event after this event.
"There is another reason for this too" The dean continued. "You know that we only graduate an elite right?"
Alex and the rest nodded.
"The graduation requirement is only rank 4. But if that alone, you can't be called elite. You also need great techniques and skills. That's why, after this event, there are no more events for the students. Now the ones that have passed this event must at least rank 3. We wanted the students to master their techniques. And for the third year', we let them experienced missions in various places to train their extra skill to handle people and boost their connection. With that, when they arrived at the graduation as a rank 4. They have all of the requirements to be called elite. They have power, techniques, connections, and experiences"
Alex and the rest were very shocked. "So, that is the reason behind the academy's schedule"
"Yep, We taught the ability to adapt in the first year, then techniques for the second year and lastly connections and experiences for the third year"
Alex nodded in astonishment, "But, we will keep hunting monsters for these two months. After all, it is a good experience for us. But, I can only decide for myself" He glanced toward Firia and Alicia.
"Of course, we can't lazying around just like that. If we slacked, this guy will throw us in the dust" Alicia said, Firia also nodded in agreement.
The dean nodded satisfied. "Good luck to you four then"
"Thank you Teacher/Dean" They said. But Alex noticed something, he looked at the dean, surprised. "Four of us?"
"Yes, since there will be no points, you can bring Sherry with you"
Alex's eyes widened, then he turned to Sherry in a smile as he stroked her "Isn't it good Sherry ?"
"Wuu Wuu (I will protect Master)" she puffed her chest proudly.
Looking at these two, Alicia and Firia looked at each other, smiled.
"Oh right, Teacher. Can you give us information about this Bawon Fortress and Death Forest?"
"Hmm, Actually, you already met the current owner of the Bawon Fortress"
"Eh? I already met?"
"He is our current war minister, Leyfon Rimbawon. You already met him at the castle right, the duke already informed me about it. he was in the joy that you now become a second-year and will be visiting his place soon."
"Ugh!" He recalled Leyfon's old figure. Where his eyes glistening when he talked about pills or ideas. But, he caught something off "Rimbawon?"
"Oh, you figure it out? The Fortress name is 'Bawon'. It was named after their family surname, 'Rimbawon'. Because the Death Forest was the place where the legend ascended. Because of it, many monsters reside in that forest. Rimbawon's family was given the task to keep the forest in check from generation to generation. The fortress was built for the sake of keeping the forest in check."
"I see"
"Actually, most of our pills have been sent there. After all, there are more than one rank 8 monsters in there. Though they won't easily leave their nest."
Alex nodded.
"All right, that's all. Oh right, I almost forgot about it, for this event, you four better team up together. Though I'm not worried about you, I'm worried about the other two" He glanced at Firia and Alicia.
Alex was shocked by what he heard, he frowned. His teacher never told him like that. That means the danger level for this event was even higher than the previous one.
"We can protect ourselves"
"We won't hold him down"
Alicia and Firia immediately said.
"No, I think it is better that we grouped up together this time" On the contrary, Alex has decided after looking at his teacher's serious expression and advice.
Alicia and Firia was dumbfounded. Usually, Alex would prefer to go alone than with them. Seeing Alex decided to group up with them, they were happy about it. but, the thought of holding him down, weight on their mind. "We can protect ourselves, we don't want to hold you down"
"No, Alex is right. It's better that you go together" The dean interrupted them.
"Yes, Since there are no points for this. I will follow you two. You guys will be the ones to lead. I and Sherry will follow you" Alex said his decision
"What?"
"So you don't want me to accompany you two?" Alex said with a sad tone.
"No no, how can we not want?" Alicia hurriedly denied
"Yes, how can we not want?" Firia also followed her.
"All right, the matter settled as such. You guys will go together" The dean said with a stern tone.
Alex and the rest can only nod in front of that.
"You can rest first and prepare for tomorrow"
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