Three years passed.
For the students of the North Academy, those years disappeared in the rhythm of relentless training, demanding lectures, and countless expeditions beyond the safety of the academy walls.
The timid first-years who had once stared in awe at Marcus' drawings of cities and monsters were gone.
In their place stood young aspiring climbers ready to take their first true steps into the Tower.
Jack was among them.
The cheerful boy who never hesitated to ask questions had grown into a young man. His shoulders had broadened, his movements were steadier, and the wooden practice sword he once struggled to lift had long since been replaced by a steel blade suited for a climber.
Yet despite his growth, one thing remained unchanged.
His curiosity.
The rest of the graduating class had changed just as much.
Under the relentless guidance of Instructor Gareth, they endured brutal physical training that pushed their bodies beyond their limits. Swordsmanship, spear combat, survival drills, rescue operations, and endurance exercises became part of their daily lives.
Every bruise was a lesson.
Every scar was earned.
Every mistake was corrected before it could become fatal.
Meanwhile, Instructor Marcus shaped something far more important.
Their minds.
He taught them that the Tower could never be conquered through strength alone.
Every creature had habits.
Every civilization left behind clues.
Every legend carried fragments of truth.
And every mistake made through ignorance demanded a price.
Throughout those three years, the graduating students were periodically assigned to accompany Explorer Guild expeditions.
Some mapped unexplored forests.
Others escorted merchant caravans between settlements.
Some investigated ancient ruins swallowed by nature.
Others rescued travelers stranded in monster territory.
For many of them, the Tower had already become their classroom.
They had witnessed villages abandoned overnight.
Seen rivers that flowed uphill.
Walked forests where every tree whispered forgotten names.
The Tower never ceased reminding them that it was a world far older than humanity.
Late that afternoon, the peaceful atmosphere of the academy was interrupted by the arrival of a familiar carriage bearing the emblem of the Explorer's Guild.
Students stopped what they were doing as three familiar figures stepped out.
Captain Rowan.
Eva.
Juno.
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The smiles usually worn by the veteran explorers were nowhere to be seen.
Word quickly spread throughout the academy.
Captain Rowan’s team of the Northern Explorer’s Guild had arrived.
And judging by their expressions...
Something had happened.
Inside the academy's conference hall, Marcus and Gareth were already waiting.
As soon as the doors closed, Captain Rowan placed several maps and reports across the long wooden table.
The largest map showed the northern frontier.
One location had been marked with a crimson circle.
Ceduz.
Marcus looked at the map before turning toward Rowan.
"What happened?"
Rowan remained silent for a moment.
When he finally spoke, his voice was calm.
"Ceduz has fallen."
The room became quiet.
"It has been completely infiltrated by Aswangs."
Gareth frowned.
"The entire town?"
"Not yet."
Eva answered.
"Our latest reconnaissance estimates that nearly half of the population has already been transformed."
"And the rest?"
"They're alive."
She lowered her gaze.
"For now."
"They're being kept as livestock."
Even Gareth's usually composed expression darkened.
Marcus crossed his arms.
"Who's leading them?"
Rowan answered immediately.
"One Ancient Aswang King."
He paused.
"And three Commander-class Gabunan."
Silence settled over the room.
Marcus slowly looked back toward the map.
"So the rumors were true..."
Rowan nodded.
"Several months ago, remnants of an Aswang Tribe attempted to escape from the deeper regions of the Tower."
"The Ancient Aswang Emperor leading the migration was killed before reaching the First Floor."
"But one Ancient Aswang King..."
"...and three Commander-class Gabunan slipped through."
Gareth exhaled quietly.
"If they establish a colony..."
"They'll multiply."
Eva finished.
"Faster than most creatures."
"Ordinary Aswangs aren't particularly dangerous on their own."
"But under the command of an Ancient King..."
"They become organized."
"They hunt."
"They reproduce."
"And they conquer."
Juno stepped forward and unfolded another collection of reports.
"Our scouts have confirmed that the infestation has already progressed further than we anticipated."
She laid several sketches across the table.
"The transformed citizens make up the majority of the colony."
Another sketch showed a floating upper torso with enormous bat-like wings.
"Manananggals have established nests within Ceduz."
A third illustration depicted a thin creature lurking among trees.
"Tiktiks have been sighted around the outskirts, hunting anyone attempting to flee."
She continued placing sketches one after another.
"Wakwaks."
"Ordinary Aswangs."
"And several unidentified variants believed to belong to the same species."
Marcus studied every drawing.
"So they're rebuilding an entire Aswang colony."
"Yes."
Juno nodded.
"And it's progressing rapidly."
Every additional species meant another hunting method.
Another danger.
Another obstacle.
This was no longer a single powerful creature.
It was an entire ecosystem forming around one Ancient King.
Rowan pointed toward Ceduz on the map.
"The Northwest Explorer's Guild has already established four barrier formations surrounding the town."
"No Aswang enters."
"Only humans come and go"
"Our reconnaissance teams continue rescuing survivors whenever opportunities arise."
"But every day..."
He looked toward Marcus.
"The Ancient King grows stronger."
"What is it doing?"
Marcus asked.
Juno answered quietly.
"It's feeding."
"Not only on humans."
"It's begun cannibalizing weaker Aswangs."
"Every corpse strengthens it."
No one spoke.
Moments later, Gareth broke the silence.
"How large of an operation are we looking at?"
Rowan slowly folded his arms.
"The largest joint expedition conducted by the northern Explorer's Guild branches in years."
Both instructors looked toward him.
"This will not be handled by a single academy."
He tapped the map once more.
"The entire graduating class of the Northwest Academy has already been mobilized."
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
"The entire class?"
"They've spent the last year assisting the Northwest Branch with patrols along the frontier."
"They know Ceduz."
"They know the forests."
"They've participated in rescue missions since the first disappearances were reported."
Eva nodded.
"They're already helping to guard the barrier formations."
Marcus remained silent.
Then Rowan looked directly at him.
"The Guild has also requested the participation of the entire graduating class of the North Academy."
Even Gareth looked surprised.
"All of our graduates?"
"Every one of them."
Rowan nodded.
"This operation is too large for only veteran explorers."
"Ceduz must be searched house by house."
"Survivors must be rescued."
"Supply routes must be secured."
"The barriers require constant patrols."
"If even one Aswang slips past the perimeter..."
He didn't finish the sentence.
He didn't need to.
Everyone in the room already understood.
Another Ceduz would be born.
Marcus slowly looked down at the reports scattered across the table.
"This is no longer an extermination."
Rowan nodded.
"It's a war against time."
The conference hall fell silent once more.
Outside, the academy continued with its daily routines.
Students laughed.
Trained.
And prepared for graduation.
None of them realized that before they could graduate...
They would first have to march toward a town already claimed by monsters.