The next morning, Raizen was walking through the corridors of the Central Academy when a professor suddenly approached him.
“Raizen.” He stopped and turned around.
“The Director wants to see you.” Raizen frowned.
“The Director?” “Yes.
Immediately.” The professor turned and walked away without saying anything else.
Raizen remained there for a moment before following him toward the administrative wing.
He had no idea why the Director wanted to see him.
The Director’s Office A few minutes later, Raizen stood in front of a large wooden door.
He knocked.
“Come in.” Raizen opened the door.
The Director stood behind his desk, several documents spread across its surface.
Behind him, a large window offered a clear view of the academy grounds.
“Raizen.
Come in.” Raizen stepped inside.
“You summoned me.” “Yes.” The Director studied him for a moment before picking up one of the documents.
“I have a mission for you.” Raizen’s expression remained calm.
“A mission?” The Director nodded.
“This isn’t an academy exercise.
You’ll have to leave Valthera.” Raizen’s expression became more serious.
“Where?” The Director pointed toward a large magical map hanging on the wall.
A section of the map began to glow.
“The western frontier.” Raizen carefully studied the illuminated area.
“The frontier?” “Yes.” The Director walked closer to the map.
“Several reports have reached us over the past few days.
Strange creatures have appeared near the frontier, and several patrols have encountered hostile groups.” Raizen narrowed his eyes.
“What’s the objective?” “Investigate the area, secure the designated point, and report everything you discover.” Raizen nodded.
“Understood.” The Director looked at him again.
“You won’t be going alone.” Raizen raised an eyebrow.
“Who is coming with me?” The Director turned toward the door.
“Come in.” The door opened.
Three students entered the office.
Raizen immediately recognized them.
Kael.
The silver-haired student whose lightning magic had caught his attention.
Behind him were the two other strongest students in the academy.
The first was a girl with long silver hair and a faint icy aura surrounding her body.
Her name was Selene.
The second was a quiet boy whose eyes remained focused on the ground.
Small stones floated gently around his feet.
His name was Darian.
The Director looked at the four students.
“These three are known throughout the academy as…” He paused.
“The Elite Trio.” Kael crossed his arms and looked at Raizen.
“So he’s the one we’re taking?” Raizen said nothing.
Kael looked him up and down.
“I thought this was supposed to be a serious mission.” Raizen’s eyes narrowed slightly.
The Director immediately intervened.
“That’s enough, Kael.” Kael said nothing more.
The Director turned back toward the group.
“Raizen will accompany you.
You will work together.” Selene studied Raizen carefully.
“I’ve heard about him.” Darian remained silent.
Raizen looked at the three students.
He could already feel the difference in their magical energy.
They were strong.
Much stronger than ordinary students.
The Director placed a hand over the glowing section of the map.
“You leave tomorrow morning.” Raizen looked at the map again.
“What should we expect?” The Director’s expression became serious.
“Anything.” The Departure The next morning, Raizen stood before the academy gates.
A small group of students had gathered to watch them leave.
Some whispered among themselves, curious about why one of the academy’s newest students had been chosen for a mission with the Elite Trio.
Kael arrived first.
Selene followed him.
Darian walked behind them, silent as always.
Raizen looked down the long road stretching toward the western frontier.
After a final glance at the academy, the four students began their journey.
For several hours, no one spoke.
The road gradually took them farther from Valthera.
The familiar streets disappeared behind them, replaced by fields, hills, and eventually a dense forest.
Finally, Kael broke the quiet.
“So, Raizen.” Raizen glanced at him.
“What?” Kael smiled.
“I heard your magic is impossible to identify.” Raizen continued walking.
“It doesn’t matter.” Kael raised an eyebrow.
“You’re not very talkative.” “I don’t have much to say.” Selene sighed.
“Can you two stop?” Kael laughed.
“I’m just trying to understand who we’re traveling with.” Raizen ignored him.
Darian suddenly stopped.
The other three turned toward him.
“What’s wrong?” Selene asked.
Darian looked toward the forest.
“Something is moving.” The four immediately became alert.
Raizen focused on the trees.
At first, he saw nothing.
Then— CRACK!
A tree collapsed.
Several creatures emerged from the forest.
Their bodies were covered in dark scales, and their eyes glowed with a dull, unnatural light.
Kael smiled.
“Finally.” Lightning began to crackle around his arms.
“Looks like we’ve just found our first problem.” The First Battle The creatures charged.
Kael disappeared in a flash of lightning.
BOOM!
His fist struck the first creature and sent it crashing into a tree.
Selene raised one hand.
“Frost Prison.” Ice spread rapidly across the ground, wrapping around the legs of two creatures and freezing them in place.
Darian stepped forward.
The earth beneath his feet rose.
An enormous stone wall erupted from the ground and blocked another attack.
Raizen watched carefully.
Their movements were precise.
They didn’t need to speak.
Each of them already knew where the others would move.
One creature leaped over the stone wall and rushed toward Raizen.
He raised his hand.
A shadow formed beneath the creature.
It stopped in midair for an instant.
Raizen pulled his hand to the side.
The creature was violently thrown to the ground.
Kael glanced at him.
“Not bad.” Raizen didn’t answer.
Another creature suddenly appeared behind him.
Before Raizen could turn— BOOM!
A bolt of lightning struck the creature and sent it flying.
Kael stood behind Raizen.
“Don’t let your guard down.” Raizen looked at him.
“I didn’t need your help.” Kael laughed.
“Sure.” Selene froze the remaining creatures before they could escape.
Darian raised his hand.
The ground beneath the creatures exploded upward, sending them crashing into the surrounding trees.
Within moments, the battle was over.
The forest grew calm again.
Kael looked toward Raizen.
“Maybe you’re not completely useless.” Raizen stared at him.
“I never said I was.” Kael’s smile returned.
“Interesting.” Raizen turned away.
“We should keep moving.” The Western Frontier By afternoon, the four students finally reached the western frontier.
An enormous stone wall stretched toward the horizon, separating Valthera from the vast wilderness beyond.
The atmosphere was noticeably different.
There were fewer people.
Fewer buildings.
And almost no sound.
Selene unfolded the map.
“We need to reach the observation point.” Darian nodded.
They continued along the road.
A few minutes later, Raizen suddenly stopped.
The others turned toward him.
Several abandoned weapons were scattered across the ground.
A broken spear.
Two swords.
A damaged shield.
Kael crouched and picked up one of the weapons.
“These belong to soldiers.” Selene looked around.
“Where are they?” No one answered.
Raizen slowly looked toward the forest.
His eyes narrowed.
“Someone was here.” Kael stood up.
“Are you sure?” Raizen pointed toward the ground.
“There are footprints.” Darian crouched and examined them.
“He’s right.” Selene’s expression became serious.
“Then where are they?” A metallic sound rang out behind them.
CLANG.
The four turned at once.
A group of armed people stood at the edge of the forest.
They weren’t creatures.
They were human.
Kael immediately surrounded his hands with lightning.
Selene prepared her magic.
Darian raised one hand, and the ground beneath him began to shift.
Raizen remained still, studying the strangers.
A man stepped forward.
“You should never have come here.” Raizen looked directly at him.
“Who are you?” The man smiled.
“That doesn’t matter.” More figures emerged from the trees.
Then more.
And more.
Within seconds, dozens of armed men stood before them.
Kael’s expression changed.
“There are a lot of them.” Selene tightened her stance.
Darian raised his hand.
The ground began to rise around the group.
Raizen’s shadow slowly spread across the ground.
The man at the front raised his weapon.
“Kill them.” The group charged.
Raizen’s eyes narrowed.
“This isn’t an ordinary patrol.” He stepped forward.
“Get ready.” Kael moved into position.
Selene raised both hands.
Darian steadied himself.
And Raizen stood beside them.
For the first time, he wasn’t simply fighting alongside Kaira and Zayden.
He was standing beside the strongest students in the academy.
The battle for the western frontier had begun.
To Be Continued…
— Kurotsuki