After cooking himself a meal, Kyle started eating to relieve his fatigue. He wasn't the best cook, so the food tasted average. But since he had to eat it himself, he didn't really care about the taste. As long as it filled his stomach, it was enough.
While Kyle was eating, a group of students wearing blue uniforms with three lines on their shirts passed by where he was sitting. Their clothes were torn, and they all looked injured, as if they had just been through a life-and-death battle.
The one who seemed like the leader of the group expressed his anger.
"Who the hell said the Phoenix was injured?"
Another student walking behind him tried to explain.
"Boss, the information we were given was wrong. It's not our fault."
The leader stomped his left foot on the ground.
"I almost lost my life out there! I'm going to punish everyone involved in this matter."
The group of students heading toward the mountain's exit noticed Kyle's presence. However, sensing his weak aura, which seemed even lower than some common (F-)-Rank, they looked at him with disdain and ignored him.
It was common knowledge that those weaker than (E)-Rank never carried anything useful. And since Kyle wasn't even wearing the Academy uniform, they assumed he was just a commoner searching for rare herbs inside the mountain.
Kyle glanced at the group of students and felt their mocking gazes, but he kept his anger hidden.
In the end, he wasn't new to it. He was aware of his weakness. If he were to attack the group now, he wouldn't stand a chance. So, he ignored them and focused on finishing his meal.
After eating, Kyle stood up and stretched his body. He felt a surge of newfound energy and resumed his journey.
...
Meanwhile, in the first-year classroom, Aliza finished her lecture and stood behind the podium.
All the students were focused, as Aliza's lecture had greatly benefited their training. Seeing their seriousness, she nodded with satisfaction.
"Before you all leave, let me remind you again that participating in the upcoming competition is necessary. Your rankings will be determined based on the results."
Every year, the Academy holds a competition among students from different years to determine their rankings. It's a way to encourage competition and motivate students to work hard and become stronger for future exams.
Suddenly, Aliza frowned as she remembered something.
"That student, 'Kyle Ohan'. He's absent again today. I don't know what he's up to, but if any of you know where he is, please remind him that he also needs to participate in the competition. Otherwise, he'll fail the year."
She couldn't believe that the new student, Kyle, was constantly skipping classes. It made her even more furious that he wasn't even showing up at the training grounds.
Once she left, the other students discussed Kyle, but since no one was close to him, they went about their work.
A student named, Nine, who was sitting in the front, remembered seeing Kyle entering the dorm next to his. As a neighbor, he decided to inform him about the upcoming competition. Also, for a while now, he had been wanting to talk to him.
.....
On the other hand, as Kyle climbed higher, he felt the temperature rising with each passing second. His clothes were soaked in sweat. After almost half a day of climbing, he finally found the herb he needed for the mission - a beautiful purple grass used for mana recovery potions.
Kyle collected the grass and stored it in his storage ring. Even though he hadn't found the red snow flower yet, he didn't let it discourage him.
"It's hard..."
The sun was nowhere to be seen, and the surroundings were dark. Kyle sighed and gazed at the beautiful moon in the sky. He clenched his fist and squinted his eyes, looking at the peak that was visible in the moonlight.
The terrain on the mountain was tougher than he expected. Besides the scorching temperature, it became more challenging as he climbed higher.
He had already been climbing for a whole day and took a few breaks along the way.
With determination, he decided to make one final push and continue toward the peak. He was confident that he would find the red snow flower if he climbed a bit higher.
To navigate the dark surroundings, Kyle used mana stones to light his path.
The intense, burning smell from the top of the mountain made him feel like his body was melting. It was truly a miracle for him to have come this far, considering his (F-)-Rank status.