After the events of Wheat Trye Wilderness, 3 of the 4 Specialists among the 2nd years made a name for themselves among the seniors.
Not every astral warrior had the talent to kill an astral beast a tier higher than them, not to talk of 2 tiers higher, they were bonafide geniuses.
A week after the expedition, Mr. Patrick gathered all the 2nd years to the farthest end of the academy ground beyond the big Eastern gate.
There, the cemetery of Centerpoint Astral Academy was located.
"A week ago, we had our first expedition to the Wheat Trye Wilderness and in the process, we lost some of us who started this semester alongside us".
"It's a code of astral warriors to pay last respects and send comrades peacefully to the afterlife".
"Though we were unable to retrieve their bodies from the wilderness, look at the cemetery as if their bodies are laying there".
"Say a prayer to them as your last respect".
Mr. Patrick took the first step, closing his eyes as he muttered a few words, then opening them he spoke. "May their souls rest in peace".
He left the students there at the cemetery.
As soon as the HOD left, the students reacted in different ways. Some who were acquainted with those that died reacted by crying again, even those that just partnered with the dead during the expedition for the first time.
Having fought astral beasts together in the wild, they already developed a bond.
The universe suddenly taking these souls from them left a trauma behind.
Not everyone reacted emotionally though. Students like Elmas Elden with cold look on their faces turned and left as soon as the HOD left.
As for the last group like Freya Atreus and Ramon, despite not being acquainted to any of the deceased, they said a prayer before leaving.
As they left, Ramon could not help but think.
Those countless faces filled with enthusiasm just before they embarked on the journey to the wilderness flashed back to his memory. 'They looked so full of life when we left, who knew that they would die in less than a day into their wilderness adventure?'
'Perhaps, if they knew they would die, they would have stayed back?'
Ramon shook his head. 'No'.
'The HOD warned them, yet they went, it's their conviction'.
'Just like mine, my conviction to be the King of astral travelers'.
He clenched his fist. 'I don't care if death is always a possibility, I don't care if Dragons and Krakens stand in my way, it won't deter me, I will keep on giving my best to move forward'.
'Because that is what Joel and the Fate Destroying Emperor would do'.
'Who knows?' He looked back at the cemetery. 'Perhaps, one day I may be one of the students receiving prayers from the others'.
'It won't stop me though'.
'I'll keep going!'
'I'll keep giving my all!'
'Till I achieve my goal, till I become the best!'
"Hey," Aegon nudged him. "Something on your mind?"
"I was thinking about death". Ramon answered frankly as Aegon was stupefied, then he chuckled. "Let's go duel at the combat arena".
Aegon scratched his head. "Have you forgotten?"
"Huh?"
"We can't go to the combat arena for 4 months".
"What…, why?"
"You really forget easily," Aegon sighed. "It's part of the bet we made with Tempest when we dueled against him in the arena and lost".
Ramon's eyes widened. "Huh? Why would we bet not to go to the combat arena anymore?! Why did you allow it?" He grabbed Aegon by the collar. "Why?!"
Aegon's eyes twitched. 'You dare blame it on me?'
His eyes gleamed dangerously. "How dare you blame it on me, you fool!"
BONK!
"Ouch…!"
That settled it.
The 2 friends went to a vacant field in the academy instead to spar against each other while patiently awaiting their next class.
A few days after the visit to the cemetery, in their next wildlife class, Mr. Patrick finally gave the students a privilege.
"You've survived your first expedition".
"To many in the astral world, this is the gateway to be truly validated as an astral warrior. You've seen the world now".
"After what you encountered in the wilderness, if you still have the confidence to go back there, go to the nearby base of the Astral Hunter Union to get your hunter badge".
"You should get it easily as a student of Centerpoint Astral".
Ramon's eyes glowed as soon as he heard that. "I get to go back there?!"
He grabbed Aegon who now sat alongside him at the front during classes. "Let's go get our hunter badge!"
The process was pretty easy simply due to their identity as students of Centerpoint Astral and the next day after making preparations, Ramon and Aegon finally made their way back into the wilderness as partners.
For the next few weeks that followed, they added going to Wheat Trye Wilderness as part of their busy schedule filled with training.
Holed up in the academy, focused on training, time moved fast and in what seemed faster than the previous year, months passed and the 2nd semester of the 2nd year was already here.
Towards the end of the 2nd semester, Freya Atreus again took the academy by storm, keeping her lead as the fastest developing student among the 2nd years.
Freya finally became a high-tier Legionnaire Stage Mage.
A week later, Ramon closed the gap first, becoming the 2nd fastest student among the 2nd years to become a high-tier Legionnaire Stage Warrior.
As soon as he became a high-tier Legionnaire Stage Warrior, feeling full of power, Ramon met the HOD at the academy gate.
Coincidentally, this was where they first met years ago when Ramon just entered the astral academy as a fresher.
"Fat man!" Ramon grinned. "Can I take on a Dragon now?"
Opening his eyes lazily, Mr. Patrick looked the boy up and down. "A young Dragon's sneeze should be capable of obliterating you out of existence".
"W-what?!" Ramon shook in rage. "I'm powerful!"
"In your perception but in the grand scheme of things, you're an insignificant frog stuck in the well of your academy".
Mr. Patrick smirked, happy at an opportunity to poke fun at the boy. "Most young Dragons start their life as low-tier Commander Stage Beasts, others start even higher, that is how potent their bloodline is".
"You have a lot before even being capable of standing before a Dragon's aura, the Iron-Tooth Siberian Tiger I fought last year is nothing before a young Dragon".
Hearing that, memories of when he was 5 flashed back to this boy's head. 'Joel's crew was really strong to take on a young Dragon'.
'I wonder when I can be as strong as them'.
"You have a long way to go boy, you better focus and train".
With his head down, a bit disappointed at his strength but also hyped at a Dragon's strength at the same time, he turned to leave but paused.
"Fat man, how strong was the Fate Destroying Emperor?"
Silence.
Mr. Patrick's eyes fully opened as he silently stared at the boy. "What do you want to know that for?"
Ramon grew annoyed. "I just want to know".
"I won't tell you". Mr. Patrick closed his eyes.
Ramon's eyes twitched as he shook in anger, why refuse to answer when it came to this? "Fat man…!!!" He roared.
Mr. Patrick enjoyed it when the boy raged, he chuckled, then he looked at the sky. "The Fate Destroying Emperor was a 9th Stage Mage".
"Many say he is the strongest Astral Practitioner to walk the earth".
"He was the strongest incarnation of power known to mankind".
"Why do you suddenly want to know this?" Mr. Patrick looked at the boy.
"Nothing," Ramon grinned even as his blood secretly boiled.
"Thank you". He ran away.
"...!" Mr. Patrick was stunned.
"T-thank you?" He stared. "Did he just say thank you?"
…
January next year, Aegon closed the gap, becoming the 3rd fastest student among their batch to become a high-tier Legionnaire Stage Astral Warrior.
Elmas took 6 more months to close the gap.
Their 3rd year in the academy passed mostly uneventfully as all the students holed up in their training slowly improved their abilities, becoming powerful astral warriors and hunters who regularly visited the wilderness.
Their numbers also became fewer the higher they went.
By their 4th year, they were reduced to just above a hundred students. During their 4th year, accusing Elmas Elden of having stolen his plantain chips, an angry Ramon challenged Elmas to a duel in the combat arena.
It was supposed to be the duel of the year, but as many expected but hoped against, Elmas didn't show up, leaving Ramon fuming in anger.
During the 4th year, Freya and Ramon kept their lead over the others, becoming the first students to become peak-tier Legionnaire Stage Warriors.
During Christmas eve, Aegon kept his pace behind them, becoming the 3rd student of their batch to become a peak-tier Legionnaire Stage Astral Warrior.
Shockingly, 3 students overtook Elmas after the first semester of their 5th year came, becoming peak-tier Legionnaire Stage Warriors faster than him.
Later in the first semester, Elmas finally closed the gap.
4 months later, in the 2nd semester, Freya Atreus took the almighty step, attaining Sage State and becoming the first Sage Stage Mage among this student batch.
And just 1 and a half month later, even as his 2 roommates watched in the night, Ramon also took the last step to go over the line of beginners.
At the young age of 15, Ramon's first realm breakthrough started.