-Asher Frostblade Point of View
"Mmm..."
I waited a moment as Oriana's lips parted and she spoke.
"Let's see, I can't really tell you anything, but for the moment you'll be the exception to hearing just one thing."
"Yes."
"Well, then. All I can say is 'rescued'."
"..."
As if those words were dazzling, Asher knew immediately.
Encrid was right.
The mages were inside the Dungeon, alive.
However...
"..."
He kept an emotionless expression, trying to take it all in. He knew well that the warden was actually still alive.
Of that he was certain.
Though it was also certain that they were in danger.
But, with the clue Oriana revealed, I confirmed everything I needed to know.
That single word answered all my questions.
So...
I'll tell you this.
"It's my turn."
"..."
Oriana, who had gone back to reviewing the documents on her desk, looked up and frowned, confused.
"What do you want...?"
"Final boss Sephiroth."
Clank.
I left the room, closing the door behind me and leaving Oriana to her thoughts at Asher's unexpected words.
***
-Scene change.
-Oriana Mengral's point of view.
"Final boss Sephiroth."
Clank.
"..."
I was stunned, not understanding anything.
Asher's sudden words left me thinking for a moment about that name wandering in my mind.
"Sephiroth... What is that?"
However, I didn't understand what Asher was referring to, but....
"Final boss."
"..."
I had a thought, but dismissed it.
It was common knowledge that Asher had no access to information and hadn't even left the academy in almost a year.
But still, "final boss Sephiroth" had to have some meaning behind it, or maybe they were just random words Asher said.
Words with no meaning or no meaning at all.
Because I didn't really understand anything.
Oriana burst out laughing.
"Ha."
I thought it was pretty funny, but the next second?
Thud!
The objects on my desk were thrown roughly.
I still can't get over it.
"Master... It's impossible for you to have been defeated so easily."
It was impossible.
A nightmare I never thought would happen, not even in my dreams.
Because I trusted Principal Wilbek blindly.
I trusted that he would come back someday.
Just for a moment...
He had to come back.
***
-Scene change.
-Asher Frostblade's point of view.
I walked back towards the academy exit.
Actually, I was heading to the training ground available to all cadets.
This was because the others would start training as of today.
It would be magical combats and duels in every possible aspect.
Of course, they had to give their all, but avoiding any injuries, as the last semester would start next week.
The cadets were preparing in every aspect they could learn.
The last semester would be long in appearance, but short in essence.
"It's a leap in time," I laughed at the thought.
I never imagined a dungeon of that category.
A grade 5 dungeon, where time passes faster than outside.
Two weeks inside equals six months outside the dungeon.
It's true that if you spend training in that dungeon, you'll be back in the distant future.
Sigh!
I finally arrived at the large training ground.
Desert-like sand, all kinds of magical and common weapons, and rows of bleacher-like seats on one side of the field, offering a full view of the place.
On close observation, I noticed that there were hardly any cadets training.
This was because most preferred to train through meditation.
Therefore, seeing cadets in these areas was quite rare.
But.
"Why are there so many female cadets training?"
It was strange to see this scene, as usually women trained in their respective classrooms, not on the training field.
Still, I didn't mind when I looked at the group.
There was only Julian, Luna and Gloriana.
As for Grey, Freddy and Emilia, they simply said they were busy with personal matters and so did not join the training.
"We're all here, aren't we?"
"Yes."
"As we agreed..."
Luna handed me a coffee I had never seen before, while Julian looked at me with jealousy.
This was because I agreed to train with them in exchange for this unique coffee, said to be unavailable at the academy.
At first I was surprised, but one thing Luna told me.
"Don't ask how I got it... It's a secret."
"..."
Actually, I didn't care since I had the coffee in my hands.
Sorbo!
"..."
"What?"
"Nothing."
I took a few steps back, and after drinking all the coffee, I evaluated it.
"It tastes good... 7/10, not bad."
I was in the habit of evaluating every new coffee I tried.
Asher's obsession with coffee was such that it was hard to describe.
"Are you done?"
"Yes."
"What we promised was physical training today, combat using mana tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, combat using spells."
Luna, who had planned everything, spoke up. This was due to one main reason: the last semester would test both old and new challenges that the other cadets had not yet faced.
I looked at her briefly as she continued.
"There are four of us, so I thought about how to arrange the pairs for the matches."
She looked at the others before finishing.
"Gloriana and Asher, Julian and me."
We all nodded. I didn't really care who my opponent was, but....
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather go all three of you against me at the same time?"
They all knew I was stronger, much stronger. The idea of fighting one on one was unfair to Gloriana. She was in the first circle, while I was in the third circle. No matter how you looked at it, the winner was obvious, no matter what tricks Gloriana used. Still, I was curious to see what she was capable of.
I wanted to test Gloriana, as I had never seen her really fight before. She always used only one spell to defeat her enemies, and the fights I had participated in before I never had the chance to witness them, as I was either busy or not present at the time.
So, I asked myself over and over again: how strong was Gloriana really? The others knew because they had seen her fight, but not me. So today I would test her capabilities.
I was considered the best assassin in my past life and I am considered the best talent in this world. So shouldn't I dare to say that I am capable of evaluating someone?
I adopted a basic combat stance: one foot forward, the other back, fists clenched and my mind clear of any distractions as I fixed my gaze on Gloriana. She watched me in confusion, but nodded, mimicking my stance, albeit in a more unbalanced way.
"This will be something interesting," I thought.
His posture was fine, but it left gaps in several places. However, I swallowed saliva. I should never underestimate an opponent, no matter how awkward his stance looked. In the past, there were fighters with that style, and although their appearance was unimpressive, they were incredibly strong and unpredictable.
So, I spoke up.
"Are you ready?"
Gloriana nodded.
As I was about to make my first move, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around, confused and annoyed at the same time.
"Hi."
I looked puzzled, as did Gloriana. In front of me was a female cadet with black hair and eyes as yellow as the sun. Behind her, three other girls accompanied her. She was a rather attractive cadet for her beauty.
Asher, still confused, spoke up.
"Do you need anything?"
"You're Asher, aren't you? The one with the rumors, the strongest freshman."
I didn't answer. I didn't consider myself the strongest. We were just kids just awakening their abilities, and I had the advantage of a past life.
The cadet appeared to be a sophomore. Looking at her mana, she appeared to be in the third circle, just like me. Then, I understood where this was all headed when she spoke again.
"Would you allow me to spar with you, Cadet Asher?"
It was true that some senior-year cadets had long had their eyes on me, but the curious thing was that most of them were women. Although some men were also watching me, they were few in comparison.
I finally answered.
"No."
My interest was in evaluating Gloriana, and this strange cadet had just interrupted. But something unexpected happened soon after.
"I didn't come here to get a 'no.' If I say fight, then you will."
I looked at her expressionlessly, uninterested, as her words echoed in my mind. And then I responded.
"Stay out of it."
That was all I said. However...
Thud!
A smile appeared on the cadet's face, and suddenly, she attacked me without warning. I maintained an unperturbed expression as the situation unfolded....