Chapter 71 — A Day Without Training
For the first time since arriving at the Academy, Azrael had nothing scheduled.
No training.
No mission.
No Trial Tower.
And, most importantly, no old master waiting beneath a white tree with another ridiculous lesson.
Azrael stood outside his residence, enjoying the morning sunlight.
He stretched his arms and let out a satisfied breath.
"Finally."
A voice came from behind him.
"Finally what?"
Azrael froze.
He turned slowly.
Seraphina stood there with her arms crossed.
"Nothing."
"You looked far too happy."
"I just realized how beautiful the weather is."
Seraphina glanced toward the clear sky.
"You were planning something."
Azrael placed a hand over his chest.
"Why does everyone assume the worst about me?"
"Because you disappear whenever you get bored."
"That’s not true."
"You disappeared for three days after entering the Thirteenth Gate."
"That was different."
"You also walked into a monster-infested forest."
"That was a mission."
"You nearly challenged a creature that the System couldn’t even analyze."
Azrael paused.
"You’re making some good points."
Seraphina smiled.
"I know."
Before Azrael could respond, another voice interrupted them.
"You’re both awake early."
Caelan approached from across the courtyard.
His black hair was tied behind his head, and his usual calm expression remained unchanged.
Azrael looked at him.
"You’re awake early too."
"I always wake early."
"Why?"
"Discipline."
Azrael sighed.
"That’s exactly what I didn’t want to hear on my day off."
Caelan smiled faintly.
Seraphina laughed.
Azrael looked between them.
"Today is supposed to be relaxing."
"Then relax."
"I intend to."
He pointed toward the enormous city visible beyond the training grounds.
"I’m going there."
Seraphina looked toward the city.
"The central Academy?"
"Yes."
"I’ve wanted to visit it."
Azrael smiled.
"Then let’s go."
Caelan hesitated.
"I suppose I could come."
Azrael nodded.
"Good. We need someone responsible."
Caelan raised an eyebrow.
"You’re saying that as though I’m your bodyguard."
"You look responsible."
"And you’re not?"
Azrael smiled.
"Not particularly."
Seraphina shook her head.
"At least you’re honest."
The three left the courtyard together.
The central city of the Academy was far larger than Azrael had expected.
The moment they crossed the main bridge, the noise of thousands of people reached them.
Merchants shouted from stalls.
Students discussed missions.
Groups of disciples walked toward different training halls.
Magical beasts rested beside their owners.
Different races moved through the streets without anyone paying much attention to their appearance.
Dragonkin.
Beastfolk.
Spirits.
Humans.
Giants.
Even several races Azrael couldn’t identify.
Seraphina looked around with genuine curiosity.
"There are so many races."
Azrael nodded.
"And we’ve barely seen any of them."
A massive horned creature walked past them carrying several crates on its back.
Azrael watched it disappear into the crowd.
"The Academy really is different from the outside world."
Caelan nodded.
"That’s one of its purposes."
"What do you mean?"
"It brings together talented individuals from different civilizations."
He gestured toward the street.
"Some come from powerful kingdoms."
"Others come from isolated worlds."
"Some were born into famous bloodlines."
"And some..."
Caelan glanced toward a young human disciple carrying a worn sword.
"...come from places nobody has ever heard of."
Seraphina smiled.
"Yet they’re all here."
"Exactly."
Azrael looked around.
For the first time, he understood what Elder Solis had meant.
There really were no nobles here.
At least not in the way the outside world understood nobility.
Everyone had entered the Academy for the same reason.
To become stronger.
They eventually reached a massive building covered in golden inscriptions.
Azrael looked upward.
"What is this?"
"The Exchange Hall."
Caelan answered.
"Almost everything you can imagine can be found inside."
Azrael’s eyes immediately brightened.
"Almost?"
Caelan smiled.
"The Academy doesn’t sell everything."
"Then what’s the point?"
Seraphina laughed.
"Not everything has to be about buying something."
Azrael ignored her and entered the building.
The interior was enormous.
Hundreds of stalls filled the hall.
Weapons rested inside glass cases.
Armor floated above display platforms.
Skill books were arranged according to cultivation paths.
There were potions, spiritual herbs, monster materials, cultivation resources and strange artifacts.
One stall even displayed several small eggs.
Azrael stopped.
"What are those?"
"Beast eggs."
The merchant smiled.
"Each one contains a different magical beast."
Azrael looked at the eggs.
"How much?"
The merchant gave him a number.
Azrael immediately walked away.
Seraphina laughed.
"You didn’t even negotiate."
"That egg costs more than a month’s worth of missions."
"You don’t know that."
"I know enough."
Caelan chuckled.
They continued walking.
Azrael suddenly stopped again.
A small black crystal rested inside a glass container.
Unlike the other treasures around it, it didn’t glow.
It simply absorbed the light around it.
"What is that?"
The merchant looked up.
"A Void Crystal."
Azrael leaned closer.
"What does it do?"
"That depends on the user."
"How much?"
"Three thousand contribution points."
Azrael stared at the crystal.
Then at the merchant.
Then back at the crystal.
He walked away.
Seraphina laughed.
"That was fast."
"Three thousand?"
Azrael shook his head.
"That crystal better be able to defeat a universe."
The merchant laughed.
"Perhaps one day it will."
Azrael stopped.
He looked back.
"That was a joke, right?"
The merchant simply smiled.
Azrael continued walking.
"I don’t trust merchants."
They eventually reached the section containing cultivation books.
Seraphina’s attention was immediately drawn toward a shelf filled with golden volumes.
She picked one up.
Basic Life Resonance.
Her expression softened.
"Elder Iris mentioned this."
Azrael looked at the book.
"You should get it."
"I don’t have enough contribution points."
Azrael took out his Academy token.
"How much?"
"Four hundred."
He transferred the points without hesitation.
Seraphina looked at him.
"You didn’t have to do that."
"I know."
"Then why?"
Azrael shrugged.
"Because you’re my sister."
She smiled.
"Thank you."
Caelan watched them quietly.
"You two really are close."
Azrael looked at him.
"We’re twins."
"I know."
Caelan smiled.
"But it’s obvious."
Seraphina held the book against her chest.
"Family is important."
Azrael nodded.
"Always."
For a moment, none of them said anything.
It was a simple moment.
No enemies.
No training.
No pressure.
Just the three of them standing together in the middle of a busy Academy.
Later that afternoon, they reached a large open plaza.
A crowd had gathered around an enormous stone monument.
Azrael recognized it immediately.
"The Sky Ranking."
Caelan nodded.
"The rankings update whenever a disciple’s position changes."
Seraphina examined the names.
Some were written in bright gold.
Others appeared in silver.
Several names near the bottom were dim.
Azrael looked upward.
"Where are you?"
Caelan pointed.
Rank 184 — Caelan
Azrael raised an eyebrow.
"Not bad."
Caelan smiled.
"What about you?"
Azrael searched through the rankings.
His name wasn’t there.
He moved lower.
Still nothing.
Seraphina checked as well.
Neither of their names appeared.
Azrael frowned.
"Why aren’t we listed?"
Caelan explained.
"New disciples aren’t automatically placed on the ranking."
"Then how do we get ranked?"
"You challenge someone."
Azrael’s eyes brightened.
"Interesting."
Seraphina immediately looked at him.
"No."
"I haven’t said anything."
"You didn’t need to."
Caelan laughed quietly.
"You two are predictable."
Azrael folded his arms.
"I was only curious."
Seraphina gave him a doubtful look.
"Of course."
Before the conversation could continue, a bell suddenly rang throughout the plaza.
DONG!
Every conversation stopped.
A large projection appeared above the monument.
ACADEMY ANNOUNCEMENT
Outer Territory Selection will begin in seven days.
Eligible disciples may register starting tomorrow.
The crowd immediately erupted into discussion.
Seraphina looked toward Caelan.
"What is the Outer Territory Selection?"
Caelan’s expression became serious.
"It’s one of the biggest opportunities available to new disciples."
Azrael became interested.
"What happens?"
"Selected disciples form teams and enter an unexplored outer territory."
"Why?"
"Resources."
"Training."
"Exploration."
Caelan paused.
"And rankings."
Azrael smiled.
"So it’s a competition."
"Partly."
Caelan looked toward the projection.
"The Academy wants to evaluate how disciples perform outside controlled environments."
Seraphina nodded.
"Then it isn’t just about strength."
"No."
"You need teamwork."
"Adaptation."
"Decision-making."
Caelan looked at Azrael.
"And knowing when not to fight."
Azrael smiled.
"You’re looking at me."
"I’m looking at the person who attacked a forest creature after his System told him to retreat."
"That was one time."
Seraphina laughed.
"One very memorable time."
Azrael sighed.
"Fine."
The announcement continued.
Registration opens tomorrow at sunrise.
Team size: Three to five disciples.
Participants will be assigned according to Academy regulations.
The projection disappeared.
Azrael looked at Seraphina.
She was already looking at him.
Neither needed to say anything.
Caelan sighed.
"I suppose you’re both joining."
"Obviously."
Seraphina nodded.
"I want to see what the Academy considers an unexplored territory."
Caelan looked toward the distant towers.
"Then I’ll join too."
Azrael smiled.
"Good."
The three left the plaza as evening approached.
The sky slowly turned orange.
For once, there was no mission waiting for them.
No battle.
No mysterious enemy.
No lesson.
Azrael looked at the city around them.
There were still countless places he hadn’t visited.
Countless people he hadn’t met.
Countless things he didn’t understand.
But there was no need to discover everything in one day.
He looked at Seraphina.
"Food?"
Her eyes immediately brightened.
"Definitely."
Caelan laughed.
"Finally, something we all agree on."
They entered a nearby restaurant.
Azrael ordered far more food than Seraphina expected.
She stared at the table.
"Are you planning to feed an army?"
"I’m hungry."
"You ate an hour ago."
"That was before I became hungry again."
Caelan shook his head.
"I’ve never seen someone eat this much."
Azrael picked up his chopsticks.
"Then today you’ve learned something important."
Seraphina laughed.
"What?"
"Never underestimate your brother’s appetite."
The three continued talking as they ate, discussing the upcoming selection and the places they wanted to visit inside the Academy.
For one evening, they could simply enjoy being students.
Tomorrow, they would begin preparing for the Outer Territory Selection.