Chapter 72 — The Outer Territory Selection
Morning arrived quietly.
For once, Azrael didn’t wake up because of an attack.
He woke because someone was knocking on his door.
Knock. Knock.
Azrael opened one eye.
Another knock followed.
"Azrael."
Seraphina’s voice.
He pulled the blanket over his head.
"I’m sleeping."
"You’ve been awake for ten minutes."
Azrael paused.
"How do you know?"
"I can hear you moving."
He sighed and got out of bed.
When he opened the door, Seraphina was already dressed in her Academy uniform.
"Registration starts in an hour."
"I remember."
"Then hurry."
Azrael looked toward the window.
"I don’t understand why everyone is so excited."
Seraphina smiled.
"Because this is our first real opportunity outside the Academy."
Azrael grabbed Astraeus.
"Fine."
The registration hall was already crowded when they arrived.
Hundreds of disciples stood in long lines.
Some were discussing possible teammates.
Others were studying maps displayed on floating screens.
Azrael noticed several older disciples watching the newcomers.
Caelan joined them a few minutes later.
"You came."
Azrael looked at him.
"You sound surprised."
"I thought you might still be sleeping."
"I considered it."
Seraphina shook her head.
"Ignore him."
They approached the registration platform.
A crystal tablet appeared before them.
Outer Territory Selection
Team Size: 3–5
Minimum Realm: Peak Mortal Origin
Duration: Seven Days
Primary Objective: Exploration
Secondary Objectives: Resource Acquisition, Monster Subjugation, Rescue
Special Conditions: Unknown
Azrael read the final line twice.
"Unknown?"
Caelan nodded.
"The territory hasn’t been fully mapped."
"So we don’t know what we’ll encounter."
"Exactly."
Azrael smiled.
"That makes it more interesting."
Seraphina glanced at him.
"Don’t get too excited."
"I’m simply saying it’s different."
The registration crystal scanned them.
A light passed over Azrael.
Then Seraphina.
Then Caelan.
Registration Complete.
Team Confirmed.
Members:
Azrael
Seraphina
Caelan
Azrael looked at the display.
"Only three?"
"We can add two more," Caelan said.
Seraphina looked around.
"Do we need them?"
Azrael considered it.
A larger team meant more abilities.
But it also meant more people to coordinate.
"Three should be enough for now."
Caelan nodded.
"I agree."
They stepped away from the registration platform.
Immediately, several disciples approached.
A tall beastfolk girl was the first.
"You three are forming a team?"
Azrael nodded.
"Yes."
"Can I join?"
Seraphina looked at her.
"What’s your specialty?"
The girl smiled.
"Tracking."
She tapped her chest.
"My senses are excellent. I can detect monsters, resources and hidden paths."
Caelan looked interested.
"That’s useful."
Azrael studied her for a moment.
"Name?"
"Lyanna."
"Rank?"
"312."
Azrael raised an eyebrow.
"That’s pretty high."
Lyanna smiled.
"I’ve been here longer."
Seraphina looked at Caelan.
Caelan nodded.
"I’ve seen her during missions."
"She’s reliable."
Azrael turned back to Lyanna.
"Welcome."
Lyanna smiled.
"Thank you."
They now had four members.
Before they could leave, another disciple approached.
This time it was a young man carrying a large shield.
"I heard you’re accepting members."
Azrael looked at the shield.
"Tank?"
The young man nodded.
"Defensive specialization."
"Name?"
"Orin."
"Rank?"
"276."
Azrael looked toward Seraphina.
She nodded.
"His defensive aura is strong."
Caelan added,
"I’ve seen him protect a team during a monster outbreak."
Azrael smiled.
"Then you’re in."
Orin bowed.
"Thank you."
The team was complete.
Five members.
Azrael.
Seraphina.
Caelan.
Lyanna.
Orin.
A bell rang.
The registration hall became silent.
An instructor walked onto the central platform.
Elder Solis.
His gaze swept over the disciples.
"The Outer Territory Selection begins tomorrow."
A large map appeared behind him.
It showed an enormous region surrounded by darkness.
"This territory has remained unexplored for three hundred years."
The map changed.
Mountains appeared.
Forests.
Rivers.
Ruined structures.
"Previous exploration teams discovered several ancient ruins."
"Some contained valuable resources."
"Others contained monsters."
Solis paused.
"And some contained nothing."
A few disciples laughed.
Solis continued.
"Do not assume the Academy will protect you."
The atmosphere immediately became serious.
"Once you enter the territory, your decisions belong to you."
"If you encounter another team, you may cooperate."
"You may compete."
"But Academy rules still apply."
A disciple raised his hand.
"Can we fight other teams?"
Solis looked at him.
"Only under the rules of the selection."
"Unnecessary killing is prohibited."
The disciple lowered his hand.
Solis continued.
"Your objective isn’t to defeat everyone."
"It’s to survive, explore and return."
Azrael listened carefully.
That was different from the Trial Tower.
There, victory had been everything.
Here, survival mattered just as much.
Solis raised one hand.
The map expanded.
Several locations became highlighted.
"These are known safe zones."
"These are uncharted."
"These areas contain unstable spatial phenomena."
"And these..."
The final section appeared.
"...are completely forbidden."
Azrael looked at the largest dark region on the map.
"What is there?"
Solis looked at it.
"We don’t know."
The hall became quiet.
"Then why mark it?"
"Because every exploration team that entered that region disappeared."
Azrael’s expression became serious.
Solis dismissed the map.
"Your first priority is not curiosity."
He looked directly at the disciples.
"It is returning alive."
The briefing ended.
Outside the hall, the five members gathered around a table.
Lyanna opened a map.
"We need a strategy."
Orin nodded.
"I can protect the group during monster encounters."
Caelan pointed toward the eastern region.
"We should start here."
"Why?"
"Resources."
He pointed toward several marked locations.
"There’s a river, two forests and an old ruin."
Lyanna shook her head.
"Too obvious."
She pointed west.
"This area is less crowded."
Seraphina examined the map.
"Which means fewer competitors."
"And fewer resources," Caelan replied.
Azrael remained silent.
Everyone looked at him.
"What?"
Lyanna smiled.
"You’re the leader, aren’t you?"
Azrael blinked.
"Who decided that?"
Seraphina raised her hand.
"You."
"When?"
"Just now."
Azrael sighed.
"Fine."
He studied the map carefully.
After several moments, he pointed toward the center.
"We start here."
Caelan frowned.
"That’s close to the uncharted region."
"Exactly."
Lyanna looked surprised.
"Why?"
"Because everyone else will avoid it."
Azrael tapped the map.
"If we stay near the safe zones, we’ll compete with hundreds of teams for the same resources."
Orin nodded slowly.
"And the monsters will probably be weaker."
"Right."
Seraphina looked at Azrael.
"But the risks are higher."
Azrael smiled.
"Then we prepare properly."
He looked at each member.
"Nobody takes unnecessary risks."
"If something feels wrong, we retreat."
"If we discover something we don’t understand, we report it."
"And nobody separates from the group without telling the others."
Everyone nodded.
Caelan smiled.
"That’s a reasonable plan."
Lyanna folded the map.
"Then we’re ready."
Seraphina looked toward the Academy gates.
"Tomorrow."
Azrael nodded.
"Tomorrow."
The five stood together for a moment before heading back toward their residences.
They had one final day to prepare.
And this time, they would enter the outer territory as a team.