Brandon narrowed his eyes at him but said nothing whatsoever. Bridget gave a small nod. "Good. Then we move at dawn. You have the rest of the night to prepare thoroughly. Dismissed." The moment she finished speaking, murmurs broke out among the students. Some immediately gathered in small groups to discuss strategies together, while others sat in silence, still digesting the crucial information. Nox rose from his seat, Jared and Theo following right behind him as they were heading towards the same direction as well. "So, what do you think?" Jared asked curiously. "About what?" "The mission, obviously. A Level 6 portal break? That’s not something we should be dealing with yet." Theo, who had remained silent all this while, turned to Jared and answered. "It’s a test." Jared frowned deeply. "A test?" Theo’s eyes flickered with an unreadable glint. "We’re being thrown into the fire to see who burns and who survives completely." Jared exhaled sharply. "That’s a hell of a way to test us." Nox shrugged, chiming in. "Reality doesn’t care if we’re ready or not." As the two walked toward the exit, Blake suddenly appeared beside them. "Nox! Theo! Did you hear that? A Level 6 break! We’re all going to die, aren’t we? I mean, not literally, but—" Nox sighed when he heard this. He wanted to tell the panicked boy that he was also present in the classroom when the announcement was made but dismissed it. Blake groaned, dragging his hands down his face. "I just knew something was up the moment I saw that blue-haired dude smirking earlier. I don’t trust that guy at all." Nox stopped walking. His eyes narrowed slightly. "You saw Brandon smirking?" Blake nodded quickly. "Yeah, like he was enjoying something." Nox’s fingers twitched slightly. His instincts told him that this wasn’t just a simple mission. Something else was at play here. And he was going to find out what. --- Two days before the first light of dawn, the special class students gathered together at the academy’s teleportation platform. Wendy and Brandon stood firmly at the front, their expressions serious and composed completely. The air was thick with palpable tension. Bridget arrived shortly after, nodding briefly to Wendy before turning toward the gathered students. "Your mission is simple: support the Tristan Kingdom’s forces and eliminate any emerging threats. The portal remains unstable, and stronger creatures may emerge unpredictably at any moment. Do not let your guard falter." She gestured toward the teleportation circle behind her. "Your destination is the outer perimeter of the break. Move quickly, remain alert, and remember—your survival ultimately rests in your hands." With that final directive, Wendy and Brandon stepped into the teleportation circle first. One by one, the students followed suit, their gazes filled with determination. Nox was the very last to step in. Just before the magic fully activated, his sharp eyes met Brandon’s unwavering gaze. Brandon smirked knowingly. Nox’s lips curled slightly in response. Although this was their first official meeting, it almost seemed as if they already knew each other too well. --- A day ago. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the academy grounds. It had been a hectic day for Nox, filled with training, planning, and the ever-present weight of his upcoming mission. But before he could focus on his mission, he needed to prepare properly—he needed the right resources. Nox had been delaying his pet’s evolution for a while now. He wanted to take care of this issue before heading to Zara’s kingdom. It was only one item needed, and Nox was pretty confident he could get it. It was then he thought about his new subordinate. Continue your saga on freewebnovel He had contacted Amos through the communication crystal. The call was brief. "I need a Glacial Vial," Nox had said without much explanation, maintaining his powerful image. To his surprise, Amos had chuckled. "Funny. I actually have one. Bought it at the last auction on a whim." Nox didn’t believe in coincidences. Fate, luck, or whatever people called it—none of that mattered to him. What mattered was results. He didn’t even think too much about it and simply said in a firm tone. "I’ll take it." Later that evening, they met in a secluded part of the academy grounds. Nox wore his hound mask, adjusting its level before meeting up with Amos, who handed the Glacial Vial to him. "My liege, are you perhaps planning something big?" Amos asked in a respectful tone, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. Nox examined the vial in the fading light. The liquid inside glowed faintly with a cold, icy shimmer. "Something like that," Nox replied after a moment, pocketing the vial. Whether it was the effect of the mask or something else, it was unknown, but Nox’s mannerisms were eerily filled with confidence and composure. This calm demeanor only made Amos’s reverence for him skyrocket to heights never seen before. Amos raised an eyebrow. He wanted to be a part of this so-called big thing his master was planning, but he didn’t press further, leaving him to his own devices. "Well, if you need anything else, let me know," he said and disappeared. For an expert like him, infiltrating and leaving the academy was a very easy task. Nox nodded and turned to leave. But as he walked away, his thoughts drifted—back to his master, Eve. Even now, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The unease in his chest only grew stronger. ’Focus,’ he reminded himself. There was nothing he could do about it now. First, he needed to complete his mission. Then. --- The present. Nox came back to reality, his gaze fixed on the portal, which was the work of a skilled tunesmith. The reason these portals weren’t common was because they were expensive—very expensive. Only organizations as rich and influential as the Vermilion Kingdom and the royal family could afford them. At that moment, Zara approached Nox from the side. Nox looked at her and said, "Hey, about the situation with your home, we’ll deal with it after this mission." "It’s fine." "Uncle, I hope you won’t fail me," Ainsworth thought, his fists clenching as he observed the subtle interaction between the two before he passed through the portal. A moment later, Nox and Zara passed through the portal as well. And with that, the teleportation circle activated—sending them straight into the heart of the battlefield.