Over twenty of the massive creatures now surrounded them, eyes glinting with hostility.A thunderous roar echoed through the air, causing the ground beneath them to tremble. The sheer volume made everyone's ears ring.Panic flickered across their faces."That's a Gold-rank demon beast!" Alex exclaimed, his voice edged with alarm.Their situation was dire.Alex's current abilities were insufficient against such a foe, and Renault's strongest team members were only at three-star Silver rank.The Alpha King Ape leaped onto a nearby wall, its fierce gaze locked onto them."Follow me!" Alex shouted, entering one of the dormitory rooms.Without hesitation, the group sprinted after him, entering the dormitory.It turned out that inside the dormitory room, it was connected to other rooms through connecting doors, and they used it to escape from the apes chasing them.The massive ape pounded its chest in frustration, its roar shaking the very walls around them.In response, the lesser Apes beg

The outlaws were on the run, desperately fleeing from the wrath of the King of the Apes.In their haste, they stumbled upon a nearby camp where an inexperienced group had recklessly lit a roaring fire, its flames shooting skyward.It was clear their targets were either naive or foolish, as the blazing fire became the very beacon that drew the outlaws straight to them."Nobody move!" Viper, the leader of the outlaws, barked as he brandished his sword.His men swiftly encircled Vlad and his entourage, eyes gleaming with malice.Some began rifling through supplies, greedily devouring any food and water they could snatch."Why have you captured me? Who are you people?" Vlad demanded, his voice edged with defiance despite the fear flickering in his eyes."Shut up!" one of the thugs snarled, striking Vlad across the head before shoving him roughly toward Viper."Learn to bow your head to those more powerful."Viper chuckled, his gaze sweeping over Vlad's opulent attire. "Ah, a nobleman. You

Her indignation wavered as she realized he was only trying to help her.But that also meant Alex had seen her entire body while treating her injuries.Embarrassment gnawed at her, her cheeks flushing deeply."Thank you," she whispered, her eyes dropping to the floor.An awkward silence settled between them. Gathering her courage, Sofie finally asked, "Alex, do you... like me?"Alex knew that once he'd confided his feelings to his twenty-one commoner friends, the whole academy would soon find out.He looked at her earnestly."You are more precious to me than all the treasures on this earth. Your beauty shines brighter than any jewel."He took a deep breath and continued, "I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride."Her heart skipped a beat at his heartfelt confession. Though part of her had suspected his feelings, hearing him say it so directly left her flustered.Taking a steadying breath, she said, "We're still young. We don'

Jareth furiously raised his head and glared at Renault.“What?” Renault snapped back, his eyes narrowing.“Don’t think I won’t destroy your entire family if you keep trying to harm Alex and Sofie!”The tension crackled between them. Renault’s voice was like ice, sharp and cutting, and his presence felt larger, as though he were towering over Jareth.Renault’s anger simmered just beneath the surface. Sofie was a princess of Miracle City, and if anyone dared to suspect her or interfere with her gains from the expedition, they’d answer to him.Perhaps even the King himself would inspect their family treasures tomorrow.How dare Jareth think he could threaten his family?For the first time, Jareth saw Renault this angry, making his own rage falter.He took a step back, feeling the weight of Renault’s family name.Renault was a member of the major DuPont family, a direct descendant, no less. They could crush his entire lineage with a mere word.Jareth clenched his fists but dropped his gaz

Scarlet and Cassandra had fought twice before, and both times ended in a dead heat.This was now their third match, and even though Scarlet was a senior, with Cassandra had gained new strength, the outcome looked much the same.Neither girl would back down, neither would concede defeat.Their rivalry had ignited the very first time Scarlet flaunted her affection for Alex, and Cassandra had stepped in with a warning.Scarlet ignored it, and from that day on, the two had fought for reasons that went well beyond pride.Yet, there was something else about their fights—something that drew onlookers from every corner of the academy.The pair of goddesses remained completely unaware of the chaos they unleashed every time they clashed.They crashed into walls, toppled statues, and kicked up dust storms in the courtyards. And the students loved every second of it.They lined up, whispering and joking, placing bets as if watching a grand tournament.On this particular day, as Scarlet and Cassan