After leaving Wyndia’s office, Rhys already knew where he wanted to go next.Meave.There was no point putting it off. After everything that had happened during his trip, she was one of the first people he wanted to see.Unfortunately, he never made it that far.Someone was waiting for him before he could even get close.It wasn’t Meave’s brother.It was Mirova.Nearly two weeks had passed since he had tricked both her and the Dragon King. That was more than enough time for her to arrive at the academy. In fact, she was already standing there in the academy uniform, as if she had been waiting specifically for him.Rhys took one look at her and sighed.“What is this? Are you trying to show off your uniform?”His tone was casual, but he could already see the irritation burning in her eyes.She had clearly come looking for trouble.Instead of pretending not to know why she was angry, Rhys decided to save everyone the effort. He might as well admit responsibility before she even started a

Meave stood inside her room with her arms crossed, leaning against the door. Although she wasn’t saying anything, the look on her face was complicated.Across from her, Risa sat on the edge of Rhys’s bed while Rhys explained the reason he had called her.“I’m thinking about letting you drink my blood once every week,” he said. “What do you think?”Risa blinked.For a moment, she thought she had heard him wrong.Then her eyes widened.“Can I really do that?” she asked. “If you’re serious, I’d be incredibly grateful.”There was no chance she would reject an offer like that.Rhys nodded.“Yes. But after my visit to the Ancient Library, a new theory came up regarding my blood.”The casual tone disappeared from his voice.He raised a finger and became noticeably more serious.Risa immediately straightened her posture.Her heart began beating faster.She knew Rhys well enough to recognize that expression. Whenever he looked like this, it usually meant he was about to reveal something import

By the time Rhys and Meave arrived at the military camp, it became obvious that the situation wasn’t much different from the one they had encountered under Mirova’s command.Soldiers moved everywhere with injuries ranging from minor cuts to serious wounds. Healers worked nonstop, and the atmosphere carried the same tension they had felt before. The only real difference was the size. This camp was significantly larger, housing far more troops and supplies than the previous one.Even so, there wasn’t much Rhys could do.Anubis now possessed Synchronization, and that made his Mana even more valuable than before. Using too much healing now could easily leave them at a disadvantage later. As much as Rhys wanted to help, conserving their resources was the smarter choice.Fortunately, dealing with the soldiers here proved much easier.The moment they presented their Valaris Academy badges and handed over the official letter, the guards immediately recognized them. One of the soldiers stepped

Just as David had warned, the Abyssals emerged from the forest and rushed toward them.Their appearances varied wildly.Some looked vaguely human, though twisted into grotesque forms. Others resembled beasts that had been stitched together from different creatures. A few moved on four limbs, while others ran upright.Despite their differences, they all shared the same reckless way of moving.They charged straight ahead without hesitation, using claws, talons, and hands to propel themselves through the forest. Tree trunks were scratched and gouged as they passed, leaving visible marks wherever they went.At that moment, Rhys finally understood why David had mentioned studying damage on trees.These creatures weren’t exactly subtle.Without wasting a second, Rhys raised his voice.“Gealion, Anubis. We’ll do the usual.”The moment the command left his mouth, Gealion shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.Anubis moved in the opposite direction.Instead of joining the assault, he

“Are you sure?” Rhys asked the captain one last time.The captain gave him an easy smile and nodded.“Yep! We’ll be on the lookout for tonight. You and your friend should get some rest tonight.”Rhys hesitated.This had originally been their responsibility as well. Leaving everything to the soldiers while he slept comfortably did not sit right with him. Still, before he could argue, the captain spoke again.“To be honest, it’s sad to have your friends dying on the battlefield. But it’s more excruciating when thinking that they are unable to go back home.”His gaze drifted toward the bodies of his fallen comrades.The smile on his face remained, but there was pain behind it.“That’s why I’m extremely grateful to you for allowing us to bring back their bodies. At least their families will have closure.”For a moment, silence settled between them.Then the captain chuckled softly.“It’s shameless for me to say this, but please get some rest, esteemed Beast Tamers. I just wish for you to