Carmichael pushed open the laboratory door and stepped inside, his eyes moving across the busy room. Researchers hurried between workstations, assistants carried stacks of notes, and several teams argued over fresh data while complicated instruments hummed in the background. Despite the pressure everyone was under, the atmosphere was far more energetic than he had expected. The former chief Court Researcher, Yuri, noticed him almost immediately and walked over with a grin. “Well, what do we have here? Why would the new principal of the Valaris Academy appear here? Are you tired of all that paperwork?” Yuri asked with a teasing smile. Carmichael gave a small shake of his head. “I’m just observing your progress. Is there anything you’d like to show me? Maybe you have found out where the enemy’s location is?” For a brief moment, Yuri looked pleased, as though he had been waiting for that question. Then his smile gradually faded, replaced by an uncertain expression. “There are

“What did you want to talk about?” Laura asked after Meave pulled her into an empty room.Meave didn’t answer immediately.She waited until they were far enough away that nobody could overhear them. Only then did she turn around. Her expression was unusually serious, making Laura instinctively straighten her posture.Meave let out a quiet sigh.“I can’t believe I’m about to say this because it honestly makes me feel sick.” She rubbed her forehead before looking Laura in the eye. “Whatever you have to do, do it. Just don’t let Grace get too close to Rhys.”Laura blinked.“Whatever I have to do?” she repeated. “You mean… anything?”Meave pinched the bridge of her nose.The question immediately reminded her of a conversation she had shared with Rhys not long ago.Back then, curiosity had gotten the better of her.“So…” she had asked him. “Are you planning to get closer to Skylar and Grace? And what about Mirova?”The question had clearly caught Rhys by surprise.Seeing how serious she lo

Life in Alp City had gradually returned to normal. The past few months had been difficult, but the people had learned to adapt. Merchants reopened their shops, craftsmen returned to work, and the streets were once again filled with pedestrians moving from one place to another. For a brief moment, it almost felt as though the strange disasters that had plagued the city were finally behind them. Then everything changed. Without warning, flocks of birds burst into the sky. Dogs began barking wildly. Cats sprinted into narrow alleys. Even the horses pulling carriages suddenly became restless. Some reared onto their hind legs, refusing to move another step. Others panicked and charged forward uncontrollably, dragging their carriages into nearby buildings. The peaceful atmosphere vanished in an instant. “What’s going on?” “Is it happening again?!” Panic spread through the streets. Before anyone could understand what was happening, the ground beneath the entire city

Nidhogg beat his wings harder, cutting through the sky as he flew straight toward the battlefield. His target was obvious. The towering Elite Class Abyssal standing near the mine. As soon as they reached the area above the defenders, Grace jumped from the dragon’s back without hesitation. A gust of wind gathered beneath her feet as her Wind Spirit slowed her fall, allowing her to descend safely toward the miners and guards below. Rhys remained on Nidhogg for another moment. From above, he carefully studied the battlefield. The Elite Class Abyssal resembled an enormous elephant, though the similarities ended there. It stood on six massive legs, and dozens of thick tentacles writhed across its back like a nest of serpents. Its sheer size was intimidating. Every step it took made the ground tremble. Even from the sky, Rhys could feel the vibrations traveling through the mountain. His gaze quickly shifted toward the mine. The entrance had been carved into the mounta

“Rhys!” Gealion rushed back to his side, his expression far more serious than before. “There’s an incredibly powerful Abyssal coming from that direction.” Rhys followed the wolf’s gaze. The cloud of dust in the distance was growing larger. Beside him, Grace’s expression immediately became grim. “A mutant?” Gealion nodded. Rhys turned toward Grace. “If Laura and I handle the lower-ranked Abyssals, can you deal with all the Elite Class ones?” Grace didn’t answer immediately. She mentally calculated the odds before speaking. “Three Elite Class Abyssals… and one mutant…” She let out a slow breath. “Skylar and I once defeated an Alpha Class Abyssal together.” She shook her head. “But individually, neither of us has reached that level.” She looked toward the approaching monsters. “If those four are all ordinary Elite Class Abyssals, I might be able to hold them off.” Her voice became quieter. “But if one of them is really a mutant…” “I’d have to use