The instructor from Cyber Academy, as mysterious as the academy itself, captured the attention of all the faculty and students around him as he rose.
Cyber Academy, true to its name, is an extraordinarily unique institution that recruits only ‘monsters.’
With exceedingly stringent admission criteria—being a third-level Beast Master by the age of 20 is just the basic requirement, plus one must possess a unique ‘monster’ attribute to qualify for enrollment—
Each year, less than fifty students are admitted in Genosha, and more than half of them do not manage to graduate.
To be admitted to Cyber Academy is to be recognized as a one-in-ten-thousand genius, and those who graduate invariably become influential figures.
Some hold key positions in the Genoshan royal family, others establish schools of thought that even the imperial capital of Genosha can only acknowledge as equals. Most of them, not content to remain in Genosha, venture to more expansive and exciting realms beyond.
Rumors say that Genosha hosts only a branch campus; the real headquarters of Cyber Academy lies beyond Genosha, not even in the Abyssal Depths…
As the man in the black robe made his way to where Charles was seated, onlookers cast curious glances his way. Despite it being summer, he wore a thick black robe, and a chill seemed to follow him as he passed.
“How so, you’re trying to poach a student from Nova Academy?” Theron’s eyebrows furrowed and she glared at him unhappily.
She had already been tasked by the vice-chancellor to bring Charles back to Nova Academy, and having witnessed his talent, she was even less inclined to let him go without a fight.
The man in the black robe approached silently, making no sound with his steps, stopping a few meters away from them: “You misunderstand, I’m not here to poach. I am merely extending an invitation from Cyber Academy to Mr. Charles. The final choice lies with him, and I would not insist upon his decision.”
Hearing the man in the black robe’s words and seeing that Charles seemed uninterested in Cyber Academy, Theron finally relaxed.
Charles had indeed already planned to further his studies at Nova Academy.
Emma’s intentions were clear—she planned to take him on as her private disciple. As the Vice-Chancellor of Nova Academy and a seventh-level Beast Master, the resources she could offer him were unparalleled. Moreover, Emma’s “Five Theories of Beast Mastery” aligned perfectly with his potent soul force, and he was eager to learn the remaining four theories from her.
In contrast, Cyber Academy had nothing but mysterious urban legends. The fates of those who graduated and left Genosha were unknown, and Cyber Academy’s status among the top three academies in the imperial capital was more due to the lack of prestigious alternatives in Genosha than anything else.
Considering the pros and cons, Nova Academy was clearly the better choice.
However, out of curiosity, Charles covertly sized up the man in the black robe, and a few lines of information flashed on his screen.
[Name]: ???
[Age]: ???
[Height]: 182 cm
[Beast Master Level]: ???
When Charles saw these lines, he was startled—it was only the second time he had encountered a situation where the information was full of question marks.
“The last time this happened was when I was hatching Mousie, because everything inside the mystical beast egg was indeterminate, making it impossible to predict precise information. But now, this is a living person; why can’t I detect any results?” Charles was puzzled, but it was clear that this person was not a ‘mystical beast egg.’
Could there be something in this world beyond the ‘system’?
Charles quickly dismissed this thought; it was as meaningless as asking if God exists in the world. Since everything he currently knew was given by the mysterious ‘prompt system’ before him, he had to assume the system’s existence was supreme.
There was only one possibility left: the man in front of him was [amorphous], possessing an ability to project illusions, much like Mousie!
Noticing Charles’s gaze, the man spoke again, his voice refreshingly clear: “You may call me [Ezra]. I will be in Lsengard for a month. If you decide you want to join Cyber Academy, you can find me anytime.”
Having spoken, the man did not wait for Charles’s response and was about to turn and leave when he suddenly looked back and said, “Oh, and I have a message for your friend: A flying squirrel that sneaks drinks of kerosene is not a good flying squirrel, haha.”
Lightning Demon Ape!
This casual remark struck Charles like a thunderclap.
Flying squirrel… was he referring to Mousie?
How could he know what Charles’s second mystical beast was before Charles had even summoned it?
And… could it be that he knew why Mousie transformed from a regular little flying squirrel into a shadow flying squirrel?
These questions flooded Charles’s mind. He wanted to follow up for clarity, but by the time he looked up, the man had already left the audience and the hall.
“What flying squirrel, kerosene… It’s all so bizarre; why can’t I understand anything you’re talking about?” Overhearing their cryptic conversation, Theron felt a bit dizzy, her ample chest heaving slightly.
“Uh… I didn’t quite catch it either…” Charles pretended to be confused, ready to engage in some small talk with Theron when she coughed lightly, adjusted her cheongsam, and moved towards the front where the other instructors were seated, seemingly trying to avoid someone.
Shortly after Theron left, a delicate figure hurried over to a spot not too far away, fixed her hair with her phone, and then slowly came to sit next to Charles.
“Charles, your performance today was truly spectacular, congratulations on your admission to Nova Academy!” Aurora lavished praise on Charles, but from her expression and tone, Charles sensed she was not happy, even somewhat downcast.
Guessing what might be on her mind, Charles spoke softly to comfort her: “Congratulations to you too, Aurora! Didn’t you say your parents didn’t want you to go too far from home? Once you graduate from Vendatia College, whether you stay in the provincial city or return to Lsengard, you’ll have your family’s support.”
“That’s true, but…” Aurora looked up, her eyes slightly moist and her fair face blushing with emotion. She seemed to want to say something more but eventually swallowed her words and changed the subject: “Oh, are you coming to the treasure vault in Lsengard tomorrow? I heard it’s opened only once a year and only to the top 200 Beast Masters in the rankings!”
“The vault? Sure, let’s go together tomorrow.” Charles nodded, clearly interested as well.
Lsengard, while not a large place, is crucially positioned near the border of Genosha, making it an important international trading port. Rare and exotic treasures from various nations across the Abyssal Depths converge here.
The Beast Master Guild and the city lord’s office frequently acquire treasures from foreign traders, storing them in the Lsengard Bank’s vaults. By reselling these treasures, they earn a profit of thousands of silver coins each year.
To encourage young Beast Masters, the top 200 students in the overall rankings of the enrollment ceremony are granted the opportunity to choose a treasure.
Naturally, the quality of the treasures varies with one’s ranking.
Ranked first overall, Charles will have the chance to enter the deepest part of the Lsengard Bank’s vault tomorrow. Just the thought of it excites him.
He is currently in need of a suitable mystical beast. Finding a high-quality mystical beast egg in the vault could significantly boost his capabilities!
Snapping back to reality, Charles checked the time—it was already 3 PM. He prepared to leave the Hero’s Hall to buy some essentials for his departure.
He had decided to attend Nova Academy, and once his bags were packed, he could leave Lsengard at any moment.
Seeing him stand up, Aurora also rose and quietly followed him. Several times she seemed about to draw closer but hesitated and eventually refrained.
Aurora secretly turned her head to see Charles walking earnestly, his attention not on her, which deflated her spirits somewhat.
The walk from the VIP seating to the exit wasn’t long, but under the weight of the awkward atmosphere, it felt interminable.
Finally, they neared the exit.
“Charles.”
Just as Charles was about to step through the doorway, Aurora suddenly spoke up. The thought of possibly never seeing him again after leaving Lsengard gave her the courage to speak.
“What is it?” Charles paused, sensing the subtle tension in the air, and turned to look at the anxious young girl beside him.
Aurora, dressed in a simple academy-style skirt uniform, exuded a pure and refined charm, like a snow lotus from the celestial mountains.
Her cheeks flushed, she bit her lip and looked up at Charles with hopeful eyes filled with anticipation.
“How about we hang out a bit more… maybe grab dinner together?”
When invited by such a beautiful and innocent young girl, a wave of guilt unexpectedly rose within Charles’s heart.
“Sure!” The agreement came, but strangely, it was a woman’s voice.
Aurora looked up, her face lighting up with joy, but when she saw Celestine, who had appeared out of nowhere, her expression changed slightly: “Sister, when did you get here?”
“When did I come? If I were any later, something serious might have happened.” Celestine motioned for Aurora to step aside for a moment, then crossed her arms and glared fiercely at Charles: “Hey, if you know what’s good for you, stay away from my sister.”
Charles found himself somewhere between laughter and tears at Celestine’s rebuke. “You sure are involved as a sister!”
Clearly, Charles was not someone with a particularly patient temperament, and despite Celestine being Aurora’s elder sister, what right did she have to interfere in Aurora’s life? Besides, he and Aurora were just friends; nothing was set in stone yet.
“I’m telling you, don’t think you’re so great. ‘Geniuses’ like you are a dime a dozen at Cyber Academy,” Celestine said with disdain, her tone condescending.
At 21 years old and a fourth-level Beast Master, Celestine had the arrogance to back up her claims, and she might very well be telling the truth. But Charles was not easily intimidated. He suddenly closed the distance between them, pinning her against the wall in the narrow corridor.
His eyes brazenly swept over her full, prominent chest, and Charles snorted coldly, “Why would you say something so childish? Can some of that volume in your chest be allocated to your brain instead?”
At his words, Celestine’s fair face turned a shade of livid blue.
—