Chapter 2 The Next Day

In the clear morning sunlight, a magic-powered railcar roared into the Ikatere Central Station.

This station, with its ochre-red brick roof, was the transportation hub of the entire Hutton Kingdom. Blending classical and modern styles, its soaring arched ceilings, marble pillars, murals, and stained glass windows left a deep impression on first-time visitors.

After the mechanical behemoth came to a stop on the platform level, the doors on each car opened, accompanied by an announcement that lasted for ten seconds.

Unlike ordinary passengers, a group of young-looking students with calm and profound demeanors emerged from the luxurious first-class carriage.

They passed through the station's main hall, bypassing the bustling crowds and the tourists hesitating in the Hutton Kingdom's specialty shops.

They were eye-catching in the station hall, drawing the attention of many.

Apart from the professor leading the team, the young men and women wore well-tailored suit jackets. Their ties were printed with the Yaroran Royal Academy's emblem—a flame in red against a black checkerboard pattern. The double-breasted jackets with peaked lapels, omitted epaulets and military sleeve ornaments compared to military uniforms. The edges of the cuffs, hems, and pockets were trimmed with different colors, representing their year and faculty.

These students exuded the vigor and confidence unique to young geniuses, as well as the maturity and composure of strong individuals.

The Yaroran Kingdom's academic visiting group consisted of about twenty people. Among them were several third-year students who were particularly formidable, possessing combat power that was already extremely strong in the real world.

Compared to the comprehensive Ikatere Academy, Yaroran Royal Academy was a school that emphasized practical combat in the real world and the Shadow World, mainly specializing in training combat-related professions.

Correspondingly, it was not as balanced in terms of scholars and magic artificers as Ikatere Academy.

In previous years, the Yaroran Royal Academy's visiting teams would bring more promising support-type students to study at the Alchemy and Magic Artificing Institutes.

But this year was different. They mainly brought combat-specialized students, displaying a posture of wanting to challenge.

One reason was that Juliana, the commander of the Yaroran Kingdom's Royal Knights, had a terrible relationship with Loren, the dean of Ikatere Academy's Sage Institute.

Another reason was that the Magic Artificing Department, which had always been a weak point for Yaroran Royal Academy, had unexpectedly recruited a rare genius who had obtained the Southern Continent's Gold-Level Registered Card Creator license just after advancing to the second year.

Even in Ikatere Academy today, no second-year student had reached the Gold-Level Card Creator status, and even the third-year students who reached it were few and far between.

This visit had a hint of boasting.

In general, the relationship between the two academies had been very good for many years, but in recent years, with changes in leadership, a sense of competition had gradually emerged.

"Since Duke Mi Haiya, the Hutton Kingdom has never had such an amazing genius card creator."

"Who knows whether Duke Mi Haiya disappeared or defected? There was even gossip that the Night Bishop of the Resurrection Church, whose true identity is unknown, is Duke Mi Haiya. Although it's always been treated as a joke, it seems more and more like it's true."

"Don't say such things in other people's countries."

"It's okay. I heard that Ikatere Academy's style is to not treat people as people. They criticize their own people more harshly than other countries do."

The students in the team chatted idly.

Coming from the platform level to the concourse level of Ikatere Central Station, they were greeted by Ikatere's fresh air and warm sunlight.

"This is Ikatere?"

The tall young man at the head of the group had his hair cut short and neatly. The morning sun shone down from above, making the tips of his hair sparkle. His eyes were clear and bright, like stars.

"As Lady Juliana's sword, I will properly learn from the most outstanding students under Dean Loren."

The cheerful young man looked very confident, and his purpose for this trip was also very clear.

He was indeed very strong. When he fought the Decaying Saint, he only narrowly lost.

Juliana, the commander of the Yaroran Kingdom's Royal Knights, was mortal enemies with Farmer, the Decaying Bishop.

And Loren, the high priest of the Goddess of Fate Church, was the nemesis of Ivanos, the Destruction Bishop.

So far, many clergy members of the Goddess of Fate Church had died tragically at the hands of the Destruction Saintess, but Loren had never cultivated a young person who could contend with the Destruction Saintess.

Loren, who was too indecisive, soft-hearted, and unable to be strict, was originally a failed educator.

Not everyone had Loren's monstrous talent. With Loren's Buddhist and gentle education method, even good seedlings would be ruined by him.

He could only stay in school and try his luck.

From the perspective of education alone, Juliana had already surpassed Loren by too much.

The young man thought.

"But don't worry, Senior Kallen. I know my limits and won't make things difficult for Dean Loren."

The young man turned his head and said to a fair-haired, green-eyed, and pleasant-looking girl walking behind him.

"If possible, I hope Senior Adams, you don't start any disputes. Although I know you're thinking of Lady Juliana, I...just don't want you to get hurt."

This girl, called Kallen, was also a genius magic artificer in the Yaroran Royal Academy's team who became a Gold-Level Card Creator in her second year. Her eyes were innocent and her voice was gentle.

Immediately, the surrounding students let out a burst of cheers, and their hearts were about to melt.

"I'm sorry...Senior Kallen."

"Senior Kallen is really too gentle."

"An angel has descended to earth."

Listening to everyone's voices.

Kallen still smiled.

But she was cursing in her heart:

"Idiot, you know I'm going to observe the [Primordial Tablet - Wind], and you're still looking for someone to spar with."

Because the Yaroran Royal Academy was very short of magic artificers, excellent magic artificers were very popular.

And although Kallen was only a second-year student, her status was obviously higher than anyone else.

She enjoyed this feeling of being revered like a queen.

If she was in Ikatere Academy, it would be the same. With her talent, everyone would revolve around her like the stars surrounding the moon.

She was the epitome of purity, and no one wouldn't like her!

Just as the front of the team was praising Kallen.

The small groups at the back of the team were still discussing their own things.

"I've long heard that the fighters from Ikatere Academy's Knight Institute are quite powerful. When the time comes, we can have a duel with them, betting on our martial souls."

"But it is said that last month, Tserwinnie, the most powerful fighter and Gold-level challenger from the Knight Institute, suddenly transferred to the Alchemy Institute's law program. It seems that she has given up her martial soul and is willing to make up for her credits with double the courses, torturing herself by studying desperately to become a lawyer."

"No way? Are there really fighters who can read?"

"If she doesn't dare to accept the challenge, we'll fiercely educate her little brothers. At that time, she will definitely regain her martial soul!"

Several fighters from Yaroran Royal Academy were more enthusiastic about the fight than Adams, the strongest third-year student at the front of the team.

Anyway, everyone had their own thoughts.

Soon, the professor leading the team found the Ikatere Academy staff and student council members responsible for receiving them in the station hall and began talking with them.

"..."

A pair of young siblings in the team had been silent for a long time since getting off the train.

"What's wrong? Didn't you rest well?"

The Holy Knight brother asked, looking at his Priestess sister who didn't look too good.

"Sorry, I've been having nightmares since that Shadow World experience."

The girl closed her eyes, shook her head, and said.

Two months ago, just after advancing to the second year, they challenged a fourth-order Shadow World with a demon realm theme at the beginning of the semester.

For them, who were both fourth-order Silver-level challengers, this Shadow World, although dangerous, was not insurmountable.

As a result, the impression of that Shadow World was too deep, and it even left the Priestess sister with psychological trauma.

In a situation where the Shadow World went berserk and they were sure to die, they directly faced an ancient Great Demon that shouldn't have appeared in a fourth-order Shadow World.

And when they thought all was lost.

That terrifying Radiant Demon forcibly took them away again.

And spent two full hours with them.

During these two hours, they stayed with that Radiant Demon in the principal's office, feeling the ultimate fear and mental torment every minute and every second, as if sitting on pins and needles.

The strange thing was that the Radiant Demon actually let them go!

They couldn't imagine how high the position of the principal of that Purgatory Corridor Academy was, that they couldn't feel his magic power fluctuations at all.

This state of complete containment only showed that the gap between the other party and themselves was unimaginable.

Even when they faced Lady Juliana, they had never felt such fear. Perhaps that Radiant Demon was at least an extremely evil existence at the level of a cardinal bishop of the Resurrection Church.

Just imagining being in the same room with a cardinal bishop of the Resurrection Church for two hours would drive a normal young person crazy.

Considering the protection of the challengers' privacy, after a challenge, it was impossible to check the information of other matched challengers in the Southern Continent Shadow World Management Association.

"I hope this trip to Ikatere can ease my heart."

The Priestess sister said softly.

Her brave Holy Knight brother was fine, but she was so scared that she didn't dare to go to the Shadow World again.

The Priestess sister remembered that there were six people in total in that Shadow World called [Purgatory Corridor Academy].

But for some reason, it felt like there were only the two of them from beginning to end, and they never encountered other challengers.

Then it went berserk, and then they cleared the level inexplicably.

They had never encountered such an absurd Shadow World!

They should have been grateful to be alive, but the exceptionally terrifying Radiant Demon principal in the demon realm academy left them with an indelible impression.

But thinking on the bright side.

They had no chance of encountering such a demon in reality.

That Radiant Demon was just an ancient Great Demon projected by the Shadow World and had long disappeared into history.

And the shadow in her heart would gradually fade away with time.

(End of this chapter)