Its body separated into countless chain links, which quietly wrapped themselves around Amber's body once more. She smiled contentedly, satisfied with the result of her latest battle.
Then, a sharp buzzing sensation spread through her mind.
Amber winced slightly.
Thought so...
I'm only around seventy percent proficient with Barlon. I still haven't figured out how to get rid of the mental strain.
With a quiet sigh, she climbed back onto her flying chain. Almost immediately, the bracelet on her wrist emitted a soft chime, displaying her current progress.
3. Defeat Monsters
Required Points: 200 / 1,500
Extra Points: +0
2. Meet Students
Required Points: 0 / 1,200
Extra Points: +12
Required Points Acquired: 200 / 5,000
Additional Points Acquired: +12
Total Academy Points: 212
Core Objectives Completed: 0 / 5
Phase Status: In Progress
Amber smiled brightly.
"Not bad."
"Still a long way to go, though."
She gently kicked her legs as the enormous chain carried her deeper into the endless wetlands, her next objective already occupying her thoughts.
As she glanced around, she couldn't help noticing how much her perception had changed since creating Barlon. Although the enormous chains had merged once more into a single construct roughly seventy centimeters wide, smaller chains still coiled comfortably around her wrists, providing a final layer of protection.
Through the senses she shared with Barlon, she had already detected four students hiding throughout the surrounding swamp.
She simply ignored them.
There was no reason to waste her time on people who weren't worth approaching.
The forest stretched endlessly before her, its towering ancient trees rising so high that even flying between them occasionally became troublesome. Thick mist drifted between their enormous roots, lending the entire region an eerie stillness.
As Amber lazily drifted past one particularly enormous tree, someone stepped onto a nearby branch.
A young human man stood there, dressed in practical adventurer's clothing reinforced with light armor.
Amber glanced at him briefly.
Not as handsome as Master... Maybe just below my cousin.
The man offered a polite nod.
"Lady?"
Amber continued flying, completely ignoring him.
Duvan sighed before matching her speed.
"My apologies. My name is Duvan. I wou—"
"Don't care."
"Bye-bye."
Duvan's eyebrows twitched.
"I was sent..."
He paused briefly before finishing.
"...by your fiancé."
Amber's cheerful expression disappeared.
The smile faded from her face almost instantly as she slowly turned her head. Her eyes settled quietly upon him.
...
Elsewhere...
Qwarian calmly placed his academy bracelet against the Watch Tower interface, producing a soft chime that echoed throughout the room.
This was already his third Watch Tower, something he found mildly satisfying.
Unfortunately, the situation inside was somewhat awkward.
The examination overseers were all exceptionally young, young enough that Qwarian personally recognized two of them.
One of the overseers looked up before breaking into laughter.
"I'm fairly certain you've long since graduated, Senior."
The handsome High Human sitting behind the desk simply shrugged.
"I did. This is merely additional work. I happen to want the reward."
He smiled.
"But congratulations. You're progressing well."
Qwarian nodded politely.
"Makes sense. Midvest Academy has always been absurdly secretive. It would be stranger if former graduates weren't involved somewhere."
The overseer merely waved him away.
"Good luck."
Qwarian stepped outside, but the moment his feet touched the stone, he paused.
Someone had spoken his name.
Not nearby.
Far away.
His skill responded immediately. His dark brown deepened ever so slightly before he quietly closed them.
The world vanished.
In its place appeared a single scene: a rocky mountain range, where a young man sat peacefully reading a book.
Merlin.
Qwarian sighed.
"...What does this monster want now?"
"It's too early for those monsters on my list to start making moves against one another."
Still, curiosity eventually won.
A circular portal silently unfolded beneath his feet, visible only to him. Without hesitation, Qwarian stepped through.
...
The next moment, he emerged upon a windswept mountain plateau, with a Watch Tower standing quietly behind him.
Qwarian glanced at the structure.
"...Not my assigned tower."
His gaze then shifted toward the young man seated several meters away.
Merlin slowly finished reading the page before him before finally closing the book, behaving as though he had expected Qwarian to arrive at precisely that moment.
A confident smile spread across his face.
"Greetings...Nameless One."
Qwarian smiled helplessly.
"Merlin. What deal are you trying to make this time?"
Merlin chuckled.
"Straight to business? I was hoping we could simply enjoy each other's company."
Qwarian laughed.
"You smiled. Whenever you smile like that, I usually lose something."
Merlin couldn't deny it.
"Fair."
He snapped his fingers, and the stone beside him shifted. Without magic circles or visible mana, the solid rock simply reshaped itself into a crude stone chair.
Qwarian took a seat opposite him, his eyes briefly wandering across the surrounding mountains.
"You haven't actually explored this region, have you?"
Merlin shook his head.
"I claimed the Watch Tower. After that, I waited."
Qwarian raised an eyebrow.
"You waited...for me?"
"Of course."
Merlin answered as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You were always going to come."
Qwarian couldn't help smiling. "So, what do you want?"
Merlin rested the closed book upon his lap. "I need information."
Qwarian nodded.
"That sounds much more believable. I was wondering how long you'd keep pretending this was a social visit."
Merlin laughed.
"What if you simply leave after learning where this Watch Tower is?"
Qwarian smiled.
"Then I'd gain a tower...and earn an even more troublesome rival."
Merlin's grin widened. "Exactly."
Silence settled between them for a moment before Merlin finally continued.
"I already know almost everything. Unfortunately, the remaining ten percent happens to be the dangerous part."
Qwarian's interest finally sharpened.
"Go on."
Merlin lightly scratched his cheek. "I asked someone to investigate a woman. My interest in her was... admittedly personal."
Qwarian remained expressionless, allowing him to continue.
"Shade reported something interesting. Apparently, the woman is utterly devoted to her Master. My investigator also happened to discover that Master."
Merlin looked directly into Qwarian's eyes. "Dante."
He leaned back slightly before continuing.
"Then Shade's report ended with one sentence."
A faint smile returned to his face.
"'Avoid Dante.'"
Merlin studied Qwarian carefully. "I've known you long enough to recognize how unusual that is. You don't warn people very often."
Qwarian remained silent for several moments.
Then, a slow smile spread across his face. 'Excellent work, Shade.'
She had accomplished considerably more than she'd probably realized.
Merlin quietly observed his reaction before speaking again.
"So..."
He folded his hands together.
"What kind of monster is this Dante?"
Qwarian looked directly at him before slowly shaking his head. "...That's the wrong question."
Merlin's smile faded slightly. "Oh?"
Qwarian's expression became unusually serious. "The real question..."
He paused, allowing the words to hang between them.
"...is what exactly Dante is."
Silence settled over the mountain plateau.
For the first time since Qwarian's arrival, even Merlin stopped smiling.