After a few days of hunting beasts in the forest, Axil finally reached Level 3. He had been killing nonstop, pausing only to eat and sleep. In those days, he had slain more than twenty beasts. Though the number might not seem large, it was impressive—normally, a group of adventurers could kill only five or six monsters in a day. For Axil to kill twenty alone was already remarkable.
He sat beneath a tree, a bag at his side filled with swords of better quality than the one he had bought in the city before leaving.
Suddenly, he heard voices. Curious, he ran toward the sound. From behind a large tree, he saw five people fighting a wolf. Two boys were already injured, a girl was trying to heal them, an archer stood in front to protect her, and another boy fought the wolf directly. They all looked about his age.
Axil knew this world's system only rewarded the person who delivered the killing blow to a beast. If he interfered and kill but he cant get the reward, they might grow suspicious. Yet if he did nothing, they would all die. He decided to help by distracting the wolf. Shouting loudly, he ran toward it. The wolf turned to face him, giving the warrior the chance to strike and kill it.
Axil sighed in relief. The warrior understood that Axil had deliberately drawn the wolf's attention so they could finish it and claim the reward. Grateful, the warrior thanked him.
Axil replied, "It's fine. I wanted to help, but because of an accident a few years ago, I can't use magic like others. So I tried to distract the wolf instead."
The warrior nodded, realizing Axil had risked himself to save them. Afterward, they all sat together, and the warrior introduced everyone. His name was Tony, the group's warrior. The healer was Lena, the archer was Rose, and the two injured boys were Liam and Jake.
Axil introduced himself as well, though he avoided mentioning his past. He simply said his name and claimed to be from a nearby village.
Tony then asked, "So, are you also preparing to join Zypheria Academy?"
Axil tilted his head in confusion. "What's that?"
Tony shook his head with a smile. "It's one of the most prestigious academies, located near the kingdom's border. In seven days, they'll conduct the entrance exam for first-year students."
Axil needed a place to stay, to learn more, and to grow stronger. Joining the academy sounded perfect. He asked Tony about the exam.
"It's mostly a written test about magic, affinity test " Tony explained
"Are you going to attend too?" Axil asked.
Tony smiled. "Yes. I've tried to join for the past two years, but I failed the written exam."
From the side, Lena teased, "He looks brilliant, but he's just a muscle-brain typical of a warrior class." Everyone laughed, even Axil.
After some talking, Axil asked awkwardly, "Would it be alright if I joined you for the entrance exam?"
Everyone cheered happily. Axil had saved their lives, and they were glad to welcome him into their group.
---
Seven days later, they stood before Zypheria Academy. It was far larger than Axil had imagined.
They arrived on time, joining the crowd of both commoners and nobles gathered to take the entrance exam.
Walking beside his new friends, Axil entered the academy with them, ready to face whatever awaited.