Daniel walked away from the training field. He did not look back at the cheering crowd or the bright lights of the stage.
The noise of the celebration faded behind him.
He was alone, and for the first time in a long while, he preferred it that way.
He enjoyed the cool weather , but his mind was burning with plans.
The announcement about the seventy-two-hour break was a gift. It was the only good news he had heard all day.
He touched the pouch at his waist. Inside, there were 1,000 Vanguard Coins. It was the reward for ranking sixth.
"A thousand coins," Daniel thought, shaking his head. "It is not enough." He knew that high-grade equipment cost thousands of coins. If he wanted to survive the Astral Verge, he needed more.
He began to strategize as he walked toward the main academy building. He ran a mental checklist of his gear. His D-Grade Vibro-Knife was still sharp, but the blade was chipped near the handle.
