In the minds of the students, images of various beasts appeared. The teacher explained:
"The one you saw first is a Night Wolf, a dangerous beast that moves in packs and hunts at night. If you encounter such a being, it's advised not to run but to stand your ground, since they will encircle you and make it impossible to escape. When you stand your ground, make sure to scream for help, and do not attack first. Try to buy as much time as possible!"
The teacher took a short breath, then continued:
"But since theoretical knowledge should be put into action, I believe a proper demonstration would help you understand the thinking of those beasts!"
The teacher activated an array inscribed on the classroom ceiling, transporting them to a forest. The students stumbled, not accustomed to spatial transportation. Alonzo recorded everything about the sensation of the teleportation inscribing it deep in his mind, thinking it would help him with his spell. The teacher smiled at the students' reactions and, raised his finger and said:
"All right, now that everyone is here, I will show you a pack of Night Wolves. I will use a spell to make us invisible. Please don't move away from me, or else the spell might stop working, leaving you vulnerable!"
The teacher signaled for them to follow him and said:
"Come here, we seem to be lucky. We will be able to witness one of their rituals, called the Howling Fight. Here they decide who the pack leader is by fighting!"
The students gathered around him and saw what looked like a pack of wolves. Alonzo was shocked at how much larger these creatures were compared to the wolves on his home planet. They stood 2 meters tall, with dark fur marked by lightning-like symbols. But two stood out: one was a white-furred giant wolf, around 3 meters tall, with red eyes that made it look ferocious. The other was dark-furred, even taller and bulkier. They stood against each other in confrontation.
Before they began fighting, the white wolf sensed them and released a massive wave of air toward the students and the teacher, blowing them in different directions across the forest . The teacher was too surprised to act at first, but quickly rushed toward the students, trying to save them, only to be blocked by the pack. The teacher snorted and said menacingly to the wolves:
"I will skin all of you alive, then make a coat for each of my students!"
Then he began fighting the beasts.
⸻
Alonzo was falling from the skies. Being at the front of the group, he had taken the full impact of the blow . Approaching the ground at alarming speed, he needed a way to land safely. He thought through every possible outcome, until suddenly an idea came to him—he could use his shadow as a parachute. He chanted, and his shadow formed into a round shape, slowing his fall and helping him land safely.
He didn't relax. Standing up, he picked a mushroom and began scouting the area. His expression grew grim. According to the books he had read, the academy's defenses relied heavily on the magical forest surrounding it. But in this forest dwelled many eldritch horrors, and few dared to venture inside unless strong. Alonzo knew he was at the bottom of the food chain. He had to be cautious—moving only by day ,and hiding at night.
He needed to find his way back to the academy. First, he had to determine its direction. The sun and stars were useless, since there were no stars in this "sky." His only option was the natural clues. Rivers tended to flow downhill, and from the academy manual, he knew many rivers surrounded the campus. Finding one would be the first step.
Suddenly, he heard a Mossbeak—a forest bird with green feathers, common in the sealed-off Luminari world. Birds usually went to rivers to drink, so he followed them silently, careful not to be seen.
After a few minutes, the birds reached a water source. But unexpectedly, a giant rocky bird with a long head and short legs charged at him. Forcing him to run, Alonzo darted between the mushrooms , but the creature flew low, destroying the giant mushrooms in its pursuit .
Luckily, Alonzo spotted a cave. He rushed toward it, but the beast nearly caught him, its claw stretched to grab him. At the last moment, he slid into the cave, and the beast slammed against the entrance. Enraged, it tried to break in, but its massive body couldn't fit , so it collapsed the cave entrance, trapping Alonzo inside.
Realizing his situation had worsened, Alonzo knew his only option was to venture deeper inside the cave . He needed light. Nearby layed a stipe. "Perfect," he thought. Chanting, he transformed his shadow into a knife,and cut pieces of the stipe, and used the bow-drilling method to make an improvised torch. Then he moved deeper into the cave.
The deeper he went, the colder and more suffocating it became. He needed to find another way out before running out of oxygen. In the distance, he saw a light and sprinted toward it. There, he found two massive doors.
"How could there be doors in such a place?" he wondered aloud.
After hesitating, he opened them. A blinding light forced him back, but when his eyes adjusted, he was stunned—a vast, luxurious hall lay inside. The floor was made of gold, the pillars of quartz, and in the center stood a statue of an armored warrior.
As Alonzo approached, the statue suddenly stirred. Cracks spread across it before it leapt gracefully to the ground. To Alonzo's surprise, it spoke:
"Are you here for the inheritance of the Transcendent Moria? If so, you indeed meet the requirements. You are an Exalted. Now, it comes down to your abilities!"
Alonzo was shocked but pleased. Inheritances were rare, but in such a place, it made sense one was here. The statue had called him "Exalted," a title tied to moon cores: red cores were Initiates, yellow were Exalted, green were Sages, purple were Ascended, orange were Transcendents, and blue were Sovereigns—demigods and leaders of factions. Each core had three phases: empty, half-empty and full , the more you progressed , the bigger the difference was between those small realms !
Smirking, Alonzo said: "Yes, I am here for the inheritance."
The statue sized him up from head to toe and replied:
"Very well. Worry not—if you pass, you'll gain a new affinity. My master, Transcended Moria, researched a new affinity: the Void, the power to erase everything. But first, you must pass a test to prove your worth. Do you accept?"
Alonzo shrugged his shoulders and said : "What choice do I have? I accept."
The statue regained a long-lost vigor. It stepped close and conjured a black pill , that appeared in his hand.
"To pass this test, you must consume this pill—and survive."
Alonzo studied it briefly, then took it and swallowed. For a moment nothing happened—then a searing pain struck him, not of flesh , but of soul. He clawed the golden floor, breaking his nails, his body twisting inside out. Despite his endurance, this agony was beyond anything he'd faced in five years of torment in the laboratory.But he endured, refusing to give up. Fate itself seemed to try binding him, and he would shatter it, even if it meant burning the world.
Hours later, the pain ended. Alonzo gasped for air on the floor. The statue applauded him and said:
"Congratulations. You have acquired the Void Affinity. Now, I will grant you my master's spell set. Forgive me , but the highest spell is Tier 3. If you wish to advance further, you must research this affinity yourself."
The statue tossed him a ring.
"What's this? Are the spells stored inside?" Alonzo asked.
"That is a spatial ring. Insert your mana, and you'll access it. You may also store other things, but it's impossible to store living beings," the statue replied.
Alonzo infused mana and found five books: two Tier 0, and one each of Tier 1, 2, and respectively 3. Spells ranged from 0 to 5 , making this spell set quite rare .
Suddenly, the cave shook violently. "What the hell?" Alonzo shouted.
"The inheritance site is collapsing. Since an inheritor has been determined , this place has no purpose. Worry not, little master—I will use the last of my power to send you outside!"
Before Alonzo could speak, he was transported near the cave entrance. Darkness had fallen—the time when apex predators hunted and weaker beasts hid has begun .He had to move carefully.
He found the river again , but this time he followed it from a safe distance, using the giant mushrooms as cover. After running for a long time, exhaustion forced him to rest. While searching for a safe place, he stumbled upon something horrifying—the corpse of his colleague, Phloria.
Though he barely knew her, he recognized her. Her body was unclothed but not ravaged—implying her death was caused by someone intelligent, someone who violated her before taking her life.
Alonzo felt little to no grief, but compassion led him to close her eyes. He would do anything to reach his goal, yet a part of him still clung to humanity.
The corpse was fresh—the killer couldn't be far. Alonzo's expression hardened. He knew now… he could not rest.