The second-year students arrived at the camp after leaving the school at six in the morning. The clock showed they travelled for about two hours by airship.
While it's called a camp, the purpose of coming here is much more serious than simply camping out in the woods. You could say this is a base of some sort to protect the students while they're here studying the dungeon.
This wasn't any ordinary base, though. This region was surrounded by monster zones, laying far east from the empire in the mountains. Many dungeons have been discovered in these mountain ranges so it was quite popular during the peak of adventurer activity.
Lauran was following Luke close behind as they were led through the forest trail and into the base. Many veteran officers and knights patrolled the grounds. There were even magician and archers on standby, watching the forest for any activity.
"—Remember that we're not here for sightseeing." Professor Castacia said after gathering the students, "This is an important expedition to study monsters, traps, geography, crystals, and the many other things that can be found in and around a dungeon. Some of you might wondering why is that important. Dungeons are the bread and butter of adventurers but they're also ripe with research materials that's valuable to magicians and alchemists."
"Aside from retrieving these materials and studying the dungeon itself, there's also lots of activities planned for breaks we've scheduled." Said professor Remri, "Have fun but don't let your guard down around this mountain. We try to avoid going to deep into the forest as monster zones aren't very far from our base."
"That's all we'll share for now. We'll give a deeper explanation tomorrow so all of you can get used to the facilities for now, rest, or visit the cafeteria if you're hungry. If you need help with anything, come see your professors. We'll be around base keeping an eye on things."
With that said, they were told to follow the employees towards their place of residence.
Coincidentally, Elizabeth appeared nearby where Lauran could see her as they were walking.
'That's the girl whose Arnold's roommate, right?' she recognized her jet-black hair and red eyes.
Despite having the air of a loner, Elizabeth was swarmed with girls and boys, most likely due to her appearance, where even the seniors envied her beauty.
Of course, the extreme jealous types know they can't do anything to her. She's never even been bullied since they know who her boyfriend is. Not just that, Elizabeth is known to be a powerful necromancer, judging by that confrontation Arnold had with the Ancient Dragon not too long ago.
Naturally this led to people wanting her in their factions and such. While she doesn't seem averse to the attention, she isn't really letting them walk all over her.
Lauran has been wanting to get close to Elizabeth for a while now, after she promised to give Arnold a "chance". She wanted to know how he treats her and overall, what kind of person he is.
'I'll go up to her when an opportunity arises.'
**
Luke had made many friends since his first year and it wasn't long before he was approached by them and asked to hang out. This worked in Lauran's favor since she had her own plans.
She wanted to train for a bit in the training grounds. She could use this chance to go find Elizabeth but her priorities are practicing her magic. She's memorized over a hundred spells thus far but never had the time to train since she's always so busy.
'Hopefully, Ms. Anais is doing fine without me…'
Speaking of her, Anais is still bringing over strange tools and working on them in her own corner in the lab. Lauran never thought to ask what they were but they didn't seem like simple parts you'd find in a machine.
'It's probably nothing...'
Just as she put on her PE tracksuit, Felicia entered the vacant room. Everyone else was eating in the cafeteria after leaving their bags in the rooms so Lauran thought no one would come back yet.
"—Ah, there you are. I've been looking everywhere for you." The blonde young lady addressed her casually.
"Do you need me for something, Ms. Felicia?" knowing one of the reasons Felicia approached her last year was to help her cousin court Lauran made her a little upset so she responded colder than usual.
Felicia, smiling wryly at this, responded, "We're going swimming at the lake nearby after we're done eating. The teachers said we'll only begin our work after dinner when the mana activity is at its highest. Wanna join?"
"I didn't bring my bathing suit."
"Are you talking about that ugly one piece you always wear to swim in the pools at the academy? Come on, Lauran, you're a grown woman, wear a bikini like the rest of us!"
"The one piece serves its purpose as well as a bikini, though?"
"I knew you'd say that. How will you court someone if you don't put yourself out there?" shaking her head, Felicia went over to her bed and took out her bikini and other essentials for a day at the pool.
That's rich, coming from the person trying to play matchmaker for Lauran and Kyle.
"I know what you're thinking and I've come to realize the way Kyle does things is wrong. Why can't that guy be a man and stop being afraid of senior Arnold?"
"So, you've given up?"
"You're your own person so trying to play matchmaker for you two won't end well. We might lose the friendship we started in the first grade. Besides, with your standing at the academy, you're way out of his league." She jested but there were some truths to that.
Lauran's hands stopped just as she put her clothes inside the drawer.
"Do you really not care about getting a boyfriend?" watching Lauran closely, she asked, "You, of all people, deserve the love only a significant other can provide."
"…"
"…Sorry for bringing that up. But it's true. You can't just focus on studying all day every day! I'm cheering you on in your studies but it's sad that you don't make time for your personal life. I have a boyfriend already and it's absolutely fantastic! We go out to eat every day after school, go sightseeing every week and visit resorts and zoos."
"I never imagined you to be the type."
As she's the class monitor, she must have excellent grades and show discipline when leading her classmates. Back in first year, she appeared quite cold but now she's all cheery and outgoing.
Can dating someone really have this kind of… effect on you?
"Yes, well, he showed me a brand-new world after we got to know each other. Don't you want to know that kind of world too? We can even have a double date if your boyfriend is comfortable with it! If you'd like I can introduce a few people."
"I appreciate your support but I already have a date planned with someone."
"Really!? Who? Who?"
'Why are you more excited about it than I am...?' maybe she's excited at having something in common aside from their class?
"…Arnold."
"….eh?"
Lauran closed the drawer and zipped up her tracksuit then walked past the gaping mouthed Felicia.
"H-Hold a minute! You're going back to that guy!?" Felicia caught up when Lauran came to the hallway, stopping right in front of her, "You even said the only reason you're working for him is because he said he'll help you with an assignment!"
That's true. The assignment is now finished so she's just waiting for Adrianna to submit it to Freya so that demonstrations can take place next week.
Their deal was that he'd help her with the assignment but she doesn't have any obligation to help him anymore—is what she used to think. Even Lauran wants to do something she can be proud of—creating a working teleporter can help her achieve that dream.
"The project I'm helping Ms. Anais with is something that will benefit everyone in the empire and all of humanity so I need to set aside my grievances and think of the future. That's why I'll continue working with her."
"You just said grievances! Why are you going on a date with him then?" Felicia seemed genuinely upset, which showed Lauran that she truly does care for her as a friend, "You didn't… fall in love with your abuser, did you? That's… not normal, Lauran."
"I didn't… But he said he wanted a second chance."
"And you just gave it to him!? He'll think you're easy! Don't forget that he can have every woman in the empire with his status so he won't think of you as anything other than a toilet! You'll be a number for him to play around with. What difference would there be between his second chance and the first chance if he treats you like that!?"
"Felicia…It's not guaranteed that we'll become an item. And I know about that already, how he has many women already."
"Fine, if this is something you want, then I can't stand in your way. But you need to tell me when and where you'll be meeting with him so that I can be nearby."
Lauran smiled, "Thanks for looking out for me, Felicia but I'll be fine."
"Lauran…"
"I'm not as immature or scared as I was in the past. I know that I can face him without issue this time."
"…Alright, I'll leave it up to you. At least tell me what happens the moment you get back to the dorms. I'll stay awake all night if it means waiting for news!"
The two then parted ways. It was nice to have a friend that looked out for her. She was never able to enjoy this kind of relationship before attending the academy. Through Felicia, she's been able to make more friends and always spent time with them during breaks.
Hopefully this friendship lasts for many years. Just like Felicia is trying to be there for her, Lauran will do the same if anyone ever dares to hurt her.
'…Felicia's worries are baseless, right, Arnold…?'
She hoped in her heart that he did change.
**
After coming to a secluded area in the forest, Lauran stretched her upper body, the cracks and strain in her muscles a clear sign that she's been sitting at a desk for too long without proper exercise.
Doing stretches not only loosens her muscles but also clears her mind so she spent about five minutes stretching.
She then took out her wand and pointed it across the vast lake.
'I heard there's an adventurer who can cast Fifth-Rank spells effortlessly. He's the talk of the empire, getting compared to me constantly…' She recalled, 'No one in the academy has reached that level so I don't have any rivals at school. Despite that, I need to grow even without competition.'
Competition inspires growth, but none of her peers are at a level where she can learn from them.
But Freya did show interest in Lauran so maybe this will be a chance for her to become the Archmage's disciple?
"Hehehe…" a subconscious giggle came out of her before she cleared her throat.
Anyone would be excited to be mentored by the Supreme Magus herself. No, even being acknowledged by her means you have talent that impressed her.
"I'll go even beyond Seventh-Rank!" she fired herself up as she thought about the look on Arnold's face when he realizes he can't order her around as he pleases anymore.
"[Ice Breath]." After her chant, a dragon's head burst through the magic circle and fired a torrent of ice that created a walkway across the lake all the way to the other side of the shore. The pillars of ice were as tall as a three-story building.
Despite using this powerful spell, she didn't feel even slight exhaustion due to her large mana reserves.
"[Crimson Vipers]." Her next spell summoned several serpents made from flame energy that burst forward, destroying the icy bridge with destructive force that made waves appear on the otherwise gentle lake.
"Is that…" Lauran used a spell to see farther across the lake, spotting that monsters came out of the forest on that side after sensing the noise. They weren't ordinary monsters either, but A-rank trolls and B-rank Orcs that travelled in a group.
She smirked then walked into the lake until her feet were submerged. Afterwards, she held both arms behind her and cast another spell, "[Jet Tornado]!"
Both her arms were covered in a fierce wind that propelled her forward across the lake with extreme speed.
"I hope you'll be my practice dummies willingly!" she shouted something unbecoming of her, a tad bit too excited to test out her spells.
◊◊
There was darkness all around the formless being.
It had no arms.
It had no legs.
It drifted through an empty space, wandering for centuries for signs of life. It bumped into other souls but they were also formless like this soul, searching for a new purpose after entering the afterlife.
Through the darkness, it felt something.
"What is this familiar sensation…?" asked the being.
It feels warm.
It's… life energy (mana)…?
Though many such signatures have gone through this region, none of them held such an incredible amount of mana. Sensing this energy, the soul began to stir and tried to resist the laws that kept it a corpse.
Its life has run out even as an undead after its core was destroyed 250 years ago by the Hero Promethius and yet…
It must… confront this ocean of life energy that came from a single living creature.
It remembered nothing.
Not its name.
Not its kingdom.
Not the face of the Hero who destroyed it.
Only one instinct remained.
Live.
◊◊
There were two students, a guy and a girl, who strayed from the group and headed into the forest. The sounds of the soldiers marching were drowned out by the sounds of the forest.
They escaped the sea of trees and ended up at the lake.
"You're really an animal. I gave you a handy in the airship but you still haven't calmed down." Said the girl.
"How can I not want more when you're so beautiful~?" he tried to lean in for a kiss.
"Y-You're just saying that to make me have sex with you!" she pushed him away.
A suddenl explosion shook the ground and made the birds fly away. In addition, a tall wave of water rose to the sky.
"W-What was that?" she quickly hid behind him upon hearing the sound.
"Must be Lauran going crazy with her spells again. Who else could cause that much destruction if not her? Now, where were we?" he grinned then pulled down his pants.
"If you come inside again, I'm going to rip off that thing." She glared at him.
"Alright, alright." After laying down on their clothes and positioning himself in the right place, he slammed his hips forward, feeling the tight moistness inside her.
Closing his eyes to enjoy the sensation, he continued slamming his hips. Her moans resounded for a moment but suddenly stopped and she grew tighter.
As he was near orgasm, he didn't open his eyes yet but for some reason, she became so light that it felt like he was slamming into—
His eyes opened and he looked down.
What greeted him was a face drained of all its vitality and fluids, her eyeballs upturned in her sockets.
"W-What the fuck!?" he hurriedly pulled out and fell backwards, noticing something that something was coming out of her head—No, something had gone into the top of her head.
It was a long appendage that led to the forest.
His body shuddered and he scrambled to put on his pants. The moment he tried to run to get help, he felt an icy chill on his neck, which made his body stiffen up.
The entire forest went quiet. The birds, which were chirping earlier, went silent. The wind stopped.
Even the clouds above stopped moving.
…
"Death..."
A voice echoed through the forest despite no mouth existing to speak.
"...you have grown weak."
A figure in a hood made from pure darkness, stepped out of the forest, the appendage returning into its sleeve.
"Such a cute amount of life energy. Hardly enough to regain my full strength, but it shall do. Now, I wonder how much Dark Forces energy I can utilize with just a fraction of my strength?"
Every single word that entered the boy's ears felt like chalk on a chalkboard and a fork scraping on a metal surface.
"A live one?" the being said, "Ah, it seems my perception is still fuzzy. I could only detect the one with life energy."
As the being borne of darkness and shadow walked, its presence drained the life of every blade of grass, leaf, critter and insect around it. Even the birds above fell from the trees, their legs twitching and the vitality drained from their eyes.
The boy was filled with such dread that his body refused to move. He couldn't even turn around to see what was causing this unnerving sense of dread.
"Hm, you possess no life energy so you are worthless to me. Serve the soil by giving it death energy (miasma) instead."
It was right behind him, yet it possessed no presence. Is this an indication that it's not a living thing?
That made him shudder even more.
It placed its bony hand on the boy.
"!!@&$&%*" an incoherent scream escaped his throat as his soul was pulled out of his body, leaving behind a sack of deformed human flesh.
"A useless soul but one I shall use in my experiments."
--
School Arc storyline: [Apostle of Death Mumulbur] has begun
Long ago, the God of Death decreed:
"Every soul shall cross the river. If one resisteth this law, thou shalt be my successor."
--
"For centuries, countless lives passed above me. Kings. Heroes. Dragons. None possessed enough vitality to bridge the gulf between death and life. None possessed such potential for life energy."
Mumulbur quickly gathered his senses when his perception finally returned. His vision went past the trees, over rocks, through the crevices of the forest, until it finally landed on a young girl with short red hair and blue eyes.
Despite being up against warrior demons—Orcs, goblins and trolls—she could both block and attack them with magic alone, showing her potential as a formidable battle mage.
"At last... a soul overflowing with life energy…"
After more than two centuries of stasis between life and death, wandering as a soul through the River of Cocytus, the First Apostle of Death finally returned.