In the academy's infirmary, doctors ran from one side to the other. Everything had turned into chaos as they treated the surviving students from Classes C, D, and E.
The highest-ranked students had managed to survive, although many were seriously injured.
Borem watched everything from a distance, with a worried expression.
"What a disaster... how did this happen?"
"We still don't know exactly, but this didn't happen only at the academy."
Sir Drenholm arrived beside him with a serious and concerned expression.
"What do you mean?"
Virelle asked as she looked toward the room where the surviving students from Class D were resting.
"There have been many reports from across the continent that the difficulty of dungeons suddenly increased, and many mages died. The king has declared that no one is to enter a dungeon until further notice."
Sir Drenholm sat down beside Virelle. Borem also approached and sat down, still worried about everything that had happened.
"This is a disaster... What will we do with the students now? They might give up."
"If they give up, let them. At least they will live safer lives."
After hearing Sir Drenholm's words, the three remained silent as they watched the room.
Virelle could not take her eyes off the students.
Hours later, around eight o'clock in the evening.
Enrico suddenly opened his eyes in the infirmary. For a few seconds, he stared at the ceiling, trying to remember what had happened, until he tried to sit up and grimaced when he felt a sharp pain in his arm. When he looked at it, he realized it was completely bandaged. Beside him, Kai was lying in a bed, still unconscious. On the other side was Valença, also still asleep.
'Someone with healing magic... probably Water at Circle Four. I feel as though I've been submerged in a lake... Makes sense.'
Even after being healed, Enrico still felt pain in the bones that had been broken. The magic had treated the most serious injuries, but his body would need some time to fully recover. He leaned back against the bed and remained silent for a few moments until Tolen's face appeared in his mind.
His fist clenched.
Pain traveled through his arm, but Enrico ignored it. He began to get out of bed and, the moment he placed his feet on the floor, he lost his balance and fell forward. Before he could hit the ground, someone caught him.
"Professor Virelle..."
Upon recognizing her, Enrico immediately straightened himself. Even though he was injured, he did not want to show weakness in front of that woman.
"You should be resting."
Virelle's eyes seemed to shine for a moment, but she said nothing. She simply held him carefully and placed him back on the bed.
'He doesn't want to show weakness in front of me. I admire that.'
Virelle then leaned against the wall while Enrico remained seated, staring at the floor. For a few seconds, neither of them spoke. The silence of the infirmary made everything feel even heavier.
"We have already notified the families. In three days, there will be a funeral for the students at the Fallen Warriors' Cemetery."
Enrico did not answer.
Virelle moved away from the wall and began walking toward the door. When she noticed that Enrico remained silent, she stopped for a moment before leaving. Then she turned her face toward him.
"You did well to survive... so don't give up."
The door closed.
Enrico remained sitting on the bed, staring at the floor as those words continued to echo in his mind. Tired, he gave a bitter smile.
'As if I could give up.'
If he gave up, he would die anyway. Perhaps even sooner than he imagined, considering how much more difficult that world had become. After everything that had happened in the dungeon, simply accepting it did not seem like an option.
[You did well.]
The system appeared before his eyes. To Enrico's surprise, it did not make any jokes.
[I have a gift. You have acquired a unique ability.]
That surprised him, but he was not very excited. After everything he had gone through, he expected something that could actually help him.
'What is it?'
[Magic Clone]
[The user can create a clone of their magic type by sacrificing 20% of their mana.]
[In exchange, the clone possesses 20% of the user's capabilities.]
[Only one clone can exist at a time.]
[Clone duration: 5 minutes.]
[The clone does not resemble the user. It is made of pure magic.]
Enrico lowered his head.
'I knew it... It's not that amazing. It has too many limitations. After everything I've been through... that's all?'
The system remained silent.
Enrico clenched his fist, but soon took a deep breath and pushed those thoughts aside.
'No. It doesn't matter. Even if it's weak, I'll use it in the best way possible.'
Enrico then summoned the clone. Mana gathered before him and began to take shape, creating a figure that did not resemble him in the slightest. In fact, the clone did not even have a face. It was simply a figure made of fire, sustained by the flames themselves.
Enrico stared at the creature in silence. Perhaps that ability had too many limitations, and perhaps it was not as powerful as he had expected, but it was still a new possibility. The clone's flames reflected in his eyes, accompanied by a single thought.
'Get stronger.'
Three days later, all the survivors were already awake and were now attending the funeral. The academy had prepared everything to receive the families of the students who had died, and the students remained silent as they watched the parents and relatives crying over the loss of their children. The academy existed to train the strong, but even in that place, the dead were respected and their families received all the support the institution could offer.
After speaking with Cris's family beside his grave, Enrico moved away. During the funeral, he spoke with everyone, even those from Class D whom he had never spoken to before. He did not want to simply stand there while the families faced that moment alone.
After walking a little farther, he saw three people standing near another grave. A thirteen-year-old girl was crying without being able to hide her tears, while a woman stood beside her with red eyes. Next to the two was a man with the most exhausted expression Enrico had ever seen.
Enrico took a deep breath and approached.
"Sir, ma'am... My name is Enrico. I was Tolen's classmate."
He respectfully bowed before them.
The man observed him for a few seconds, as if trying to recognize the face that had appeared in his son's latest letters. Then, despite the tears, a sad smile appeared on his face.
"Are you Enrico? He talked about you in his letters. Saying that you trained even more than he did."
Enrico remained silent for a moment.
'It seems he didn't talk much about the original Enrico... I can't blame him. I would have done the same.'
His gaze returned to Tolen's father. He watched the man's shoulders tremble as he tried to remain strong in front of his family.
Enrico did not know what to say.
"My name is Luiz Rusk. This is my wife, Suria Rusk, and my daughter, Elena Rusk. From what I've heard, you were the last person to speak with my son. Did he say anything?"
Enrico pressed his lips together. For a few seconds, he remained silent, trying to find the right words. Then he bowed again before the family.
"He said he was sorry for leaving."
Luiz's eyes widened. Tears began to stream down his face, while Suria covered her mouth and tried to hold back her sobs. Elena, who was already crying, began to sob even harder upon hearing those words.
Enrico lowered his head.
"I'm sorry, sir... If I had been stronger..."
"Don't blame yourself, Enrico."
Luiz took a deep breath and tried to control his voice. Then, he slowly turned toward his son's grave.
"You know, I always told my son a phrase to prepare him..."
He stared at the gravestone for a few seconds before continuing.
"The world is an unfair place... and it always will be."
His shoulders seemed to tremble even more now.
Enrico remained with them for a long time that day. He did not try to say anything else or find words to ease a pain he knew would not disappear so easily. He simply stayed there, beside Tolen's family.
His eyes lowered slightly toward the ground.
'...A good family.'
And the next day, he would also visit the grave he had made for Chalés.