The academy did not remain calm for long.
By the time Luxe and his team stepped into the main hall—
The atmosphere had already shifted.
Eyes followed them.
Whispers spread.
And at the center of it all—
Was the small dragon sitting proudly on Luxe's shoulder.
"…The mana density surrounding that creature is far beyond what should be possible for something of that size," one student whispered. "Even from this distance, it feels like it's suppressing the air itself."
"…Forget the creature, did you see the condition of their uniforms and the ground disturbance reports?" another added. "That mission clearly escalated beyond academy-level expectations."
Christy walked calmly beside Luxe, her expression composed but observant.
"…The information has already spread faster than anticipated, and the students are reacting not just with curiosity but with concern," she said quietly. "This kind of attention will inevitably attract faculty intervention."
Luxe didn't slow down.
"…Then we let them approach first," he replied. "Explaining before being questioned only creates unnecessary complications."
Kael walked slightly behind them, his hands in his pockets.
"…So we wait for the inevitable interrogation instead of trying to control the narrative," he said. "That's a very confident approach, or a very dangerous one."
Lumi's voice echoed softly from nearby shadows.
"…Faculty presence is already increasing, and multiple high-level mana signatures are converging toward this location," she said. "We are about to be stopped."
They didn't have to wait long.
A group of instructors stepped forward—
Blocking their path.
At the front—
A tall man with sharp eyes and heavy aura pressure.
Professor Halven.
"…Report immediately," he said calmly. "Your team's mission output exceeded expected parameters, and the residual mana disturbance suggests unauthorized escalation."
Christy stepped slightly forward.
"…The mission encountered multiple Demonic Beasts under external control, followed by a Shadow Assassin unit and finally a High Demon operating under structured command," she said clearly. "This was not within the original mission classification."
The surrounding instructors stiffened.
"…A High Demon… within academy territory?" one of them muttered. "That level of infiltration should not have been possible without detection."
Halven's gaze shifted toward Luxe.
"…And you," he said. "Explain how a first-year student eliminated a High Demon without external support."
A brief silence followed.
Then—
Luxe answered.
"…It was eliminated after its control core was destroyed during peak instability," he said calmly. "The timing was critical, and the attack required full output."
Halven's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Full output does not explain the scale of the mana disturbance recorded from that location," he said. "Something else intervened."
All eyes—
Shifted—
To the dragon.
"…Kyuu."
The dragon puffed its chest.
"…Kyuu!"
A sudden pulse of mana spread outward.
Not destructive—
But overwhelming.
Several students staggered.
One instructor stepped back instinctively.
"…It just released mana without any sign of strain or preparation," one teacher said. "And it wasn't even an attack—it was closer to a display."
Christy sighed softly.
"…It seems to be reacting to attention rather than threats," she said. "Which means this behavior is not aggression—it's… expression."
Kael chuckled.
"…So it's showing off," he said. "That's unexpectedly amusing."
The dragon turned—
"…KYUU!"
A small spark of lightning flickered—
Right next to Kael.
He raised an eyebrow.
"…It understood that," he said. "Interesting."
Lumi spoke calmly.
"…Its intelligence level is already far beyond what its current form suggests, and its reactions are deliberate rather than instinctive," she said. "This is not something that can be treated as a simple familiar."
Halven stepped forward again.
"…This creature is not registered within academy systems, and its presence alone is disrupting standard mana measurements," he said. "Which means we cannot ignore its classification."
He looked at Luxe directly.
"…State its origin," he said.
A brief pause.
Then—
"…It hatched during the mission," Luxe replied.
Silence.
"…You expect us to accept that a creature of this level emerged spontaneously during a standard mission?" Halven asked. "Do you understand how implausible that sounds?"
Luxe didn't hesitate.
"…It is not a standard creature," he said. "So standard expectations do not apply."
Christy stepped in slightly.
"…Its awakening was directly linked to Luxe's mana instability at the peak of the battle," she said. "Without it, the outcome would have been different."
The instructors exchanged glances.
"…Then that means this entity is capable of amplifying or stabilizing mana beyond normal limits," one of them said. "That alone changes the entire evaluation of this team."
Whispers spread again—
But this time—
Different.
"…If Luxe defeated a High Demon with that level of power involved, then his combat ranking is no longer within standard first-year range," a student said. "That places him somewhere far above the current ranking structure."
"…Leonhardt is supposed to be the strongest among first-years, but this completely changes that comparison," another added. "This isn't just a gap—it's a different level entirely."
"…And that dragon… if that's part of his power now, then no one in the academy can match that combination," someone whispered.
Amid the noise—
Christy looked at Luxe again.
"…Your position within the academy has changed completely in a single day," she said quietly. "From now on, every action you take will be watched far more closely than before."
Luxe nodded slightly.
"…That was inevitable," he said. "Power like this doesn't stay unnoticed."
She hesitated slightly.
"…And what about you?" she asked. "Does this change anything for you personally?"
A brief silence.
"…No," Luxe replied. "The goal hasn't changed."
Christy smiled faintly.
"…Then I'll make sure I keep up," she said. "Because standing still now isn't an option anymore."
The dragon chirped softly.
"…Kyuu."
Then—
It leaned against Luxe's head.
Christy blinked.
"…It's definitely attached to you," she said.
Luxe sighed quietly.
"…It seems that way."
From behind—
Kael watched.
Silent.
Smiling.
"…So this is how far you've progressed already," he murmured softly. "Let's see how long it takes before that power becomes something you can't control."
For a brief moment—
Dark energy flickered again.
Then vanished.
The academy returned to motion—
But nothing was the same anymore.
Because now—
Everyone knew.
Luxe—
Was no longer just a student.
He was—
A problem.