The academy had not recovered.
Not from the destruction.
Not from the fear.
And definitely not from Zephyr Kaelion.
---
Everywhere he walked—
People moved aside.
Silently.
Carefully.
As if getting too close to him would invite disaster.
---
"…Feels nice, doesn't it?" a voice said lazily.
---
Zephyr didn't turn.
"…What do you want?"
---
A boy leaned against the wall beside him, lightning faintly crackling around his fingers.
Sharp eyes.
Confident smirk.
---
"Name's Rex."
---
Zephyr glanced at him briefly.
"…Didn't ask."
---
Rex chuckled.
"…You're interesting."
---
"Because I'm Level 0?" Zephyr replied coldly.
---
Rex shook his head.
"…Because a dragon came for you."
---
Silence.
---
"…And you're still alive."
---
Zephyr stopped walking.
Finally turning toward him.
---
"…Get to the point."
---
Rex's smirk widened.
"…There's a mission."
---
---
A few minutes later—
---
The first-year assembly hall buzzed with tension.
Students whispered nervously.
Instructors stood at the front with serious expressions.
---
A large screen displayed a warning:
---
[Emergency Mission Assigned]
Location: Outer Forest Zone
Threat Level: High
Objective: Eliminate Escaped Monsters
---
Murmurs spread instantly.
---
"High-level mission?!"
"For first-years?!"
"Are they crazy?!"
---
An instructor stepped forward.
"…Due to the recent dungeon break, several creatures have escaped into nearby zones."
---
He paused.
---
"…This is no longer training."
---
Silence.
---
"…This is survival."
---
The atmosphere grew heavy.
---
Teams were quickly formed.
Strong students grouped together.
Strategically.
Safely.
---
Zephyr stood alone.
---
No one approached him.
---
No one wanted to.
---
"…You're with me."
---
Zephyr looked up.
---
Elara stood beside him.
Calm as always.
---
"…Why?" he asked.
---
"…Because you're either a weapon…"
She looked directly into his eyes.
"…or a liability."
---
Rex walked over.
"…Guess I'll join too."
---
Elara frowned.
"…You?"
---
Rex shrugged.
"…I like chaos."
---
Zephyr sighed.
"…Great."
---
---
The forest was dark.
Too dark.
---
Even during the day—
The light barely passed through the dense trees.
---
The air felt wrong.
Heavy.
Unnatural.
---
"Stay alert," Elara said quietly.
---
Rex stretched his arms.
Lightning flickering slightly.
"…Relax. It's just monsters."
---
Then—
A low growl echoed.
---
Everyone froze.
---
From the shadows—
Something emerged.
---
A creature.
Twisted.
Massive.
Black veins pulsing across its body.
Eyes glowing red.
---
[Mutated Beast Detected]
---
"…That's not normal," Elara whispered.
---
The creature lunged.
---
Fast.
Too fast.
---
Rex reacted instantly.
"Lightning Strike!"
---
A bolt shot forward—
Hitting the beast directly.
---
It staggered—
But didn't fall.
---
"…What?!" Rex stepped back.
---
The creature roared.
Charging again.
---
Elara moved.
Her hand glowed.
A magic circle formed.
---
"Ice Bind!"
---
Chains of ice shot from the ground.
Wrapping around the beast.
Stopping it.
---
"…Now!" she shouted.
---
Zephyr stepped forward.
---
The world slowed.
---
The screen appeared.
---
[Target Identified: Mutated Beast]
[Core Stability: Unstable]
[Override Available]
---
His eyes sharpened.
---
"…Let's test this."
---
He raised his hand.
---
"…Override."
---
The beast froze.
---
Its body glitched violently.
---
Then—
---
BOOM!!
---
It exploded.
---
Gone.
---
Silence.
---
Rex blinked.
"…What the hell was that?"
---
Elara stared at Zephyr.
Her expression unreadable.
---
"…You didn't attack it…"
She said slowly.
---
"…You erased it."
---
Zephyr lowered his hand.
---
"…Seems like it."
---
Before they could process further—
---
The ground trembled.
---
"…Did you feel that?" Rex asked.
---
Another growl echoed.
Louder.
Deeper.
---
The trees shook violently.
---
Something big was coming.
---
Very big.
---
Then—
A massive creature stepped out.
Twice the size of the previous one.
Covered in dark armor-like skin.
Multiple glowing eyes.
---
[Elite Mutated Beast Detected]
---
Rex cursed.
"…Now this is bad."
---
Elara prepared her magic.
"…Fall back—"
---
"…No."
---
They both turned.
---
Zephyr stepped forward.
---
His eyes calm.
Focused.
---
"…This one's mine."
---
The creature roared.
Charging toward him.
---
The ground cracked beneath its weight.
---
Rex shouted.
"Are you insane?!"
---
Elara's eyes narrowed.
"…Wait…"
---
Zephyr didn't move.
---
The screen appeared again.
---
[Target Analysis…]
[Core Located]
[Override: Limited Success Probability]
---
Zephyr smiled faintly.
---
"…Good enough."
---
The beast reached him.
Claw raised—
Ready to crush him.
---
At the last second—
Zephyr moved.
---
Faster than before.
---
He slipped past the attack.
---
And placed his hand directly on the creature's chest.
---
"…Override."
---
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
---
Then—
The core inside the beast glitched.
---
Cracks spread across its body.
---
The creature let out a distorted scream.
---
And then—
---
BOOOOOOM!!!
---
It exploded into fragments.
---
Silence fell once more.
---
Rex stared.
Speechless.
---
"…Okay…"
He exhaled slowly.
"…You're definitely not normal."
---
Elara looked at Zephyr.
Her eyes sharp.
---
"…No…"
She whispered.
---
"…He's something else entirely."
---
Zephyr stood still.
Looking at his hand.
---
Feeling the power flowing through him.
---
"…This is just the beginning…"
---
Far away—
Deep within the forest—
Something opened its eyes.
---
Watching.
---
Waiting.
---
Because Zephyr had just made one thing clear—
---
He wasn't prey anymore.
---
He was becoming something far more dangerous.