The forest gradually thinned as Izan and Daiki approached the mountain’s base. Jagged stone rose above them, and beneath it yawned a massive cave entrance, wide enough to swallow caravans whole. Faint light reflected off the cave walls, shimmering unnaturally.

  Daiki’s ears twitched as his eyes widened.“Whoa… look at all those crystals.”

  Crystals glowed along the cave’s mouth and deeper inside, embedded like frozen lightning. Even from a distance, the mana density was unmistakable.

  The two moved cautiously, slipping through the trees and into thick bushes near the clearing. From there, they spotted a bandit camp sprawled messily between the forest and the cave. Tents were scattered, crates overturned, and rough ughter echoed through the air.

  Daiki squinted. “I count… about thirty.”

  Several bandits were hauling crystals into sacks, arguing loudly over who took what. Then Izan froze.

  One of the tents had a paper nailed to its front.

  A bounty notice.

  Rin’s face stared back at him, the page pinned through the image with a thick iron nail—right through her forehead.

  Izan’s jaw tightened. His teeth ground together as something cold settled in his chest.

  “Daiki,” he said quietly, eyes locked on the camp. “I want to test some abilities.”

  Daiki gnced at him—then grinned, eyes sparkling. “Say less.”

  As the bandits continued counting crystals, Daiki subtly released his scent into the air, letting it spread through the bushes and across the camp. A moment passed.

  Then—

  Figures began appearing.

  Hundreds of them.

  Izan—no, Izan clones—materialized from every direction, encircling the camp in a tightening ring.

  “What the—?!” one bandit yelled.“They just spawned outta nowhere!” another screamed.

  One of the bandits snarled, drawing his bde. “Illusions! Or some kind of trick! Just kill ’em!”

  He lunged forward and stabbed one of the clones.

  POOF.

  The clone burst apart into a cloud of shimmering mist. Instantly, the bandit screamed as the substance burned against his skin, dropping his weapon and cwing at himself in agony.

  “IT BURNS—GET IT OFF!”

  Panic spread like wildfire.

  Clones advanced slowly, silently.

  “What do we do?!”“I can’t breathe—my skin—!”

  One by one, the bandits colpsed, thrashing, scratching desperately as their strength drained away. The poison didn’t kill them—but it was merciless. Eventually, their cries faded into exhausted whimpers as they passed out where they stood.

  Time passed.

  By the time Izan dispelled the clones, the camp was silent.

  Daiki stared around in awe. “That… was insane. I wish I could do that.”

  Izan smirked faintly, gncing at the bandits now tied up together, their skin flushed red from the lingering effects. They twitched weakly, too exhausted to even struggle.

  Then—

  BOOM.

  The ground exploded.

  Crates shattered, tents were torn apart, and chunks of earth and wood were hurled into the air. Trees bent violently as something massive crashed through the clearing.

  Izan and Daiki leapt back just in time, smoke and dust billowing around them.

  A deep ugh echoed through the haze.

  “Heh… lucky dodge.”

  The smoke parted.

  A massive man stood at the center of the ruined camp, thick muscles packed beneath scarred skin. Perched around him were three unnerving figures, clinging to his shoulders and back like predators—each grinning wildly.

  “Next time,” the big man continued zily, “I won’t hesitate.”

  Daiki sighed. “Great…”

  He cracked his knuckles. “Dibs on the fat one.”

  Izan exhaled. “Why can’t we just take them all out together?”

  “Because I want a challenge,” Daiki said, eyes locked on the three others. “And those three—”

  One of them sneered. “Lot of nerve for a furry to be talkin’.”

  Daiki smirked proudly.

  Izan gnced back at the tied-up bandits—then noticed dark stains scattered across the clearing.

  The big man grinned. “Oh yeah. Those guys? Weak.”

  In an instant, he vanished.

  Izan barely registered the movement before a massive hand smmed into his face, driving him straight into the ground. The impact cracked the earth beneath him as the man flung him effortlessly into a tree.

  “Izan!” Daiki shouted, a flicker of fear cutting through his confidence.

  Before he could move, the three figures vanished.

  “Where did they—?”

  Too te.

  One strike grazed his face—he dodged barely. Another appeared behind him—he twisted away. The third clipped him hard, sending him skidding back.

  They ughed.“You can’t dodge forever.”

  The big man yawned. “Man, they’re weak.”

  Izan pushed himself up slowly.

  His nose was broken.

  Without hesitation, he grabbed it and snapped it back into pce. Blood spilled freely, running down his forehead in thick streaks and dripping over his eyes before falling to the ground.

  “That… was weak,” Izan said calmly.

  “Tch.”

  The big man charged.

  Their fists collided—each blow carrying enough force to shatter bone. The air cracked with every exchange.

  Nearby, Daiki moved like a blur.

  He dodged two attackers at once, grabbed the third mid-strike, and hurled him into one of the others. Both vanished into the shadows with a crash.

  The st one tried emerging from the ground beneath Daiki—but Daiki crushed him instantly, smming his foot down hard onto his face.

  A sharp, hollow crack rang out. The man’s scream tore through the air as his head was driven back into the dirt, blood spilling from his mouth as several teeth—more than four—were knocked loose and scattered across the ground. He cwed forward in blind panic, choking on his cries, dragging himself away while his body trembled uncontrolbly, leaving a smeared trail behind him.

  Another lunged from behind, and just as quickly, another followed.

  Daiki raised his hand casually—then struck.

  His fist crashed into the man’s face with a sickening impact, crushing his nose ft in an instant. The force sent him flying backward like a broken doll, blood bursting from his face as he spun through the air before smming hard into the ground, unmoving.

  He walked forward calmly.

  Meanwhile—

  The big man drew his arm back for a devastating punch.

  Too slow.

  Izan vanished.

  He reappeared behind him and struck the neck—clean, precise.

  The man didn’t even have time to react. Izan swept his legs out from under him, and as his body dropped, Izan drove a crushing blow straight into his stomach.

  The ground cratered, sending a shockwave rippling outward.

  The man’s eyes rolled white as his body went limp, a deep bruise spreading across his abdomen.

  Silence.

  Daiki approached, dragging the three attackers behind him, all tightly bound.

  “Boring,” he muttered.

  Izan exhaled. “Let’s grab the crystals and go.”

  They secured every bandit, tightening the bindings until skin bruised and circution cut off, checking twice to make sure no one could so much as twitch. Then they moved through the camp, collecting the bags left behind. Some were soaked through—dark, sticky stains clinging to the fabric. The smell told the story before the sight did. Dried blood. Fresh blood. Torn scraps of clothing caught in the seams. Bits of bone and congealed flesh pressed against the canvas as if someone had tried—and failed—to wash the evidence away. Whatever those bags had carried before, it wasn’t just stolen goods. It was proof of lives ruined and ended, violence packed away and carried like cargo.

  They shattered the crystals by hand, loading what they could carry.

  By the time they returned to the academy, the guards froze.

  Their eyes widened at the unconscious giant being dragged behind them.

  “W-Welcome back,” one guard said nervously, snapping into a salute.

  Izan and Daiki waved at him before walking straight through the gates, dragging their captives across the courtyard. Students stared—some in fear, others in awe—at their bloodied knuckles and the bags of crystals they carried. Dried blood streaked across Izan’s forehead and hands, a grim reminder of the brutal fight they had just survived.

  At the principal’s office, Sayaka and Rin looked up.

  Sayaka smirked. “Welcome back.”

  She leaned forward, eyes gleaming.“Now… let’s see how much I’ll be rewarding you.”

  Valeria’s gaze lingered on Izan for a brief moment, her mana brushing against him just enough to notice.

  “Your nose is damaged,” she said evenly. “Do you want me to heal it?”

  Izan shook his head. “No. We have better things to do. The kitsune power Sayaka gave me will heal it on its own.”

  Valeria hummed softly but didn’t argue.

  Izan and Daiki stepped forward and tossed the bandit leader and his three main subordinates onto the floor in front of her, the heavy impact echoing through the room.

  Valeria gnced down, then back up at them—expression composed, but with a faint trace of approval.

  “…Fine,” she said. “The big one had a bounty of 6,560 gold. Nickname: Big-Fist.”

  Her lips curved slightly. “Didn’t expect that.”

  Izan and Daiki remained still.

  “Woah,” Valeria added, tilting her head. “Why are you two so serious? Never seen both of you like this.”

  Daiki crossed his arms. His ears lowered, tail flicking once behind him.“They were annoying.”

  He hesitated, gaze shifting aside. “And… the fat one got past me and went straight for Izan.”

  His voice carried a quiet frustration.

  Valeria chuckled, a small smirk forming. “Figures.”

  Izan’s gaze hardened. “At the bandit camp… there was a bounty poster,” he said ftly. “Rin’s face. Nailed to one of their tents.”

  He paused, jaw tightening. “They drove a thick iron nail straight through her forehead.”

  “He might have information on his main boss,” Izan said calmly.

  Rin tensed. Sayaka’s posture stiffened slightly.

  Valeria noticed—and smiled faintly. “Then I’ll interrogate him ter. Or maybe I’ll let Drex handle it.”

  Her smirk widened just a bit. “He enjoys that sort of thing.”

  She straightened. “For now—your points.”

  She gestured. “Daiki.”

  Daiki stepped forward and handed over the crystal bags.

  Valeria opened them, peering inside and counting methodically.

  “…Forty-three common crystals. Seventeen rare.”

  She closed the bag and looked up.

  Valeria looked over the bags, her tone calm but precise. “Common crystals: 5 points each. Rare crystals: 1.5 mission points each. E-tier mission completion: 30 points. C-tier boss and elites: 50 points.”

  She paused a moment, then smiled faintly. “Add it all up… your total points come to 333 points.”

  Daiki’s ears perked up, his tail flicking behind him with excitement. “Wait—did I make it? Did I make it to Inner Student?” he asked eagerly.

  Valeria gnced over the ranking crystal, scrolling once before nodding. “Yeah… Inner Student rank. 1,280 points. You passed.”

  “Daiki froze for half a second, then his face lit up, tail flicking behind him with excitement.”

  “YES—!”

  He spun toward the door, already moving. “THANK YOU, VALERIA! THANK YOU, IZAN!”

  He waved wildly as he rushed out. “I’ll see you ter, Izan!”

  The door smmed shut behind him.

  Sayaka blinked, suddenly realizing she’d forgotten one detail. She let out a small sigh. “Welp… Izan, I didn’t tell you about the gold.” She leaned over the desk and picked up a piece of parchment. “There’s a bank in the school—right next to the main entrance, on the right. Opens from 8 to 6.”

  With a few swift movements, she wrote a check and slid it across toward him. Izan’s hand moved almost absentmindedly to take it, still frozen in thought. He held the check, but his eyes were distant, his mind trapped on the image of the nail driven through Rin’s forehead.

  “Stop worrying so much,” Sayaka said softly, stepping closer. “Rex… with us around, no one’s getting near Rin.”

  “You’re right…” he murmured, his voice low, rough with emotion. “…but we also need to talk… about you, don’t we?”

  Sayaka’s ears twitched nervously, her tail flicking slightly behind her. She shifted, swallowing hard, her eyes meeting his only briefly before darting away, betraying the unease she tried to hide.

  Rin stirred nearby, yawning softly. She reached out, taking Sayaka’s hand and snuggling closer, as if seeking comfort. Valeria chuckled quietly from across the room. “You really are a mom,” she said teasingly.

  Izan gnced at Rin, then back at Sayaka. “So… you should tell them a little of what happened,” Valeria prompted.

  Sayaka hesitated, then nodded. “Fine…”

  She reached into her robes and pulled out a stack of papers, worn at the edges, the ink slightly faded. “I wrote all of this myself,” she said softly. “Everything I remember from when I was guarding Aermi. But I didn’t keep them with me. I gave them to Valeria… until the next time I ever ran into her. That way, she could show me everything.

  “I wasn’t pnning to tell you yet,” Sayaka added quietly, “you need to focus on your academics, on controlling your power.”

  Izan exhaled and nodded, his eyes calm but firm. “I trust you,” he said simply.

  Sayaka’s lips curved into a small, knowing smirk. Rin, meanwhile, quietly pyed with her kitsune tail, tugging it gently as she looked up with wide, innocent eyes.

  Valeria’s voice broke the silence. “Well… that’s everything. The rest is in the papers.”

  Izan simply nodded again, still tense. “I don’t like how she’s suffering alone…”

  A sudden shift in the room made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. A heavy, unfamiliar aura washed over them.

  Valeria’s lips curved into a faint, knowing smirk.

  Before anyone could react, the door burst open with a violent crash.

  Drex stormed in, dragging a limp Daiki behind him. His movements were confident, cruel, deliberate.

  “Hello, Izan,” he drawled, his voice low and menacing.

  Izan froze, his eyes widening as he sensed the aura, already preparing for whatever was coming while Daiki y unconscious and Rin clung quietly to Sayaka.