Lyra didn’t pause for a second after landing her first hit.
She spun her body like a top, dodging the counter-stab of a dagger, and whipped her long leg toward the man’s neck!
The cloaked man barely tilted his head to avoid the strike, but Lyra took advantage of the momentum to seize his wrist and give it a violent twist!
Crunch!
The sound of dislocating bone was sickeningly clear.
“Agh—!”
The man screamed in agony as the dagger slipped from his grasp.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye.
The three cloaked men clearly hadn’t expected to encounter such a difficult opponent here.
One of them had a fighting style that was completely different from a typical mage—it was eerie, ruthless, and incredibly powerful in close-quarters combat!
“Retreat!”
The leader of the group, who had been wounded by the Wind Blade, made a split-second decision and roared.
He snatched the flickering device from the ground and simultaneously hurled several small black spheres toward Freya and Lyra that erupted in thick smoke!
The smoke billowed instantly, carrying a pungent odor and a magical effect that interfered with their senses.
Freya immediately covered her nose and mouth, flying backward while casting a small spell, [Purifying Airflow].
Lyra kicked off the ground, lunging like a cannonball toward the last known position of the leader within the smoke.
However, she only managed to snatch a scrap of torn cloak and the fading, lingering traces of mana—the signature of spatial fluctuations.
The enemy had used a short-range teleportation tool or an escape item!
The smoke gradually dissipated.
Only Freya, Lyra, and the two corpses in the corner remained in the cave, along with the metal plate that was still emitting unstable sparks of electricity.
The three cloaked men had vanished without a trace, leaving behind only the marks of battle and the smell of blood and residual mana in the air.
“They sure run fast!”
Lyra spat in frustration.
She picked up the dark red dagger from the ground, weighed it in her hand, and curled her lip in disgust. ‘This is some crooked piece of work.’
Despite her distaste, she tucked it away. It might be useful later.
Freya walked over to the metal plate and knelt down to examine it closely.
The plate was approximately 1 foot square, made of a material that was neither metal nor stone.
It was covered in Ancient Runes so complex they were dizzying, and a small, amethyst-like mineral was embedded in the center, constantly emitting tiny bursts of purple lightning.
Part of the runes appeared to have been damaged by the cloaked men using brute force or some other method.
This had caused energy to leak, which in turn agitated the surrounding Thunder Element.
“Were they trying to dig this out?”
Lyra leaned in. “Is this thing worth a lot of money?”
“It’s more than just valuable.”
Freya’s expression was solemn as her fingertips lightly brushed over the runes.
‘This is a fragment of the seal from the ancient Thunder Emperor’s tomb… or rather, it’s the power core for the outer defensive mechanisms. Legend says the Thunder Ruins are the remains of the ancient Thunder Emperor’s testing grounds and mausoleum.’
These people weren’t ordinary grave robbers or treasure hunters.
Their methods were professional, their goals were clear, and…
She recalled the device’s reaction to her and the comment about the “Key’s” resonance strengthening.
‘They seem to have a way to detect specific magical traits, and they’ve labeled me as one of their “Keys.”‘
Lyra’s red eyes narrowed dangerously. “Are they after your Heart Crystal again, Boss? Are they with the Crybaby’s group?”
“Not necessarily the same group, but their goals might be similar.”
Freya stood up and looked in the direction the cloaked men had disappeared.
“The scent of incense from the Holy Temple… Dark Magic… professional excavation tools and knowledge of ancient seals… plus a device to detect ‘Keys’… It seems there are more factions targeting ancient legacies and specific ‘Keys’ than we imagined, and they’re far more complex.”
She took out her Communication Crystal and gave Professor Blaze a brief report.
She informed him of the encounter with the illegal intruders, the conflict, and their escape.
She also marked the location and status of the metal plate, suggesting that the Academy send specialists to handle it immediately.
“It seems today’s ‘practical lesson’ was much more ‘practical’ than expected.”
Freya put away the crystal and looked at Lyra. “Are you alright?”
Lyra brushed off some non-existent dust and grinned.
“Of course I am! Those guys looked fierce, but they couldn’t actually take a hit! They just ran too fast; I didn’t even get to have any real fun!”
Her eyes darted around. “Boss, do you think they’ll come back? Or… maybe they have more accomplices nearby?”
“It’s very likely.”
Freya looked down the deep, dark tunnel. “Let’s leave first and meet up with the people the Professor sends. And then…”
A cold light flashed in her eyes. “Perhaps we can turn the tables and use this encounter to fish for these ‘rats’ hiding in the shadows.”
An unexpected encounter with intruders, a mysterious detection device, a Thunder Emperor Seal Fragment…
What they had thought was merely an undercurrent of tension within the Academy seemed to be spreading toward a broader, more dangerous, and unknown abyss.
Freya and Lyra looked at each other, seeing the vigilance and a spark of ignited fighting spirit in each other’s eyes.
This practical lesson had certainly been worth the trip.
Not only had they tested their strength, but they had also stumbled upon a much larger secret.
The days to come would likely be even more “lively.”
After meeting up with the high-level mentors and guards sent by the Professor, Freya and Lyra gave a detailed account of the encounter and handed over the dark red dagger Lyra had seized as evidence.
Professor Blaze and the arriving Academy Security Department head looked grave. They clearly realized that the situation had exceeded the scope of a normal student’s practical lesson.
“A Thunder Emperor Seal Fragment… a device to detect ‘Keys’… and Dark Magic users…”
The security chief rubbed his chin, his gaze sharp. “It seems the unstable factors around the Academy and Whistling Canyon are more serious than the reports we received. Student Freya, Miss Lyra, the information you’ve provided is very important. The Academy Security Department will officially take over the investigation. For your safety, and to avoid alerting the enemy, please do not mention the specific details of this incident to anyone else—especially the part about the ‘Key’ detection.”
Freya nodded in understanding.
Under the protection of the guards, she and Lyra returned directly to the safe zone of the Academy’s main district via a dedicated Teleportation Array.
The practical lesson was forced to end early, and other teams were gradually recalled.
A faint air of tension began to permeate the Academy, and rumors about “dangerous illegal elements appearing in the canyon” began to spread quietly.
The afternoon sun was pleasant. Carrying bodies slightly damp with sweat from battle and a wealth of unexpected information, Freya and Lyra decided to head to the Academy cafeteria to refuel and process what had just happened.
The two left the Security Department office and walked side-by-side along the tree-lined path connecting the teaching area and the living area.
Lyra was still excitedly gesturing about the clean elbow strikes and leg whips she had used in the tunnel.
Her eyes were bright, as if she had just participated in a fun game.
“Boss, those three guys were so weak! I hadn’t even warmed up before they vanished! But that dagger with the red glow was kind of interesting—the smell was just disgusting, though…”
Freya listened to Lyra’s chatter while organizing her thoughts.
A Thunder Emperor Seal Fragment, a device to detect “Keys,” and cloaked men who smelled of Holy Temple incense but used Dark Magic…
These clues were like a tangled mess that couldn’t be unraveled yet, but they undoubtedly confirmed her suspicion.
The struggle for ancient legacies and special magic cores was far more complex and dangerous than she and her grandfather had anticipated.
The Holy Temple might not be the only hidden hand; there might even be different factions or collaborators within the Imperial Family…
As they were thinking, they passed through an open training area.
This was a specialized field for the Academy’s swordsmanship, physical techniques, and other close-combat classes.
Through the low stone fence, they could see students in uniform practicing in pairs. The clack-clack of wooden swords clashing and the sound of shouting were constant.
Just as they were about to pass the entrance to the training ground, something went wrong!
A whistling sound rang out without warning!
A wooden practice sword, like an arrow released from a bow, came spinning out from the depths of the training ground, flying straight toward Freya and Lyra’s heads!
The speed wasn’t extremely fast, but it carried significant force. If it hit, it would result in a bloody head at the very least!
“Watch out!”
Freya only had time to cry out as her body instinctively tried to dodge.
But Lyra’s reaction was faster!
Almost the moment the whistling sound began, Lyra’s red eyes locked onto the incoming wooden sword.
Without a second thought, she instinctively turned sideways, her right hand reaching out like lightning to pull Freya into her arms by the waist.
At the same time, her left leg whipped upward in a clean, sharp high kick, her toes striking the blade of the wooden sword with incredible precision!
Thump!
A dull sound of impact echoed!
The aggressive wooden sword was redirected by the staggering force of Lyra’s kick, flying back the way it came at an even greater speed!
Following that—
Thwack!
An even heavier thud sounded! The wooden sword was buried deep into the top of a stone wall that stood at least 3 or 4 meters high at the back of the training ground!
The force was so great that nearly half the sword was embedded in the wall, causing the plaster at the top of the wall to crumble and fall, kicking up a small cloud of dust in the sunlight.
Everything happened within a single breath.
Freya was held firmly in Lyra’s arms, her clothes not even touched by the dust.
She could feel the firm, explosive touch of Lyra’s arm around her waist and the scent of sunlight mixed with the vital energy of someone who had just been exercising.
“Lyra, you…”
Freya looked up, wanting to ask if Lyra was hurt or if she had twisted her ankle.
But before she could speak, her words were drowned out by Lyra’s earth-shattering roar.
“WHICH BASTARD JUST THREW A SWORD RANDOMLY?! DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH—?!”
Lyra’s voice was loud and sharp, filled with undisguised rage and ferocity.
It instantly drowned out all the sparring and shouting in the training ground, ringing clearly throughout the entire area.
She let go of Freya and took a step forward, shielding her.
With her hands on her hips and her red eyes burning like fire, she glared at the training ground, searching for the culprit.
With her protective and murderous aura, she looked exactly like a lioness whose territory had been provoked.