Chapter 37 – Reunion with Zara & the Academy Students

The northern grasslands near the border were in complete chaos. Dust rose in clouds, screams of panicked students blended with the deafening roars of a monstrous creature.

Zareen and his party had just returned from reporting their dungeon mission when word reached them—an Academy training group was under attack during their field exercise. Without a second thought, Yuna, Sari, Doni, and Zareen rushed to the scene.

When they arrived, the situation was worse than they expected. Several students were on the ground, clutching their wounds, while the rest desperately tried to hold the line.

Zareen’s breath caught in his throat. Among the students, he saw a familiar figure standing in front, staff raised but visibly shaking.

“Zara…” he whispered, almost unable to believe his own eyes.

Sure enough, it was her—Zara, his classmate from the academy days. Her hair was messy, sticking to her sweat-covered face, and her spellcasting motions were sluggish as though she was about to collapse from exhaustion.

Towering before them was the enemy: a massive bear-like monster with jet-black fur, burning red eyes, and claws that gleamed like blades.

“Dark Grizzly,” Yuna said grimly, already unsheathing her sword.

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### The Battlefield in Chaos

“Hold the line! Don’t let it reach the village!” shouted one of the instructors, but his command was almost drowned out by the Grizzly’s roar.

Zara raised her staff, lips trembling as she tried to chant, but she was too slow. The monster’s claw came down toward her in a deadly arc.

“Barrier Wall!”

A glowing wall of lavender light appeared out of nowhere, blocking the strike just inches before it tore through her.

Zara spun around, wide-eyed. “Z–Zareen!?”

Zareen stepped forward, lowering his staff slightly, a faint smile on his face. “It’s been a while, Zara.”

Her expression softened with relief, but there was no time to talk. The monster reared back for another strike.

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### Zareen’s Party Joins the Fight

“Formation!” Yuna barked.

Sari immediately moved into action, dashing to the side with inhuman speed. Her chains flew from her hands, wrapping around the monster’s legs. “Chain Bind!”

The Dark Grizzly let out a furious roar as its movements slowed.

Doni had already taken position at a distance, his bow glowing faintly. “Target locked… Rain Shot!”

Arrows shot like a storm, raining down and piercing the Grizzly’s thick fur, driving it a few steps back.

The Academy students stared in awe. “What kind of skill is that? We’ve never been taught anything like it!”

Zareen ignored the comments, focusing instead on his support role. He slammed his staff to the ground. “Speed Boost for Sari! Defense Buff for Yuna! Regeneration for all Academy students!”

Lavender light spread across the battlefield. The wounded students felt their pain ease, cuts closing, and their fatigue lifting. The morale that had been crumbling moments ago suddenly rose.

Even the instructor was taken aback. “Such strong support magic… where did this adventurer come from?”

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### The Battle Reaches Its Peak

The Grizzly let out a roar that shook the earth, its muscles bulging as it broke free of the chains.

“Yuna!” Zareen called.

The Dark Knight surged forward without hesitation. Her sword glowed with dark energy as she leapt into the air, bringing it down on the Grizzly’s skull with a resounding crack.

The impact echoed across the field. The monstrous bear staggered, let out one last guttural roar, and then collapsed with a heavy thud, sending a shockwave of dust across the field.

For a moment, there was only silence—then cheers erupted from the students.

“We did it!”

“It’s down!”

“Everyone’s safe!”

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### A Long-Awaited Reunion

As the dust settled, Zara ran toward Zareen. Her face was still streaked with dirt and sweat, but her expression was bright.

“Zareen… it really is you! All this time I thought you were still buried in the library back at the Academy!”

Zareen scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “You could say that. But it seems fate had other plans for me.”

Sari sidled up next to him, her mischievous smile in full display. “Childhood friend, huh? How cute.”

Zareen’s ears turned red. “Don’t get the wrong idea.”

Doni stepped forward, puffing out his chest. “Hey! Don’t forget, I was the one who dealt the most damage! If not for me, that thing would still be standing!”

One of the students tilted his head. “But… wasn’t it the Dark Knight who landed the finishing blow?”

Doni froze. “H-hey! Don’t sweat the details!”

Some of the students laughed, easing the tension and breaking the heaviness of the battlefield.

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### Aftermath

The instructor approached Zareen’s party and gave a formal bow. “Thank you for your assistance. Without your intervention, we might have suffered heavy casualties.”

Yuna only nodded silently, wiping her blade clean before sheathing it. Sari smiled warmly, offering a friendly wave to the students. Doni looked as though he might burst with pride from all the attention.

Zareen turned back to Zara. “I’m glad you’re safe. Take care of yourself, Zara.”

She hesitated for a moment, then stepped closer, taking his hand. Her grip was firm despite her trembling fingers.

“I never imagined you’d come this far, Zareen. Back at the Academy, you always seemed like you were struggling… but now…” Her lips curled into a small smile. “I think I might be the one who has to learn from you.”

Zareen felt something warm stir in his chest at her words. Once, he had been the weakest student, the one always playing catch-up. Now, standing here, he realized just how much he had grown.

“Maybe,” he said softly, “but I still have a lot to figure out. This journey is far from over.”

Zara nodded, her eyes shining.

The wind swept across the grasslands, carrying away the lingering dust. The danger was over, but Zareen knew this was only the beginning. His past and present had just collided, and he had no idea what that would mean for the road ahead.