Chapter 4 - Part 42 (Book 1 - Fantasy World)

Clenching her teeth before relaxing, Valessandria nodded, "That is what I was afraid of." She directed her attention to the horse. Staring at the wounds on the horse and not recognizing the injury marks on top of the student not returning, "This means that this is much worse than what we could hope for."

Though she initially thought of finding more evidence to present to the council, the problem was that the wounds on the horse were significantly vicious compared to a chowon gwemul.

The two stood while haunted by the evidence in front of them. In the background, the sounds of students cutting down the tall grass continued, which would help to provide extra security. Each of the students worked diligently despite the disadvantageous conditions. Several groups walked around the perimeter to make sure that nothing was overlooked as they opened the area.

"Lady Knight, I advise that we take drastic measures and return to Illumin as quickly as possible. We are not prepared to handle this, and the Student Council -- in addition to the Adventurer's Guild -- must be briefed on this matter." William didn't remove his eyes from the horse as he quietly shared his thoughts.

She furrowed her brow, reading between the lines of her Second's words. The idea of having all of them consume the mana crystals didn't sit well in her mind. Letting out a long sigh, she merely nodded.

Receiving her order, William turned towards the area where students were constructing the perimeter. "Suspend the creation of the perimeter." His voice thundered and caused everyone to halt what they were doing and turn toward him. "We are in an emergency situation. With the authorization of the Lady Knight, all of you are ordered to consume a mana crystal and regain your strength."

Several of the students flinched at the order. While others raised their eyebrows and widened their eyes at hearing something none expected, even with how fatigued they were.

Valessandria knew that the students would be confused, considering all the training they had received. To have trainees take mana crystals wasn't something to be taken lightly and only stressed how things had turned a dark corner.

"Keep an eye out with your fellow members and report any issues. We will immediately return towards Illumin with no stops and at full speed. Members are allowed to change horses, when necessary, but priority is to be placed into getting far away from here."

Hearing William give such commands caused the air to become heavier as the full weight of their situation came into mind for each student. Though it could've been compared to when they were asked to support Leaf Village to support against the Empire, this time was different since they had lost classmates. A few members whispered amongst themselves before they began to reach into their leather pouches to pull out a mana crystal and place it into their mouths.

Valessandria noticed how the students straightened their backs as energy flooded their bodies. A few even grinned at the increased power, though the more experienced members instantly chastised them. She nodded approvingly, glad to see that each member was observing and making sure the younger students didn't get carried away with the influences of the crystal. This meant their training worked appropriately, which was forever unknown until a real-world scenario occurred.

Placing the crystal into her mouth, her body stiffened as the flow of mana increased. She began breathing in deeply and letting the air out to help her gain control. Having already consumed a crystal, she needed to maintain her body's inner balance. Closing her eyes, she cracked her neck and took a moment to calm herself. Feeling the increased mana inside her, she felt like she was lighter. She opened her eyes and proceeded to pick up her helmet and gloves. Returning to the tunneled vision that the helmet provided and having her gloves on, she turned around and made her way back to her horse. William followed immediately behind her.

"The real question is whether we will encounter any of those creatures, whatever they are," William frowned as they reached their horses. He quickly used the lamp to check to make sure all the straps were good before attaching the light and getting back on.

She didn't even want to answer his question, fully aware that their group could be forced into engaging with creatures beyond their training if they did encounter the monsters -- especially ones in the same area as chowon gwemuls. Going against the Empire would be insanity with their forces. Still, it didn't mean it would be hopeless, considering they'd be going up against other humans. But there was no telling how their group would be able to adapt to monsters that they weren't familiar with. This was on top of them having limited experience dealing with monsters. There wouldn't be many that could even remember the last Overflow, let alone having fought against the unspeakable things that devoured everything that moved. It might as well be a blight on the world.

Valessandria struggled to hold back her thoughts and suspicions about the wounds on the horse. Just like William, she quickly glanced at her horse and returned the lamp to where it was before she got off.

Behind them, one of the older students approached them on his horse. "I would like to report that all members of the Disciplinary Committee present are ready for your orders."

William turned to the student, "Good job. Make sure everyone knows that we will be moving with the objective of getting out of here, not getting into a fight. Focus on moving forward but also keep one eye on our surroundings." Seeing that the student understood, he waved for them to return to their position.

Valessandria took a moment to make sure that everyone was good before she commanded, "BACK TO ILLUMIN!" Dirt was flung into the air as her mount propelled itself into the night.

"ILLUMIN!" Everyone behind her shouted and chased after her.

The wind flowed through the opening of her helmet, blowing cool air on her face. Compared to how they raced to reach Leaf Village in fear of not making it in time to help them out, the sensation she felt was the complete opposite. Flashes of her mind transported her back to times when she fled from tsunamis of danger, never knowing whether she'd return home. But despite the menace, the thought persisted: how she would return to Illumin even if she had to crawl using only her hands. Gritting her teeth, her instincts told her that something was coming to not only Illumin but also all the nearby powers. She couldn't help but believe that the Lunar Empire would only be a minute player on the massive playing board.