After learning the terrifying truth behind the incoming Beast Tide, every student affiliated with the Adventure Guild moved as if struck by lightning.
WHOOSH!
THUD!
THUD!
THUD!
Boots echoed through the marble halls as students dashed out in synchronized urgency. No hesitation. No second thoughts.
A wave of youthful determination surged forward, their figures vanishing into the sunlight-streaked roads of Jakartha City.
This wasn't training. This was war. And they had answered the call.
The Grand Hall, once alive with chatter and dreams, now fell into stunned silence.
The professors, Alchemy Guild envoys, Blacksmith Guild representatives, and Production Hall Elders all stood frozen, faces locked in grim stillness.
CRACK!
The pressure in the atmosphere was tangible, like a glass pane about to shatter.
They didn't chase after the students. They didn't call them back. They couldn't.
Because of the ancient non-interference pact, a sacred contract forged by the Angels and upheld by the ruling factions of the Otherworlders Continent, no educator or guild figure was allowed to meddle in direct Ascendant matters.
Especially in emergency operations like this.
Even so, their eyes were razor-sharp, following the path the students took, as if trying to pierce through the fog of what was to come.
They knew this wasn't a regular Beast Wave.
Something was off. Something far more dangerous was lurking at its core.
---
Meanwhile, Jack had already moved.
His footsteps were calm. Focused.
But each step was heavier than the last.
The Elite Class ID card tucked inside his pocket pulsed faintly against his chest, but he paid it no mind. The weight of something greater pressed down on him.
By the time he reached the towering gates of the Adventure Guild Headquarters, the sun had already climbed high, its golden rays baking the cobblestone streets, casting long shadows over the city walls.
Yet... the temperature didn't match the heat of the sun. It was cold. Too cold.
Jack looked up at the Guild's symbol gleaming atop the building, a sword piercing through a storm cloud; its usual brilliance felt dim today.
A sudden gust of wind blew past him.
WHOOSH!!!
The wind carried tension… and the distant sound of beasts howling from far beyond the city borders.
The forest was waking up.
And something ancient was coming with it.
BOOM!
The thick Guild doors slammed shut behind Jack as he stepped inside.
And then His eyes widened.
The entire Guild Hall was packed.
Adventurers stood shoulder to shoulder, forming a living wall of power and presence Swords, Spears, Wands, Shields. Even strange, ancient-looking gear glowed faintly across the room, each radiating a distinct aura.
The air buzzed with tension.
Ding!
Notifications from Guild cards flickered.
Clink! Clank!
Weapons shifted on backs and belts. The atmosphere was alive like a battlefield before the storm.
This wasn't a gathering. This was a summoning of warriors. Veterans, young prodigies, mercenaries, lone wolves, party leaders… all united by one thing:
If they failed the examination of Beast Tide they will lose their home.
The Beast Tide. Jack's heartbeat quickened.
Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
He had never seen so many powerful people in one place so many different classes, elements, and battle styles.
"This… this is because of that damn Beast Tide," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the murmurs and footsteps echoing around him.
But his words carried a weight of realization.
This wasn't going to be a small event.
This was war-scale. Apocalyptic-level.
He took a deep breath, steadying his nerves, and scanned the crowd.
Then There. Near the briefing hall. Two familiar figures.
James and Emma. His parents.
Their postures were calm. Composed. Both dressed in their battle gear James with his beast-fur coat and Sword; Emma cloaked in flowing robes, elemental runes shimmering faintly around her mage staff.
When they saw Jack approaching, their faces immediately lit up with warm smiles.
But Jack wasn't blind.
He saw what lay beneath those smiles.
The slight twitch in Emma's fingers. The rigid tension in James's shoulders. The flicker of dread behind their eyes.
Fear.
Anxiety.
Even they, veterans of many battles, couldn't mask it completely.
Because they knew.
This wasn't just another mission. This was survival.
"How's the situation, Mom?" Jack asked, his tone low and serious.
Emma exchanged a glance with James.
No words.
Just a nod.
A silent signal passed between two veterans.
In recent months, James and Emma had gained quite a reputation among Jakartha's Adventurers. Their synergy in combat, their sharp instincts, and James's bond with his beast companion, Ironfang, had caught the attention of many. They weren't just seasoned, they were rising stars.
Which meant…
They knew things others didn't.
Emma let out a slow breath.
WHOOSH.
"It's bad, Jack," she said, her voice low and steady. "Two full adventure teams… gone."
Jack's eyes narrowed. A cold shiver slid down his spine.
"They were just gathering herbs near the heart of the forest," she continued. "When it happened."
Thud.
Jack's heart dropped.
"Only one survived… an assassin. He managed to escape but barely."
James stepped forward, his voice gruff.
"He used everything. Shadow Step, Smoke Veil, Aura Burst… He ran like hell. But even then he almost didn't make it."
Crack!
James clenched his fists.
"His injuries were bad. Real bad. Doctor said he may never fight again, not as an Ascendant."
Jack's jaw tightened. Even he knew what that meant. Losing the Ascendant path… was like losing your wings.
"But," James added, "the Guild gave him a high-grade recovery elixir. One of the best. A treasured-potion."
Emma nodded. "They called it a reward. For saving countless lives. If he hadn't escaped… the Guild would've never known."
Jack stayed silent, absorbing every word.
His parents weren't just telling a story. They were preparing him.
Emma's eyes darkened slightly. "The Guild's already sent scouts deep into the forest. We'll get their report by evening."
James added, "Once it's in… every Adventurer will be summoned to the Central Zone's Protection Wall."
His voice turned sharp.
"That's where we hold the line."
BOOM.
Jack felt the weight of those words crash down on him.
This wasn't some exam.
Wasn't just about ranks, points, or programs anymore.
This… was war.
His first real battlefield. Against something far more terrifying than any classroom or spar or adventure quest.
Jack's fists clenched slowly at his sides. His eyes no longer wavered.
"Then I'll be ready," he said softly.
And in that moment…He wasn't just a student anymore. He was an Adventurer.
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To Be Continued..!!