The warm glow of the weekend sun blanketed the Academy as students dispersed for their day off. The Juggernauts. Kaelen, Jered, and Neal gathered once again at the outer perimeter of the Academy grounds, prepared for another coordinated monster hunt. This has become a weekly routine now, theory lessons during the day, sparring in the evening with the team or another class with Tashi, and hunting on the weekends.
After the success of their first hunt, their synergy had become tighter, smoother, and more instinctive. Kaelen may still have been Level 3, but his role in the team was unquestioned. His healing, support boosts, and now increasingly sharp tactical insights were invaluable. Even Neal, initially skeptical, had begun to trust his instructions mid-fight without hesitation.
The area they patrolled this time was still part of the Academy's jurisdiction, a forested training zone below the village mapped for novice-level monster hunting. Since Kaelen was still below Level 20 and thus unranked, they couldn't enter dungeons.
But that didn't mean they lacked worthy prey. Every week, stray monsters mostly Level 10 to 19 would drift from unstable territories, occasionally a lone Bronze-ranked beast testing the edge of the Academy's border.
The presence of monsters in great number outside a dungeon was natural, but they were manageable. Dungeons themselves only formed when these wandering monsters gathered en masse and were offered shelter by a powerful overlord which the monsters called it the dark lord.
Until then, this land remained dungeon-free.
That morning, Jered had reported sightings of several beastlings from the rocky ravine sector. Tashi approved their weekend leave after the morning class, instructing them not to overdo it. As always, he gave Kaelen a lingering glance, not worry, but caution. He was rising faster than he liked, and he knew what that meant.
With the impending danger of growing tension between the two parties strong awakens are always welcomed but not awakens that shine too brightly foreshadowing the rest.
—
"Alright, gear check," Jered announced as they stopped in a clearing near the ravine's edge.
Neal tightened the grip on his new bronze-tier longsword. "Any magical beasts?"
"None, wait let me check" Kaelen replied, eyes closed for a moment and focused on the surroundings, then he sensed mana fluctuations ahead.
"Four ahead," he said, pointing east. "Low mana presence, probably Level 10 to 15. Beastlings."
"Perfect," Neal grinned. "I'll take left, Jered takes right. You support from back as usual?"
Kaelen nodded, fingers already warming with flowing mana.
The ambush was surgical. As soon as the three lean wolf-like monsters appeared through the treeline, Neal dashed in like a lightning strike, blade sweeping in a wide arc. Jered, already flanking, shot a wind-infused kick that sent another beast tumbling. The third tried to flee, but a golden barrier slammed down before it, Kaelen's radiant wall cutting off its escape. He followed with a low-cast stun pulse. A moment later, it was done.
It was a skill he recently learned from Tashi.
"Clean," Jered said, checking his mana.
"Too clean," Neal added, cracking his knuckles.
Kaelen sighed. "You guys are monsters too, you know."
—
By mid-afternoon, they had cleared a total of eight monsters. All under Level 19. Jered was nearly Level 21 now, Neal already 22. Kaelen's progress was slower, yet each assist netted him a modest gain, finally reaching level 4. But that didn't bother him he was planning his growth differently.
After a brief lunch, they prepared to head back. As they walked the winding forest path, Kaelen finally spoke:
"We should consider rotating roles next hunt."
"Huh?" Jered blinked.
"Just for training. You handles healing, I move forward, Neal control terrain. It'll force us to understand each other's limits."
Neal raised a brow. "You sure about that?"
Kaelen nodded. "If we only train in comfort, we'll never be ready for when it's not."
Jered whistled. "Look who's becoming a tactician."
They laughed and bantered on the way back. Despite their mismatched levels, the Juggernauts had become a name to remember in the academy.
—
By the time they returned to campus, the sun was falling and the sky was streaked with orange.
Tashi greeted them at the gates, his arms crossed. "You three didn't cause a monster migration, right?"
"Nope," Kaelen said with a tired smile. "Just cleaned up what came our way."
"Good. You've got exams in two weeks. Don't let that momentum carry you into arrogance."
"Yes, sir."
They were tired. But they were alive, stronger, more bonded. Another smooth day of hunting. No dark force, no doom looming, just growth. They had time, but just as Kaelen entered his room his personal servant Galore welcomed him home and gave him a paper containing information about the upcoming test.