20 Back at the Academy

Kyle was happily humming as he roasted a leg of rabbit. He had brought an assortment of ingredients to ensure he was always prepared.

After a while, a delightful aroma filled the air and the meat turned a reddish-brown color. Kyle took a bite and savored the taste, looking up at the sky.

"What a great taste!"

After finishing the meat, he patted his stomach and made his way to a nearby pond. He had marked this location before climbing the mountain because it was a perfect spot for rest.

Kyle undressed and dove into the pond.

"What a great life!"

.....

The next day, Kyle emerged from the mountain, his journey proving to be fruitful and worth all his efforts. With a smile on his face, he made his way towards the gates of the Academy.

"I'm finally back!"

As he glanced at the marvelous entrance before him, once again he felt a sense of awe. Stepping inside, it felt like he had been gone for years, even though it had only been more than a day.

He first went to the mission hall to submit his mission. When he arrived, the person who gave him the mission looked at him disdainfully. Bringing back herbs from the back mountain was supposed to be an easy task, but it took Kyle so much time just to collect them.

Normally, Kyle would have been angered by such treatment, but in his good mood, he simply ignored the man.

He submitted the mission, collected his reward, and then made his way toward the dorm to rest.

After experiencing so much in just a few days, he was exhausted. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to lie down on his bed and sleep for the whole day. However, before he could enter the dorm and rest, someone called out his name from behind.

"Kyle? Right."

Kyle turned around with a frown to see who was stopping him from reaching his bed. He glanced at the handsome brown-haired boy standing opposite him. He was sure he had seen him somewhere before, maybe during the entrance test, but he couldn't remember properly, so he brushed it aside.

"Yes, it's me."

Nine stretched out his right hand with a smile.

"It's nice meeting you, I am Nine."

Kyle politely shook Nine's hand with a smile.

"As you already know, my name is Kyle. It's nice meeting you too."

Nine secretly assessed Kyle, and the latter was also doing the same.

'He is (F+)-Rank!?'

He was taken aback, sensing a powerful aura emanating from Kyle. He was certain that besides the four monsters in the class, no one else had reached the (F+)-Rank! For a brief moment, a pale golden light flickered in Nine's eyes before disappearing.

Kyle sensed Nine's shocked gaze and quickly tried to conceal his aura, resulting in an awkward silence for a few seconds.

"So, why did you call for me?"

Kyle broke the silence with a smile. He wanted to take a break as soon as possible, so he wanted to finish it quickly.

"Ah, sorry. I wanted to inform you about the competition that will determine the students' rankings in the class. Miss Aliza asked me to let you know since you were absent for the entire last week. I did come yesterday to inform you, but you weren't here."

Nine quickly explained everything.

"It's almost time for the competition, and we're running late. If you don't mind, how about coming with me?"

He didn't expect Kyle to be so strong. Even Nine himself was only at the (F)-Rank. He thought it would be great to be friends with someone powerful.

Kyle sighed in frustration. He wanted to skip the competition, but he knew he couldn't because it was compulsory for all students to participate in every kind of competition.

With no other choice, he nodded and started walking with Nine.

"Where are you from?"

Nine asked as they walked.

"I'm from Nyan City."

Nine paused for a moment.

"Oh, I've never heard of that place."

Kyle smiled.

"It's not a famous place, so it's normal if you haven't heard of it."

As they continued walking, Kyle couldn't help but be amazed by the size of the Academy. It was well-equipped with everything, as it was where the future powerful individuals of humanity would be nurtured. There were different training grounds, high-end food, and knowledge about almost everything. Basically, everything you could want was inside the Academy.

The students were allowed to go almost everywhere except for the forbidden area. Only high-ranking individuals could enter that place. It was considered forbidden because it housed the Academy treasury and stored high-grade skills and Arts.