"Alright students ! Pack your things properly ! Master Ragnar will be giving you emergency teleportation scrolls, rejuvenation potions, healing powder bags and mana regeneration pills. And remember what we've learnt yesterday ! Maximize mana efficiency, lower any eventual leak ! Advance with confidence, but be sharp ! Look everywhere. Even if a teacher will be in every group, that doesn't mean you should get into unnecessary trouble !-"

  "Alright you bunch. I want everyone in two columns of two. Preferably by groups. You two, take this. This bag, yes. Two scrolls per person. Five potions and mana pills. Three powder bags. Next !"

  ...

  "Well, there's quite the commotion. Haven't seen this much activity since the st day of st year's csses."

  "Indeed. Ragnar and Millia are pretty busy too, now. They've been preparing this for the whole week by now. They must be pretty stressed. It's quite the burden, hm..."

  "Raya's been busy too." Sun Mane added, looking at the activity in the academy's training grounds. "You've felt it too, right Skal ?"

  The female magus nodded somberly as she adjusted her pointed hat. Everyone in the capital city and its outskirts had felt the sudden rise in temperature. Many had seen the raging red Wyvern taking off from somewhere in the city.

  "Yes. And from what we saw, she didn't look happy at all."

  "More concerning is that... while the padins and clergymen living here knew of her existence, some students and tourists have been shaken by the sight."

  "And it's been... how much time already ? We haven't heard of her since then."

  "..."

  "The students are leaving. let's wish them good luck."

  -

  "Well damn. Thanks god I thought about bringing one torch or two. It's pitch bck in here..."

  "It is... and the traps are quite-"

  CRASH-

  "-pathetic..." Cire de Lune sighed as she dodged a small brick that threatened to nd on her head. "For some reason..." she continued after catching up to her group "I expected something a bit more challenging. For now it's been slimes and rock bugs only."

  "Maybe we managed to take a safe passage ? Some other groups might not be as lucky as ours."

  "Miss Cire de Lune. Young Aro, let's catch up to the rest of the group, shall we ?" came a voice behind the duo.

  "Yes teacher." both replied.

  "Speaking of which, Miss Cire. I wouldn't necessarily curse a dungeon's apparent level. There have been many cases of adventurers entering low-threat level dungeons, only to venture into hidden rooms far above the overall level of said-dungeon. This kind of scenario is the perfect one for a tragic full party-wipe out."

  "Oh... I'm sorry sir. I didn't really know."

  "Don't be sorry." the one-eyed magic knight said as he shook his head softly. "Be better. Look everywhere. Be cautious of your surroundings- Hey you bunch ! Don't touch that ! That's a mana bomb ! Not a gemstone !"

  The students quickly retracted their hands and hurried behind the teacher, who kicked away the gem-looking trap near a dead-end, where it wouldn't hurt anybody.

  Several 'whoa' of amazement escaped some students' mouths. The strength of the man's kick was incredible. And he had sent the bomb with such speed !But then again, every teacher at Stallion had participated in the previous Demon War. This level of physical prowess was to be expected for him.

  Bee-Beeeee-Beeeeeeep-BOOM-

  "Ugh- As I was saying, don't touch stuff recklessly."

  "Mister..." a shy, nerd-looking girl questioned. "W-was this passage supposed to be here ?" she pointed at the dead-end. The wall had crumbled and a deep dark tunnel was visible from the other side.

  The knight didn't answer right away but instead pressed his CommuStone a few times. "Teacher 13 to general, teacher 13 to general... A new portion of the dungeon has been discovered."

  The artifact turned green, signaling that the message had been sent.

  "Alright students. I know you'll be disappointed, but we must shorten this expedition. Let's get to the exit calmly and in an orderly manner."

  "What exit ?" Aro wondered aloud as he scratched his pointed ear. Other students turned to the teen and their eyes went as wide as saucers at the sight.The corridor everyone had came from was... nowhere to be seen. There was a thick, dense fog and walls. Only walls.

  "That's... I don't like that at all. Alright, that's enough for today. Students, take your teleportation scrolls and chant 'Overta' out-loud."

  "Overta !"

  "Overta !"

  ...

  ...

  One by one, the dozen students vanished in bursts of light, only leaving the teacher and two students.Wait ? Two students ?

  "Wh- what did I tell you ?! Students de Lune, student Aro, use your scrolls !"

  "They are... not working. Part of mine turned into ashes."

  "Mine too..."

  "What ?! Let me see..." the man frowned, gesturing for the students to give him the pieces of paper.

  "Kah !" he screamed, surprised, as a bck bolt struck the CommuStone in his other hand. "What the- ?! Demonic magic ! These scrolls have been tampered with !"

  Aro and Cire looked at each other, dumbfounded by the man's decration. The knight tried to contact the outside world, but the CommuStone didn't turn green this time.

  As everyone looked at the scrolls, they didn't notice that the walls had started to move.

  "That's bad. One of you take my own-"

  As the teacher reached out for his own scroll, it disintegrated too.

  "..."

  After a few minutes of weighting their options, the trio finally noticed that the room had shrunk down. And visibly... the only way to not get crushed by the teral walls was to...

  "It has to be a joke..." Cire muttered.

  "Definitely... it has to be." the teacher acknowledged.

  Meanwhile, the goblin Ragnar stared in disbelief as two teleportation scrolls initially destined to the twin heirs of the Thassa union... vanished into dust.A minute ter, the remaining school staff was fully equipped to venture into the dungeon.

  Pope Kari hurried to the capital's main gates and climbed up the ramparts' stairs, accompanied by her bodyguards. Then, she looked below the walls of white and silver-colored stone.

  The Hero Candidate Ramiel was there, as the report described. He was breathing heavily and sweating, with clothes torn and patches of burnt fabric. The cnking of the guards' armor made him look up and he straightened his posture, trying to look as presentable as he could.

  This was... strange to say the least. Why had he decided to come back ? And what was that about him having information about Raya's whereabouts ? Kari decided that she'd get the information straight from the source. She hopped from the rampart and slowed her descent with a burst of wind at the ground. Three padins quickly followed her, judging from the heavy sounds of armor joints colliding.

  "Hero Candidate Ramiel. You have decided to... come back. For what purpose ?" she asked with her soft, but firm voice.

  The teen breathed in and out a few more times and finally answered."To avoid... a disaster. To help... Liz'a de Wandermer." he voiced out before a padin cut him off, clearly unconvinced.

  "And... why should we believe your words, otherworlder ? As far as we know, we-"

  The padin stopped speaking when Ramiel took out a blood red gemstone out of a still intact pocket of his shirt."I've encountered... the Sin of Wrath." the boy wheezed out as exhaustion was starting to catch up to him. "She gave me this after making me pass a trial... She sent me to get help ! She's in- in a very bad shape ! She can't move anymore ! And she's losing blood ! A lot !"

  "Wha-" Kari excimed. "This is absurd ! The Drake Sin of Wrath is no mere creature ! They are a direct child of The Divine ! They cannot be harmed by some mere- !"

  [ Pope of the Holy Lands ! Hear me, Sky the Earthsplitter ! What Ramiel says is indeed true ! The Drake Sin of Wrath has found an opponent who could harm her ! There is no time to waste ! While she cannot die, she is suffering, and suffering... ]

  "... could fuel uncontrolled Fury." Kari followed before falling silent.

  A thud was heard and everyone looked at the Hero Candidate, who just succumbed to fatigue. He began snoring right after touching the ground, despite his more than uncomfortable position.

  "How could we assist a Wyvern ? This wasn't in any manual... And how to transport her ? By the main gate ?"

  "We don't really have much of a choice. The Inquisitor's body is far too rge to pass through even our rgest secret tunnels."

  "The skies then ?"

  [ There are very few options. Be quick, Pope Kari. ]

  "... By the skies it is ! Gather as many magi as you can find ! And healers in case !"

  "Should we warm Hero Sun Mane and his companions ? They are close to Wyvern Raya !"

  "Do that ! And you, Holy Sword, please guide us !"

  [ Right. Just hold me and I'll send rays of light on Ramiel's tracks. ]

  "Alright padins, we're off !"

  -

  About an hour ter.

  "- close to the capital, my Lady. Your father will want to meet you to discuss several topics he will reveal ter."

  One of Crow's squad-mates approached her leader and started whispering into her feline ears. She nodded and bowed quickly in front of Liz'a de Wandermer, before disappearing in the shadow of the carriage that had come to pick the heiress up.

  "What was that about, shadow ?"

  "Your Grace, Crow has received new information that can be used for the war we are preparing."

  "The... war ? What war ?" she replied, completely lost.

  "... The... one against the Papal States, do you not remember this operation ?"

  "..."

  "..."There's no way... Has the girl lost her memories ? Did a golem hit her in the head ? Is that why she's acting stupid ?

  -

  "Crow. You are back. I hope you bring me good news, unlike st time." Gram de Wandermer scoffed as he chilled a cup of wine, putting ice cubes in it.

  Crow cringed at her boss' action, but said nothing regarding that. instead she nodded and got on one knee."I do. I am bringing two good news with me."

  "Go on."

  "We have secured your daughter. She is currently in an express carriage, on her way to the castle. We will put magic restrains once she steps into the main city."

  "Good. Drug whatever food or drink she can access. I don't want her shing out when she gets cuffed."The man sipped his wine and gazed at the gigantic legions stretching over to the horizon. Even far away, far behind the vast fields and pastures, the waves of soldiers and the forces of the Empire could be seen.

  Such a gathering had attracted the attention of the Thassa Union, but the Empire had replied that it was gathering its forces to go against the Demons. There were no problems. Gram de Wandermer just needed a reason to officially decre war on the religious nation.

  "My liege. The second good news I bring is that... we have found a pretext to wage war on Pope Kari's nation."

  "Oh ? Interesting.

  "This is way too weird. A dungeon shouldn't be like this. There has been no record of just... a tunnel. There are no monsters, no traps, nothing... Young Cire. Can you cast another scouting spell ? Or did the previous summon not die ?"

  "it's... still going. I don't see where but... it's still flying in a straight line." the elf noble replied, her voice as a tiny whisper.

  "It doesn't make any sense..."

  The teacher was right both Aro and Cire de Lune thought. The dungeon was behaving very strangely. The trio had been walking in a straight line for what felt like hours now. At some point, Cire was permitted to send a scout summon, but the fact that she couldn't send another was a sign that the first hadn't disappeared even after so long.

  "In any case, Cire. I find myself impressed at your ability to control the ambient mana and use it. For your summon to st even now... Quite impressive."

  "Thanks, but my bloodline helps me a lot. There isn't much praise I can receive. It's just my body We silver elfs have better mana flow-paths in our bodies. No other race can compete on that point. And that makes up for our poor physique."

  "Something like vampires and Wyverns have ?" Aro questioned.

  The knight shook his head in disapproval."What you say is true for vampires, but Wyverns would hate to hear that they let mana 'flow' in them. Wyverns are mana in the flesh. After all, the Drake Sin of Wrath molded his first children with Their fire and magic. Even though water and earth Wyverns try to detach themselves from their progenitor, never repeat what you said in the presence of one. To them, it is an insult like no other."

  "How come ? If they want to have nothing to do with..."

  "It is a legacy. Something that transcends the mind. It is in their blood. Scriptures I've studied talk about this."

  "So that's why... Wyvern scales make such fine anti-magic pieces of armor. They are magic shields in themselves !"

  "Good deduction, Aro. You would get full marks for understanding this."

  "But who the hell would make stuff out of living, breathing people... ?"

  "... Many. Many people."

  The teacher kept silent, eyes fixated on the long tunnel. He extinguishing his torch and raised his arm to signal for the teens to stop.

  "Teacher ?"

  "Don't make a single noise." the man whispered before pushing the two in a corner. He peeked around the corridor with mana-infused eyes and swiftly retracted his head soon after.After a few instants, the ground shook and heavy breathing started echoing in the tunnel-shaped dungeon.

  Uuuuh-Crush... I'll crush... my foes.

  Some kind of creature was at the other end of the tunnel. About three to four meters tall, with bck skin and fur. Hands that could probably crush a child, holding a hammer as long as a man, and a shield that looked more like a wall than anything. Bovine facial features, with long curved horns that pointed in front of the being's snout.

  A minotaur. A Demon of retively high threat level.

  Despite how they looked, these were scarily intelligent and fast. And judging from the size of its horns and muscles, this one had accumuted enormous amounts of mana in its body. It was probably a magic warrior the teacher deducted.

  It hadn't noticed the group for now, but...

  Uuuuuh-Found... you.

  ...

  "... Of course." the man let out behind his gritted teeth.

  The minotaur's hammer flew in an arc towards the three dungeon explorers, but the teacher's shield blocked the strike. The monster took two steps back and fred his nostrils, eyes betraying intrigue.

  Powerful warrior you are.Let's duel. To the death.

  "I'd love to, Demon. But should I win, swear to release us from this dungeon. I shall give you a painless death in return."

  What... are you talking about. I am as trapped as you are.I woke up here... some time ago.

  "What ?! What do you mean ?"

  I... woke up. Heard noises from your armor. I thought... You were the one who sent me here. I am... terribly angry. I want to kill whoever did this.

  "Demon. Have you explored this dungeon ? You speak like you were here for quite some time..." the magic knight asked, lowering his sword, but still shielding Aro and Cire de Lune.

  I... have. See the crushed stone ? It is marking of my hammer. This dungeon... is a loop. I kept going back to... this crushed stone. I tried ramming into the wall. It did not work... Some human-looking entity is... lurking here. When it appears, it brings monsters from time to time. Then... it controls their mind. Slimes, wolves, lizardmen... Even weak demons too. As if... it was preparing for something...

  "... I must thank you for this information. But..."

  We still... need to fight. That is right. May the best warrior win this combat.

  The two magic combatants both raised their shields and began circling around in the corridor, which had widened for some reason. One st look at the retreating students and the teacher lunged forward.

  The minotaur went for a horizontal swing, holding its weapon by both hands, but the man jabbed the creature's right elbow, which made it loose its grip. The hammer flew a few meters away and a sword lodged itself in the Demon's left leg.

  It exhaled and grabbed a stone, crushed it and hurled the fragments towards the knight's face. The distraction allowed the minotaur to roll around, with the sword still impaled in its leg.

  However, it didn't manage to notice the shielded fist coated in a blue aura, aimed straight at its chest. The blow sent the demon crashing into a wall and without leaving it time to recover, the teacher took back his sword, punched the minotaur again, in the face this time. Then went the sword, in a rapier-like stab motion, towards the neck of the bovine foe.

  Instead of piercing the neck, the bde pierced a thick hand that grabbed the man and sent him skidding across the room.

  Both enemies stopped for a few instant to analyze the situation and recover a bit. Then the bull-creature got on all four, its horns aimed at the academy's staff member. It was about to charge and without a shield, blocking the raging mass of muscle would prove to be difficult.

  The bck furred body got enveloped in red and bck mist, the horns grew longer and sharper, the muscles contracted and the monster unched itself at its target. It was speeding up by the second and dodging could end up being as dangerous as blocking without a shield.

  Ssh the leg joints maybe ? Or impale the head ? No... the horns are longer than my sword.

  The minotaur's lowing got closer and closer. The teacher too a stance and waited. He had only once chance, to ssh both of the minotaur's leg tendons. But that required to slide under the minotaur, between its legs, and use |Fsh step| fast enough to cut both tendons... While |Fsh step| was a basic skill... its use was limited to two times every two minutes. If the first use failed, the demon would know of the trick...

  -Uuuuuuuaaaargh !

  Alright, come closer...Come...Keep going...

  Suddenly the wall above exploded and a metallic CLANK- echoed in the tunnel.After the cloud of dust settled, both the nameless teacher and the two students far away could see that the mass of bck fur and muscles had stopped, its skull impaled by a halberd that had already started to vanish into mana particles.

  Ah... thank you headmaster... Thank you Madam Millia...

  - "Is your wing still sore ? We can try to fly slower, if you want to."It's fine. I have started to recover already. Healing everything will take time, but I am using pain as fuel for Wrath, and Wrath as a repcement for the mana I've exhausted. It's not very effective but it is definitely more useful than any healing spells at this moment. Don't waste your magi's energy....Still, this idea of making a ptform to transport me... is ingenious. And your people were very quick.

  "Well it was..."

  [ My idea to begin with ! ] Sky continued, its tone filled with harmless pride. The people around the sword could almost imagine someone crossing their arms with an air saying 'hmpf'. Just like a child proud of discovering he grew taller overnight.

  Are... we there yet ? I can't see anything since I don't want to move my head.Sigh... And it's slightly exhausting to speak with magic.

  "We are, Wyvern Raya. We can see BncheVille from here." a padin replied and Raya hummed.

  Sniff..Sniff sniff...

  Ahem... Are we supposed to get guests ? I sense an unknown presence from far away. Unknown and with-...

  Why did she stop herself ?

  "What ? Let us see..."

  A magus sent a summon, who swiftly took off in the city's direction. A little ter, the magus' eye glowed blue and she stood up."A messenger bearing the fg of the Akwa Empire is waiting near the gates. It's... they are in full pted armor, your Holiness."

  Pope Kari stood up from the ptform in an instant. This wasn't something she wanted to hear. Absolutely not.

  "The messenger..."

  -might not take my arrival as a good omen. For most, I am an accursed Fire Wyvern before being the Drake Sin of Wrath... If that person sees me, that could damage your country's image.

  "I think that it's a little bit te for that. When you rushed out of the city's underground, many people managed to take a look at your... form. And words spread fast, already."

  ... I'm sorry. Raya muttered, trying to get her tail to scratch her back.

  "It's... fine. It was going to happen eventually."

  "Your Holiness. Should we nd near the gates ? It would be rude to not walk alongside our guest."

  "Let's do that, yes."

  ...

  When the troupe nded, the first thing they noticed was the messenger's haughty and disdainful attitude. Then his shocked face as he saw the body of a Fire Wyvern being transported by some wooden ptform in the air. Said ptform nded on the other side of the city's ramparts and the man took a few steps back, frightened or dumbfounded. Maybe both.

  The individual quickly regained his composure and cleared his throat, unrolling a thick scroll with the Emperor's seal on it. The padins, guards and the pope all frowned at the action. This wasn't going to be pleasant. Not at all.

  "By decree of his majesty Gram de Wandermer, the almighty Magus of Frost, and ruler of the Empire, the Akwa Empire decres it will cease any amicable retion with the Papal States of Her Holiness Kari. This decision of mine, Emperor Gram de Wandermer, is based on various reports of the concerning situation taking pce in the holy nds. I say, recent sightings of a Fire Wyverns near the Cathedral of the nation, allowing first years students of Stallion Academy to go unsupervised and inciting my heiress, Liz'a de Wandermer and the Hero Candidate Ramiel to flee the country to finally brand them as thieves."

  "H-hold on just a second, emissary. This is an uniteral decision that could leave long-sting consequences... Creating strife when the Demon forces are marching is not the way. We must-"

  "I, Gram de Wandermer, Emperor of the Awka Empire, officially decre war on the Papal States of Her Holiness Pope Kari. No negotiations shall take pce and starting from this very moment, the Empire will leave a week for the Papal States to prepare its forces. The war will take pce for seven days and seven nights, until the padins forces are depleted, or until the capital city BncheVille surrenders.No harm shall be done to my emissary after delivering this message, else, the First Army of the Empire shall cross the borders of the holy nds and invade this very day."

  The man finished his sentence and disappeared in a puff of mana, leaving everyone stunned by the insane decration.

  A low reptilian hiss came out of the city's inside and as the gates opened, the shocked padins and the Pope could see deep anger showing in Raya's eyes.

  Kari... she began.This man... Have you felt it ? He reeked of...

  "Pride..."

  MiStraaL