Ragnar looked at the two women before giving a small nod. "That dream may yet come true." He leaned back comfortably. "Though not at Zenith Academy. I'm attending Midvest Academy."
The room fell silent. Shion and Sophie stared at him in disbelief...Midvest Academy.
Even among humans, its name carried an almost mythical reputation. Countless stories spoke of its experts, its graduates, and the monsters it nurtured. Rumor claimed beings beyond the True Sage Realm taught within its halls, although neither of them truly understood what a True Sage actually was just that they were powerful beings. To ordinary humans...
That realm was little more than legend. Their hearts began pounding with excitement.
"If... if my Lord is truly entering Midvest Academy..." Sophie swallowed nervously. "...Then does that mean you come from...?"
She couldn't even finish her sentence. If he could speak of entering Midvest so casually...
Then his background could only be unimaginably terrifying. Ragnar understood immediately. He smiled, "Indeed. My father is a Mythical Being." He expected widened eyes. Perhaps even worship however instead...
Both women tilted their heads in confusion.
"...Mythical Being?"
Ragnar blinked. "...Right." He scratched the back of his head before laughing at himself. "I forgot. Among humans, True Sage is considered the peak." The two women nodded. That was everything they had ever known. Only those born into the greatest powers, or those who possessed exceptionally high-tier skills, ever learned what existed beyond the publicly known realms.
The rest lived their entire lives believing True Sage to be the pinnacle of existence. Thus, Ragnar spent the remainder of the day explaining the hierarchy of cultivation and skill realms. From Mythical Beings...
To the realms that surpassed them. The girls listened with complete concentration. The more they learned...The more impossible everything sounded.
"So... a Mythical Being could destroy an empire?" Sophie finally asked. Ragnar shook his head. "One? Certainly. Several? Just Possible, but power isn't limitless."
He continued calmly. "There are no gods walking this world. No matter how strong someone becomes, they still pay a price for using that strength."
"My father once told me something. The stronger a skill becomes, the greater the cost of using it properly. A Mythical Being may be the strongest person in the room... even if that room is the entire world."
"But no one can erase dozens of empires without consequence." The explanation only left the girls with even more questions. Still...
It gave them a foundation. Once Ragnar finished explaining the world's hierarchy, he immediately began teaching them how to properly use their new bodies. That proved far more difficult. Neither of them truly understood just how drastically they had changed.
Their physical strength alone had increased severalfold. Their senses had sharpened. Their balance had changed. Even their instincts were completely different.
Simply learning to control their newfound speed and hearing took weeks. Running too quickly often sent them crashing through trees. Simple jumps carried them dozens of meters farther than expected. Their claws required constant practice to avoid accidentally damaging everything they touched.
Ragnar trained them relentlessly. Day after day and week after week. Nearly eight months passed in the blink of an eye. By the end of their training, both women had adapted to their new bodies and their combat abilities had improved tremendously.
It was finally time to leave. Since none of them possessed teleportation artifacts or spatial movement skills capable of crossing continents, they had no choice but to depart months in advance. Ragnar also intended to visit his father and eldest brother before enrolling. Looking at Shion and Sophie, whose loyalty and strength had both grown considerably over the months, Ragnar smiled.
"Let's go." Without another word, he lowered himself onto all fours. The ground exploded beneath his feet. His body became nothing more than a silver blur tearing through the forest. Behind him, Shion and Sophie immediately followed.
Unlike before, they no longer struggled to keep pace. Naturally...
Ragnar had slowed himself enough for them to follow comfortably. After nearly an entire day of uninterrupted travel, a colossal wall finally appeared on the horizon. The forest gradually gave way to civilization.
An enormous stone wall stretched endlessly to both the left and right, disappearing beyond the horizon. Ancient enchantments pulsed across its surface, radiating enough mana to make the surrounding air noticeably heavier.
At its center stood a pair of gigantic gates forged from black enchanted metal. Even from several kilometers away... They dominated the landscape.
Ragnar gradually slowed his pace.
Still moving faster than most could follow, he inhaled deeply before releasing a thunderous howl.
"AWOOOOOO—!!"
The howl echoed across the forest for countless kilometers. Behind him, Shion and Sophie instinctively answered. Their own howls weren't nearly as imposing, but they resonated with Ragnar's, strengthening the bond of the pack.
Far ahead...A lone silverfang guard lazily resting atop the wall suddenly froze. His ears shot upright.
"...!"
Recognizing the howl, he immediately leapt to his feet. "Open the gates!" The massive mechanisms rumbled to life. The enchanted gates slowly separated with a deafening groan just as Ragnar reached them.
More than a hundred guards assembled almost instantly. As Ragnar passed through the entrance, every one of them lowered their heads. Their synchronized howls echoed across the city in respectful greeting. Only then did Ragnar return to walking on two feet.
Shion and Sophie followed closely behind him, unable to hide their amazement. The city before them was unlike anything they had ever seen. Powerful Silverfang walked openly through broad streets. Massive buildings towered overhead.
Everywhere they looked...They sensed overwhelming auras.
Before either woman could fully process everything, another powerful presence descended before them. A tall man with long silver hair landed gracefully on the street. He appeared to be in his early thirties. A fitted black shirt rested beneath a long coat, while sturdy boots and dark trousers completed his attire. His black eyes immediately settled on Ragnar.
Without hesitation...He bowed.
"Greetings, Fifth Prince. It is good to see you safely returned."
Ragnar placed both hands behind his head.
"Hmm? Fizor? Why's everyone so serious? Did something happen?"
Fizor straightened before answering respectfully. "My Lord... The Crown Prince has returned and he brought back... a very powerful guest."
Ragnar's eyebrows rose slightly. "My eldest brother?" He tilted his head. "What? Did he bring home another Mythical Being?" As they spoke, the group entered a waiting carriage surrounded by several squads of elite soldiers.
Ragnar casually sat between his two subordinates.
Meanwhile...
Shion and Sophie sat in complete silence. Only now was the full reality beginning to sink in. Their master...Wasn't merely talented.
He was the Fifth Prince of the Silver Wolf Empire. They had truly stumbled upon an unimaginable opportunity. Even they had heard the legends surrounding the Silver Wolf Empire. One name, in particular, had spread even throughout the human kingdoms.
Fizor the Savage.
The legendary Silver Fang said to stand at the very peak of the Sage Realm. A being only a single step away from the mysterious True Sage Realm. To the girls...
That alone represented the pinnacle of existence.
After all, among human empires, even rulers who reached the Ascended Saint Realm were celebrated as legends.
Anything beyond that depended entirely upon impossible luck...
Or a miracle.