Several hours later, as the last light of the setting sun kissed the horizon, the academy ship glided over the familiar walls of Brightwater City. Below, the flowing canals and grand stone towers of the city came into view.
With a gentle thrum, the ship descended, finally settling onto a wide landing field just behind the main academy building.
Arthur stood from his seat, stretching his arms slightly as the ship's doors hissed open.
Waiting for them outside was a welcoming party, but not just any party.
At the forefront stood Principal Aldric himself, flanked by a group of elders, professors, and instructors, all dressed in their formal academy robes. And behind them were the students of the academy already cheering as they got out from the ship.
Arthur's brows lifted slightly in surprise.
"They really rolled out the red carpet for us," Finn muttered behind him, a small grin tugging at his lips.
As the students disembarked, Principal Aldric stepped forward with a hearty laugh that echoed across the field.
"Hahaha! Welcome back, champions!" His voice boomed with pride and warmth.
The students straightened unconsciously at the sound, even the usually unflappable Lucas.
"This is a historic moment for Velcrest Academy!" Aldric declared, spreading his arms wide. "For the first time in our Academy's history, not one, but two teams have made it to the top ranks of the Dominion Ring! Even the royal academy of our kingdom was only able to gain a spot for a single team"
Cheers and claps broke out from the gathered instructors and students.
Arthur was a bit surprised that news of their victory had already reached the academy. But then again, considering the magic and communication artifacts the academies might have access to, it wasn't all that surprising.
He watched as Aldric's gaze swept over the crowd… then locked onto Arthur's group specifically.
The principal's smile grew even wider.
"And I hear the first year's team even broke into the Top Ten!"
Arthur exchanged a glance with Leon, who gave a modest shrug, and then both of them found themselves being patted on the shoulder by the jovial principal, as they were standing at the front of their team.
"Well done!" Aldric said, pride thick in his voice. "You have made Velcrest's name shine brighter than ever."
Arthur gave a small nod. "Thank you, Principal Aldric."
Leon added, "It was a team effort, sir."
The principal nodded approvingly. "Good! Stay humble, and remember this is only the beginning."
Then Aldric paused for a moment, as if remembering something. He snapped his fingers.
"Oh! I almost forgot!" he said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "The nobles of Brightwater have prepared a grand banquet to celebrate your victories! All fifty of you are invited."
There was a ripple of excitement through the students.
"Be sure to collect your invitation cards before you leave," Aldric reminded them, wagging a finger with mock sternness. "And don't embarrass the academy. Dress properly!"
A few chuckles rippled through the group at that.
At that moment, an elder separated from the group gathered there and approached Arthur.
Arthur immediately recognized him, Elder Reinhardt, the same elder who had given him the mana cultivation technique during the entrance exams.
Elder Reinhardt's eyes crinkled in a proud smile as he stopped in front of Arthur.
"Well done, Arthur," he said, his voice low but genuine. "I had a feeling you would not disappoint us."
Arthur bowed his head slightly in respect. "Thank you for your trust, Elder."
Reinhardt chuckled. "Trust is earned, not given freely. You've earned it." He patted Arthur lightly on the shoulder before stepping back into the crowd.
Not long after, Professor Elaine and Instructor Garrick made their way toward them as well.
Elaine, ever composed and elegant, offered a small smile. "Congratulations, all of you. You represented Velcrest with honor."
Garrick, in contrast, grinned broadly and gave Arthur a hearty pat on the back. "Good job, kid! Knew you'd go far."
"Thanks, Instructor Garrick," Arthur said, suppressing a chuckle, seeing the ever stoic instructor who never even smiled at them grinning widely now.
Professor Elaine then handed a set of sleek, dark invitation cards to Arthur and his teammates.
"The banquet will be held tomorrow night," she said. "At 8 p.m. sharp at the Marchioness Irene's estate."
Her green eyes flicked across them seriously. "Be there fifteen minutes early."
"Yes, Professor," Arthur and his teammates chorused automatically.
Satisfied, Elaine gave a small nod before moving on to distribute the remaining invitations to the other students.
As the group slowly began to disperse, chattering excitedly about tomorrow night's banquet, Arthur turned toward his teammates.
"Well," Finn said, flipping the invitation card between his fingers. "Time to find something fancy to wear, I guess."
Leon smirked. "You in formal clothes? Now that's something I want to see."
Sophia grinned. "Maybe we'll finally tame the wild Finn."
Finn put a hand dramatically over his heart. "Betrayal! From my own team!"
Arthur chuckled softly, tomorrow would be a different kind of battlefield.
…
After the cheerful gathering at the landing field, the students slowly dispersed, returning to their dormitories. Principal Aldric had officially declared tomorrow a holiday, both to celebrate Velcrest Academy's historic achievement and to give the participants time to prepare for the grand banquet.
Arthur strolled through the cobblestone paths of the academy, the evening breeze carrying the faint scent of flowering vines that clung to the stone buildings. Students chatted animatedly as they passed by, as Arthur and Finn quietly slipped into their dormitory.
After entering his room Arthur sat down on the edge of his bed.
With a small sigh, he reached into his dimensional storage and pulled out the smooth, black obelisk with glowing circuitry on it.
But before activating it, he remembered something he had to do.
'The fruits.'
He remembered the strange fruits he had gathered during the tournament, and contacted the guardian.
'Guardian,' he said mentally, activating the connection.
The AI's voice responded immediately in his mind, crisp and emotionless.
[Awaiting orders, Commander.]
'I want you to scan the fruits I collected from the forest during the Dominion Ring Tournament,' Arthur instructed. 'Analyze their components, properties, and see if it's possible to replicate them artificially. Create a separate file for the data and name it as... Magic Serum.'
There was a short pause before the AI responded.
[Affirmative, Commander. Creating a new project file under the name 'Magic Serum.' Initiating analysis protocols now.]
Arthur gave a nod of approval to no one in particular and turned his attention back to the obelisk.
Without hesitation, he activated the artifact, and stepped into the portal.
When his vision cleared, he stood aboard the Dreadnought, inside his room.
After arriving at his room he saw it was already morning time in the artificially created environment. Artificial light filtered through the glass panels of the room, casting a warm glow across the living quarters.
Arthur stretched his arms lightly. And after freshening up quickly, he left his room, slipping into his dark training uniform, and headed toward the communal living area of his team's quarter. And waited for his teammates to leave their rooms.
Arthur flipped lazily through an old magazine he found on the table as he waited. Today is the day a unit of ECHOs will arrive to activate their chi, so they need to arrive at the training facility before 6 O'Clock.
Not even five minutes passed when familiar figures exited their rooms. Leo, Elena, and Samir approached him, each dressed in training gear.
Elena spotted Arthur first and greeted him, "Hey Arthur."
Arthur nodded, "Morning. Let's go or we will be late." Everyone nodded and went towards the training hall together.
As they were walking through the wide corridors, Leo grinned wide and said. "Man… who would've thought we'd end up becoming teachers?"
Elena gave him a sideways glance, "Well, don't get too excited. Technically, it's Arthur who's teaching them. We're just here to assist."
Leo's face fell into a comical deadpan. "Killjoy," he muttered, making Elena smirk faintly.
Arthur said while walking ahead of them. "Don't worry. You'll get your chance," he continued, "Just follow my instructions during the Chi activations today. If everything goes smoothly, next time you can handle it on your own."
Leo pumped a fist into the air, grinning like a kid. "Yes!! All hail our fearless leader!"
Arthur chuckled while Elena rolled her eyes. Even Samir cracked a small, rare smile at Leo's antics.
A few passing soldiers glanced at Leo weirdly, but they ignored it. He was glad his team still had their light-heartedness despite the war which is imminent.
Ten minutes later, they arrived at the towering entrance marked Training Hall C-8. The heavy doors slid open with a quiet hiss.
Inside, a wide training ground opened before them, lined with reinforced tiles and walls designed to withstand intense outbursts.
Already waiting inside were forty ECHO operatives, young men and women in their training uniform, their faces filled with a mixture of nervous anticipation and excitement. Standing by the side were several researchers in lab coats, ready with monitors and scanners nearby.
Arthur's gaze automatically drifted upward toward the observation deck overlooking the hall.
Standing there was Admiral Thalberg himself, with his arms crossed behind his back, observing everything like a hawk.
Arthur met his gaze briefly and nodded once. Thalberg returned the nod with the barest incline of his chin before resuming his silent observation.
Arthur turned back to his team.
Leo rubbed his palms together. "Ready to make history, boss."
Arthur gave a small smile. "Then let's not waste time."
He stepped forward, his team falling into place behind him, and the forty soldiers straightened into tight formation, ready to begin their journey into a whole new realm of power.
***
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