The door burst open with a loud slam as Zara stumbled into the room, panting heavily.
Ishara raised an eyebrow beneath her blindfold, her calm demeanor unshaken. Beside her, Natalia looked up sharply, her eyes narrowing at the sudden intrusion.
"Student Zara," Natalia said, her voice firm. "What's the meaning of this? Why are you barging in like that?"
Still breathless, Zara bent forward, hands braced on her knees as she gasped for air. Sweat clung to her brow, but her eyes were filled with urgency.
"H-Hoof… Miss Natalia," she managed, "I was training with Selena when a man in a black robe suddenly appeared… He—he kidnapped her!"
A heavy silence fell over the room.
Ishara's expression shifted, her normally unreadable face growing tight. Her hand was pressed so hard against the table that the wood cracked beneath her fingers. Her red lips parted slightly, as though the emotion was draining from her all at once.
With a trembling voice, she asked, "S-Student… did you say Selena? Selena Luminas?"
Zara, confused by Ishara's reaction, nodded quickly. "Yes—Selena Luminas."
In an instant, Ishara stood.
And vanished.
Natalia's eyes widened at the name. Even her composed face showed a flicker of fear. Her hand unconsciously reached for her sword at her side as she muttered under her breath:
"Whoever you are… just try to stay alive now. You've taken the wrong person."
Zara, still catching her breath, quickly summoned Fluff. The small, magical creature appeared with a puff of light.
"Fluff!" she called out. "Can I use the sign-in now?"
Fluff blinked, floating in the air as his tiny paws glowed with energy.
[Host, you can use it, but remember—only one day has passed, so the reward may not be much.]
"Just do it!" Zara urged, already running toward the forest where Selena had been taken.
[Ding! Sign-in complete.]
[Reward: +1 Sword Talent, Mana Recovery Stone.]
Zara frowned slightly at the modest rewards, but her eyes lit up as she read the description of the second item:
Mana Recovery Stone: When mana is fully depleted, this stone restores it and slightly increases the user's maximum mana limit.
"I can use this… I already used all my mana," she muttered.
At her thought, a smooth, glowing stone appeared in her hand.
"Fluff, how do I use it?"
[Host, just clench it in your hand.]
She did as instructed, and immediately, warmth surged through her. Her body vibrated with restored energy. She could now cast Flamethrower twice more.
As the forest came into view ahead, a massive explosion lit up the trees—flames and shockwaves tearing through the sky.
Zara's eyes widened in horror and awe at the sheer intensity.
"Selena…" she whispered, and without a moment of hesitation, sprinted toward the explosion.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Half an hour earlier – Gorvana Forest
Deep within the dense woods of Gorvana, Zakar emerged silently, a faint shimmer of dark energy trailing behind him. Draped over his shoulder was Selena—unconscious, her head limp.
He quickly laid her down on a flat stone, her pale face motionless beneath the dappled light that filtered through the trees. Drawing a jagged black sword from his side, he held it steadily over her shoulder. A cold glint flickered in his eyes.
Just as he was about to strike, voices echoed faintly through the forest.
Zakar froze.
In one swift motion, he sheathed the sword, scooped Selena into his arms, and leapt behind a large boulder, his body pressed flat against the rock, listening.
"…Mia, why are you dragging me this far in?" came a frustrated voice.
"What? It's just a little deeper! What's the worst that can happen?" Mia's cheerful tone rang out.
Elira, arms crossed and clearly annoyed, sighed. "The principal explicitly warned us not to enter this part of the forest. That usually means it's dangerous."
"Ugh, yeah, yeah—but come on! Life's too boring without a little risk," Mia replied with a grin, skipping ahead.
Their bickering paused as a soft rustle in the underbrush caught their attention. A moment later, a woman stepped into view—tall, graceful, and unmistakable.
She had long, flowing blonde hair and piercing violet eyes that shimmered like a storm behind calm waters.
Mia's eyes widened as she leaned in toward Elira and whispered, "Isn't that… Miss Ishara? The one Selena talked about?"
Elira gave a slight nod, her gaze sharpening. "It is. We should head back. The sun star will set soon."
She turned, ready to retreat toward the academy path.
But Mia caught her arm, a mischievous gleam in her eyes.
"Hey, Elira… what if we follow her? Just a little?"
Elira gave her a look of disbelief. "Why in the world do you care where she's going?"
Mia didn't answer—she just tugged her friend along, a playful smirk on her lips as she tiptoed after Ishara through the trees.
Elira sighed again, defeated, and followed, mumbling, "This is a terrible idea…"
Hidden behind the rock, Zakar narrowed his eyes, tightening his grip around Selena.
"So… she's here," he muttered, sensing the dangerous aura radiating from Ishara. "Tch. I'll have to move quickly…"