Hours passed as Novus just continued to roam around, unwinding his mind after consecutive days of non-stop fighting and ending it with dying inside the Evolution domain, not really letting it just be a moment of resting, as he continued utilizing his senses, particularly his hearing, in the hopes of picking up information again.

He cannot really say that it was all for naught after the rumors and chatter failed to meet his expectation, after all, that single piece of information he just got out of nowhere is already more than enough for him.

’Well, I think it’s already about time I head back...’ after all the explorations he had within the commerce district of the island, Novus decided, as he saw no more reason to stay and roam around, his mind already feeling way more relaxed compared to his state before, allowing him to think even more clearly through things.

’Right, I should try improving the new spellcasting method a little bit more... also, should I go to the library later? I heard that other than books about magic that I’ve always been reading, there are also all sorts of other books there... I hope there’s something that can help with improving physical combat...’

As he walks along the path back to the men’s dormitory, the young man’s mind is occupied by a lot of things that he had never really thought about previously, a hint of excitement and anticipation starting to well up from his being, gradually making him think that the path his combat prowess is developing into is getting more and more interesting as he dives deeper into it.

The night is quite peaceful, cool wind blowing through one’s skin and the rustling of leaves nearby making one marvel at the calm silence, the faint shining moonlight further elevating this calming feel as if to lull everyone to sleep.

One would expect senses to get dulled by this kind of atmosphere; however, Novus, forced to learn that he should never, not in the slightest, let his guard down by the Evolution Domain, refuses to get swallowed by the peaceful vibes, his senses still as sharp as ever, allowing him to pick up on something that anyone else will never be able to.

"Isn’t it about time you came out? You’ve been following me ever since I was in the commerce district, after all," he said after he turned around, staring back at the path he had walked. To be exact, he is staring among the trees that provide shade to the path during the day, almost as if he is seeing through something that is never there in the first place.

And it truly feels like there’s nothing in there as no one answered his call, making him shake his head as he turned around, but not because he thought that he was wrong.

Clouds covered the gentle moonlight.

The wind seems to stop blowing.

The rustling of leaves was silenced.

And the young man, just walking towards the male dormitory, was frozen on his spot, a smile appearing on his face as he sensed a similar feeling to the one he would often have whenever a Shadow Slime was targeting him.

"There you are," Novus mutters as he turns to the location he was looking at previously, his motion swift as he takes a step not backwards, but forward as he feels air being sliced apart by the incoming attack, and yet even then, he decides to meet it head-on, not planning to back down even a single bit.

There is no mana in any lethal or dangerous form that can be felt in the air, which is peculiar because it is exactly the mana in the surrounding that Novus used to barely avoid attacks from the Shadow Slimes, nigh undetectable when they enter stealth.

Which made the attack all the more interesting to him.

As clouds revealed the glory of the gentle moon once more, a metallic sheen was revealed approaching towards him at an incredible speed, but it wasn’t thrown, no, it was far more terrifying than that.

It was being thrust, a blade strong and sharp, piercing through the air to reach its intended target, him.

Then, the blade stopped in its path as it cut through skin, through flesh, making blood flow out.

Blood flows out of Novus’ body, from his raised palm all the way down his elbow before it starts trickling down the ground, a frown on his face as he stares at the assailant of the attack, intending to question their purpose, but not before being interrupted by the very assailant themselves.

"I initially thought I should tone it down, given the rumors I’ve heard about you being a terrible mage, but..."

As if time paused with her word pausing as well, the moon finally revealed the assailant in their, or rather, her full glory.

The wind starts blowing once again, flowing with it this person’s long, jet-black hair that seems to dance in the air, bringing off a mystical feel to her being as moonlight reveals her hair’s natural luster.

Her long hair compliments extremely well with her face, her features reflecting that of her eastern lineage, her skin smooth and pale with a touch of natural warmth, like porcelain touched by the soft moonlight, delicate and refined.

Just as much as being the first thing that other people notice when they first get a look at her, Novus also first noticed this lady’s eyes, quite possibly the single feature of her that one will never forget.

Hers are feminine, even for a woman’s standard, almond-shaped eyes, her pupils a dark amber that glows a tinge of gold under certain angles of the moonlight, and yet, despite the softness to this feature of hers, the sharpness hidden deep within those eyes is something that Novus will never mistake for anything else, as it is something way too familiar to him.

’She knows how to fight... really well...’ he remarked to himself as he kept hold of the blade in his hand, this lady, despite the confidence, seemingly starting to get a bit confused now that she cannot find the strength to pull the blade out of his hand.

For a brief moment, her brows knit ever so slightly, a light of surprise flickering across her eyes before it vanishes just as quickly, pressed down by the calmness she had forged with her experience, overshadowing most of the academy’s students.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath before attempting to pull the blade once again, succeeding in this try as Novus felt that sudden explosive strength from her physique, magnitudes smaller than his, prompting his eyes to wander towards her body in wonder, trying to search for where that burst of strength comes from.

Unfortunately for him, there’s hardly anything he can find that can answer his question, other than the uniform. She’s also wearing a loose, light, robe-like coat, obscuring her body even more; the golden, flowing wave embroidered along the sleeves and edges of this dark coat shines when hit with light.

"Hm... checking out an upperclassman’s body right after meeting her, quite the pervert, aren’t you~?" swinging her sword-wielding hand to rid her blade off the young man’s blood, the lady, the upperclassman said with a hint of playfulness in her voice, her eyes remaining trained on the freshman, as if she’s trying to see through beyond the surface of what he is showing.

"Well, no matter, say, junior, want to team up with this big sister in the exam?"