Hunter Academy

It was late at night. The moon glistened over the entire world, but its illumination over the Hunter Academy carried a particular gloom that lingered faintly in the air.

At the moment, Marlon could be seen standing in the middle of twenty Vereenas, his head slightly lifted as he observed the rift above the academy with a solemn expression on his face.

Orion turned to look at him gently. Orion’s Lunar powers gave him the ability of an empath. He could feel the sadness in Marlon’s soul. It was a strange kind that even he could not explain, and as a result, he didn’t have any solution to calm him down.

Nox, Liora, and Solan stood close to Orion and Marlon.

They were surrounded by the remaining sixteen Vereenas who were going to partake in the mission with them.

The other Vereenas looked almost identical to the four Marlon was already acquainted with. The only subtle differences were the slight diversity in their facial appearances, heights, and body build. For example, there was a particular heavyweight Solar Pathos who was currently equipping snacks from his inventory and chewing them aggressively, creating a noise that was drowned by the sound of the rift swirling chaotically above them.

In total, there were twenty-one of them who had been assigned to take the exploration mission.

Due to different events on both planets, the initially planned number of one hundred had been cut short to just twenty-one.

Not so far away, Axel Storm, Crimson Sterling, and Norian Sterling strode towards the gathering with serious expressions adorning their faces.

Marlon felt their presence and tilted his head in their direction. His gaze met theirs, and he nodded as a greeting.

The three of them arrived and halted before the group.

Axel strolled to their front as their eyes focused on him with admiration and reverence. He observed their expressions briefly without speaking.

Norian, who was beside him, did the speaking as that was their arrangement.

"This mission, while its title makes it seem like some vacation, I am certain you youngsters are smart enough to know it isn’t?" he began.

The Vereenas nodded their heads. They had already been briefed about the world they were stepping into by their leaders. The Lunar Pathos even had the opportunity to glimpse into the planet with their psychic powers.

Unlike them, Marlon had no idea how the place would be or what sort of monsters they would face. Yet he was unfazed. A single determination to grow stronger and wipe out the Aurax made it impossible for him to doubt or fear this new planet.

Norian nodded softly, seeing their response. He smiled and continued.

"I am sure some of you might be wondering why strong adult heroes like myself and other powerful guardians from Earth did not go and explore this place ourselves. Here is the answer..."

The Vereenas looked eager to hear. Apparently, they hadn’t been informed about this part.

"The law of this planet prevents the entrance of beings who have had their powers awakened for more than ten years. There are no guardians in Arden who have awakened in the last fifteen years, of course, except our anomaly..."

Norian pointed at Marlon, causing the other Vereenas who weren’t that close to him to turn and look at him with respect. A few of them who were already wondering why such a young human was the only one accompanying them for such an important mission finally got their answer, and the subtle underestimation they had been sending his way died quickly.

"Recently, we have discovered that those beneath B-rank who dare step into this place are immediately devoured by the monsters on the other side, without a fighting chance. Hence why we had to cut most of the population of the humans who were supposed to accompany you guys and also the reason why you Vereenas had to send less than half of the originally agreed number."

"I am sure with these few points, you can already understand what monstrous world you’re stepping into."

"Forget the race difference. In this particular mission, you should all be raceless. Provide assistance among yourselves, share resources, maintain peace, and focus on the mission at hand."

Norian spoke, his speech extending up to ten minutes before he finally halted.

This time, it was Axel Storm who stepped forward to speak.

The moment his mouth opened, not just the people present, but even the noise from the rift above them dulled instantly.

"Make Arden and Vereen proud," he said shortly.

Though his speech was short, it motivated the Vereenas more than Norian’s long speech.

Axel dipped his hand into his pocket, brought out a bright blue glowing cube, and tossed it to Marlon.

Marlon stared at the cube. Instantly, his system triggered a description.

[Aether Construct Cube (SS)]

[Description: A glowing blue cube formed from condensed aether. When a sufficient amount of aether is channeled into the cube, it activates and expands instantly, transforming into a complete shelter.

The structure, size, and internal layout of the shelter are not fixed. They are shaped directly by the user’s aether output and imagination at the moment of activation.

Stronger aether control results in larger, more stable constructs.

More refined imagination allows for complex designs, hidden compartments, defensive features, and environmental adaptations.

Once deployed, the shelter remains stable for as long as it is supplied with aether or until its energy is depleted.

The cube will revert to its original form after deactivation or collapse.]

Marlon could not deny it. He was slightly appalled by the power of this simple, toy-looking cube in his hands.

"This will be of great help in your mission," Axel began.

"The place you’re stepping into requires strong defense more than attack. Otherwise, you would be stuck fighting monsters and facing environmental challenges without end," he added.

Everyone listened attentively.

Axel handed certain items to them.

[Nutrient Synthesis Cube (S)]

[Description: A compact cube that converts aether into edible matter.

When activated, it produces any food the user can clearly imagine. Nutritional content such as protein, calories, vitamins, and minerals can be freely adjusted during creation.

Taste, texture, and quality depend on the user’s mental clarity and control.

Low focus may result in distorted or incomplete food.]

[Kinetic Barrier Band (S)]

[Description: A wrist-mounted device that generates a defensive barrier.

Upon impact or activation, it releases a short-duration shield capable of blocking physical and energy-based attacks. Barrier strength increases with aether input.

The device requires a brief recovery period after each use.]

[Gravity Stabilizer Boots (S)]

[Description: Adaptive boots designed for unstable gravitational environments.

They automatically adjust to varying gravity levels, maintaining balance and stability. The boots enhance footing on uneven or shifting terrain, reducing the risk of falls or missteps.

Performance depends on terrain complexity.]

These three were handed to every single one of them.

While,

[Terrain Mapping Orb (S)]

[Description: A floating orb that scans and records the surrounding terrain.

It maps structures, movement, and lifeforms within a fixed radius, transmitting real-time data to the user. The orb can adjust its position for wider coverage. It has low durability and can be destroyed if targeted.]

was given to Marlon, who was going to be taking the lead of the exploration mission.

Aside from these items, they were also handed spatial rings containing Prime-grade Aether Crystals.

They were also given opportunities to request weapons.

But none of them actually needed weapons, as their powers did not require any.

Nonetheless, Nox ended up requesting a sword that could sync with any element, Liora requested elemental crystals of any kind, and Marlon requested a light gauntlet with the same effect as Nox’s sword.

Their selected weapons were handed to them.

With a final round of speech, the twenty-one of them floated into the rift, were swallowed by it, and were swiftly sent to a distant planet.

Still standing on the spot where they had disappeared, Norian and Crimson asked the necessary question.

"Would they survive?"

They asked, looking at Axel, who had his signature stoic expression on his face.

"He is with them. They will definitely survive."

As he said this, he began walking away, leaving the Sterling siblings staring at one another for a long moment.

Crimson looked especially worried for Marlon.

She had tried to deter him from going on the mission in his current mental state, but he refused.

She had even asked Norian to beg Axel to delay the mission, but her brother did not pay her any attention.

’Please come back safely,’ she prayed in her heart before leaving with her brother.

END OF VOLUME 4