Rowan joined him not long after, catching up with a quick, lopsided grin. "Told you ghosts were easier to deal with than classmates."

Aston didn't respond right away.

Inside, Instructor Oscar was already pacing along a makeshift terrain course, his cane tapping lightly as spirit illusions warped around the room.

"Today's exercise," he said without preamble, "is layered infiltration. Mist veils, elevation breaks, and adaptive terrain pressure. I want finesse, not bravado."

His eyes swept across the class.

They stopped—briefly—on Aston.

A pause.

But nothing said.

"Groupings of three," he added. "Pick partners. No repeats from your last recon sim."

As students shuffled, Aston ended up with a quiet, low-profile tamer from the southern ranges and a female student who looked quite stern. She gave a polite nod while the other offered a casual, "Heard you had an interesting week."

Aston shrugged. "Interesting's one word."

They began the drill—silent climbing, stealth under visual fog.

Aston excelled.

He moved with quiet certainty, placing footsteps along the slope with minimal disruption. Gray's stealth harmonized with his—like an extension of thought. They passed each segment cleanly.

After their run, the instructor reviewed the simulation logs.

He said nothing about the rumors.

But as Aston turned to leave the platform, the instructor added in his usual, dry tone:

"Clear or not, your instincts read like someone who studied two years higher."

Then dismissed him with a slight gesture.

—

09:15 – Spirit Beast Integration for Recon

Instructor Ilyen barely looked up from her datapad as the class filtered in.

The words were the same as always. Sharp. Efficient.

"Today's map will simulate multi-angle threat vectors. Your beasts will not receive clean signals. Interpretation under noise. Precision over power."

Again, no mention of Aston directly.

But when he was called—randomly—to decode a layered beast-sensor map that simulated overlapping predator echoes, the room was quieter than usual.

He didn't hesitate.

Mirage filtered the signals. Aston relayed the data. He corrected the false positives without pausing.

When he finished, Instructor Vey simply marked the data and said:

"Correct. You did not overread. Many would."

Then turned to the next student.

But Aston noticed how the girl beside him subtly adjusted her seat to be closer.

Even silence was a statement here.

—

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10:30 – Long Range Observation & Risk Profile

Instructor Elric called for a three-map risk assessment rotation. Lowland ruins, canyon choke points, and false distress signals.

He paced slowly between rows of students. Crisp, focused. Predictable.

Then stopped behind Aston's desk during the second rotation.

"Do you believe your risk tolerance has changed, Mr. Rhyner?" he asked quietly enough that only nearby students could hear.

Aston blinked, then said, "No, sir. I believe it's sharpened."

Instructor Elric paused. "Good."

No more questions followed. But again—the class noticed.

Kai passed him a folded note during their break.

[You're becoming a walking contradiction. I like it.]

Aston smiled faintly.

But as they stepped out into the courtyard for lunch, he caught snippets again—

"…he's red now, right?"

"I thought he was still 'clear' until the elixir."

"Maybe he's something else entirely."

—

After lunch, the midday sun filtered down through the stone arches of the courtyard, casting long shadows across the tiled path. Aston moved with deliberate pace, content to walk alone for the moment. Gray was curled lazily around his shoulders, silent and alert, eyes half-lidded. Mirage hovered above quietly like a silent sentinel.

He had just passed the colonnade near the northern wing when the murmurs began.

"Wait—is that him?"

"No way, that's—"

Aston slowed.

A figure leaned against a pillar ahead—tall, composed, dressed in a modified Field Ops jacket bearing three spirit crest pins on the collar. His hair was ash-blond and swept back, and his posture carried that unmistakable weight of seniority—not just in years, but in presence. He wasn't loud, but the space around him quieted naturally.

The upper-year smiled as Aston approached.

"Found you," he said easily. "You're Aston Rhyner, yes?"

Aston nodded cautiously. "I am."

The older student stepped forward and offered a hand. "Cyr Relhart. Fourth year, Expedition Track."

A few nearby students gasped. The name spread like wind.

Cyr Relhart. One of the academy's Expedition elites. Known for surviving back-to-back outland deployments. Reportedly turned down multiple offers from independent guilds to stay on and finish his research thesis on hybrid combat bindings.

Cyr gestured to his side, and three spirit beasts emerged from subtle cloaking—like shadows bleeding into shape.

The first was sleek, canine, and nearly invisible—its form shifting slightly like a ripple across glass.

—

[Spirit Beast: Spectral Night Coyote]

[Type: Bestial]

[Attribute: Darkness]

[Genus: Canis]

[Rank: 7-star]

[Potential: Obsidian Core]

[Description: A canine shrouded in darkness, the Spectral Night Coyote moves on the battlefield with uncanny silence. Its fur shifts in hue from dark grey to near-invisible black depending on the light, allowing it to vanish into darkness.]

—

The second was a tortoise. On the tip of its shell was a thick metal plate, surrounded by webbed lines to form an intricate design on the carapace.

—

[Spirit Beast: Thunderclap Box Tortoise]

[Type: Bestial]

[Attribute: Lightning]

[Genus: Geochelone]

[Rank: 8-star]

[Potential: Amethyst Core]

[Description: A stout, heavily-armored spirit beast with a domed shell that hums with latent electrical energy. On the shell lies a metallic keratinous substance that would attract lightning to empower its attacks. Its sturdy body makes it a mobile fortress that excels in both attack and defense.]

—

The third hovered above the others—a mantis with crystalline blades for wings and shimmering red-orange eyes that never blinked.

—

[Spirit Beast: Prism Wind Mantis]

[Type: Insectoid]

[Attribute: Wind/Light]

[Genus: Mantis]

[Rank: 7-star]

[Potential: Amethyst Core]

[Description: A razor-limbed insectoid spirit beast with iridescent wing blades that refract wind and light into blinding flurries. ITs movements are swift, sudden, and disorienting—leaving behind streaks of color and distorted afterimages. The Prism Wind Mantis is known for rapid aerial strikes, striking gusts of winds, and evasive maneuvers that confuse both enemies and sensors alike.]

—

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