After receiving information that a portal break had occurred in the same area Logan had visited to see his friends, Mrs. Gray immediately dispatched two of her most trusted bodyguards to ensure his safety.

By the time they arrived, however, the break was already over. Aside from the hundreds of massive monster corpses and the waves of crowds and reporters swarming the scene, there was nothing dangerous left.

Fortunately, they found Logan unharmed, alongside his two friends, deep in discussion.

The two middle-aged bodyguards, who were veteran C-rank hunters, were dumbfounded after learning that the three, especially Marlon, had singlehandedly taken care of all the monsters that had broken out from the portal.

For a moment, they simply stared, unable to fully process what they had heard. They had faced dangerous monsters in the past, but the sheer scale of this feat was almost impossible to believe.

At the moment, driving a black limousine through the busy streets of the city, the two could not help but sneak glances at the three friends sitting in the back.

Seated by the left window and interacting with his system, Marlon was unbothered by the sneaky glances from the drivers and the discussion of his two friends.

He checked his character status.

━━〔 BASIC INFORMATION 〕━━━

Name: Marlon Ashleigh

Talents: Absolute Attack (EX), Venom Vanguard (B)

Power Level: 29 (87%)

Power Rank: F

Health Points: 400/400

Health Regen: 20 HP/min

Aether Points: 900/900

Aether Regen: 1 AP/min

━━━〔 STATS 〕━━━

Strength: 245 | Agility: 195

Vitality: 40 | Intelligence: 190

Free points: 30

━━━〔 ATTRIBUTES 〕━━━

Physical Attack: 613 | Magical Attack: 475

Physical Defense: 20% | Magical Defense: 5%

━━━〔 SKILLS 〕━━━

PASSIVE: Drain (C), Night Instinct (F), Ironstone Body (C), Strength Enhancement (C), Toxic Resistance (C), Venom Adaptation (C)

ACTIVE: Steel Punch (C), Punch of Judgment (B), Inspect (F), Venom Rage (C)

━━━〔 BLESSINGS 〕━━━

Lifeflow (Sacred-rank)

[INVENTORY (7/7)]

He scanned through all the progress, recalling how he had obtained each of them.

After killing the great serpigon, he had obtained a new skill, [Ironstone Body (C)], which was an upgraded version of [Stone Body (E)], replacing it.

The effect of the new skill had shot his overall physical defense from twelve to twenty percent, which was incredible.

The other new skills were an excellent addition to his arsenal, especially considering that they were all poison-attributed, which was one of the rarest attributes to possess.

He paused for a moment, reflecting on how far he had come since his earlier battles. Every skill, every point gained, represented countless hours of effort and careful planning.

Aside from the skills, his attention was also drawn to his level.

[Power Level: 29 (87%)]

He was on the verge of another breakthrough, which meant he would be attempting another breakthrough trial.

He had already decided to go for the highest-level difficulty, but to attempt that, he would have to prepare himself properly.

Most of the items he needed were already in his inventory, and more would be coming on Monday, as he had already contacted his parents about their deal at the hotel that night.

All he had to do was ensure he was in the perfect state before attempting the 5-star breakthrough trial, one that no one had ever attempted and succeeded.

Once again, he wanted to break history.

But this time, it wasn't out of his thirst for fame or the approval of others—it was for his own personal growth.

He recalled the conversation with Crimson earlier, the revelation of something far deeper than he expected, one that only the strongest of the strong could partake in.

If he wasn't strong enough in one month, not only would he die if he took part in the mission, he might even lose his spot.

Hence, he had chosen to take things more seriously.

Closing his system, he turned to look at his two friends, who were still discussing him like little kids talking about a cool fighting scene from their favorite movies.

Seeing his gaze on them, the two immediately quieted.

Logan, sitting right beside him, spoke first.

"Dude, what kind of power was that? I was the closest to you, so I was able to see the changes that occurred. Even though it was only faintly, I saw you transform into something totally inhuman, almost like zombies from those old apocalypse movies."

Ashton chimed in, "Yeah, even though I was far away, I still witnessed everything."

Their curiosity was overwhelming, and they pushed further for an answer.

The two bodyguards also sneaked glances through the rare mirror, eager to see what kind of powers he possessed.

Marlon observed it all with a smile. He noted to himself that he would need to start getting used to situations like this.

He avoided giving them a straight answer since two strangers were present.

Logan was the first to understand why he didn't answer directly, so he assisted him in diverting the topic.

The bodyguards were quite disappointed with the change of topic, but they did not dare voice it.

The journey down to their new destination—the Heartland Nation Hunter Academy—continued.

The three discussed other topics and cracked jokes to while away the time, as the remaining journey was still long.

=====

Inside a big and luxurious mansion at the heart of Shadowfen City, one of the wealthiest locations in the Heartland Nation, Lyra Whitlock sat with her parents and sister in their spacious and extravagant sitting room.

Walter Whitlock, her father, adorned in a neat purple robe, sat on a throne-like chair made of expensive materials, giving him the appearance of a fierce eastern fantasy king as his long white hair fluttered with the wind drifting through the room.

Beside him sat Maryam Whitlock, his wife, wearing the same regal expression and the same color of robe as her husband, but with a more feminine touch.

Both of them were in their late fifties, yet still maintained the appearance of people in their early thirties.

They observed their two daughters for a few seconds.

Selena sat in a graceful pose, wearing a white dress that perfectly matched her skin tone.

Beside her, Lyra wore a pink hoodie over casual black pants. Unlike her sister's stoic expression, she had a frown on her face.

Walter shifted slightly in his chair, observing them for a moment before speaking.

"As you all know, the academy will resume on Monday." He cleared his throat, his eyes scanning the expressions of both daughters.

Lyra seemed dismissive, as if waiting for the conversation to end so she could leave, while Selena listened attentively.

Accustomed to Lyra's attitude, Walter continued without lingering on her.

"Nonetheless, the academy this year will be very different." His voice echoed through the spacious room.

"The Lunaris visit and the return of Axel Storm have changed the entire trajectory of Arden. Although the world might seem peaceful, there is something greater coming—one far greater than the great cataclysm fifty years ago."

Maryam's expression twisted slightly. As a member of the Hunter Association, she understood exactly what her husband was referring to. Though she did not show it outwardly, she felt worry.

Selena's curiosity grew, but Lyra's dismissiveness remained.

Walter's stoic voice filled the room as he addressed his daughters.

"As a result of those changes, although it has not been officially announced yet, the academy section has been cut down from four years to just a single year…"

Selena's eyes widened slightly.

"A single year?" she asked, her curiosity evident. "Does that mean… the lessons will be more intense?"

Nodding gently, Walter replied, "Yes. The pace will be faster, and the training harder. The academy won't just teach basic hunting or combat anymore. Students will have to adapt quickly, or they won't survive what's coming."

Selena did not press further, falling deep in thought. The first time such an abrupt change had taken place was during the arrival of the Lunaris, and now another significant change was coming. She feared that something far worse was on the horizon.

Judging by the expressions of her parents, she could tell it was entirely serious.

Lyra thought the same. She had never seen her parents so worried—they were usually nonchalant, even toward their own children.

Nonetheless, unlike Selena, who could speak with them fluently, she remained silent, listening without uttering a single word.

Walter allowed the silence in the living room to settle for a moment before he continued.

"Two of you are the future of the Whitlock family, and naturally, I want the best out of you." He began, then turned to Selena.

"In a month's time, there will be a test to select capable youngsters who will embark on a crucial mission. I believe if you work hard, you will definitely be on the list," he said.

Selena nodded softly, though curiosity lingered about what the mission entailed and why it was so crucial.

Walter then turned to Lyra and the tenderness he had in his eyes when he spoke to Selena vanished, as he asked coldly, "What is your relationship with Marlon Ashleigh?"

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