Shadow Being System

Chapter 125 - 24

It had been a month since Kaden had begun attending the academy. Days blurred into weeks as he immersed himself in the lectures, martial arts training, and endless attempts to gather knowledge in the library.

As the lecture wrapped up that day, Mr. Duke stood at the front of the class, his pride filled voice echoing through the room.

"Next week, we'll be having your first practical test," he announced, his gaze scanning the room. "You will be traveling to another planet to hunt beasts."

The classroom erupted in chatter. Some students cheered at the opportunity to gain beast crystals and test their abilities, while others exchanged nervous glances, whispering about the dangers that awaited. Kaden sat quietly, his mind flooded with memories. Every encounter he'd had with beasts had been disastrous, taking pieces of his life he could never get back—his parents, then Lira. The thought of stepping into that chaos again made his stomach churn.

After the lecture, Kaden made his way to the cafeteria for lunch. The usual buzz of students barely registered in his ears as he ate mechanically, lost in thought. He was barely done when it was time for martial arts class.

---

The martial arts arena was alive with energy. The students had been divided into pairs for light sparring sessions, a chance to test their skills and improve before the upcoming test.

Kaden found himself paired with Jace. The two faced each other, circling cautiously before engaging. Kaden's movements had improved significantly over the past month. His punches were sharper, his footwork precise, and his reflexes quicker. Jace, though skilled, found himself struggling to keep up.

"You're getting better," Jace said between breaths, his lips curling into a grin as he blocked another punch.

"So are you," Kaden replied, stepping back and resetting his stance.

Before their spar could continue, the teacher called for the students' attention.

"Enough!" the teacher called out, clapping his hands. The students stopped, breathing heavily as they turned their attention to him.

"You'll be going to hunt beasts next week," he began, his tone serious. "This is your chance to obtain beast crystals and prove your worth. But remember, this is not a game. Beasts won't hesitate to kill you, and neither should you hesitate to protect yourself."

He paused, letting his words sink in. "And understand this—there is no doubt that some of you will die. Just make sure you're not the one."

The weight of his words hung in the air as he dismissed the class. Kaden and Jace exchanged a glance before parting ways.

---

Kaden headed to the library, a place he had been frequenting in his free time over the past month. His

"That's Billy Rose," Jace whispered, his tone filled with awe. "The child of the Rose Faction leader. He's insanely powerful—he scored a perfect 15 on the strength test, it'll really be good if we can get him to join us"

Kaden snorted. "Yeah, good luck getting him to join us. Let's go find someone else."

As they searched, Kaden's eyes landed on a figure with silver hair standing a little distance away. Without hesitation, he walked over, tapped her on the back, and asked, "Hey, want to join us?"