Chapter 65: Foundation

Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Foundation

By the final days of the one-month break, the foundation of Sunny Vale was fully established.

Rowan had spent the remaining weeks perfecting the soil, adjusting the automated irrigation loops, and synchronizing the perimeter defense arrays into a seamless system. Most importantly, he had simplified the entire agricultural process so his parents could comfortably manage the daily operations on their own.

With the automated mist-cannons handling the watering schedule and the Sovereign Terra-Barricade ensuring absolute security, Arthur and Martha only needed to oversee routine crop rotations, monitoring, and harvesting. The land itself had been permanently enriched by Rowan’s domain authority—meaning he only needed to return home once or twice a month to cast Breath of Eden across the acreage. That brief maintenance sweep was all it took to cleanse any accumulating ambient impurities and sustain the S-tier vitality levels in the topsoil.

On the final morning before his departure, Rowan stood at the edge of the porch, looking out over fifty acres of glowing, lush spirit crops swaying gently in the dawn breeze.

Arthur walked out beside him, holding two cups of warm tea. He looked out over the thriving land—a far cry from the modest cottage and small storefront they had started with—and smiled with deep satisfaction.

"Everything is set up, Dad," Rowan said, resting a hand on his Enchanted Straw Hat. "The system runs itself. You and Mom just need to handle the harvest cycles and dispatch the weekly deliveries to City Hall and Crestview."

"We’ll take good care of it, son," Arthur replied warmly, clapping Rowan on the shoulder. "You’ve built something incredible here. Now go focus on the Academy."

With his mind at ease and Eden International’s future firmly secured, Rowan picked up his travel pack and turned toward the road, ready to return to the Academy for the assembly results.

***

The morning sun glinted off the polished marble arches of the Royal Vanguard Academy as the grand gates swung open for the returning cadets. After a month away, the familiar grounds buzzed with an electric tension—every student on campus knew that the upcoming assembly would officially announce the final rankings of the mid-term expedition.

Carrying his light travel pack over one shoulder, Rowan walked up the central cobblestone avenue. His uniform was immaculate, and his Enchanted Straw Hat rested casually in his hand while the Hoe of the World-Tiller was unslung across his shoulder.

"Hey! Rowan!"

A booming, familiar voice cut through the chatter near the central fountain plaza. Rowan turned to see Barney Ironforge waving a heavy arm, the obsidian-infused Aegis of the Sunken Bastion shield gleaming on his back, its crimson runes faintly pulsing with terra-mana. Standing alongside him were Caelen Thorne, resting his hand on the pommel of the silver-hued Edge of the First Warden, his sister Mirei Thorne, her slender frame wrapped in light leather as she held her sleek, translucent Breeze-Striker Longbow, and Seraphina Vane, who stood with her usual cold elegance, the glowing ornate crystal flask of the Crucible of Eternal Transmutation resting at her belt.

"Look who finally made it back," Barney bellowed, slapping Rowan on the shoulder with enough force to rattle a normal cadet. "While the rest of us spent the break grinding out core training, rumors were flying all over the capital about Eden International taking the high-society district by storm!"

"Word travels fast," Rowan replied with a calm smile, adjusting his hat. "How was everyone’s break?"

"Productive," Mirei said softly, lightly tapping the translucent limbs of her longbow. "Caelen and I spent the month synchronizing my zero-resistance shots with his spatial blade paths. Our focus firing is far cleaner now."

Caelen offered a quiet, firm nod, his silver blade humming with spatial mana. "We couldn’t afford to slack off. Not after seeing what Squad 07 is capable of when we push past baseline limits."

Seraphina glanced down at the glowing crystal flask at her waist before looking up to meet Rowan’s eyes. "An exhibition match is coming up soon, Rowan. I trust you haven’t let your edge dull while running your agricultural empire?"

"Not at all," Rowan smiled quietly. "The foundation is set, and I’m ready."

Barney chuckled, lowering his voice as he looked toward the stream of cadets moving toward the Great Hall. "In any case, Squad 01 is still parading around like they took first place. But the talk among the senior instructors is that our hidden zone clearance set an all-time record."

"Let them talk," Seraphina said smoothly, turning toward the grand entrance. "The assembly is starting."

Rowan fell into step beside Seraphina, Caelen, Mirei, and Barney as Squad 07 walked shoulder-to-shoulder into the Great Hall, ready to claim what they had earned.

***

The soaring arched doors of the Great Hall echoed with the chatter of hundreds of cadets, but as Squad 07 stepped through the entrance, a noticeable lull rippled across the surrounding rows. Standing smack in the middle of the central aisle was Squad 01, positioned like an unyielding wall.

At their head stood Malakor, his golden Vanguard crest glinting brightly against his pristine plate armor. Beside him stood his three elite teammates, their heavy mana signatures flaring just enough to assert dominance over the hall.

"Well, well. Look who finally decided to join the rest of us," Malakor said, his voice dripping with condescension as he stepped directly into Rowan’s path. "Word on the floor was that Squad 07 spent the entire break celebrating a fluke in the lower zones. I see you brought your gardening tool along, Vance. Planning to weed the courtyard after we take the top podium?"

A few cadets in the surrounding seats snickered, but Barney stepped forward, the obsidian face of the Aegis of the Sunken Bastion shifting on his back with a heavy, resonant clank. The crimson runes etched into the shield pulsed once, sending a low gravitational tremor through the floorboards that silenced the laughter instantly.

"Careful where you step, Malakor," Barney rumbled, his broad chest rising. "That shield on my back doesn’t take kindly to cheap talk."

Malakor’s eyes narrowed as he felt the heavy pressure radiating from Barney’s relic, but he quickly turned his smirk toward Caelen and Mirei. "Bragging about Grade-D gear won’t save you from the official tally. Squad 01 cleared three Floor 2 boss chambers and logged forty elite kills. Your little expedition rumor won’t hold up against real numbers."

Mirei casually adjusted the strap of her translucent Breeze-Striker Longbow, her sharp eyes locking onto Malakor with icy precision. "Numbers mean very little when your squad took six hours longer than our baseline clearance time."

Beside her, Caelen rested his fingers lightly on the hilt of the Edge of the First Warden. A faint whisper of silver spatial mana bled from the sheath, slicing through the air and making Malakor’s vanguard guard involuntarily twitch back. "If you’re so confident in your rank, you shouldn’t need to block the aisle to prove it."

Seraphina stepped up beside Rowan, her fingers brushing the glowing crystal flask of the Crucible of Eternal Transmutation at her waist. "Save your breath, Malakor. You’re making a fool of yourself before the headmaster even takes the podium."

Malakor’s smile vanished, his knuckles whitening over his sword pommel as he looked at Rowan, who stood completely unbothered, his Enchanted Straw Hat tilted slightly back and his Hoe of the World-Tiller resting easily over his shoulder. Rowan’s golden-tinted gaze met Malakor’s with a quiet, unshakeable calm.

"Save your energy for the stage, Malakor," Rowan said smoothly. "The results are about to speak for themselves."

Before Malakor could respond, a heavy brass chime echoed through the Great Hall, signaling the arrival of the Senior Instructor panel at the podium.