Chapter 89: Gajia Academy 18 - We shall unite

"They were so weak that they struggled against five hundred of our forces. But to think the same thing happened centuries ago, when an unknown force suddenly appeared and won an impossible fight... It seems like the gods are against us."

Sebastian said this as he sat comfortably on a wooden chair, his legs crossed. Despite the serious expression on his face, he seemed surprisingly calm as he recalled what had happened.

The small-framed girl sat beside him and looked up at her grandfather. After a moment, she tilted her head and spoke with her usual innocent expression.

"Then why don’t we just become stronger than the gods, Gramps?"

Sebastian Flyde, who had been wearing a serious expression, suddenly softened. He reached over and gently patted his granddaughter on the head.

"Granddaughter, become strong quickly, and we will kill the gods together."

He paused for a moment before his expression became more relaxed. Then he looked toward the girl with a faint smile.

"How about we go on a feast tonight?"

The small-framed girl immediately became delighted at the suggestion. She jumped to her feet with excitement. "Then we shall head to Eritus Village!"

Back at Gajia Academy, there was no joyful atmosphere to be found. The same grounds where hundreds of students had once gathered were now filled with silence, with nearly a hundred students missing from the crowd.

The same old man stood upon the wooden platform. He cleared his throat before looking over the gathered students, his expression heavy with grief.

"We lost the fight, but we will not lose this battle."

"They were far stronger than we expected. Even so, the werewolves were shameless enough to side with the demonic forces, going as far as infiltrating our ranks."

"Not only did we lose a hundred students who fought for the sake of our continent, but we also lost Rexevos, the child prodigy known as the Crimson Blade."

He lowered his head for a moment before continuing. "Let us take a moment of silence for our fallen friends, students, and seniors."

The entire academy fell silent. The students lowered their heads as they mourned those who had died defending Mubin Port, while the old man continued speaking about the strength of their enemies and warned everyone that the demonic forces could no longer be underestimated.

Akuma stood among the students with his head lowered. He remained completely still, almost frozen in place beneath the towering buildings of the academy, as though his mind had been left somewhere far away.

Then, a pair of footsteps approached from behind.

It was Kida.

Kida walked toward Akuma with tears still gathered in his eyes. Without saying a word, he suddenly pulled his fist back and punched Akuma directly in the face.

"If you were hiding such power, why didn’t you use it sooner?! Why did you wait until my brother was killed?! Why?!"

Kida struck him again, his tears falling freely as all the emotions he had been holding back finally erupted. Akuma did not resist or retaliate, simply standing there and allowing Kida to hit him.

Akuma slowly looked toward him with lifeless eyes. There was no anger, sadness, or frustration in his expression, as if whatever emotions he once possessed had been completely drained away.

"..."

"Come on! Say something!"

Kida struck him again, but Akuma remained silent.

A student nearby noticed what was happening and approached them. It was Ragnir, who had overheard Kida’s accusations and immediately clenched his fists.

"Hey, Kida. Don’t blame Akuma."

Ragnir stared at Akuma before turning his gaze toward Kida.

"It wasn’t his fault. If you want someone to blame, then blame yourself for being too weak."

Kida’s expression froze.

"If only we were as strong as your brother, the prodigy, we could have helped even more..."

Ragnir clenched his fist tightly, remembering the battlefield and the moment Rexevos fell from the sky. Kida lowered his head because, deep down, he knew Ragnir was right.

"Besides, Akuma became completely different after he came back."

Ragnir looked toward Akuma’s hollow expression and sighed.

"There is no point in talking to him right now. It’s like there’s nothing left inside that body."

He turned toward Kida and extended his hand.

"If you truly want to become stronger and make sure something like this never happens again, then come with me. We’ll return to my homeland and compete for the Artifact of Aurvene."

In a month, the competition for the Artifact of Aurvene would begin. Every five years, warriors and mages from different races gathered to compete for the right to wield it, with no discrimination based on their origins, race, or even their motives.

Over time, it had become accepted that only someone with an unwavering will for justice and sacrifice could claim the artifact. Countless individuals had attempted to wield it throughout history, but the spear had never accepted anyone who lacked the qualities it sought.

The exact powers of Aurvene had been lost through the passage of time. All that remained known was that its wielder could fly and unleash enormous amounts of magical power, abilities said to have originated from Olium, the God of Sacrifice, and Erid, the legendary King of Spears.

Both had been incredibly powerful individuals who had once wielded Aurvene. Now, with the demonic forces growing stronger on the Western Continent, the upcoming competition could become their greatest opportunity to find someone capable of standing against them.

And perhaps, for the first time in years, they might finally have a chance to fight back.

--

The news of the Battle of Mubin Port quickly spread across multiple kingdoms and settlements. For the first time, they set aside their personal interests, rivalries, and differences, choosing instead to stand together against the threat from the Western Continent.

From the human settlement of Etia, alongside the Werewolf Eradicators and Gajia Academy, to the Lizardman Kingdom of Tonan and the Mouna Mountains, their forces began preparing for what was to come. The two elven nations of West Vinea and South Vinea also joined them, while independent organizations such as the magic organization Majica and the body practitioners of Laxus prepared their own forces.

Different races, kingdoms, and organizations that had once stood apart were now moving toward the same battlefield. They had only one goal.

To defend their beloved motherland.