After around five minutes, Yato reached the top of the mountain.


    "...Well, damn."


    There he saw a gruesome sight.


    Instead of seeing Lucas, all thaty before him were dead bodies sprawled on the ground and an eerie stillness.


    Dozens of Frost-w Bearsy scattered, their corpses disying the aftermath of a merciless onught.


    It wasn''t just death that they experienced; it was a massacre.


    Their bodies looked like they were pulverized by a crushing force.


    Some of themy torn apart, with limbs separated from their bodies. The crimson-stained snow around them painted a vivid picture of the ferocious battle that had taken ce.


    Yato scanned the scene, a mix of concern and pride in his eyes. Concern for the gruesome disy of violence, but pride for the unmistakable prowess his disciple had demonstrated.


    As Yato continued his investigation, he noticed a figure standing amidst the carnage. There stood Lucas, his golden hair tinged with blood, his breath visible in the frigid air.


    Using his [Mana Domain] Yato found the boy he was searching for after walking for a few minutes.


    There he was.


    Atop a hill of Frost-w Bears, corpses that loomed high above Yato''s head sat a golden-haired boy.


    His forest-green eyes struggled to remain open, heavy with exhaustion. His arms rested on the hilt of his gleaming ck sword.


    Scattered amidst this mountain of carcassesy even more lifeless bodies of Frost-w Bears.


    "Lucas," Yato called out, his voice echoing through the destendscape.


    The wind carried Yato''s voice across the gruesome battlefield, reaching Lucas''s ears. Slowly, the golden-haired warrior turned to face his master.


    "Master," Lucas greeted, his voice worn but resolute.


    Yato approached him, his eyes narrowing as he took in the scene. The sheer number of defeated Frost-w Bears spoke volumes about Lucas''s strength.


    "You''ve certainly left a mark here, Lucas," Yatomented, a mixture of approval and concern in his tone.


    Lucas, still perched on the mound of Frost-w Bears, managed a weary smile. "I had to make sure I have my revenge."


    Yato nodded, acknowledging the reasoning behind Lucas''s actions. "True, but remember, power should be tempered with control. You don''t want to be seen as a force of recklessness."


    Lucas sighed, the weight of exhaustion evident in the movement. "I know, Master. It''s just... I needed to prove to myself that I could do it."


    Yato ced a hand on Lucas''s shoulder, a gesture of bothfort and guidance. "And you did. There''s no doubt about your strength, Lucas. But as you grow, so should your mastery over that strength."


    As the two stood amidst the aftermath of the battle, Yato observed the horizon. The sun dipped low, casting long shadows over the snowyndscape.


    "Master I have one question."


    Lucas was the one peaceful and silent, ncing at him Yato raised his brow and asked "What is it you wanna ask?"


    "Can I eat them? I don''t want to eat cup noodles again." Lucas pointed at the corpses of the Frost-w mana bears that he had hunted—or rather, massacred.


    "Ah...That...", Yato nced between where Lucas was pointing and back at him, his expression troubled.


    He couldn''t bring himself to tell the boy that none of the game he had hunted was in a condition to be properly skinned, cut, or cooked.


    Those that were usable were buried under other corpses, covered in guts, blood, and filth.


    Yato let out a sigh and redirected his attention to Lucas. "How about we go to a restaurant instead?"


    ***


    After climbing down the western western mountain we arrived at a nearby city.


    Following a bit of walking—and a lot of crying, yes, I was the one crying because of hunger—we stumbled upon a nice cosy restaurant.


    We hurriedly entered it without wasting a second.


    Right now, we were upying a seat near the wall, patiently waiting for our food to be prepared, while I ignored the curious and disgusted nces directed towards me.


    Yes, people were staring at me.


    Why were they staring at me, one might ask?


    ...part of the reason was the smudges of blood on my clothes and face, which made me look like a murderer who just stepped out of a horror movie. Not the most appetizing sight for a restaurant.


    Yato, sitting across from me, seemed to find the situation rather amusing. He couldn''t help but chuckle as he noticed the reactions of the other patrons.


    "Lucas, you might want to clean up a bit. You''re attracting more attention than necessary," Yato suggested a yful glint in his eyes.


    I nced around, realizing the stares I was receiving. "Yeah, maybe a quick wash wouldn''t hurt."


    Leaving Yato to enjoy his amusement, I headed towards the restroom. As I washed my face and tried to clean the blood stains, I couldn''t help but reflect on the intense battle I had just faced.


    The warm water helped soothe the exhaustion, both physical and mental. After a few minutes, I returned to our table, looking significantly less like a horror movie character.


    The waiter arrived with our orders, cing steaming tes of deliciously cooked food in front of us. The aroma alone was enough to rekindle my appetite.


    "Finally, real food!" I eximed, digging into the feast before me.


    Yato chuckled, shaking his head. "Slow down, Lucas. You''re not in a mana beast battle anymore. No need to devour your food like you did with those Frost-w Bears."


    I paused, realizing the truth in Yato''s words. I chuckled awkwardly, slowing down my eating pace.


    As we enjoyed the meal in the warm atmosphere of the restaurant, the weariness from the intense battle began to fade away. The tasty dishes,bined with the soothing ambience, made for a perfect conclusion to the day.


    Yato, savouring each bite, nced at me with a hint of pride. "You''vee a long way, Lucas. You made an astonishing amount of progress in thest 15 days."


    I nodded, a sense of aplishment settling in. "Thanks to your guidance, Master. I still have much to learn, but I''m grateful for how far I''vee."


    However, Yato''s tone turned serious in the next moment.


    "But don''t get toofortable," he said. "By the end of your first academic year, I will shape you into an unparalleled fighter. To achieve that, you''ll have to endure even more hellish trials than the one you''ve just passed. So be prepared."


    Even more hellish than this?! Huh? Wait, is he nning to kill me?!


    I looked at Yato with a mix of surprise and concern. "More hellish trials than this? You''re not nning to, you know, actually kill me, right?"


    Yato smirked, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Oh, don''t be so dramatic, Lucas. I won''t kill you. But you''ll face challenges that will push you to your limits and beyond."


    I sighed in relief, but the apprehension still lingered. "Well, as long as it doesn''t involve massacring an entire army of Frost-w Bears again, I suppose I can handle it."


    Yato chuckled. "Rest assured, it won''t be a repetition of today. Each trial will be unique, designed to hone specific aspects of your abilities."


    As we continued our conversation, the waiter brought a dessert menu to our table. Yato, looking at the options, suggested, "How about we finish this meal with a sweet treat? Consider it a reward for your impressive victory today."


    I nodded enthusiastically. "Sounds like a n. I could use a sweet reward after all that fighting."


    After enjoying a delightful dessert, we left the restaurant with satisfied stomachs and a renewed sense of purpose.


    Right now we are heading toward Teleportation gate station that will bring us back to Nova Academy.