Out of concern and worry for her brother''s health, Belle decided to stick around and aid him after they cleared off the horde of monsters.


    Seriously, why is it always Brandon who''s always at risk of dying?


    Belle was tired of it. She didn''t want to see her brother suffer anymore. Yet for some reason, it''s as if suffering seemed to follow Brandon wherever he went.


    Or more like, Brandon himself reveled in the suffering.


    Belle couldn''t do a single thing about it. She had reprimanded him numerous times in the past. Yet it always ended up the same way.


    ''Please, stop hurting yourself.''


    But she kept it in her thoughts. There was no use scolding her brother for it now. Especially knowing what was happening to him now.


    Belle had noticed it too.


    The fluctuating influx of his mana core.


    The signs of an S ranker.


    It was absurd.


    To think her brother had caught up to her, even surpassing her soon after.


    But Belle didn''t feel a least bit of envy. On the contrary, she was happy and truly felt proud of him.


    She too needed to catch up. It felt as if Brandon and Amelia were leaving her behind.


    In any case, she fixed her attention on Brandon.


    Hisplexions and overall state looked better nowpared to a week ago. Especially so when Belle helped him groom himself just so he could look presentable.


    After all, Brandon looked like he hadn''t showered in a year.


    "Thanks, Sis."


    Brandon had just finished the meal Belle had prepared for him.


    "How are you feeling?"


    Belle asked.


    Brandon flexed his muscles.


    "Better than ever."


    Noticing sauce smeared on the side of his lips, Belle let out a deep sigh and neared him, wiping the sauce off with her handkerchief.


    "Ah."


    Brandon looked as if the realization washed over him, and Belle just shook her head dismissively.


    No matter how strong Brandon gets, he will always be her younger brother. And as his older sister, she couldn''t help but look out for him, supporting him in every step towards his sess.


    That much was certain.


    As the two siblings continued conversing with one another, it was then.


    —Hwoooooar!


    "...!"


    "...!"


    ***


    Some monsters, initially unfazed by the first wyvern''s arrival, had hesitated in the shadows of the forest.


    But now, as the second roar echoed through the clearing, they surged, pouring from the dense underbrush like a tidal wave.


    The air crackled with tension, the ground trembling under the weight of the approaching horde.


    They bore their ws and their weapons against the cadets, who were desperately defending themselves.


    Thankfully, the ss A and B students acted fast, protecting ss C and giving them the time to recuperate as they offered their assistance from the backlines.


    It was the same situation as the first wyvern. However, this time, everyone was calm and collected. They knew just how to handle the situation appropriately.


    "Squad B, fall back!"


    A certain cadet announced. He was one of the appointed leaders, a cadet of ss A.


    "Squad D, switch!"


    Another cadet instructed. Another appointed leader from ss B.


    There were five leaders for each ss. A total of fifteen leaders overall.


    All sorts of elemental attributed magic filled the air as the screams of monsters rang out.


    However, the cadets pressed forward. The closebat fighters rushed in, supported by the backliners.


    "Charge!"


    A scream rang out and cadets rushed in. It was as if they were the monsters and thetter was under siege.


    It took no difficulty to clear the monsters out. Until eventually, the wyvern became visible for all to see.


    The ground shook as the wyvern stepped out of the forest, its massive wings sending gusts of wind through the clearing.


    The beast''s dark, metallic–like scales gleamed under the light, each one sharp and deadly. Its body was long and powerful, with horns curving back from its head and glowing red eyes fixed on the cadets below.


    When it opened its jaws, sharp teeth glinted in the light, and a deep roar erupted, shaking the air around it.


    —Hwoooooar!


    The sound was deafening, causing the air to vibrate and the ground to crack beneath its weight


    The wyvern''s ws dug into the ground as it crouched. Its long tail, tipped with spikes, whipped through the air.


    The cadets could feel the weight of the creature''s presence. It stoodrger than the previous wyvern, and the cadets could feel the difficulty exponentially heightened.


    Fear ran through them, but they prepared themselves, weapons drawn, as the wyvern''s wings spread wide, shading over the battlefield.


    "Stay sharp!"


    One of the leaders shouted, his voice cutting through the tension.


    Raven''s brows furrowed. Scanning the wyvern''s scales, Raven looked at his dagger soon after.


    He pondered whether his dagger would actually be able to cut through the wyvern.


    While the previous wyvern posed only moderate difficulty, this wyvern on the other hand was on another level.


    "This is insane…."


    Raven had surmised this was all ording to the Imperial Army''s n.


    But do they really think the cadets would be able to defeat the wyvern? Much more so, when it took a while to y the first one?


    In any case, they had no choice.


    Magic attacks pierced through the air, heading directly for the wyvern. However, the wyvern, as if unbothered, took the full brunt of the attacks.


    Soon after, it retaliated.


    —Hwoooooar!


    A deep guttural scream reverberated throughout the entire forest. Raven felt like his eardrums were being ruptured as he covered his ears.


    A gust of wind sent out as the wyvern pped its wings. Cadets'', who werexed in their defense, were sent flying away.


    Xiu! Xiu! Xiu!


    Arrows of mes and frost rippled from somewhere, aiming to pierce right through the wyvern. However, it dissipated upon impact.


    The wyvern''s defense was no joke. While scorched marks etched on its scales after taking mes and lightning attacks, it stood unbothered and continued to retaliate.


    Its movements were slow, itsrge ws aimed to decapitate the cadets. However, the closebatants were quick in their feet, swiftly dodging the sharp ws.


    A group of duelistsnded on the wyvern''s figure. Their weapons traced on the wyvern''s scales as they rushed forward with a battle cry.


    Raven seized the opportunity, entering one of the cadet''s shadows, instantly teleporting, standing on the wyvern''srge figure.


    Raven''s eyes narrowed as he precisely cut through the wyvern. However, the wyvern''s wings pped once again, throwing off everyone''s bnce as they fell from its back.


    At that moment, a gust of wind brushed past them to support theirnding, recalling them back to safety.


    The cadets all worked in unison, supporting one another.


    The cadets braced themselves against the wyvern''s relentless attacks, the battlefield echoing with the sh of steel, magic, and the deafening roars of the massive beast.


    With each p of its wings, powerful gusts of wind sent the less experienced cadets tumbling across the clearing, their defenses barely holding against the sheer force.


    But no matter how much time passed, it felt as if they were wasting their time.


    The wyvern.


    —Hwoooooooar!


    It was as if it suffered no damage at all.