[You''ll blow your cover. Try your Anti-Aether,] the system barked before he could make an excuse.


    Nnplied, channeling his Anti-Aether energy into the ring.


    Immediately, it red with a strange blue light, and Nn felt something open up to him.


    It was a peculiar little space, about the size of a small cupboard.


    Inside, he could see a few cards—the same cards that had been troubling him during his stay in the Neer''s area.


    The Runic Cards.


    "What are these?" he asked.


    Luna''s eyes shed with a special light.


    She had been well aware of Nn''s inability to use Divine Essence, and she had wanted to know if that was true.


    But now, it seemed that wasn''t a hundred percent true or a lie.


    The Nn before her could use Divine Essence.


    ''No wonder he''s growing stronger,'' she thought. ''He must have ovee his anomaly.


    But what is that strange me of his? It''s not powered by Divine Essence...


    Just what else is abnormal about him?''


    Even though she had quite the long train O thoughts, she still replied quickly to Nn''s question.


    "The cards are one-time protection cards with a timer. Majority of them will simply envelop you in a thick barrier that could help block attack."


    "But if the attack is strong enough, it can tear through the bubble and still harm you but at least, the power of the strikes would have been reduced if not fully exhausted..."


    "You can activate them by simply pouring your Divine Essence into them."


    "They''ll be useful in certain situations."


    "And also, you haven''t chosen your quest yet, right?" she asked.


    "If my knowledge isn''t outdated, the quests you''ll be given will vary greatly."


    "They have different levels of rewards, experience points, and risks associated with them."


    "Since you all have some freedom in choosing, many will aim for the high-reward quests."


    "But those quests also have a direct corrtion with their level of difficulty."


    "I wouldn''t be surprised if 60% of the people going for the higher-tier quests never return," Luna said matter-of-factly.


    Nn''s eyebrows furrowed.


    "Yes, dying here ismon and a very great possibility."


    "The Academy know well how to cover it up and make truce with your family, so don''t think you''re covered and can''t die because of your background."


    "If you fuck up, you die..."


    "So do yourself a favor and choose a quest that is moderate, something between average and above-average difficulty."


    "You''ll still receive points and experience from the Academy if you pass the test."


    "And most Newcm Ascendants don''t know that the reward given by the Academy forpleting the quest will be far more valuable than what you''ll obtain from the quest itself."


    "Dying or getting critically injured on the quest is not worth it for neers like you."


    "Just take a simple test and pass."


    "That''s what the Academy wants, and that''s what you should do."


    "Do you understand?" Luna asked.


    Nn nodded.


    What Luna revealed to him was something very few would know, and one could say it gave Nn an advantage.


    [Or maybe she''s just worried about you getting hurt. Girls are always like that,] the system chimed in.


    "Thank you for the ring," Nn said to her.


    Luna shook her head.


    "Don''t feel indebted. Those protection cards are something I acquired two years ago, but I couldn''t use them."


    "Right now, they''re too weak to block attacks at my level."


    "So, I''m just giving you something I never finished using when I was your size."


    "They''re not useful to me anymore, so I might as well give them away instead of letting them go to waste."


    "At least you''ll owe me one when one of these saves you from getting your hand bitten off by a beast during your quest," Luna said, smirking.


    Nn chuckled.


    "Thanks. And for the record, I won''t let my hand get bitten off by any beast," he added with confidence.


    Luna smiled. "Hopefully."


    Both of them exited the dorm room together and entered the elevator at the same time, quickly reaching the ground floor.


    Once outside the building, their paths diverged.


    Luna headed in a direction unfamiliar to Nn, and he continued on his usual path, waving her goodbye.


    The little discussion with her had caused him to bete by a few minutes, so he jogged to catch up and arrived just in time—7:58—at the ssroom door.


    Opening it, he found the ssroom almost full, which was unusual.


    It seemed like he wasn''t the only one excited for the test.


    Nn took his seat, and ten minutester, the door opened once more, revealing none other than Instructor Doriath, their ss teacher.


    She didn''t say much, only gave a brief speech, her gaze sweeping across the ss to ensure they were exactly 100 in number, before instructing them to follow her.


    When they moved out, they weren''t the only ones leaving the area.


    Other students, along with their ss instructors, were also heading out.


    After a brisk jog, they arrived at the Quest Hall.


    This time, Nn wasn''t blocked by any barrier, and they were all able to move into the tall building standing in the center.


    Inside, they were greeted by a lobby filled with two-star cadets moving in and out.


    Instructor Doriath moved toward one of the staff members present.


    "Doriath, long time no see!" the person at the desk called out cheerfully.


    The voice belonged to a woman, and as Nn took in her appearance, one word immediately popped into his mind.


    "A fox?!"


    The person before him looked exactly like a fox.


    She had white foxy hair and arge, bushy tail flicking to the side where she sat.


    Her expression was weing and yful, a stark contrast to Instructor Doriath''s usual hard and stoic demeanor.


    It seemed the two were old friends and got along easily though, weirdly enough.


    ''It''s strange… I''ve never seen a race like hers before,'' Nn thought, staring a little more intently at the woman.


    He had seen many races in the Academy and had read about most of them, but somehow, he had nevere across a race that looked like a humanoid fox.


    [She''s a Kitsune. Like a fox that grows so strong, they evolve into a humanoid form.]


    [They''re incredibly rare, as they''re not Celestial Heirs,] the system exined.


    [She''s a Mythic Beast, controlling Mythic Vitality…]