《Seven Legion》 The thunder In the continent of Haza there rose two powers one was evil while the other one was righteous, one comes from believing in the godness while the other from the undead. There was a war between these two powers.This war was called '' The Holy war'' by righteous and ''The continental war'' by evil, which divided the continent into 2 piece one was called ''The Holy continent '' where righteous live and '' The undead continent '' where the evil power of the undead lived, there were seven people whose undead power was the strongest while there were aslo seven people whose divine power were the strongest, the seven strongest people who wield the power of undead were necromancers called Legioners, it was the highest honor for a necromancers while the seven strongest people who wield Divinity were Divines called saintness, saintness was aslo the highest honor for Divines, they were the strongest being of there continent, the war took place 30 years ago, now they had came to an agreement but there were still fights on the borders or more like in a place called neutral zone. The neutral zone was situated between the holy and undead continent. In the undead continent, On top of a hill called sunny there was a village, there stands a men in a black shirt and pants with dark black hairs and eyes, his skin was white and he looked tall probably six feet''s he looked very handsome, he was cutting trees and making houses with his undead skeleton as he was ordering them. '' You go there, built the house correctly'' He was the head of village he looked to be in his thirtys behind him stands a boy with the same clothes as him and same hair, skin and eye color, he was aslo tall about five feet and 10 inches he had a notebook in his hands, he was writing something. '' Wow father is amazing to be controlling this many undead skeleton at the same time, I wonder when can I become a necromancers'' ,With a smiling face he thought. ''Thank you so much for your help Rick.. sorry I should say village chief'' Said an old man with white hair and beard he was wearing a skin color shorts and shirt,Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! '' Without you our village would be doomed'' '' No need to call me village head or chief, just call me Rick'' He said that with a smiling face, ''Ah ken are you writing how your father works again?'' '' Yes, I need to know all these things, because one day I will have to become the village head!!'' The boy was smiling and seemed very excited ''I am still young, you have to wait for another 20 years to become the village head '' They were laughing, Then the night came, they went to their house, ken house was not large but aslo not small, it had 2 floors and was made of wood. ''Ken you should wash up and then sit on the dining table I will make us some dinner'' ''okay father'' Ken Washed up and then was sitting on the dining table reviewing his notes that he had written today, Then suddenly lighting starts striking violently '' She is coming...'' Ken who had heard his father say that, as dining table was in the center of kitchen, asked ''who is coming father?'' Rick did not reply.. The thunder was increasing.. then suddenly their was a knock on their door.. ken did not seemed to be fearful or not liking the increasing thunder infact he was smiling, '' why is my heart beating so fast? Why am I smiling? Is it happening again? Am I about to see the future again!'' Actually ken did not have the emotion called fear, he never felt fear in his entire life.. and Maybe he was like his father?? ...... Sometimes he has this feeling where he can see into feature, but it''s random sometimes he see enough to predict his enemy entire movements and sometimes only in 3 or 5 seconds and he can''t control when he is going to see it. Once, when he was 7 years old, he was playing in the wild, he offent went to a small forest, there he was attacked by a wild and hungry wolf... most childern around his age would feel so much fear that they can''t move but he was smiling and suddenly his heart was beating faster.. he could predict the Wolf movement as he was seeing the future... And instead of raining away he fought with the wolf.. after a while his father came finding him and he saw ken cover in blood but it was the wolf blood.. his father was not shocked or anything instead he did not show any emotions on his face he just take ken back home like nothing happened... Now coming back to present, Ken see the future where his father opened the door and a woman in a purple outfit and a boy his age were standing. The woman was slim, she had pure black hair, red eyes, her height was the same as his father, she had medium size chest... She seemed to be same age as his father, the boy was about his height, black hairs and red eyes.... The event indeed go as he had seen his father opened the door and the same woman and boy were standing there Then with a expressionless face and in a low voice Rick said, ''Why are you here? Witch of curse! The son of devil He said in a low voice.. " Why are you here witch of curse or should I call you witch of time ?" "Oh~ aren''t you the same as ever, well I come here this time to give your son a special admission on my academy, since hel my son who is around your son age, 17 years old, So that they can go together" ".... Well come inside first" The woman and her son hel aslo sit on the dining table opposite side to ken " I am your father friend from years ago when he was still an active necromancers this time I come here to invite you to join my academy called kips " Ken was shocked to hear this since kips was the best academy in the undead continent infact you can say it owns more then half the continent and he was given a chance to enter it but there was a problem... " But he hasn''t even opened this core how can I send him to that acay" "Well~ Rick Don''t you worry too much? There is still a week left, he can open this core and for the rest he can learn in the academy " " But his opinion still matter the most, Ken do you want to do it? It will be a very hard path " " I want to go father, I want to become strong, So, I can learn the truth about my mother, didn''t you always say I am too week to learn about it?" "Oh~ Rick you haven''t even told him about his mother...?" "What can he do even if he knew, well now that he has decided to go the academy, I will not hold him back" " Thats good, well Ken meet my son, his name is Hel, he will be aslo going to the academy as same year as you, you guys might even become classmates "If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. " Hi hel! Nice to meet you my name is Rick " "I hope you won''t disappoint me, Son of devil " "Hel don''t talk like that, make him your friend, I have a feeling that you two are gonna ba best friends" "Only if he can make it to class A" " Well Ken here is the letter, it''s your evidence of special admission No 2, well let''s see, I guess the nearest would be Meez, after a week go to a town called Meez, which is near to sunny hill and go to the ports and you will find a ship under kips academy give your letter to a person, his code name will be Zeno, I personally think you would not have a problem surviving in the academy... Atlest you seemed to have something very unique!" " Is she talking about my ability to see the future..." "Code name? What does that mean" " You will know onces you arrive there" "Well, Rick, it''s time for me to go" Rick remained silenced and the woman and boy went back " Mother, what did you ment by him having a very unique ability?" "Ah~ Hel are you jealous?!, Well you will know when the time comes" " Well, I will open your core right now " " Right now!!" Ken was very excited, since he too will now become a necromancers. "Sit down on the floor, show me your back side, I will put my hand on your back and send my dark energy into your body, make sure to remember it''s flow and try to use the dark energy send to you body, make it follows the same path and your core will be open " Dark energy was something that only people who had made a core could use in other words only necromancers could use it, opening a core was very dangerous many people paid millions to famous necromancers to open their children core but not everyone could open it... Some even die or become clipped in the process. After half-hour, ken core was open and he seemed very tired after opening his core . " You will feel tired, it''s normal, most people even faint after opening there cores, dinner is ready, eat it and go to bed, tomorrow I will teach you how to control your dark energy". Ken eated his dinner and went to sleep in his room, as he was very tired he immediately fell a sleep. He woke up early at ''Six O clock'', he did his breakfast which his father prepared and after that he learned how to control his dark energy from his father, he was learning basic like how to use it better and how to manipulate it and how to make shapes out of his dark energy.. " Good, you are learning fast, Now I will show you a spell, try to copy it, though you need to learn formulas to use spell but this one is easy so you should be able to do it" After saying that he flowed his dark energy in the air it was talking the shao of a circle with formulas on it and when it was complete, he fire it at a tree, the health tree suddenly died, it looked like a dead tree, before it was full of leafs but now nothing remained, Ken aslo try to use it.... It took him half-hour to shoot the same spell, it hit the tree but it''s effect was not as great as his father spell " This spell is called Exhausted, it is a spell from the subject of curses you will study it in your academy, there are more subject like summoner, magic, combat,bio, poison, spiritual, and aslo many theory related subjects, well for today just focus on learning exhausted and try to understand it''s formula if you do that then you will be able to use any spell you have seen almost immediately but of course that will require talent,hard work and experience." Ken was very excited and decided to give his all in learning the spell. Lillith In the next few days he aslo learned spells from other subjects like a spell if it''s place on a dead body it will become your undead, this one was from summoner subject, A spell that shot fire this one was from magic, How to cover yourself in dark energy although it was not a spell but it''s the basics of combat, A spell that mix blood and dark energy it was from bio, this spell was unique as it depends On the blood of the user, So every necromancer had a different reaction out of spell, In ken case the drop of blood and dark energy was divided into 20 drop so they become very small but their fire power did not decrease, the place he and shot, In trees, they were full of 20 wholes and not just one but 20 trees in the same line, For poison his father made him drink a soup of herb''s and it took him a whole day to get it''s side effects off but with it he had gained some resistance to poison and he also learn a spell from spiritual subject, basically in this subject you let your dark energy go into the underworld realm and let one monster chose you but sadly ken could not get chosen by one, it was like he was a geneious in every thing aspect spiritual.. Well, it was already the day of the entrance in academy, well normally you have a pass their entrance exam but special admission were special cases, they did not have to pass entrance exam, there were a total of 10 special admission, special admission No.1 and No.2 and No. 3 were the most special as they were personally picked by the witch of curse, but there was still a test to determine mine there classes, " The carriage is here let''s go Ken" "Yes! Father I am coming" After saying goodbye to his village he ride a carriage with his father to Meez Ports, they did not talk about anything on their Way.... When they reached their destination, Rick said " Good luck son" "I don''t need luck father, I AM going to become the best necromancer" " ....." After just this small talk Rick rode the carriage back to sunny hill If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Ken see a big ship with the kips Logo on it he went to ride it, there seemed to be a person infornt of the ship a person in a black suit, Ken give him his letter, he was shocked to his the special admission case 2 " You are special admission case 2 !!!" He screamed " Yes, I am " "Pls go ahead " When he aborted the ship he saw an old men in a skin color outfit, he was sitting in a chair in the middle of the ship, Other students were whispering, " Is he from the group cobra?" " There is no way that an old man like him and join the best organization of the undead alliance '' "Do you really think, his boy is special case 2 ?" " He looks so weak" "Maybe he stole it" Even though ken lived in a hill but even he knows about undead alliance and cobra, basically if kips own half of undead continent then other half was own by dar alliance, infact even kips was a member of dark alliance and cobra was a special group to eliminate the threat of Holy continent and to aslo protect kips infact most of cobra members were graduates of kips, Then the minions in black suits shout, we are saling to the island of Haw, pls get inside and take your seats, It turns out that kips was on a island called haw or it owns hole of Haw!! Ken went inside and sit on a seat and then the ship start saling, Besides him a girl was sitting, she had white hair, blue eyes, her body was slim, she was tall and most of all ken though she was strong, she excluded this strong aura, When ken was thinking this, suddenly the ship was flying!!? The ship should have sailed but instead it was flying, Everybody was shocked to see this.. atlest besides Ken and the girl sitting besides him, after an hour the ship Landed in the haw island port, the minions were checking if everyone students and make it out ... They told students to go the the big building, they could even it from here, it had the logo of kips, there were aslo student from other ships since the students were picked from the whole of UNdead continent, There were one thausand student at the start but only one hundred or one hundred fifty could survive the three hellish years of academy, they all went to the building of academy and were taken to the the stadium where chairs and tables with food were arrange for students, ken could see hel already siting on one of the chairs, he went and sit besides him, surprisingly the girl who was sitting besides him in the ship aslo sit on the same table as them.... Other students were aslo quickly sitting in their chairs but No one sit at the table of these three, it was like as people avoided them ... There were five chairs there but only three of them sit .. Students were whispering " That''s hel and Lillith but who is the boy sitting next to them?" "Is he crazy to sit with the son of witch of curse and the heir of dark tower" Ken had aslo heard the students whispering.. But he did not speak with hel and Lillith Then suddenly Lillith spoke " It''s been a while Hel...." Chapter 4: The Magic Stone "It''s been a while Hel... you still do not talk much, ha?" " You have gotten stronger, Lillith" "Of course it''s not like I was wasting my precious time... Since ''THAT DAY'' I been practicing hard every day " "No matter how hard you practice, You will never be as strong as me, I will always be stronger " "Ah, Aren''t you a bit too cocky?, I think I am stronger than you right now " "Want to test it out Lillith, I will shut that mouth of your right now " As they were about to fight, Suddenly the teachers and the ''Witch of curse'' came to the stage of stadium and Suddenly everyone was quite even Hel and Lillith stopped, Maybe it was because everyone respected ''Witch of curse'' or Maybe because they were afraid of her but it was not the case for those two, Maybe those two stopped because they do not wanted to cause trouble here, Then the silence broke when she started to speak, She was using a magic to make her voice loud enough to be heard by every students even the ones siting at the very end, "Greetings students of kips welcome to the best academy in the ''Undead Continent'', We produce the best necromancer in the continent though you already know that, So I will be straight forward, ''Try to survive '' there are one thausand of you now but at the end of third year only one hundred or one hundred fifty of you can survive,So, do not die early on me, Everyone was horrified by the word ''Die'', they thought that they might actually die, The stadium was now in a state of chaos, of course everyone was scared besides, Hel, Lillith and Ken, "We are going to die right?!" "I don''t want to die yet " "Now Now, do not be so afraid, We are necromancers after all, if we fear death than that''s a big problem, So anyone who is afraid can leave now"Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. At those words everybody became silent again, no one wanted to leave because it was very rare to get a chance to go to kips, So they all tried to be strong, Good it''s looks no one want to leave then I will Start again, To my right and left are your teachers who will teach you various subjects,... ''Bring in the magic Stone''" " Yes mam " Two minions in black suit brought a very big magic Stone atlest 7 feet tall, to the stage " Most of your might already know but for-those of you who don''t know let me explain" She was looking at Ken "Lol, who does not know about magic Stones " "Yeah right, those who don''t know must be living in a mountain or something" "Ken did not feeled embarrass infact he was happy knowing that she was explaining because of him" "So, basically all you have to do is to put you hand on it and let your dark energy flow into it, A number will appear on it, if it is ninety or above you will go to A class and if it''s eighty or eighty nine you will go class B, and so on, I am sure you guys get it, the amount showed is basically how powerful your energy can grow in the future or how much potential it has, Now let''s begain" Students were selected randomly, As the first student put his hand on the magic Stone and flowed his dark energy..... "My blood is boiling!, my heart is beating faster, it''s happening again" Suddenly ken see the number 66 and it did appeared in the magic Stone, " You will go to class C" And it did not stopped he would see it whenever someone Flow his dark energy in the magic Stone.... Unconscious he started to speak their numbers in a very low voice and he looked possessed, his black eyes were suddenly Pure white, His voice was enough for Lillith and hel to hear Lillith said, "Can you see the future?! And were your eyes always White?!" Ken just ingnored Lillith or more like he could not hear her, On the other hand Hel did not care much about this but he thought, " So, he is his son after!" Hel had a smile on his face Lillith was amazed at hel smiling as she had never seen him smiling, she asked in a curious tone "Who is he?" " Special admission case Two" " So, he is the one that stole my spot ?" Infact she was special admission case Three, she had thought that she would become special admission case Two, So when she find out that was not the case, She was very angry, Infact she thought about fighting this special admission case Two guy or girl but now she was kinda surprised, Then Ken turn came, the minion shouted, " Special admission case Two Ken" But as ken was possessed he could not hear, Then hel shaked him awake, when he got awake he heard the shout "Special admission case Two, Come to the stage right now" " Ah, Thanks hel for waking me up" Hel did not reply and As though ken also did not expected one he started walking towards the stage " Look at him so cocky" "Yeah, what makes him think that he can makes us all wait" "What a weirdo" Ken ingnored all these whisper, As it did not affected him much , he reached the stage and put his hand on the magic Stone and flow his dark energy into the magic Stone, The number keep increase , it went from 1 to 19 in a second and then in the blink of eye it was already at 70 then it went to 80 and then 99 and suddenly 100 everybody for shocked at this but it did not ended there, Suddenly the magic Stone was displaying not a number... But a word ''Unknown''..... Black Aura It displayed the word "Unknown", and suddenly, black aura began to seep from the magic stone. The aura was filled with undead energy, making everyone feel the chilling presence of death itself. Then, as Ken removed his hand from the stone, the aura vanished just as quickly as it had appeared. Everyone was stunned¡ªexcept for a few professors and the Witch of Curse. The stadium fell into complete silence before the Witch of Curse finally spoke. "Well done, Ken. You will be placed in Class A. Now, return to your seat." Ken nodded and walked back to his chair. "Since many of you seem surprised, let me explain," the Witch of Curse continued. "When the word ''Unknown'' appears on the magic stone, it means the individual''s dark energy potential is so high that the stone cannot measure it. As for the black aura¡­ it signifies that his soul is special. Or rather, he was born with a unique destiny. Though what that destiny is, only time will tell." Then, turning to her assistant, she instructed, "Call the next student." The minion, still slightly shaken, stammered, "Y-Yes, ma''am¡­ Special Admission Case One, please come to the stage!" It was Hel¡¯s turn. He walked up to the stage, placed his hand on the magic stone, and let his dark energy flow into it. The numbers on the stone skyrocketed at an incredible speed before stopping¡ªjust like Ken¡¯s¡ªon "Unknown." Gasps echoed through the stadium. "Him too?" "Well, he is the son of the Witch of Curse¡­" Then, a deep red aura radiated from the stone. Unlike Ken¡¯s, this aura didn¡¯t just carry power¡ªit felt like space itself was distorting around it, as if another dimension had briefly merged with reality. Silence fell once again before the minion announced, "Special Admission Case One will be placed in Class A." Hel returned to his seat, completely unfazed. This was not normal. There hadn''t been a single person with an "Unknown" dark energy rating in over ten years¡ªand auras? Those were nothing more than myths¡­ until now.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Special Admission Case Three, please come to the stage!" Now it was Lillith¡¯s turn. She confidently stepped forward and placed her hand on the magic stone. Just like the others, her rating was "Unknown." "Even the heir of the Dark Tower?!" "Those three are something else¡­" But then, something even stranger happened. A cold, blue aura rose from the stone. The temperature in the stadium plummeted, and an unnatural frost spread across the floor. It wasn¡¯t just cold¡ªit felt like it could freeze a person''s very soul. Then, just as suddenly as it appeared, it vanished when she removed her hand. "Special Admission Case Three will be placed in Class A." As Lillith returned to her seat, she smirked at Ken and Hel. "Looks like you two aren¡¯t the only special ones here." Hel didn¡¯t react, but Ken smiled and said, "I¡¯m happy about that. I hope the three of us can be great friends." Lillith raised an eyebrow. "What? You¡¯re happy that I¡¯m strong? Are you an idiot or just na?ve?" Ken chuckled. "I just want to be friends, that¡¯s all." Lillith paused before giving him a sideways glance. "You¡¯re funny¡­ fine, we can be friends. For now." The minion continued calling names. "Special Admission Case Five, please come to the stage!" A tall, muscular student with brown hair and eyes stepped up. Unlike the previous three, his dark energy stopped at 99. No aura appeared. His jaw clenched, and his hands tightened into fists. He was clearly frustrated. "Hector, Special Admission Case Five, will be placed in Class A." Hector walked back to his seat, his expression dark with anger. One by one, the other students were tested. Eventually, all evaluations were completed. Now, the minions moved through the crowd, distributing uniforms. For boys, the uniform consisted of a skin-colored pair of pants, an off-white shirt, and a red tie. For girls, it was a skin color skirt, off white shirt, and a red tie. The Witch of Curse spoke again. "Now that you have received your uniforms, you will be taken to your dormitories. Rest for today¡ªyour classes will begin tomorrow. You do not need to choose a major in your first year. That decision will be made in your second year. However, you must study at least six subjects in your first year. You may choose them as you see fit. Your class schedules will be posted on the bulletin board on the ground floor of your dormitory. That is all. Good luck on your journey." With that, she and the professors left, and the minions began guiding students to their dormitories. Dormitory Room 301 ¨C Ken, Hel, and Neebi To Ken¡¯s surprise, he and Hel were assigned the same dormitory. They also had a third roommate. A cheerful voice greeted them. "Hi! My name is Neebi. I¡¯m from the merchant family Nok. I made it into Class A¡ªbarely!" Neebi had scored exactly 90 in dark energy. Ken smiled. "Nice to meet you. My name is Ken, and this is Hel." Hel remained silent. Ken, already used to his personality, didn¡¯t seem to mind. Their dorm room was small but functional. It had three beds, a mirror, three closets, and a window overlooking the academy. Neebi grinned. "Let¡¯s be best friends, Ken!" Ken chuckled. "Sure, I love making friends." Neebi turned to Hel. "Can I be friends with you too, Hel?" Hel ignored him and climbed into his bed without a word. Ken said " Do not mind, he just does not talk much.." Neebi smiled. "It¡¯s okay. At least you and I can be friends." Ken nodded . "Have you thought about which classes you¡¯re going to take?" Neebi thought for a moment and said, "I have a few in mind¡ªcurses, combat, magic¡­ I¡¯ll probably pick the ones I have a talent for or find easy. What about you?" "I¡¯m interested in curses, summoning, magic, bio, combat¡­ and I guess I¡¯ll have to take history and knowledge." Neebi nodded. "Sounds like a good mix." After unpacking their things, they went to sleep. But deep in the night, while everyone was sound asleep¡­ A shadowy figure crept into their room without making a sound. The figure stood over Ken¡¯s bed, staring at him with a chilling smile. "So, you have the black aura too, huh? Ch:6 : Devil of the undead Suddenly, the figure cast a spell¡­ It was as if time itself had frozen. The air stilled and the night became eerily silent. The figure knelt beside Ken and placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking him gently. "Wake up, Ken." A voice, soft yet firm, called out to him. Ken¡¯s eyelids fluttered open, his mind groggy from sleep. But the moment his vision cleared and he saw the shadowy figure, drowsiness vanished like smoke in the wind. His body tensed as his breath caught in his throat. "You¡­ What are you doing here, Witch of Curse?!" His voice was a mixture of shock and suspicion, his instincts warning him to keep his guard up. The Witch of Curse simply smiled, her expression unreadable. Her deep, chilling voice carried an unsettling calmness. "How are you doing? Sorry to wake you, but do you mind taking a little stroll with me?" Ken hesitated, glancing toward Hel and the others. He wasn¡¯t sure if he should just leave like this. "What about Hel and¡ª" Before he could finish, the Witch of Curse cut him off. "Don''t worry about them. I''ve placed a spell here; they won¡¯t notice anything." Ken glanced at his surroundings, noticing how unnaturally still everything was. It was as if the world had been placed under a trance. He sighed, realizing resistance was pointless. "Okay..." And so, in a strange turn of events, Ken found himself walking alongside the Witch of Curse. They strolled through the darkened academy grounds, their footsteps echoing against the stone paths. A heavy silence settled between them. Ken felt the weight of unspoken words pressing against his mind. Then, she finally broke the silence. "Do you want to know about the undead energy that emerged from the magic stone when you placed your hand on it?"This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Ken stopped walking for a moment. His eyes widened as he processed her words. Of course, he had been curious about it. He had even considered asking her. But now, the opportunity had presented itself without him needing to speak. A part of him knew there had to be a catch. He narrowed his eyes. "What do you want in return?" The Witch of Curse raised an eyebrow, as if slightly amused by his response. "What do you mean by that?" Ken folded his arms. "Nothing is free in this world. If you''re offering me something so important, then you must want something in return." She chuckled softly, the sound carrying a hint of approval. "Well, aren''t you a clever one?" She tilted her head. "Fine, how about this? I want you to grow stronger¡ªbecause right now, you¡¯re too weak." Ken clenched his jaw. He knew she was right, but hearing it from her stung his pride. He remained silent, absorbing her words. She continued. "It won¡¯t be too hard for you. At least, when you become strong enough, I promise everything will start making sense." Ken took a deep breath, pushing aside his irritation. His expression hardened with determination. "Okay, then tell me!" The Witch of Curse¡¯s smirk faded slightly as she observed him. Then, she spoke. "Well then, for starters, how much do you know about your father?" Ken frowned in confusion. "What do you mean by that?" "So, he never told you anything... That¡¯s just like Rick. He never talked much, huh?" She glanced at Ken before continuing. "Then let me tell you the tale of the Devil of the Undead." Ken¡¯s heart pounded at the name. "Is that why Hel called me ''Son of the Devil'' when we first met?" he thought. "Your father was the commander of the Seventh Legion," she revealed. "In his prime, he was known as the Devil of the Undead. He fought countless battles and wars¡ªnever once tasting defeat. He was a leading figure in the Undead Continent... but then, he met your mother." Ken¡¯s breath hitched. His mother? "M-my mother?!" he blurted out unconsciously. "Calm down" Ken took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay composed. "Sorry, I let my emotions get the better of me." The Witch of Curse continued. "I won¡¯t tell you about your mother just yet. You¡¯re too weak to know right now, so don¡¯t get your hopes up." Ken clenched his fists but nodded. "Don¡¯t worry. I know I¡¯m too weak right now." "Good," she said. "Just know that after meeting your mother, something happened... and overnight, the Seventh Legion disappeared. People still remember them, but no one knows where they are. Some say they were wiped out, while others believe they still live in the shadows." She let out a sigh before continuing, her voice carrying a hint of something Ken couldn¡¯t quite place¡ªregret? "But the truth is, your father disbanded the Legion. As for the reason... you¡¯re too weak to know." Ken¡¯s irritation grew. He hated feeling powerless. He wanted to get stronger¡ªfast. But he controlled himself and asked, "But why are you telling me all this? How is it related to my black aura?" The Witch of Curse¡¯s tone became calmer. "Your father also had a black aura. That aura signifies that you were chosen by a ¡®Marshal¡¯ of a Legion at birth. I suppose you could call it destiny." Ken¡¯s eyes widened. "Then... am I going to become a commander of a Legion?" She smirked. "Only if you can find the Marshal who chose you and make a contract with him. It could be your father¡¯s Marshal... or perhaps a Marshal from another Legion." Ken¡¯s excitement faded slightly. "But where can I find this Marshal? And how will I even know if he¡¯s the one who chose me?" "Well, if it was your father¡¯s Marshal who chose you, then you¡¯re in luck¡ªbecause he¡¯s here, in the academy." Ken froze. "Here?" he repeated, stunned. The Witch of Curse nodded and looked ah ead at a building in front of them. "Yes. He¡¯s in that building." Ken¡¯s surprise grew when he recognized it. "In your office?" Marshall They entered a large building, one that was even visible from Ken¡¯s room window.There was no one in the entire building.This entire place was the office of the Witch of Curses, though she rarely spent time here. She was an incredibly busy woman, leaving most of the paperwork to the vice president. Taking the elevator, they reached the highest floor and stepped into a spacious office. A desk, a sofa, and paintings decorated the room. Without hesitation, the Witch of Curses walked to her desk, moved a painting on the wall sideways, and revealed a hidden passage. "This way, Ken." Ken followed her down the dark stairway. After several minutes of descending, they reached the bottom. In the center stood a medium-sized pillar, and on top of it rested a statue of an eagle. However, Ken noticed something unusual¡ªit had six talons. Thinking it was merely a statue, he asked in confusion, "Where is the Marshal?" The Witch of Curses responded, "You''re looking at him." Ken frowned. "This statue?" She nodded. "Place your hand on it and channel your dark energy into it. If you were chosen by the Marshall of the seventh Legion then, he will awaken." Ken hesitated but did as instructed. The moment his dark energy flowed into the eagle, its colors began fading, replaced entirely by a dark, shadowy form. Only its piercing red eyes remained. Then, the eagle spoke. "I greet the new Commander of the Seventh Legions." The Witch of Curses smiled. "Looks like the Marshall of the seventh Legion indeed chosen you."Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. But Ken didn''t respond¡ªhis dark energy had been drained from forming the contract, leaving him dizzy. "Let''s get you back to the dormitory," the Witch of Curses said. She cast an unknown spell, and before Ken could even comprehend what was happening, he found himself back in his room. Too tired to think, he collapsed onto his bed and fell into a deep sleep. The next morning, Ken awoke to Neebi¡¯s cheerful voice. "Good morning! Ken stretched and yawned. "Morning. Where¡¯s Hel?" "Changing into his uniform," Neebi replied. A moment later, Hel stepped out, fully dressed in this new academy uniform. His gaze fell on Ken, and he saw something unusual, So he asked, "What¡¯s that eagle mark on your clothes? It wasn¡¯t there yesterday." Ken glanced down and saw an embroidered design on his uniform¡ªan eagle with six talons, black in color with red eyes, he was himself shocked at this, he thought, What are you doing here? To his surprise, the eagle¡¯s voice echoed in his mind. "Commander, after you fell asleep last night, I merged with your clothes, Since I was worried about your safety" Ken blinked. "You can do that?" "Yes. And I can do much more. I would loved to explain, but you seem busy right now." Ken sighed and looked at Hel. "I¡¯ll tell you later." He had no intention of revealing anything to other or even Neebi, but Hel was different. He felt that Hel carried secrets of his own, and perhaps, by sharing them, they could become closer. Instead of heading to the bulletin board to check the schedule, Hel sat on the bed. "Aren¡¯t you going to check the schedule?" Ken asked. Hel shrugged. "I¡¯ll go with you." At this moment, Neebi was already getting changed and after a while stepped out of the bathroom, now in uniform. Noticing Hel still seated, he asked, "Why are you still here?" Hel just ignored him, Ken answered, "Ah¡ªhe wants all of us to go together!" Neebi was taken aback. "So even Hel has feelings¡ªah!" Once Ken finished changing, the three of them made their way to the dormitory¡¯s ground floor, where the schedules were posted. For Class A, the first lecture was on Curses, starting in half an hour. They rushed to their classroom, finding most students already present. While searching for a seat, Ken spotted Hector. Before he could decide where to sit, a voice called out to him. "Ken! Hel! Over here!" Lillith waved at them . Hel glanced at Ken and muttered, "Let¡¯s sit with her." She had chosen a middle-row desk, which had three seats... infact every desk had only three seats .She sat by the window, Hel took the middle seat, and Ken sat next to him. Neebi, unable to fit, settled for the desk in front of Ken. Soon, the professor arrived. She was a beautiful woman with short black hair and striking purple eyes. Though she looked in her twenties, she was well over thirty. Accompanying her were assistants handing out books to the students. With a calm yet commanding voice, she spoke. "Welcome to my class. Forty-five of you have made it to Class A¡ªnot bad. Since today is your first day, we¡¯ll start with a simple introduction to Curses and why curses important." A small smirk played on her lips. "And at the end... let¡¯s have a little battle between students." Ch 8 : Mallory "My name is Mallory, your curses professor. Let''s start with an introduction to curses," she said in a calm tone. "Curses are spells that place a curse on the target. Many people confuse curses with magic, but they are different. Magic includes spells like fire, ice, and so on, while curses only involve spells that afflict the target. However, there are also curse spells that can be cast on oneself, like strength-enhancing spells. She walked over to the blackboard and continued, "Right now, I will write the formula for a simple curse called Exhaustion. Try to manifest it." Once she finished writing the formula, the students began attempting to manifest the spell. Some were quick, while others were slower. As expected, Ken, Hel, and Lillith were the fastest to manifest it. Hector was just a few seconds behind them, while Neebi was the last to succeed. After a while, Mallory spoke again. "Let''s see now... hmmm... Ken and Hel, come up here!" Both Ken and Hel stood up and walked to the front of the class, standing on opposite sides of the professor. The assistant instructed, "When I say ''Go,'' launch your spells at each other." ... "Go!" Hel was slightly faster at manifesting and launching his spell, while Ken was a second behind. However, when Hel''s spell hit Ken¡­ he barely felt anything. He did feel a little dizzy, but it was as if Hel''s spell had only a fraction of its intended effect. Meanwhile, Ken''s spell was perfectly cast and hit Hel without issue. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The entire class was stunned¡ªeven Hel himself. In a low voice, he muttered, "Wh-what the hell are you¡­?" Ken was equally confused, but then an echoing voice spoke in his mind. "Commander, it is one of my abilities while I am on your clothes. No curse can harm you unless its dark energy is more refined and powerful than yours." Ken thought to himself, Ah¡ªso that''s why Hel''s spell didn''t work! Mallory, observing this, had a creepy smile on her face. She thought, Ken¡­ Ken¡­ Ken¡­ he must major in curses, no matter what. The head assistant leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Professor, calm down. You have that creepy look on your face again." Hearing this, Mallory quickly regained her composure. "Now, now, you two can return to your seats." Hector clenched his fists, his expression dark with frustration. I will beat you¡­! Mallory continued, "Now, listen closely. I will explain the battle evaluation system and your safe period. Right now, all of you are in your safe period. After one week, that period will end, and from then on, you will have to battle a randomly selected student every week. "The winners will move up in ranks, which are: Perfect, High, Mid, Low, and Very Low. At the end of each month, if you remain in the Very Low tier¡­ you will be expelled." A wave of murmurs and shocked whispers spread through the class. "No way! They''re really going to expel students?!" "She must be joking!" Mallory''s eyes turned cold as she said, "This is KIPS. Only the best of the best survive here." With just those words, the classroom fell into complete silence. She continued, "Of course, every professor will train you for these battles. Also, in your first year, there will be First-Term, Mid-Term, and Annual Exams. These exams will include both written and practical components, conducted by your subject professors. If you fail any professor¡¯s practical exam¡­ you will be expelled. The same applies to the written tests." The atmosphere in the classroom turned heavy and tense. Everyone was worried, but this time, no one dared to speak. Mallory looked around. "Any questions?" No one answered. "Good. If there are no questions, then try to use the spell on the follower pot given to you by the assistants. If you can''t do it¡­ then don¡¯t bother coming to my class anymore." Despite the pressure, everyone managed to cast the spell, marking the end of their first lecture. Since they had time before their next class, they decided to head to the academy cafeteria to eat. However, Hel kept staring at Ken intensely. Noticing this, Ken said, "Come with me, Hel." Lillith raised an eyebrow. "Where are you taking him?" "It''s a secret," Ken replied. "You go ahead to the cafeteria. We''ll be back soon." Ken and Hel left the group and walked to a secluded area where no one else was around. Hel narrowed his eyes. "Are you finally going to tell me? Why?" Ken gave a small smile. "Yes. And the reason is¡­ because I trust you." Hel smirked in amusement. "Trust, huh?" Ken then looked Hel in the eyes and said, "I am the Commander of the Seventh Legions." Hel''s eyes widened in shock. He had never even considered such a possibility. In disbelief, he stammered, "Wh-what?! The¡­ The Commander of the Seventh Legions?!" Ch:9: Black whole You are the commander of the Seventh Legion!?" "Yes, and that''s why your spell didn''t work... This eagle on my uniform is the Marshal of the Seventh Legion," Hel said. "You¡¯re really telling me all that¡­ ah¡­ okay, then I¡¯ll also tell you my secret. I can use time magic," Ken said in a surprised tone. "Time magic?" Hel asked. "It¡¯s more of a curse than magic¡­ It¡¯s also the curse that gave my mother the nickname ¡®Witch of Curses¡¯ or ¡®Witch of Time.¡¯ Of course, it¡¯s not at my mother¡¯s level¡ªI can only control a few seconds." "That¡¯s still amazing!" Ken said in an excited tone. Hel smiled and said, "Let¡¯s go back to the cafeteria and eat lunch." Ken nodded. They both went to the cafeteria, where they saw Lillith and Neebi sitting at the same table. They joined them. Lillith, in a sadistic tone, said, "Why is this nerd sitting here?" "It looks like Lillith doesn¡¯t like Neebi," Ken thought. They ordered food, and while waiting, Lillith asked, "Where did you two go?" Ken replied, "I told you, it¡¯s a secret!" "Not that bullsh** again," Lillith scoffed. Soon, their food arrived, and they started eating. While eating, Ken thought, "Eagle, tell me about all of your abilities right now." The Marshal replied, "Yes, Commander. My ability is a balance of scouting, curses, and power. I can adjust my size¡ªfrom as big as mountains to as small as an ant. When I was in my prime, I could grow so large that each of my talons rested on separate mountains, and I could crush six of them in a second. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. My black feathers carry curses. You can manually change them, but they can only carry curses you have learned. So for now, ¡®Exhaust¡¯ is the only one. I can also change locations using my feathers¡ªyou can use them for teleportation, and for scouting.¡­ I have my children." Ken asked in surprise, "Your children!? You have children?" The Marshal replied, "Yes. In fact, every Ancient Undead has them, whether they are a captain or a ¡®Marshal¡¯ like me. In my case, I lay eggs of small black eagles with whom I can share my vision. You can also see through their eyes." "That¡¯s amazing! You have so many incredible abilities," Ken said in excitement. Then he continued, "So where are your children right now?" The Marshal replied, "Every Marshal of every Legion has a special space where they keep their Ancient Undead and the Legion¡¯s army. It expands as more captains join the Legion. Your father had seven, including me¡ªso six captains." Ken asked, "Then are those Ancient Undead still in that space?" The Marshal replied, "Sadly, no. When your father disbanded the Seventh Legion, all contracts with the Ancient Undead were also broken." Ken, in a determined tone, said, "It¡¯s okay. I will get them back." At that moment, the Marshal saw a glimpse of his old commander in Ken. Ken continued, "What should I call you? ¡®Marshal¡¯ and ¡®Eagle¡¯ just don¡¯t feel right..." The Marshal replied, "I see¡­ If that¡¯s the case, you can call me Valor. At least, that¡¯s what your father and the other Ancient Undead used to call me." Ken smiled. "I see. Then I¡¯ll call you Valor. You can call me Ken." Valor replied in a teasing tone, "Okay, I¡¯ll call you ¡®boy¡¯ instead." Ken was shocked. Before he could respond, Lillith interrupted, "Ken, wake up! Where are you lost in your thoughts? Your plate is empty, so what are you trying to eat?" "Ah¡ª" Ken realized he had been holding a spoon, trying to eat from an empty plate. Embarrassed, he said, "I think it¡¯s time for the next lecture." He stood up and started walking toward the next class. Hel, Lillith, and Neebi followed him. The next lecture was on poisons. Like before, Ken, Hel, and Lillith sat together, while Neebi sat in front. This time, the professor was an old man with a long white beard. "Hello, students. My name is Zach. I will be teaching you about poisons in your first year. The most important thing about poison is resistance. The herbs given to you by the assistants¡ªeat them. After the side effects wear off, fill out this form. That will be all for today." After hearing him, the students thought: "Huh? Is that it?" "Well, let¡¯s get it over with then." "How bad can these herbs be?" Everyone ate the herbs¡­ and soon, the class turned into chaos. Students screamed in pain¡ªsome had black dots appearing on their skin as a side effect. Neebi fainted. Lillith was vomiting. Hel felt dizzy. Ken¡¯s whole body was burning. After a few hours, the side effects subsided, and students filled out the forms before leaving the classroom. The form mainly asked about the side effects they experienced. It felt more like research than a class. Some students even suspected they were being used as test subjects. "What the hell is this? I¡¯m not coming back." "Me neither!" Hel, Lillith,ken and Neebi left the classroom. It was already time for the next lecture. Lillith asked, "Do we go to the next lecture? I think it¡¯s Spiritual Studies. I¡¯m not taking it." Hel and Ken said at the same time, "I¡¯m also not taking it." Neebi asked, "Why? Why aren¡¯t you guys taking Spiritual Studies? It¡¯s one of the best subjects!" No one replied. After a while, Ken finally said, "I¡¯m not taking it because I don''t like it." In the end, only Neebi went to class. Lillith headed to the girls¡¯ dormitory, while Hel and Ken went to the boys¡¯ dormitory. As soon as they reached their rooms, Hel fell asleep instantly. "I guess he was tired," Ken thought. Ken was about to sleep too, but then, maybe out of curiosity, he asked, "Valor." "Yes, boy?" "The space you told me about¡ªthe one where the Legion army resides¡ªdoes it have a name?" Valor replied, "Yes, it does. It¡¯s called the ¡®Black Hole.¡¯" Ken¡¯s eyes lit up. "Can I enter it?" Valor paused for a moment before replying, "You can¡­ In fact, I¡¯m also there. What you have is just a copy of me on your clothes¡ªconsider it a way for us to communicate." Ken grinned. "Then open it! I¡¯m coming in right now!" A black hole appeared in the air. Without hesitation, Ken stepped into it¡ªexcited for what lay ahead. Ch 10 : The Undead Ken entered the black hole. What he saw was a barren land with dead trees, eagles soaring above, and a massive mountain in front of him. Ken frowned. "Wait¡­ that''s not a mountain..." The towering figure suddenly moved, shrinking as it flew toward him. As it got closer, its form became clear¡ªit was Valor. He kept shrinking until he was small enough to sit on Ken¡¯s palm. "Welcome to the black hole," Valor said. Ken explored the land, but there wasn¡¯t much to see¡ªjust more dead trees and eagles flying overhead. Ken asked, "How do I see though the eyes of eagles?" "Just focuse on your dark energy, it''s Also follow though my children, you will sense it then it will come naturally"said Valor, After few hours ken finally successed "Whoa¡ªI''m really seeing through the eagle''s eyes? This is amazing!" Ken muttered in awe. Ken decided to come back here again to practice but now it was night in outside world and Ken aslo feel sleepy, So, he exited the black hole. Back in his room, Neebi was already asleep. Night had fallen, and Ken felt exhaustion creeping in. He lay down on his bed and quickly drifted into sleep. The next morning, Ken woke up to Neebi¡¯s usual cheerful voice. They got ready and left for their lectures. On the way, they chatted about how their mission period was approaching. In KIPS, once the protection period ends, students must take on missions weekly. However, they still had five days left before that began. Neebi, always full of energy, started rambling about his spiritual lecture. "Oh-oh! And then the professor summoned his spirit to show us¡ªit was like a bear, and¡ª" Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Ken and Hel weren¡¯t really listening to his excited chatter. Their attention was drawn to the large notice board ahead. The first lecture of the day was Summoning. They entered the classroom, where a familiar scene greeted them¡ªLillith was already sitting on a desk, waving at them. They joined her. Soon, the professor arrived. He appeared to be in his thirties, dressed casually in a shirt and shorts, with dark brown hair. "I''m Azle, your summoning professor," he introduced himself. His assistants handed each student a large box¡ªeach about the size of a full-grown human. "Open them," Professor Azle instructed. As soon as the students lifted the lids, gasps filled the room. Inside each box was a skeleton. Azle turned to the blackboard and began writing a formula. "This is the summoning formula," he explained. "Right now, these are just bones. You must first assemble them into the proper shape using dark energy. Once that''s done, use the spell I have written on Black board on its skull to awaken it." He only provide with a formula, it was up to the students to learn it and use the spell He glanced around the room before continuing, "Also, if you¡¯re serious about studying summoning magic, make sure you¡¯re rich. Skeletons require a large sum of money. Since this is your first class, I¡¯ll provide them for free. But from next time onward, you¡¯ll have to bring your own materials." He clapped his hands. "Now, start assembling the bones!" The students got to work, but it wasn¡¯t as easy as it seemed. "Why is this so difficult?" someone groaned. "I¡¯ve been trying for an hour!" another complained. Ken, however, had an idea. Instead of assembling the skeleton in the standard way, he decided to modify it slightly. After a few hours, several students had succeeded, including Hector, Ken, Hel, and Lillith. However, Ken¡¯s skeleton was noticeably different. It was shorter than the others¡ªand it had a sword. Professor Azle raised an eyebrow in interest. "Ken, care to explain what you did?" Ken smirked. "I shortened its backbone and used the extra bones to craft a sword." A slow smile spread across the professor¡¯s face. "Excellent," he praised. "I told you all to make a skeleton, but I never specified how to make one. While most of you followed the standard method, Ken thought outside the box. That¡¯s the mark of a true summoner." Hector clenched his fists tightly, his eyes dark with frustration. Professor Azle continued, "Now that you''ve completed your skeletons, it''s time to activate them. Use the spell written on the board." The students followed his instructions, and one by one, the skeletons came to life. Ken¡¯s eyes widened in amazement. "Whoa¡ªit moves exactly how I imagine!" The professor nodded approvingly. "Now, let¡¯s have a little undead battle. Everyone, follow me to the training grounds." The word battle instantly ignited excitement among the students. They eagerly followed him outside. Once on the open grounds, the professor scanned the crowd. "Let¡¯s see¡­ Ken and Hector, step forward." Both of them walked to the center, standing opposite each other with their undead creations. "You can equip your skeleton with one additional weapon," the professor instructed. Ken¡¯s skeleton already had a bone sword, so he gave it an iron shield. Hector handed his skeleton an iron sword. Azle''s assistant stepped forward. "The first undead to lose a bone, fall to the ground, or have its connection severed with the summoner loses," he announced. "Begin!" Both skeletons lunged at each other. Hector¡¯s undead swung its sword, but Ken¡¯s skeleton blocked the strike with its shield and countered with a swift slash. The blow landed cleanly, forcing Hector¡¯s undead to stagger backward. Ken saw an opening. His skeleton charged forward, swinging its sword with precision. Within moments, Hector¡¯s undead crumbled. Hector¡¯s fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His face was twisted in anger. His eyes burned with frustration. The professor, however, remained unfazed. "Now, now," he said, raising a hand. "It¡¯s okay to lose once in a while. Just make sure to learn from your mistakes." Ch:11: The Mission lecture had ended, and students were now heading to the cafeteria for lunch. Among them were Ken, Hel, Lillith, and Neebi, making their way through the crowd. The academy¡¯s grand grounds buzzed with conversations about the class, upcoming assignments, and training sessions. Just as Ken and his friends were about to leave the ground, an assistant approached them, his expression neutral yet firm. "Ken! The professor is calling for you," he said. Author note: "guys leave a comment, it motivates me and for faster release read on webnovel as I release their first" Ken blinked in surprise. "Me?" Hel and Lillith exchanged glances before Hel shrugged and said, "Go see what he wants. We¡¯ll wait for you here." Ken nodded and followed the assistant . When they arrived infornt of the professor¡¯s , the assistant gave a small bow and left, leaving the professor and Ken alone. Professor Azel, a middle-aged man with a stern yet intelligent gaze. His piercing eyes locked onto Ken, studying him for a moment before speaking. "How about becoming my direct disciple?" Azel said, his tone calm yet authoritative. Ken¡¯s eyes widened. "A direct disciple?" That was a privilege usually reserved for second-year students, and even then, only for those excelling in their chosen major. Not only that, but a professor had to personally select a student for such an opportunity. It was a direct mentorship, a fast track to mastery. "Before you answer," Azel continued, leaning forward slightly, "know that this isn¡¯t an offer I extend lightly. I¡¯ve seen your progress, your potential. You have talent, Ken. But raw talent means nothing without proper guidance." Ken swallowed, his mind racing. This was an incredible opportunity, yet it also meant greater expectations, more responsibilities and he hadn''t decide which subject to Major in yet.. being a direct disciple means he would have to major in that subject.. Seeing his hesitation, Azel leaned back in his chair. "You don¡¯t have to decide right now. Think about it and give me your answer later." The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Ken exhaled, nodding. "I¡¯ll think about it." Azel gave a small nod of approval before dismissing him. Ken returned , rejoining his friends. They went to the cafeteria seated at their usual table, a variety of dishes spread before them. "So, what did the professor want?" Lillith asked, raising an eyebrow. "He offered to take me as his direct disciple," Ken said, Hel nearly choked on his drink. "Wait, what?" Lillith whistled. "That¡¯s unexpected." Neebi, who had been poking at his food, finally looked up. "Are you going to accept?" Ken shrugged. "I haven¡¯t decided yet. I don''t know which subject to major in yet..." Hel smirked. "Sounds like someone¡¯s getting special treatment." Ken rolled his eyes. "You say that like it¡¯s a good thing." They continued eating, shifting the conversation toward the next lecture¡ªCombat Training. "Are you guys going?" Hel asked. Everyone nodded. "I think they told us to meet at the training grounds instead of the classroom," Lillith added. After finishing their meal, they left the cafeteria and made their way to the training grounds, an expansive field surrounded by towering stone walls. A few minutes later, the combat instructor arrived. He was a tall, broad-shouldered man dressed in a sleek combat uniform. His fiery red hair and piercing blue eyes gave him a commanding presence. "Hello," he greeted, his voice carrying effortlessly across the field. "I¡¯m Professor Lor, your combat instructor. Since this is our first class, we¡¯ll start simple¡ªrun 100 kilometers." Silence. Then¡ª "WHAT?!" Students stared in disbelief, their jaws nearly hitting the ground. Lor smirked. "You heard me. Now move." And so began the torment. Hours passed, and exhaustion settled deep into their bones. The sun began to dip below the horizon, yet Lor showed no mercy. "Good, good! Keep running!" he called out. "Stamina is key to combat!" By the time the lecture finally ended, Ken and his group were completely drained. Their next class was a theory subject. They dragged themselves to the lecture hall, barely keeping their eyes open, and once it ended, they returned to their dorms. Hel and Neebi collapsed onto their beds immediately, snoring within seconds. Ken, however, forced himself to stay awake. He went to the Black Hole, an isolated training area where he could practice summoning his undead eagles. For two hours, he honed his control over them, improving their coordination. Only when his energy was completely depleted did he return to his dorm and finally allow himself to sleep. A week passed, marking the end of their protection period. In the end, Ken selected Curses, Summoning, Poison, Combat, History, and Formula Studies as his main subjects. Hel chose Curses, Combat, Summoning, Formula, Magic, and Poison. Lillith took Curses, Magic, Formula, Poison, History, and Nobility Studies. Neebi, as expected, picked Spiritual Arts, Biology, Summoning, Curses, and a few lesser theory subjects. Now, it was time for missions. Missions were divided into four ranks: White: Tasks within the academy. Blue: Missions within the Undead Alliance. Red: Missions across the Undead Continent. Black: Missions in the Neutral Zone or the ¡®Holy Continent. Only second and third-year students could take Black-rank missions. Ken and his group stood in front of the mission board, scanning through the available tasks. Suddenly, Valor¡¯s voice echoed in Ken¡¯s mind. "Wait¡­ boy, that mission." Ken looked at the board and spotted a Red-rank mission in the state of Layya. Reports indicated strange behavior among its people, and the entire state was in turmoil. Ken frowned. "What about it?" Valor¡¯s tone was serious. "This could be the work of your father¡¯s Ancient Undead. There¡¯s a strong possibility it¡¯s connected to his ability." Ken¡¯s eyes sharpened. "If that¡¯s the case¡­ then I know exactly which mission I¡¯m taking." He pulled the mission slip from the board. "I¡¯m taking this one," he announced. Lillith raised an eyebrow. "Going solo now, huh?" Ken smirked. "We¡¯re all strong enough to complete missions alone. Or are you saying you¡¯re not?" Lillith scoffed and snatched a Red-rank mission. Hel sighed and took one as well, while Neebi settled for a Blue-rank mission. Lillith grinned. "Let¡¯s make a bet. Whoever finishes their mission first wins. The loser has to do whatever the winner asks." Ken chuckled. "As you wish." Hel groaned. "Why am I involved in this?"