Before a minute could fully pass, they were already done with their gear, each of them now standing tall, clad in armor, radiating the aura of warriors destined to stand forever on the side of justice. Their presence alone seemed to command respect, as if the room itself acknowledged their readiness for what was to come.

With a coordinated motion, each raised a hand, summoning a parchment-like scroll, without hesitation, they tore it in half. Instantly, a blinding white light erupted, enveloping the entire room in a radiant surge. The brilliance swallowed them whole before fading as quickly as it had come, leaving behind a hollow silence. The air that lingered was heavy with the remnants of their presence, and the room now stood empty, quiet, abandoned, and drowned in their absence.

Asher, Finch, and William opened their eyes, their senses snapping sharply into focus. Instinctively, their guards were raised, energy flaring faintly around them as they prepared for any sudden assault. They had been teleported to an unknown location, and caution was the best, perhaps only, reasonable response.

All around them stretched a forest, vast, tall, and alive. Towering trees loomed overhead, their canopies weaving together like a tapestry of emerald and gold, filtering rays of sunlight into ethereal beams. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and moss. Ahead lay a faintly trodden path, evidence that travelers had once passed through this place. After taking in their surroundings and detecting no immediate danger, the team gradually lowered their guard, though their eyes remained sharp and alert.

Without delay, Asher lifted his hand, and from his space ring, a parchment appeared, the mission scroll permit. With a flick of his wrist, he unfurled it and read silently, his eyes scanning the text with quick precision.

"We've been given six days to complete the mission," he said after a moment, his tone calm and measured. "Which basically means we have seven days in total." He rolled the scroll back up with practiced ease.

'Seven days,' he thought silently, his expression thoughtful. 'Here I was, thinking I could clear three missions within two days. Yet even the first one has a week's duration.' A faint sigh escaped him. Though he didn't show it outwardly, he was already recalculating his plans in the back of his mind.

The moment he finished that thought, he willed the scroll to vanish into his space ring. But the instant it disappeared, something unexpected happened, a new object materialized in his palm. The cold sensation against his skin startled him, and before reason could catch up, Asher's instincts took over. He dropped the object immediately and shot backward in a blur of motion.

Finch and William didn't hesitate for even a heartbeat. Without needing to ask, they mirrored his retreat, moving swiftly to stand beside him several meters away from their original position.

All three stood in formation, eyes narrowed, scanning the area for potential threats. A circular object lay on the ground where Asher had stood moments ago, glinting faintly under the forest's filtered light.

Cautiously, Asher stepped forward, his gaze locked on the item. 'A compass?' he thought, bending to pick it up. Its polished surface reflected his image faintly. He hadn't sensed its arrival, which explained his sudden reaction.

'It must have appeared after I opened the mission scroll permit,' he reasoned silently. That would make sense, it was most likely the work of the Logistics and Mission Operations Hall. He had initially wondered how they were expected to find the Rivelle Barony without a clear direction. Apparently, the Academy had already accounted for that detail.

Still, he couldn't help but sigh in mild exasperation. 'Would it have killed them to hand over the compass like normal people do?'

William, who had been watching the whole exchange with mild curiosity, finally spoke. "What was that, Asher?" he asked, his tone relaxed yet edged with curiosity.

"Nothing dangerous," Asher replied calmly. "It's just a compass. With this, we'll be able to find the Rivelle Barony without losing our way." He turned the compass slightly, showing its face to William and Finch.

Both of them nodded silently, accepting the explanation, though their eyes continued to sweep across the forest's shadows. Even in a seemingly peaceful place, vigilance was a survival trait none of them could afford to abandon.

Without further hesitation, Asher channeled a small amount of Astra into the compass. Immediately, the metallic arrow at its center quivered and spun before locking firmly in one direction, pointing deeper into the forest.

'It doesn't indicate how far we are,' Asher noted to himself. 'If it did, I'd be able to plan our pace, whether to travel at full speed or take our time.'

He paused for a moment, thinking. 'Still, the destination shouldn't be too far. Otherwise, the Academy wouldn't have given this mission to students. They'd collapse from exhaustion before even arriving.'

With a subtle nod, he pocketed the compass and said calmly, "Let's move."

At once, Astra pulsed beneath his feet, forming a circular, golden platform made of condensed energy.

Without hesitation, Asher crouched slightly and then sat cross-legged on the radiant platform. The moment he settled, it shot forward in a streak of light, the air rippling around him as he accelerated.

William blinked once in surprise, then clicked his tongue in amusement. "Isn't this cheating, Asher?" he called out, appearing beside him moments later through sheer speed.

"Then you should adapt," Asher replied calmly, his tone playful. "It's as simple as that."

"Tsk." William clicked his tongue, summoning his own Astra. A crimson glow enveloped him, and droplets of blood materialized midair before merging together into a solid, circular disk. Within seconds, he was standing on his own blood-forged platform, eerily similar to Asher's. "There," he said smugly, sitting cross-legged as the platform surged forward with a hiss of power.

Both of them turned their heads simultaneously, glancing behind them where Finch struggled to keep up on foot, his boots pounding against the earth as he tried to match their impossible pace.

Finch gritted his teeth, determination flashing in his eyes. Then, suddenly, a spark of inspiration struck him. With a single thought, his soul-bound chain weapon appeared behind him, slithering through the air like a sentient creature. The long, black chain coiled around itself in a spiral pattern, forming a stable structure. Without hesitation, Finch leaped onto it and sat down.

Since it was his soul-bound weapon, it required no Astra to control, it moved at his command alone. With a faint hum, the chain propelled forward, lifting him effortlessly off the ground. Within moments, Finch caught up, his figure gliding through the forest beside William and Asher.

Asher glanced sideways and gave a rare smile of approval. William chuckled quietly, clearly impressed. Finch only smirked back with that familiar air of unshakable confidence.

And then, without a single word spoken between them, the trio accelerated.

Asher surged forward, his golden radiance tearing through the trees in streaks of light. William followed in a blur of crimson energy, while Finch's chain flashed behind him in bursts of dark motion. The forest around them blurred into a sea of color, wind whipping past their faces as their combined speed split the silence.

They raced toward the Rivelle Barony, three figures bound by strength, purpose, and the quiet certainty that failure was not an option. In that moment, the thought of danger never even crossed their minds. Their spirits burned bright, untamed and unstoppable.

Because to them, this wasn't just a mission.

It was the beginning of something far greater.

________

AUTHOR'S NOTE: At my knees once more, begging all the immortal readers to help me with their golden tickets and power stones.

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