Inside Instructor Sylvia's classroom, the atmosphere today felt noticeably different from the previous sessions. Her usually composed expression carried a weight of solemnity that immediately put the entire class on edge.

Something is wrong. I thought to myself, as I took a seat.

She waited until everyone had settled before speaking, her voice serious and grim.

"I need to discuss something with all of you, information that's been circulating among the faculty and will soon become public knowledge throughout the kingdom. As future defenders of this place, you all deserve to know."

The room fell completely silent, every student giving her their full attention.

"Over the past several weeks, we've received increasingly concerning reports about magical beast activity along the kingdom's borders and in outlying territories. Attack frequencies have risen dramatically, not just isolated incidents, but coordinated assaults on towns and villages that were previously considered secure."

Several students moved uncomfortably in their seats. Increased beast attacks were never a good sign, often indicating larger territorial shifts or disturbances in the natural magical ecosystem.

"Many of these settlements lack adequate defensive forces to repel sustained attacks from organized beast groups," Sylvia continued. "Local militias and guard units are being overwhelmed. Casualty reports are climbing, and several towns have been evacuated entirely after defensive lines collapsed."

One of the students raised his hand. "Are reinforcements being sent from the capital or major cities?"

"Yes, but resources are finite. The Royal Army is stretched thin managing multiple crisis points simultaneously. Noble houses are deploying their private forces, but coordination remains challenging across different territories."

My thoughts immediately turned to my father and his mission to Thornhaven. The timing couldn't be coincidental, his assignment to deal with a Transcendent-rank beast threat was likely connected to this broader pattern of escalating attacks.

I made a mental note to check the Book of Hints immediately after class ended, to see if his survival probability had changed based on these developing circumstances.

Elen spoke up, concern evident in her voice. "What does this mean for academy operations? Will we be deployed to assist with defensive efforts?"

Sylvia shook her head. "First-year students will not be sent to active combat zones. However, training protocols are being adjusted to prepare you for potential emergency scenarios. The academy itself may need to strengthen its defensive perimeter if the situation continues deteriorating."

She paused, her expression growing even more grave.

"If things continue progressing along this trajectory, many aspects of the kingdom will change - for good or for worse. Trade routes will be disrupted, resources will be redirected toward military efforts, and the social stability we've enjoyed for decades could face serious challenges."

The classroom remained silent as students processed the implications. This wasn't just about isolated monster attacks anymore, this suggested changes that could affect the entire kingdom's structure.

"The royal court is investigating possible causes for this sudden escalation," Sylvia added. "Whether it's migration patterns, disturbances in major beast territories, or something more deliberate remains unclear. But you all need to understand that the world outside these academy walls is becoming increasingly dangerous."

She looked around the room, meeting each student's eyes.

"Use your training time wisely. What you learn here may determine not just your personal advancement, but your ability to protect others when the situation demands it."

"With that said, it's time to start our lesson," Sylvia announced, her tone shifting from grave briefing to professional instruction. "Everyone, follow me to Section G."

The class rose and followed her through the academy corridors toward the specialized training facilities. The somber mood from her earlier announcement lingered, but students began focusing on the immediate task ahead.

Section G's combat training area was extensive, multiple chambers designed for different aspects of warrior development. Sylvia led us to the main drill hall, a massive space equipped with various training stations and magical measurement devices.

"Today we're conducting comprehensive combat drills covering all fundamental aspects of your capabilities," Sylvia explained as we assembled. "Agility, strength, endurance, and mana control. Each station will test and push your limits."

She gestured toward different sections of the hall. "You'll rotate through each station in groups. I expect good effort - these assessments will identify your weaknesses that need addressing and strengths that can be further developed."

The first station focused on agility training. The obstacle courses were much more difficult than the first one that Sylvia had introduced to them. Surprisingly, my classmates were not struggling anymore. Unlike the first time where some couldn't complete the courses, this time, they were able to, albeit the timing between them differed.

When my turn came, I activated my blood enhancement moderately - enough to perform well beyond my classmates without revealing my full capabilities. The course was challenging but manageable, my vampire reflexes and practiced footwork allowing smooth navigation through the shifting barriers.

"Excellent form, Adrian," Sylvia noted as I completed the circuit. "Your movement efficiency has improved significantly since the examination."

The strength station involved lifting and manipulating progressively heavier enchanted weights that tested both physical power and technique. Marcus excelled here, his Ironhold bloodline providing natural advantages in raw strength applications.

Still, he did not outperform me. Using blood enhancement to augment my lifting capacity while maintaining proper form.

Endurance training was perhaps the most gruelling for most students. They had to maintain combat-ready stances while channelling mana continuously, testing both physical stamina and magical reserves. The goal was to last as long as possible before exhaustion forced them to surrender.

Many students dropped out within fifteen minutes, their legs trembling and mana reserves depleted. I decided to stop after an hour before my two competitors, emmet and Marcus decided to withdraw.

They didn't want to completely exhaust themselves before the next station. Which was a smart move, they knew that they would lose no matter how hard they tried. So they decided to save their strength for the next test.

The final station tested mana control through precision exercises - creating specific shapes with pure mana, maintaining multiple simultaneous manipulations, and demonstrating fine control under pressure.

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