By Friday evening, the academy had settled into its weekend rhythm. The common halls were quieter, the training yards half-empty, and the campus lanterns flickered with softer, more welcoming light.

When Aston returned to his dorm, the door was slightly ajar.

Inside, standing beside his bed and unpacking a modest satchel, was his roommate—Ren.

He looked a little thinner than Aston remembered. Pale, too. But his posture was as composed as ever.

Ren glanced up. "Hey. I'm back."

Aston nodded. "Welcome."

There was a brief pause.

Ren offered a half-smile. "Sorry I vanished. Family emergency. I had to leave campus for a bit."

Aston didn't pry.

He simply nodded again. "Glad you're alright."

Ren finished unpacking, then slumped onto his bed with a tired sigh.

"Place looks like you kept it from burning down," he added, smirking faintly.

"I tried," Aston said dryly, sitting at his desk and pulling out his notes.

Neither said much else.

But Aston didn't mind the silence.

—

By Saturday morning, the haze of routine had settled comfortably over Aston's week—but it didn't make him complacent. The training yards had regained some of their liveliness. Beasts sparred, drones buzzed, and chalk scrawled across board after board in their usual lecture halls.

Aston dressed in his Field Ops uniform with practiced ease. The fabric clung just right, the high collar catching the edge of Gray's fur as the beast perched lazily around his neck like a scarf. His boots were laced, his belt light but functional, and the division sigil over his chest glinted softly in the morning light.

Classes passed in a steady current.

By lunch, the sun had risen high and warm across the academy gardens. The group gathered beneath a canopy of layered crystalleaf trees—Aston, Seria, Rowan, Lyra, and Kai already halfway through their meal trays when a familiar voice spoke from behind them.

"Mind if I join?"

They turned. Ren stood with a tray in his hands—simple noodles, tea, and a spirit tag scroll rolled tightly and secured to his belt. His posture was quiet, but not shy.

Aston gave a small nod. "This is Ren. My roommate."

Ren inclined his head slightly. "Nice to meet you. Thanks for not stealing my side of the room."

Seria scooted over without a word.

"Well," Rowan grinned, "welcome to the table. Hope you survive Simulation today."

At that, Ren cracked a half-smile. "Same to you."

—

15:30 – Weekly Recon Simulations

Their final class that day brought them to Hollow Hall, a low stone building half-swallowed by trees at the edge of the southern ridge. Unlike most academy facilities, it wasn't pristine. Ivy crept over its corners. The air felt colder inside, despite the daylight outside.

"Is this the place?" Rowan whispered as they stepped in.

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The classroom wasn't a classroom at all. It was a dark chamber with tiered seating, a central projection pit, and a faint echo to every footstep.

An elderly figure sat on a stone platform at the center.

Not stood—sat.

Clad in green robes with gold embroidery, the man looked older than the building. His beard trailed like mist, his eyes cloudy yet deeply alert. Beside him perched a withered bird-like spirit beast made of bone and wind.

The first thing that came to the minds of students was that an old man was lost in the room, but upon seeing the golden embroidery in his robes, their eyes lit up.

An elder!

Most of their classes were taught by instructors or professors, but not by elders. They are the masters of their crafts—and have been promoted to be the pillars of their respective campus. They only answer to three people—their head elder, the vice principal, and the principal.

—

[Spirit Beast: Whisperbone Vulture]

[Type: Avian/Spirit]

[Attribute: Wind/Death]

[Genus: Vultur]

[Rank: Garnet Core]

[Potential: Ruby Core]

[Description: A spirit beast said to be born from the echoes of unburied souls and forgotten winds, the Whisperbone Vulture is a creature of foreboding presence. Its body is formed of spectral bone fragments fused with elemental wind currents, held together by ancient bindings. It does not flap to fly—it glides, moving in total silence. It leaves no shadow, carries no scent, and its screech has been likened to the whisper of death before it arrives.]

[Skills:]

[Soulpiercer Dive: Executes a high-speed plunge cloaked in wind, targeting a specific point with precision. On contact, deals spiritual disruption damage and suppresses detection of the beast for several seconds.]

[Razorwind Pinions: Unleashes a barrage of bone-laced wind feathers in a wide arc, each strike generating disorienting pulses that destabilize a target's spiritual balance.]

[Mournful Shroud: Envelops an area in spectral wind that muffles all sound within a radius and causes hallucinations of unseen predators in weaker-willed opponents.]

[Echo Siphon: Steals ambient spiritual traces left by other beasts or beings. This temporarily reveals movement trails, recent aura fluctuations, and hidden traps in the environment.]

[Gravewake Cyclone: Summons a spiraling storm of bone and wind that forcibly scatters enemies and weakens physical defenses. Can also purge basic constructs or concealments in the affected area.]

[Passive Skills:]

[Wings of Silence: While airborne, the Whisperbone Vulture emits no detectable sound or core resonance unless actively attacking.]

[Wither Aura: Enemies within close proximity suffer a gradual decline in spirit cohesion, weakening the effectiveness of detection abilities and coordination with their spirit beasts.]

[Innate Skills:]

[Boneveil Shift: The vulture can phase into a gust of bones and wind, passing through physical objects or attacks for a brief period. This ability allows for escape, infiltration, or ambush.]

[Feast of Absence: Gains temporary regeneration and energy efficiency when near unconscious, defeated, or slain spirit beasts—friendly or enemy. Functions as a battlefield scavenger.]

[Death's Memory: Temporarily recalls and mimics the power, aura, and presence of anyone it had seen perish.]

[Core Skills:]

[Dirge of the Hollow Sky: Unleashes an aerial lamentation that strips away stealth, cloaking, and misdirection within a wide radius. All hidden units are forcibly revealed, and illusions crumble.]

[Severance Gale

Creates a cross-pattern storm burst from above that targets energy links between beasts and tamers. Severed links are stunned or dulled for a few seconds, breaking coordination.]

[Eclipse Rebirth: Upon suffering lethal damage, the Whisperbone Vulture may shatter into a flurry of bones and wind, reforming after several seconds in a nearby shadow if not intercepted.]

—

Aston gasped. This was the strongest spirit beast he had seen to date. And this came from an elder. This made him wonder how strong the elders of this academy are.

"Welcome to Simulation," he said, his voice a mix of rasp and resonance.

"I am Drexen Veil. Once a Shadow Herald, now, the scouting division's archivist and an elder of the academy. I will teach you what can't be taught—what hides between moments."

The projection pit came to life, displaying a layered map of a broken jungle ravine filled with low-visibility zones, fluctuating core auras, and intermittent transmission jamming.

"Each of you will navigate a simulated mission. One team at a time. You had your teams with you during your Field Drills. We'll use that. Objectives include: recover a downed scout beacon, identify enemy formations, and extract without being seen."

"Your predators… will be previous students. Their… ghosts. You may not see them, but they will surely see you."

The air seemed to drop a few degrees.

Aston leaned forward slightly.

"This is not a test of your beast's strength," Elder Drexen continued. "It is a test of your mind's silence. Hesitate, and you'll miss the shadow. Rush, and you'll trigger the trap. Survive… and perhaps, you'll leave here with more than grades."

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