Chapter 662: Extracurricular

Chapter 662: Extracurricular

Still hiding in the library? Phoil asked with a nasty grin as he passed by Dallion in the dining room.

Naturally, Dallion ignored him. The large kid wasnt worth his time. Getting into conflicts right now would only cause needless annoyances.

Better make the most of it. I completed the assignment as well. The boy continued.

It was difficult to say whether he was hoping to gain someones favor or was simply spoiled and stupid. As a noble, he probably had a small army of echoes in his domain, instructing him what to do and what not to. The fact that he was ignoring them so eagerly led Dallion to the conclusion that was part of a newly established noble family. All it took was one person to pass the level eighty-mark and a dozen more people would join the ranks of nobility, largely unmerited.

What about the rest? Dallion gave him a quick glance, finishing his soup.

What rest?

Did your friends also complete the task?

The momentary silence suggested that they hadnt. Meanwhile, the lack of angry outbursts told him that Phoil wasnt as stupid as he made himself out to be. With a grumble he walked past, going to his table where the rest of the posse awaited.

Dallion swallowed the last few spoonfuls of food, then stood up and left the dining room. There was no point in bothering with the dishesone of the advantages of trying to level up a magic artifact was being granted special privileges.

No sooner had Dallion entered the corridor, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Glancing in the direction, he saw the almost invisible presence of a controlled air current.

Good to see that you spent your time well, the fury Palag appeared a step away. Ready to go on a trip?

Has it been four days already? Dallion asked. For once time seemed to fly by. It felt like only moments ago when hed promised the apprentice to assist with a matter on the outside.

The polite smile on the instructors face made it clear that it had.

Ready when you are, sir.

Good. Lets go get your gear.

Getting dressed in his hunter outfit brought back memories. Even with the time spent in the awakened realms, itd only been a week since hed gained the magic trait. Looking back, it felt like an eternity. It took Dallion a bit of effort to try to remember the world without all the purple traces of magic.

Come along, Ruby. Dallion strapped on the armadil shield to his left hand. Its time to go hunting again.

The shardfly flew off the ceilingits preferred spotand landed on Dallions shoulder. Splitting into half a dozen instances, Dallion took one final look throughout the room to make sure he hadnt forgotten anything, then went back to the corridor.

Palag was patiently waiting outside. Possibly due to that, this time Dallion didnt change into the ten-year-old version of himself.

You got permission to disable my seal? he asked.

The advantages of being a novice instructor. Lets go.

The two made their way through the vast corridors. Soon they were in a section that Dallion didnt know anything about. The number of mages increased, the magic within them shining so brightly that it almost looked like a skeleton of purple light. Now and again someone would glance at Dallion, the curiosity ringing as loud as a bell. Clearly, novices werent expected in that section of the building.

After close to an hour, Palag led them to an alternative exit, leading to a small guardian on the other side of the Study Hall. The number of people was a lot less here, and the houses were almost non-existent.

Have you flown before? the apprentice asked, air currents surrounding him and Dallion.

A bit. Dallion chose not to go into details. No sooner had he done so than the air currents lifted him in the air, dragging him behind the fury. The acceleration was fast, though not as fast as Jirohs and nowhere close to what Lux was capable of. As Dallion got a sense of what it was to fly, he almost got sick thinking how reckless he had been in the past.

Ignorance is bliss, he told himself as the buildings of the academy disappeared behind him.

Itll take us half a day to get there, Palag said. Hold on to your lunch.

Yes, I can talk. Clearly, no empath had been in this part of the world for a long time. What happened here?

Rocks happened. The grass replied. Rocks and monsters. You better watch out! Some are close.

Was that what the fury had brought Dallion to catch?

What monsters?

Black shadows. They slice everything they touch. There were none of them, but then a crack appeared in the ground and they came out.

A crack? Did anyone cause it to appear?

No, it just emerged. It wasnt there, and then it was.

So much for all Starspawn ceasing to exist with the destruction of the Star. Still, since it was only cutlings, it wasnt a matter of concern.

Let me know when they approach, Dallion said, and took another chunk of water.

Theyre close. Theyre close.

Well, tell them when they get closer.

How large is the creature? Dallion asked. Or is that something you dont know, either?

Im not sure. Its smaller than a carriage. It might be smaller than a person.

Are we hunting it or is it hunting us?

What do you mean?

If its the hunter itll charge the moment it sees us. If its smart, it might try to set up a trap. If its running away, we need to take the initiative.

The fury remained silent for half a minute, as if going through the options in his head.

Were hunting it, he said at last. Its been running, so itll continue to run. Im not sure what itll do when it gets cornered.

Creatures always attack when cornered. Ill take the lead. Youll follow a short distance away, preferably in the sky. If

Theyre here! Theyre here! A chorus of whispers filled the air.

Fly up! Dallion jumped to his feet, then burst in fifty instances.

He could already sense the cutlings approachinga whole back, mowing everything they ran through.

Lux, keep an eye out, Dallion said. On the second, his bladebow rose into the air, surrounded by blue flames. Meanwhile, Dallion drew his harpsisword and tapped its blade on his knee.

Whats happening? the fury asked, unaware of the events taking place.

I said, hide in the sky. A pack of cutlings is heading this way. Theres at least a dozen of them.

Two dozen, Lux corrected.

Two dozen were more than Dallion had seen roam in the wilderness. Whatever event had caused them to appear, it must have been considerable. That was a concern for another time. Right now, he had monsters to deal with.