Cyril explored the dark woods anew, paying attention to all the moving shadows and uncertain noises in the grass.
A deer ran in front of him, disappearing into the trees nearby. A snake reared its head out of the bushes to the side, peeking at him as he passed.
Between the crowns of trees, a few birds traveled back and forth.
Or what seemed like birds, their forms uncertain in the shadow.
"I don't like this. Why did they have to make the forest so gloomy?" Rhamn crossed her arms as she walked with him, warily scanning their surroundings.
"It's like something's hiding just out of sight, observing us."
Maybe the professors.
"I don't know. I get the feeling it's something else."
Don't be scared, you don't even have a body.
"That's rude!"
As he walked, one of the animals, a deer, stood in his path, eyes locked on him.
Cyril slowly approached it, looking around for anything out of place.
The deer still didn't move, its pure black eyes staring right at him.
Carefully Cyril stretched his hand towards the animal's head.
The deer moved, meeting his hand, nudging against it.
It acts like Tigris...
He stood for a few minutes more, scanning the animal as best he could.
This is a fake animal, right? It looks so real...
"I wonder how it works? Does it have internal organs, muscles that make it move, or blood that gives it sustenance?" Rhamn pinched her chin as her red eyes shone among the dark of the forest.
"Hmm... Should we cut it open and check?"
Suddenly the deer raised his head in alarm and bounced away, quickly disappearing from sight.
"...!"
You let your hostility scare it.
Cyril gave her a blank glance as the butterfly on his shoulder twitched her antennae in curiosity.
"I don't even have a body, remember?" Rhamn narrowed her eyes before smiling.
"And I was just joking. I bet the moment we do cut it open, the organs, even if they didn't exist before, will then."
"Still..." Rhamn nodded, her red eyes full of intrigue. "Illusion magic seems like a lot of fun. How about we try learning it?"
Cyril continued on his way, ahead into the forest.
It's the principal's magic. Do you feel she would teach it to others?
"I have a sneaking feeling she would, considering who she learned it from. We have the right."
"...We'll see."
"Just food for thought. Let's go crush some weaklings now!"
After walking for a short while, Cyril's ears finally managed to pick up a more unusual sound.
Something was being dragged along the forest's dirt.
Cyril cautiously approached, making as little sound as possible.
There, behind a few trees, a female student with a black bob cut was dragging a body somewhere.
"Ho? That's Regina. From the Tower trip as well."
Looks like she is busy.
Cyril curiously observed her actions.
Why is the body not disappearing?
After a few short seconds of struggling, Regina propped the body against the tree, looking down at it with a solemn expression.
Suddenly she turned around, her hand moving in a throwing motion as something glistened through the air.
Cyril caught the projectile midair and walked out from the hiding spot.
"What are you doing?" He asked with curiosity as he let the small knife drop to the ground.
Upon seeing who it was, Regina's expression didn't change much, but her hand went behind her back.
Her whole body lowered, ready to strike at any moment.
"This student was acting suspicious, and when I confronted him, he attacked me." Regina replied while staring him in the eyes.
Cyril took another, more thorough look at the unconscious student. He had black hair and black eyes, his looks befitting an average man from outside the city center.
The barrier around him was broken.
"How was he suspicious?"
"He had a communication tool with him. Such things shouldn't be on a normal student, especially a commoner. He must belong to some organization, and since I don't know him, it must be some illegal one."
Regina revealed the hand she had kept behind her back. In it lay a pendant embedded with a small crystal.
"...Is that so?"
I have one. Does that make me a criminal?
"Maybe Selene is... Also, who is she? A part of some secret guard force!?" Rhamn muttered with excitement as her red eyes scanned the student from top to bottom.
Regina suddenly shivered, looking around in confusion.
"So what now? Do you want to call a professor?" Cyril crossed his arms, feeling a bit bitter.
It's a pity. I wanted to fight her, but it seems this is not the right time...
Just as he was thinking that, the knocked-out student, along with the pendant in Regina's hands, suddenly started disappearing into nothingness.
"Oh?"
Were they observing us?
Cyril nodded with satisfaction and turned towards Regina.
"It's not our problem anymore. Let's continue with the test." He gave the disc in his hands back to reluctant Morpho.
Regina moved her gaze from the disappeared body towards him with some confusion.
But as she noticed him taking a fighting stance, her face turned surprised, and she quickly created some distance between them.
Her eyes darted between the butterfly holding the disc and Cyril as she drew her twin short swords.
Without saying anything, her gaze became sharper as a bead of sweat rolled down her forehead.
No pointless chatter. That's good.
After a brief stalemate, Regina shot forward, striking with her two swords at the same time.
Cyril swung his spear in return, meeting her blades and hurling her backwards.
Regina landed on the ground, sliding a short distance, and activated a spell as she still held the swords.
Not bad.
Suddenly her body was covered with faint winds, a sight somewhat familiar to Cyril.
It's Myra's spell...
Again Regina shot forward, this time faster than before. One of her blades reached for his heart while the other for his neck.
Cyril hastily twisted his body and blocked with his spear, blocking her approach.
Not as fast as her... A weaker version?
Using his spear as a springboard, Regina jumped backwards, at the same time throwing the sword in her hand at him.
Cyril hastily caught the blade in the air with his bare hand.
As he did so, the barrier on his body shook, subtly changing color.
What? Even though my hand is durable enough, the barrier still counts it as damage…
"Annoying!"
Momentarily distracted, he threw the sword away and quickly looked back at Regina.
She was already dashing in close, slashing with her one sword.
"Tsk."
Cyril suddenly let go of his spear and smoothly shot forward as well, throwing a fist as the sword passed right near his face.
His speed surprised Regina greatly, and she could only try and twist her body to avoid the blow.
She didn't succeed in fully dodging, only softening the blow as she rolled on the ground away.
Soon she recovered and panic appeared on her face as she hastily pressed her hand against the area Cyril touched.
Cyril didn't pursue, simply observing her actions with curiosity.
Regina's body momentarily shook before calming down, her barrier still intact.
She easily negated Selene's technique... Probably due to my inexperience with it.
"I saw it during your duel with Bran, but still, what a strong ability..." Regina said in awe as her face recovered its calm.
"Thanks," he blankly nodded.
Regina suddenly flicked her hand and something glistened through the air.
Cyril grabbed with his hand in front of him, stopping a dagger a breath away from his neck.
Just as he looked back at Regina, he noticed the presence of magic on the dagger.
"...!"
Cyril quickly threw the dagger away.
A fiery explosion rang out soon after, smoke filling his sight.
Regina jumped through, slicing at him with her sword.
"Predictable!"
Cyril weaved through the attack, the blade just missing his uniform.
At point blank he threw a fist aimed at her jaw.
Hit by an uppercut, Regina got tossed in the air for a second and crashed to the ground with the sound of glass breaking.
The barrier broke under his strength.
Not too bad.
Cyril massaged his fist while looking at the motionless Regina.
"Still weak," Rhamn gloated without restraint, her eyes looking down at the body.
Soon Regina raised her head and looked at him.
"It's my loss." She calmly nodded and lay back down, disappearing bit by bit.
Her body occasionally shook, but no voice escaped her lips, and soon she was gone completely.
She is so serious...
Cyril, with satisfaction, looked at the number on his bracelet going up.
This is a good feeling, somewhat addictive.
At this moment Morpho flew in closer again and gave him the disc.
She landed on his shoulder and twitched her antennae in complaint.
"Sorry, the next fight will be yours." Cyril nodded to her with a subtle smile.
With her demands satisfied, Morpho stopped pestering him and flew back in the air.
She fluttered near him, her insect eyes eagerly scanning their surroundings.
"Let's go! We should still have a lot of time left."
With the disc-shaped crystal safely in his hands, Cyril continued exploring the gloomy forest.