While Leo and Brant were talking inside, a large crowd had already begun gathering in the Square.

Lily and Miho stood slightly to the side, chatting casually. Lily spoke in a calm, reassuring tone, occasionally placing a hand on Miho's shoulder as she encouraged her to be more confident. Meanwhile, people continued pouring in from all directions until nearly a hundred—perhaps even a hundred and fifty—candidates had assembled.

With so many number plates displaying wildly different rankings, no one noticed that the second position holder was standing right among them. Around fifty to eighty individuals from the top two hundred were also present. Many had already joined the first and second academies as well.

Because of this, lone individuals once again began gravitating toward the factions of stronger candidates. Any late straggler would almost immediately be intercepted and pulled in by a group leader, each hoping to inflate their numbers as much as possible.

Before long, one could observe ten or so distinct groups forming within the square. At the centre of each stood a radiant leader, posture upright and voice raised as they delivered speeches filled with fervour and promise.

"My friends!" one such leader shouted, his voice ringing across the open space. "A new chapter of our lives is about to begin! It doesn't matter if you were poor—or even a straight-up beggar—what matters now is strength! You've come this far, earned admission into the prestigious Aurelius Beast Academy. Now tell me—what lies ahead if you want to rise above all others?"

He paused, eyes sweeping across the faces before him.

"The Academy will ensure we grow powerful. But!" he raised his voice, "do you really think you can do it alone? In a world where wolves roam freely, ready to snatch whatever you hold—do you think you can protect yourself when you're weak? No! You cannot!"

The leader continued without giving anyone time to interrupt.

"Even if it's bitter, the truth is that we are weak right now. But what happens when we stand together? Do you think anyone would dare bully us then? No, right? But unity alone isn't enough—you also need a capable leader. And that's where I come in! I will stand for you, I will back you, I will bleed for you, I will—"

The instructors allowed these speeches to continue. This was, after all, a crucial step for survival within the academy.

Similar speeches echoed from every corner of the square, each leader attempting to lure unaffiliated candidates. Every individual standing at the centre of a group was at least a mid–2-star Beast Master. All of them were Beast Masters, in fact—it was deeply ingrained in people's minds that Beast Masters were the strongest. Those from the outskirts didn't even know other talents existed until last month, so naturally, they followed Beast Masters without question.

That was true for almost everyone—except for one odd group.

One instructor murmured under his breath, eyes narrowing as he observed them.

"Who recruited them? Aside from three or four individuals, most of them look like mid–1-star to high–1-star at best… what the hell? How did they even make it here?"

That group was Zolton's.

With sixteen members, they were the largest group present. Zolton and Alric were both mid–2-star, though outwardly they appeared no more than low–2-star. One individual possessed a 3-star Iron Body talent but still registered as low–2-star. The other brown-haired, short-statured individual also hovered around the same rank.

They were largely overlooked. After all, they could all be Beast Masters, and a tamer's personal rank often lagged behind their beasts. Perhaps they had stronger beasts—that was the assumption. With that thought, the instructor dismissed them.

Another instructor, however, was sweating bullets.

Only now did he realize that, in his frustration, he had recruited weak candidates. Aside from four individuals, the remaining twelve were painfully weak. Worse still, most of their ranks were in the two-thousands—among the very last. Only Zolton and Alric were ranked between five hundred and a thousand, which was still embarrassingly low for Aurelius Beast Academy.

Thankfully, the scoreboard had already been taken down. Otherwise, they would have been exposed instantly. Everyone present believed all candidates here were ranked somewhere between one and four hundred.

Meanwhile, several group leaders noticed two striking beauties standing alone and attempted to approach them. However, Lily's cold, piercing stare was enough to make them retreat without a word.

She still hadn't noticed Zolton or Alric. Her attention was fully on Miho, gently encouraging her. Alric, noticing this, deliberately manoeuvred people between Lily and their group, doing his best to block her line of sight.

Zolton caught Alric repeatedly glancing in a particular direction and followed his gaze.

There, he saw Lily.

His eyes instantly filled with lust.

Joy surged through him when he realized they had ended up in the same academy. He still hadn't realized Lily was ranked second. All he knew was that a dark horse from their city had taken second place—and his subordinates believed he was first. Why correct them when their respect only grew?

He quickly scanned the area but didn't see Leo.

"He died! Yes!" Alric had told him that Leo had died before clashing with Lily. He hadn't updated Zolton afterward—that Lily was overwhelmingly strong, or that Leo might still be alive.

Zolton turned toward Alric.

"Alric," he said coldly, "you know I have my eyes on that pink-haired bitch, right?"

"Huh? Y-Yes…" Alric replied hesitantly.

"Good," Zolton sneered. "As your lord, I get her first. If I get bored later, you can have what's left. But for now, I'll taste her first. Kekeke. Got it?"

Alric gulped and nodded instinctively, his thoughts filled with the terrifying consequences Zolton would face if he ever tried touching her.

Seeing Alric's groveling reaction, Zolton felt satisfied, mistaking fear for obedience.

"Bitch…" he thought viciously. "The moment we reach the academy, I'll put my hands on you. And once I do, you won't be escaping anywhere. Kekekeke."

An idea struck him. If he showed himself now, he could pressure her psychologically—make things easier later. He took a step forward.

But before he could move any further, a loud voice drew everyone's attention.

"Everyone! Be ready!"

As the instructor spoke, three Skyrend Eagles were summoned. One was massive, its wings casting a shadow over the square, while the other two were slightly smaller.

"We'll explain the academy rules on the way," the instructor continued. "And be warned—this time, sleeping will not be allowed."

The instructor stepped onto the largest eagle. Roughly half the candidates boarded one eagle, while the remaining half boarded the other.

Zolton and Lily ended up on different eagles. The moment Lily climbed aboard, the capacity was filled.

"Sister," Miho whispered anxiously, scanning the area. "Master Leo hasn't arrived…"

Lily gently patted her head.

"He'll be here."

Almost as if on cue, Leo suddenly appeared beside them. The instructor noticed him but allowed him to board without comment.

"Coming late even now," the instructor muttered with a click of his tongue.

Others noticed Leo as well, casting disapproving glances his way and shaking their heads, clearly annoyed.

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