Chapter 718: Stonescream Stronghold’s Class S Mission

The Black Ship traveled for a full day before docking into a port. 

During the journey, William just slept because he hadn't gotten a good rest since he left the Kraetor Empire. 

After Malacai had parted ways with him, the Half-Elf busied himself in upgrading his Job Classes to their maximum level limit.

So far, the only Job Class that had met the full requirement of the Jack of All Trades was the Ice Sovereign. This was William's first Job Class that had reached its Max Level, and right now, he was focusing on the Elemental Lord's final class, which was the Elemental Archon.

Although his Einherjar Job Class was powerful, William wasn't too keen on using it unless he had to. He was afraid that after he had lost all of the memories of his life on Earth, the next memories he would lose would be his memories of Asgard.

When those, too, were gone, would he lose the memories that he currently had in this world?

William didn't even want to think of such a thing.

He wouldn't allow such a thing to happen.

As William walked behind Jophiel, he eyed the people that lived in the outpost. The adults seemed to be on edge, but when they saw Jophiel, they all greeted him with respect. The Half-Elf also noticed that there was also relief in their faces.

It was as if Jophiel's presence was enough to make them feel safe and secure. 

Chloee had told William many things about the Hestia Academy, and this information had greatly piqued William's curiosity.

According to his Sixth Master, Hestia Academy was no ordinary academy. It was a territory that encompassed vast swaths of lands and, when you combine all of these lands together, it was more than enough to found a kingdom.

For such an academy to flourish it only meant one thing. It had a very powerful backing. 

None of the Empires, Kingdoms, or other influential Factions, dared to set their eyes on the academy's territory. It was a neutral power that everyone wanted to be on good terms with.

This was why most of the Royal heirs, and high ranking nobles in the Central Continent, enrolled in the academy to form powerful connections with people in high places. Such connections would definitely prove to be helpful in the future when they graduated and succeeded their parents' positions.

Jophiel took them to the outpost town known as Stonescream Stronghold. This was the town that had been built on this island, which was under the government of the Academy of Hestia.

This outpost had less than ten-thousand people, and most of them were refugees who belonged to the various ethnicities of the Central Continent. With no place to go, these people traveled all the way to the Free City of Rhea, where most outcasts and refugees gathered.

"Sir Jophiel, our hunters had reported increased activity coming from the direction of the colony," the Commander of the outpost reported. 

Although he was the commander of Stonescream Stronghold, he was very polite and respectful when talking to Jophiel, which showed how important the Head Examiner was in Hestia Academy. 

"Did they attack any of the hunters?" Jophiel inquired. "Did they try to come near the outpost?" 

The Commander nodded his head and his face became very serious. "Our Hunters have experienced harassment. Although no one on our side received any lethal injuries from these conflicts, they did suffer minor injuries. 

"There are also sightings of their scouts observing our outpost from the edges of the forest. Perhaps, they are observing our defenses, and looking for any kind of weakness that they may exploit."

Jophiel nodded his head in understanding. "Don't worry. These people behind me have come to help. Send all the information you have about our 'neighbors' to our quarters. We will discuss how to best solve the current problem, without resorting to full-blown hostilities."

"That is for the best," the Outpost Commander replied with a strained smile. "We are completely outnumbered, and war is the last thing we want to happen."

Jophiel asked some casual questions about the Outpost's current condition, before taking William and the rest to the quarters that were meant for the envoys of Hestia Academy. 

As soon as they arrived at their destination, Jophiel gave them a brief summary of the problem that was currently plaguing Stronescream Stronghold, inside a conference room. 

"Our Academy helps to relocate people that have nowhere to go," Jophiel explained. "This island is one of the locations where we planned to build a flourishing city that would cater to the refugees, outcasts, and other wandering nomads that have no place to settle. Unfortunately, this island has… unique inhabitants that makes our expansion very slow."

William crossed his arms over his chest, as he listened to Jophiel's explanation. Although the Head Examiner used the word expansion, the Half-Elf immediately understood the gist of the problem.

"Sir, are you planning to colonize this island?" William inquired after Jophiel finished his vague explanation. 

Jophiel eyed the red-headed teenager before shaking his head. "You got it wrong. There are no people on this island. When the explorer team of the academy visited these lands. They had confirmed that there were no humanoid creatures, in any form that inhabited this land. And this information held true until recently."

The Head Examiner placed a crystal in the middle of the table and a projection appeared in front of everyone.

"A foreign race had become stranded in this land, and their numbers have increased drastically as the years have passed," Jophiel stated as the projection showed the appearance of the problem that they had to face. "At first, these foreign guests posed no threat to the outpost. You could even say that we were not aware of their existence until something unexpected happened."

Jophiel tapped the crystal twice and a new image appeared in front of everyone.

"These creatures have a terrifying ability that allows them to evolve and, if not solved immediately, could pose a threat, not only to the people in the outpost, but to the entire world as well. We are afraid that if they were to find a means to leave this island then a calamity might befall upon the entire world.

"Gentlemen, the Academy considers this incident a Class S Mission. If you are able to find a way to help solve this problem, you will not only pass this exam, but you will also be greatly rewarded by the academy. Do any of you have any questions?"

William had a complicated look on his face as he looked at the creatures that were in the projection. He didn't know if he should laugh or cry at the Class S Mission that the academy had presented to him.

If it had been other people who were sent to the island, he believed that they would have a problem dealing with the evolving creatures. But, for William, this wasn't a big deal. Since that was the case, he asked Jophiel the only question that he had in mind.

"What are they called?" William asked.

Jophiel cleared his throat before answering William's question. 

"They are called… Requiem Antz.. A race that is said to have come from one of the forbidden lands of the Central Continent, The Eternal Evergarden."

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