Chapter 17 Academy’s Participation in the War
Chapter 17 Academy’s Participation in the War
Zi Xue’s words filled my heart with warmth. I hugged her tightly and whispered softly, “I know you’re worried about me, but calm down. The principal said there won’t be much danger. After all, we’ll be following the Dragon Knights. Don’t worry. We’ll definitely return soon.”
Zi Xue shook her head.
“You’ll be gone for so long. What if those beautiful girls charm you away from me? All four of the academy’s top beauties are going on this trip, and they’re all prettier than me…”
I pinched her nose.
“Don’t you trust me? Besides, your sister is going along anyway. You can have her supervise me. Do I look like someone who changes his mind on a whim?”
Zi Xue lightly pounded my chest.
“Only you could say something like that with such confidence… Hmm. Maybe I really will ask my sister to supervise you.”
A cough sounded behind Zi Xue.
I quickly pulled her to her feet. When I turned around, I saw the vice-principal.
I smiled awkwardly.
“Sir, what brings you here?”
The vice-principal pointed at me and whispered, “You brat, I caught you again. You’re lucky the principal didn’t see this. Otherwise he would’ve given both of you a harsh lecture.”
He then added, “I came to talk to you. I’ll be leading the team to the front lines.”
I looked surprised.
“Aren’t we going with the Dragon Knights? Why do you need to lead the team as well?”
The vice-principal sighed.
“You’re all the academy’s elites. Of course we must ensure your safety. How could I let you go without a powerful teacher accompanying you?”
Zi Xue brightened.
“Then please take good care of Lei Xiang! If there’s any danger, you must protect him. I’ll hold you responsible when you return.”
The vice-principal laughed.
“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t dare offend your father. He’s a duke.”
I asked, “Why did the academy suddenly decide to send us to the front lines?”
The vice-principal sighed again.
“Zi Xue already knows about this, but I’ll explain it to you.”
“A few days ago, the principal sent the fifth-year elites to participate in a friendly tournament between the Four Great Academies. Since Li Wa had just graduated and joined the Dragon Knight Corps, our academy’s strength dropped significantly.”
“When the tournament ended, our academy ranked last.”
“The principal was furious. He reviewed our teaching methods and found them unsatisfactory. After two days of meetings, we decided to send you directly into battle.”
“On the battlefield, you will be baptized by blood and fire. That experience will make you stronger. Only by facing real war will you understand that the harder you train, the less you fear in battle.”
Hmph. What a load of nonsense.
They just want to preserve the academy’s reputation.
Honestly, I don’t want to go at all. I’m afraid of encountering the Beast Clan.
If Father leads his Behemoth army into battle…
The mere thought sent a shiver down my spine.
Still, I was curious about the Demon Clan. I wanted to see how their Fallen Angels compared to mine.
The vice-principal said, “Lei Xiang, go back to your dormitory and prepare. Your injuries were serious, even though most of your strength has returned. You should fully recover before departure.”
He added quietly, “And restrain yourselves more around the academy. Especially in front of the teachers. If they catch you, it will be difficult for me to help you.”
Watching the vice-principal walk away, I turned to Zi Xue.
“Don’t worry. I promise I’ll return safely this time.”
Zi Xue nodded.
“It’s getting dark. I should head home.”
“I’ll walk you there.”
I escorted Zi Xue all the way to the entrance of the Duke’s mansion. Only after watching her safely enter the courtyard did I return to the academy.
Perhaps I’m not destined to attend school.
Out of the entire term, I’ve only attended classes for two months. Now I’m leaving again.
If I meet Father on the battlefield… should I attack him?
Grandmother’s death had always weighed heavily on my heart.
One day I would avenge her.
Even if he was my father, I would never forgive what he had done.
My identity might now be that of a Beastman spy, but I would make my own choices.
I refused to be controlled by anyone.
I was independent.
I would do only what I wished.
Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye a week had gone by.
During that week Zi Xue and I were inseparable. We reluctantly parted only at night. We spent hours talking together like lovestruck fools, stuck together like glue.
Before leaving, I visited Teacher Zhuang and asked her to remove the bracelet she had given me. Since it had no effect on Dark Magic, it was useless to me.
I gave the bracelet to Zi Xue.
In return, she gave me a black breastplate. It was a family heirloom passed down through generations of her family.
Although it weighed almost nothing, its defensive power was extraordinary. It could be attached beneath light leather armor, allowing me to wear it easily while still showing the muscles of my arms.
With Black Sable at my side, I cut quite an intimidating figure.
…
“Everyone assemble!”
At the vice-principal’s command, the one hundred students selected for the expedition quickly lined up on the academy field.
Each of us wore high-quality white armor prepared by the academy.
We formed a cross formation with the vice-principal standing at the front.
He shouted loudly,
“Students of Sky City Academy! Soon you will participate in a real war and become the future pillars of this academy! Let your blood boil as you defend our homeland and destroy our enemies!”
His speech ignited everyone’s fighting spirit.
“Kill the enemies!” the students shouted.
The vice-principal nodded.
“Good. Let us depart. The Dragon Knight Squadron is waiting for us. It is a great honor to fight beside them.”
“Forward!”
“Forward!”
We marched in formation through the capital and eventually reached the city gates.
Outside the city we continued marching until we reached an open field where ten Dragon Knights waited atop their dragons.
They were responsible for escorting reinforcements and supplies to the front lines.
The supplies included defensive equipment and arrows, while the reinforcements consisted of eleven hundred soldiers and our group of students.
Since these supplies were vital to the battlefield, Dragon Knights were assigned to escort them and prevent ambushes.
For many students it was their first time seeing a Dragon Knight, and they were extremely excited.
Some loudly boasted about their achievements, hoping the Dragon Knights would notice them.
Others silently set the Dragon Knights as their goal, determined to reach that level someday.
When the formation was complete, I noticed Zi Yan standing beside me.
She had pestered the vice-principal endlessly until he allowed her to stand next to me.
The other male students glared at me with jealousy.
I could only sigh inwardly.
The academy had provided horses for everyone.
My mount, of course, was Black Dragon.
The vice-principal placed me near the rear of the formation, with Zi Yan riding on my left.
After we had traveled about a hundred miles from the capital, Zi Yan suddenly asked,
“Lei Xiang, have your injuries recovered?”
“Almost,” I replied flatly. “Why do you ask?”
Zi Yan glared at me.
“Can’t I ask without a reason? Don’t forget, I’m supervising you on Zi Xue’s behalf. If you treat me badly, I’ll tell her and she’ll ignore you.”
I sighed.
“Senior Sister, what exactly do you want? You insisted on riding beside me instead of joining the girls’ group. Now every man here looks like they want to tear me apart.”
Zi Yan laughed softly.
“Are you scared? I’m doing this on purpose. There’s nothing you can do about it.”
Her smile was like a hundred flowers blooming at once.
For a moment I was stunned by her beauty, but her words quickly stiffened my expression.
I turned my head and ignored her.
Zi Yan was a peerless beauty, but I couldn’t allow myself to be moved by her charm.
Otherwise how could I face Zi Xue?
The day passed quickly, and soon it was time to set up camp.
After discussing matters with the chiliarch commanding the eleven hundred soldiers, the vice-principal chose a clearing in a nearby forest.
The Dragon Knights remained at the edge of the clearing, quietly standing guard without paying attention to us.
Everyone gathered around the campfires to warm themselves.
Zi Yan sat beside me and took out a small box.
“This is for you,” she said. “Something good.”
I opened the box.
Inside was a delicate pastry.
I frowned.
“Thank you, but I can’t accept this. You should eat it yourself.”
Zi Yan pouted.
“Zi Xue made it herself. If you don’t want it, give it back.”
She reached out to take the box.
The moment I heard Zi Xue’s name, I quickly pulled the box back.
“Since Zi Xue made it for me, how could I return it?”
Zi Yan simply took out a piece of fruit and began eating.
I carefully tasted a piece of the pastry.
A faint rose fragrance spread through my mouth.
It was absolutely delicious.
When Zi Yan looked at me, a trace of gentleness flickered in her eyes.
After everyone finished eating, the vice-principal ordered us to return to our tents.
I smiled mischievously.
“Do you want to sleep in my tent too? I wouldn’t mind.”
Zi Yan’s face turned red.
“You shameless person!”
Before running off, she added quietly,
“You look good when you smile.”
I shook my head.
Zi Yan had changed a lot lately. She was no longer the cold and arrogant woman I had first met.
Now she seemed eager to stay close to me.
I had to keep my distance.
I didn’t want to cause misunderstandings between Zi Xue and me.
Inside the tent, Feng Wen grinned at me.
“You’re incredible. Killing two birds with one stone. You already have Zi Xue, yet you won’t give up Zi Yan either. Two of the academy’s top beauties—impressive!”
I tried to slap him, but he blocked it.
“Don’t talk nonsense,” I said with a smile. “If Li Wa hears that, he’ll challenge me to a death match. Are you trying to get me killed?”
“There’s nothing between Zi Yan and me. She’s just looking after me for Zi Xue’s sake. Do you think I asked her to follow me everywhere? She drives me crazy.”
“She sticks to me like a rice cake. The only time I get any privacy is when I go to the bathroom or come here to sleep.”
Feng Wen chuckled.
“That’s because she and Zi Xue are close. How could she explain it if you ran off with another girl?”
“Hmph. Do I look like that kind of person? Stop spreading rumors. You’re almost as bad as Feng Yun.”
Right then we heard laughter outside the tent.
“Who’s gossiping about me?”
Feng Yun pushed open the tent flap and squeezed inside.
The tent was meant for one person. With three of us inside, there was barely room to move.
“I was just saying,” I replied, “that Feng Wen’s rumor-making skills are almost as good as yours.”
Feng Yun looked shocked.
“You’ve been secretly training in my peerless divine technique without telling me?”
His comment made all of us burst into laughter.
Feng Wen said softly, “Too bad we don’t have any alcohol. If we did, we brothers could secretly drink a few cups and enjoy ourselves.” He even belched after saying that.
I asked, “Since when did you become a drunkard? Is alcohol really that good?”
Feng Wen nodded repeatedly.
“Alcohol is essential to life. The more you drink, the younger you become. Didn’t you know that?”
I shook my head. I had never liked alcohol. I usually avoided it except on special occasions. The taste never appealed to me. It only burned down my throat—nothing particularly special about it.
Suddenly, without warning, Feng Yun stuck half his body outside the tent. We had no idea what he was looking at.
Startled, Feng Wen asked, “What are you doing?”
Feng Yun slipped back inside and raised a finger to his lips.
“Shhh. Quiet. Look at this.”
As he spoke, he produced a small flask and held it in front of us.
Feng Wen’s eyes immediately lit up.
“Where did you get alcohol?”
Feng Yun smiled smugly.
“Hehe. I’m in the Magic Department, so I asked someone in my class to bring it in an interspatial pouch. What do you think? I’m pretty clever, right?”
Feng Wen nodded excitedly and snatched the flask.
“That’s great! Come on, let’s drink!”
When he opened the flask, a rich and sweet fragrance filled the air.
Feng Wen couldn’t hold back and took a long swig.
After swallowing, his face lit up with delight.
“Great!”
He handed the flask to me.
“Here, have some.”
I wanted to refuse, but when I saw the expectation in his eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
I took the flask and drank.
The alcohol burned down my throat, making me cough repeatedly.
Feng Yun laughed.
“Brother Lei Xiang, am I seeing things? A big guy like you doesn’t even know how to drink?”
I smiled awkwardly.
“Unlike you two, I don’t drink myself senseless every day.”
As I spoke, a wave of heat suddenly surged from my stomach. The warmth spread through my internal organs.
Curious, I guided the heat toward one of my injured meridian channels together with a strand of Mad God qi.
Unexpectedly, the previously damaged meridian channel began to recover slightly.
I was shocked.
I took another sip of alcohol.
Feng Wen groaned.
“Drink slowly! I didn’t bring much!”
I said seriously, “This wine seems to help heal my meridian channels. Let me try again.”
After taking two more gulps, I returned the flask to Feng Yun and closed my eyes to cultivate.
Using my own power together with the effect of the alcohol, I spent the entire night circulating qi.
By morning, I had successfully dredged open one meridian channel.
To my surprise, my strength had already recovered to seventy percent of its original level.
The next morning, Feng Wen immediately asked,
“How was it? Did it help your injuries?”
I nodded.
“I never imagined alcohol could have such an effect. It helped repair one of my meridian channels and restored some of my strength.”
I grabbed Feng Yun’s shoulder sincerely.
“Brother, thank you.”
Feng Yun laughed.
“We’re brothers. No need for thanks. Come on—we’re leaving soon. Let’s pack up the tent.”
…
Although I had teased Zi Yan the previous night, she seemed to have forgotten it after sleeping.
She still rode beside me on her bay horse, occasionally glancing at me.
Those glances made me uncomfortable.
I frowned.
“Why do you keep looking at me? Is there a flower on my face?”
Zi Yan smiled.
“No flower. But your complexion looks better. Your skin even seems smoother.”
Of course, I couldn’t tell her that alcohol had helped restore my meridian channels. Alcohol was strictly forbidden during this mission.
So I said casually, “I recovered some strength last night.”
Zi Yan looked delighted.
“That’s wonderful. You should continue focusing on recovery. Restoring your strength is the most important thing right now.”
She seemed more excited than I was.
She truly was a woman who admired strength.
Or… was that really the case?
After ten days of camping, I had already finished half of Feng Yun’s wine.
During that time, my strength miraculously returned completely.
All of my meridian channels had recovered, and my body was once again filled with power.
Feng Yun and the others even said that I radiated a powerful aura just by standing there.
Every night I trained both my Mad God Arts and Demonic Arts.
Feng Wen called me a lunatic for cultivating every day.
But he didn’t understand that cultivation was my best form of rest.
I had no intention of breaking through to a higher realm during this period. My only goal was to strengthen my previously damaged meridian channels and consolidate the third-tier foundations of both Mad God Arts and Demonic Arts.
Only by stabilizing the foundation could true improvement follow.
Since we were traveling with supply caravans, the journey was slow.
A trip that normally took twenty days ended up taking nearly a month.
At last we arrived at Stelu Fort, built on the outskirts of Stelu City.
The commander of the fortress was Li Wa’s father, Dragon General Li Wo.
According to the vice-principal, sixty Dragon Knights were stationed here, including the ten who had escorted us.
This made Stelu Fort the largest military stronghold of the Dragon Empire.
The army stationed here consisted of:
Ten infantry corps
Five cavalry corps
Five heavy cavalry corps
Eight mage corps
Each corps numbered thirty thousand soldiers.
Altogether the garrison approached one million troops.
It could be said that nearly all of the Dragon Empire’s military strength was concentrated here. The rest of the borders were guarded only by reserve forces.
Even now, reserves were continuously arriving at the front lines.
In terms of individual combat ability, humans were inferior to both demons and beastmen. Beastmen were born natural warriors.
However, humans possessed powerful magicians and Dragon Knights. With those advantages, maintaining military superiority was not difficult.
Dragon General Li Wo personally welcomed us, accompanied by Li Wa, who had recently been transferred here.
Li Wo brought us to his residence and hosted a magnificent banquet in our honor.
Naturally Li Wa sat with us.
No one dared compete with him for the seat beside Zi Yan.
I noticed that Zi Yan treated me far more warmly than she treated Li Wa. Whenever he approached her, she responded with cold indifference.
The vice-principal sat at the head table together with several high-ranking officers.
Most of them were graduates of Sky City Academy. Judging from their lively conversation, our future prospects in the military seemed promising.
I glanced at Li Wa, who was focusing all his attention on Zi Yan.
Finally I asked the question that had been on my mind.
“Li Wa, how is the situation at the front lines?”
Li Wa paused briefly.
“For now there haven’t been any large-scale battles. Only small probing attacks.”
“However, the Beastman Tribe has already deployed the Behemoth Army to reinforce their main forces. If they launch a full assault, we may need to dispatch Dragon Knights to counter them.”
“But don’t worry. You are all my juniors. When the time comes, we will assign you easier opponents.”
Everyone except Zi Yan and me immediately thanked him.
“Thank you, Senior Li Wa!”
Li Wa then asked Zi Yan,
“Why did the academy send you students to the front lines?”
Zi Yan rolled her eyes.
“How should I know? Ask the vice-principal yourself.”
Li Wa was clearly embarrassed.
He quickly changed the subject.
“Everyone, please eat freely. My personal guard and I hunted these animals ourselves for this feast.”
Feng Wen asked eagerly,
“Senior Li Wa, I heard you’ve already received recognition from a dragon and become a true Dragon Knight. Can you tell us about dragons?”
The question instantly captured everyone’s interest.
Li Wa smiled modestly.
“It’s nothing special. You’ll see my dragon soon anyway.”
“It’s a high-speed wind dragon. Its speed allows us to strike enemies quickly, and its wings are its greatest weapon.”
A third-year student said admiringly,
“Senior, I really envy you. I hope one day we can ride dragons too.”
Li Wa laughed.
“The empire hopes for that even more. The more Dragon Knights we have, the stronger the Dragon Empire becomes.”
Though his words sounded modest, the pride in his expression was obvious.
Li Wo arranged for us to stay inside Stelu Fort.
The comfortable quarters he provided showed how highly he valued us.
After five days of rest, we finally experienced our first real battle.
The vice-principal brought us to the top of the fortress walls.
Dragon General Li Wo stood nearby, continuously issuing commands.
Below us the battlefield stretched endlessly, filled with warriors from the three races.
The vice-principal explained,
“Watch carefully. The main forces of the Beastman Tribe consist of heavy armored units and Cheetahman assault troops.”
“Their strongest forces are the Behemoth Army and the Royal Wild Lion Army.”
“The Demon Clan relies on mixed-race units. Their most powerful forces are Dark Magicians and Fallen Angels.”
Li Wo issued orders rapidly.
“Third, Sixth, and Eighth Infantry Corps—reinforce the left flank!”
“Second Light Cavalry—charge and strike their mage units!”
“Fourth and Fifth Mage Corps—support them with full firepower!”
The battlefield erupted with magic and steel.
Spells streaked through the sky in every direction.
The battle lasted until nightfall.
By the end of the day, our side had lost ten thousand soldiers.
However, the Demon-Beast Alliance had suffered even greater casualties.
It seemed both sides had deliberately avoided deploying their strongest forces.
Of the hundred students who had come to the battlefield, nearly all were horrified.
They were under twenty years old and had never witnessed such carnage.
Outside the fortress walls, bodies piled up endlessly.
The battlefield was like a giant meat grinder.
Prisoners were almost nonexistent. Anyone who failed to retreat with their army was as good as dead.
I had killed hundreds of enemies before.
Scenes like this did not disturb me.
Even Zi Yan, standing beside me, vomited several times and called me cold-blooded.
The vice-principal gathered us in formation.
“Today you witnessed a real battlefield.”
“In war, showing mercy to your enemy means forfeiting your own life.”
“Only by killing quickly can you survive.”
“I have spoken with General Li Wo.”
“Tomorrow you will join the battle.”
“I will not protect you. Whether you live or die depends entirely on your own strength.”
His announcement caused panic among the students.
War was not like training exercises.
Zi Yan’s face turned pale.
I tried to reassure her.
“Stay close to me tomorrow. Nothing will happen.”
She looked at me uncertainly but nodded.
One student asked nervously,
“Vice-Principal… can we choose not to participate?”
The vice-principal exploded with anger.
“Do you think this is a game?”
“You volunteered for this mission. That means you accepted the possibility of battle!”
“You are no longer merely students of Sky City Academy—you are soldiers of the Dragon Empire!”
“Cowards are the greatest disgrace in the army!”
“If anyone requests exemption from battle, they will be punished according to military law!”
His face was red with anger.
Although his tone was harsh, I understood his intentions.
Real growth only came through real combat.
After we dispersed, I called Feng Wen and Feng Yun to my tent.
“Tomorrow will be our first real battle.”
“Don’t panic.”
“When we engage the enemy, stay on my flanks. I’ll deal with the enemies in front. You two handle the sides.”
“Zi Yan will support us with magic from the rear.”
“Attack boldly. The vice-principal is right—we cannot show mercy.”
Feng Wen nodded firmly.
“Boss, we’ll definitely survive tomorrow.”
Feng Yun, who had been carefree throughout the journey, also grew serious.
“The three of us will survive together.”
They were true brothers to me.
Of course I would protect them.
Zi Yan was Zi Xue’s sister, and she was also a beauty. I would protect her as well.
But I could not protect everyone.
The others would have to rely on their own strength.
As long as the Demon-Beast Alliance did not deploy their strongest forces, I had nothing to fear.
I stepped outside the tent.
The moonlight was bright and clear.
Suddenly I heard raised voices nearby.
Listening carefully, I realized it was Zi Yan and Li Wa arguing fiercely.