Vol. 4 Ch. 64

Ten minutes later, the advancement exam officially began.

The young dragons paired up and entered the Demonic Moon Forest in groups. To ensure safety and a steady exam pace, the academy provided each student with a simplified map.

Though the map lacked detailed routes, it marked zones with different danger levels for creatures using color coding.

“Green… yellow… red?” Helena tilted her head as she examined the vibrant sections on the map. “Does that mean low, medium, and high levels?”

“It should,” Noa replied. “Green areas are the most abundant, while red zones are the rarest.”

The teacher’s earlier remark about *‘inverse proportion of quantity to difficulty’* seemed to confirm this interpretation.

Noa had no complaints about the system—it reminded her of her teacher’s methods years ago when preparing her for the War Academy entrance exam. Back then, her teacher had used red, yellow, and green pens to mark subjects Noa fully understood, partially grasped, or completely struggled with.

Looking at the map’s colored zones brought a faint smile to Noa’s face, but she quickly refocused. Pointing to a red zone, she said, “Let’s head here first. That’s where A-level creatures are likely to appear. There are also nearby yellow zones where we might find B-levels afterward.”

“Got it!” Helena agreed readily.

Despite Noa’s young age, her top-notch performance in both theory and practice earned Helena’s trust without question. But Helena wasn’t a passive partner—she had trained rigorously with Noa and could hold her own.

Unlike the fire-based magic most dragons awakened, these two were an anomaly:

- Noa wielded lightning magic for destructive power.

- Helena used water magic for control and support.

Their combat synergy was exceptional. In practical lessons, Helena’s steady demeanor often tempered Noa’s aggressive fighting style.

A teacher had once described them as:

“Noa is an indomitable sword, and Helena is the hand that wields it.”

---

Following the map, they headed toward a red zone but started in green areas where C-level creatures were said to be plentiful.

Yet even after covering some distance, they hadn’t encountered a single creature.

“It seems you were right, Noa,” Helena remarked, crouching near a bush. She parted the foliage to reveal a faint footprint in the damp soil. “Lower-level creatures are better at hiding. It’s tough to find any traces of them.”

Helena then stood and called to a pair of girls nearby, “Kristina! Over here!”

The two girls, teammates from a previous class competition, approached hesitantly. They were shy but kind and had a good relationship with Noa and Helena.

“What’s up, Helena?” Kristina asked.

Helena pointed to the footprint. “This looks like it was made by a Barefoot Rat. You can follow this trail to track it.”

Kristina’s eyes widened. “You’re not chasing it yourselves?”

“We’re going straight for an A-level creature,” Helena replied with a smile.

Kristina looked shocked. “An A-level creature, right from the start?” She glanced at Noa, who stood silently with a calm, serious expression. Kristina nodded in understanding. “Oh, you’re with Noa—that explains it.”

Helena chuckled. “Want to make it a competition? See who finishes first?”

Kristina waved her hands. “No way! Competing with you two would be a nightmare. We just want to pass.”

Helena laughed and waved them off. “Good luck!”

---

The journey to the red zone took around 30 minutes.

Helena surveyed the surroundings as they arrived. “It seems we’re the only ones here, Noa.”

“Just the two of us,” Noa replied, her voice cool as usual.

Helena suddenly stepped behind Noa and wrapped her arms around her. Resting her chin on Noa’s head due to their height difference, she teased, “Since it’s just us, let’s have a quick date, Noa~”

Noa didn’t resist but maintained her stoic demeanor. She was used to Helena’s spontaneous hugs.

“After we get 100 points,” she replied flatly.

“Fine, fine,” Helena pouted, releasing her friend. The brief moment of warmth passed, and the two got back to work.

---

The Demonic Moon Forest was divided into four regions: Outer, Middle, Inner, and Core. They were currently in the Inner Zone. The academy map explicitly warned students:

**“Exercise caution near the Core Zone.”**

Even Noa, despite her bold strategy, avoided rushing into the Core. A-level creatures could be found in both zones, so there was no need to take unnecessary risks.

“Let’s start,” Noa said.

Helena nodded and sat cross-legged, closing her eyes to channel her magic. A gentle wave of energy spread outward, causing her blue hair to flutter slightly. Her water magic extended into nearby puddles and streams, amplifying vibrations to detect any movement.

Meanwhile, Noa stood guard, scanning the area for tracks. Larger creatures often left more obvious signs, and she hoped their target would be easier to locate.

Soon, they both found leads.

“There’s something that way,” Helena noted.

“I found tracks too—scratches on the tree bark. Let’s go,” Noa confirmed.

Following the trail for ten minutes, they began noticing a faint stench in the air.

Helena wrinkled her nose. “What is that smell?”

“I’m not sure, but it could help us locate it faster,” Noa replied.

The odor grew stronger as they approached. Through the dense fog, they spotted a large shadow ahead.

“Let’s move,” Noa urged, stepping forward.

Helena followed, but the stench became unbearable. Her mind raced through her lessons, trying to identify what kind of creature could emit such a foul odor.

Catching up to Noa, she asked, “What is it, Noa?”

“Don’t look!” Noa snapped, raising her hand to cover Helena’s eyes.

“What?” Helena froze, confused.

Noa’s voice turned cold. “It’s a corpse.”

She gently guided Helena away from the scene. Once they were a safe distance away, Noa lowered her hand.

Helena hesitated. “Was that… a creature’s body?”

Noa nodded, her brows furrowed. “An A-level Mutant Red-Eyed Hound. It was killed—its chest was blown open, heart destroyed, ribs shattered. And…”

She trailed off, unable to continue.

Helena quickly pulled her into a comforting hug. “It’s okay. You don’t have to say more.”

The sight had clearly shaken Noa. For students their age, such brutality was overwhelming.

After a moment, Helena sighed. “It’s rare for A-level creatures to fight like this. Let’s rest and try again.”

---

After regrouping, they followed another trail. Surprisingly, they encountered a second A-level creature in the same area—a stroke of luck, though it came with a price.

The familiar stench of decay greeted them again.

This time, the creature lay on the ground, breathing faintly, its body on the verge of collapse.

“What happened? Could it have fought the hound and both sides lost?” Helena wondered aloud.

Noa narrowed her eyes. “We need to leave.”

“But if we don’t… the map only has two red zones. We won’t make it in time to—”

*Thud.*

A deep, resonant footstep echoed through the forest, interrupting Helena mid-sentence.

*Thud…*

The sound grew louder, closer.

“What’s happening? Is it another creature?” Helena asked, panic creeping into her voice.

Noa stared ahead, swallowing hard. From behind the fallen creature emerged an even larger figure, its body rippling with dark energy. It towered over them like a living mountain.

Its crimson eyes pierced through the fog, cold and terrifying.

In its massive hand was a gleaming weapon—a warhammer.