The carriages arrived at the borderland of Nightmare land. Borderland was a small borderline area, and further this area was the Nightmare land filled with Steam Nightmare creatures.
Arkhen, Grace, and Maryl came out of the carriage and saw a handsome man with black hair with white hair strands.
He had a gentle vibe to him and a calm smile on his face.
When he saw Grace, Arkhen, and Maryl coming out, he walked toward them. "Nice to meet you, Princess Grace, Princess Maryl, and…."
"Arkhen Dawnless," Arkhen said with a smile as he stretched his hand for a handshake.
"Hi," Cyrus smiled and shook hands before turning to Grace. He saw her nervous look and lightly laughed, "Let's go to the camp first. We will move to the Nightmare land in the night because we can't sleep here during the night."
Instructor Klein and another lady Instructor walked towards them and greeted Cyrus.
"How are you, Cyrus? Everything good?" Klein said with a smile.
"Yep. How about you two?"
"What can happen to us? Haha," Instructor Willow said with a smile before she turned to Arkhen. "Arkhen, Princess Grace. This Cyrus here can also be a good practice partner for you two because despite being a similar age as you, he is one rank higher. But, of course, no sparring today."
"Emerald Knight?" Arkhen raised his eyebrows.
"Yep," Cyrus nodded with a smile.
Grace was also startled. She didn't think there was someone higher rank than them at their age.
The other students who gathered there after following Instructor Klein and Willow were also shocked upon hearing that.
"Emerald Knight, already?!"
"Jeez, I thought Arkhen and Princess Grace were already monsters to have become Ruby Knights."
"Damn, right! Did he train while he was in the womb?"
The students were whispering and discussing Cyrus.
"Alright, everyone. We have to take a rest for the day. No practicing or any tiresome work. Just pure rest," said Instructor Klein as he turned to the students before leading them to the camp area.
Arkhen, Grace, Maryl, and Cyrus also started walking there while talking.
The camp area was a big area filled with large to small tents.
The first thing everyone did was eat. They had energy-filled and nutritional food made from rare ingredients.
After eating, everyone felt abnormally sleepy.
"Don't resist the sleepiness. The blue colored tents are for students, and each tent can house ten people—boys and girls in separate tents. Now, go and sleep," Instructor Klein said before he led the boys to their area of tens.
Instructor Willow led the girls to their area of tents before everyone fell asleep.
In a white tent, Instructor Klein and Willow sat at a table while discussing the practical experience that would start tonight.
…
At 7 PM in the evening, everyone woke up filling energized and refreshed like never before.
"You four will move ahead with me since you are stronger. The rest of the students will move behind us. Do not separate from the formation," Instructor Kevin said as everyone stood at the border of the nightmare land.
Ten more instructors had arrived, but they were one rank lower than Klein and Willow.
Those ten instructors stood in a circular formation while the group of students stood inside.
Arkhen, Grace, Maryl, and Cyrus stood outside the formation, at the front of the group, while Klein floated in the air and Willow also floated at the center above the group.
"Let's go! The scenery will change when we set foot in the nightmare land. The darkness you see right now will be replaced by a dark world filled with dark colors."
Instructor Klein looked at the group of people with a stern expression as he continued, "I've told you before, but I will still say it again. Do not be afraid! Forget the fear in you. Fear will invite nightmares and weaken you."
"We will strictly observe you and your performance. Those who fail in this test will lose the qualification to become a knight until they finish another rigorous course of two years," Instructor Willow added with a stoic face.
Afterward, everyone started moving on Instructor Klein's shout.
At the front of the group, Cyrus said with a smile, "It's not that scary once you get used to it. I've gone there twice with other knights of my family."
"Oh, so you already have experience. That's reassuring, haha," Maryl said with a smile before she elbowed Grace and whispered. "Sis, he is not too bad, eh?"
"Huss!" Grace's pinched Maryl's waist and said, "Focus ahead."
The moment they entered Nightmare Land, the entire world changed.
It was a world filled with white, dark blue, purple, and such wisps. The trees were dark green but glowing. The rocks were also glowing while strange howling and other kinds of sounds occasionally appeared.
After walking for ten minutes and arriving at a riverbed, Klein told everyone to stop, and with a somber expression, he said, "The nightmare creatures will spawn soon. Stay focused and fight. Our instructors will not help you unless a dire situation arrives. Get ready!"
After two minutes, beastly and weird humanoid-shaped creatures started spawning from the ground as they issued various strange cries at the group.
Instructor Willow quickly scanned and said, "All those creatures are low-rank ones. With your strength, you should be able to fight and kill them. Now, don't be a disgrace and fight!"
"Arkhen, Grace, Maryl, and Cyrus," Klein turned to the squad of four and said, "Go over the river. Strong Nightmare Creatures will spawn there. It will be tough, but you have to fight them."
"Got it," Arkhen said with a nod before he manifested his broad sword and unleashed his steam power.
*swoosh!*
A burst of steam released from the soles of his feet as he shot upward and jumped over the river.
However, when he landed, Cyrus was already standing beside him. "Let's do our best," he said to Arkhen with a smile."
'How?' Arkhen was startled but got an answer as soon as Grace and Maryl landed beside him.
"That was a very quiet and proficient Displace Movement Art," Grace said with a surprised expression. "Arkhen and I have picked it up but not proficient enough to use it at a hundred percent success."
Klein also nodded in praise. 'This guy never fails to amaze me. No wonder he is called prodigy of the century.'
*Screen!*
But there was no time to talk as powerful nightmare creatures of Elite-rank started spawning!
A two meters tall black creature with brown patterns and two horns rushed towards them.
Arkhen narrowed his eyes and waved his hand while he was already moving forward with a burst of steam leaving behind.
*Slash!*
The sword hit the creature before sending it flying toward the incoming four creatures.
"Blast," Arkhen muttered as the gears of his giant sword moved at the exact time when the creature crashed into those four creatures!
*BOOM!*
It exploded and killed the other four creatures as well before all five of them turned into black motes and disappeared.
"Nice technique," Cyrus said in surprise. 'A tracing blast that he can trigger at will? Not bad. This wouldn't be possible unless he had high control and high precipitate proficiency over his steam power.
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