289 Problems Arise
The interview with Nathan and Joseph was made public, but sections were omitted due to heavy filtering by the Officials of the World Academy.
The only portion that was shared revealed that Nathan and Joseph had declined any involvement in other continents unless their presence was needed.
Nathan had only committed to dealing with one SSS Rank Monster, and just like Joseph, he had fulfilled his duty concerning the issues in Fashia.
Unlike Associations, the SSS Rank Hunters of elite families didn't need to inconvenience themselves with matters concerning other continents.
This time, Nathan wouldn't have budged if he hadn't been promised an SSS Rank Mana Gem.
The problem wasn't merely that an unidentified SSS Rank Monster had unknown abilities.
Throughout the fight, both Nathan and Joseph kept a wary eye on each other due to mutual distrust.
This sentiment of distrust was shared by most of the SSS Rank Hunters.
"Order everyone to move out after a week," Nathan commanded.
"As you wish, Guildmaster," the man replied respectfully.
With the SSS Rank monster now defeated, the Monster Tide would cease in a week, and Nathan didn't want his Guild to linger in Fashia for long.
Hovering in the air, Nathan gazed towards the Border of Fashia.
"I will be heading for Somaria. Handle everything here and contact me if necessary," Nathan directed, vanishing shortly afterwards.
The man merely nodded, entered his car, and all the hunters of Abyss Guild began to evacuate the area.
Meanwhile, at the World Academy,
"Keep casting different spells, and we will alternate the elements every time you successfully chant one," Elsa instructed the students.
"Don't fret over the power of the spell, as most elements will not align with your affinity," she added.
These were basic spells, and Elsa's intention in having students use every single Basic Element was to ensure they formed a connection with all elements.
A proficient hunter had to be knowledgeable about each element, even if they didn't use them all, as there were instances when Dungeons would spawn monsters with a specific elemental strength.
To combat such monsters, a Hunter needed comprehensive knowledge about all elements, an area where Mages often fell short.
Every individual found that learning beyond their affinity was tiring and less rewarding than strengthening their preferred element.
However, the World Academy ensured that its students were proficient in the knowledge of all elements, and this training was not exclusive to Mage Hunters.
Even Kevin, who was studying the Lightning element, was expected to familiarize himself with all the elements over his four-year course.
The curriculum at the World Academy was designed to produce graduates who were strong and knowledgeable enough to tackle any situation.
"These spells aren't difficult, so don't take too long to complete this," Elsa advised the students, who were assembled in a large room, each with a dummy target.
Most students found it challenging to cast these spells as, unlike Basic magic, these spells required the user to have a clear sense of the element involved.
If casting the spell was too easy, it would undermine the whole purpose of the lesson.
However, some students like Elena, who was fortunate enough to have an affinity for all Basic Elements, and her peers, Eva, Amelia, and Asher, didn't struggle with this task.
Asher, in particular, had little difficulty as he could sense all elements more keenly than others. Having ascended beyond the realm of S Rank, the sensation was still fresh in his memory.
Though slightly slower, Alyssa also completed the task, just behind Lishia Halcyon, who managed to cast all elements within 3 minutes.
"Those who have finished may leave," Elsa announced as a significant number of students completed the lesson.
Allowing students to leave once they completed their task motivated others to do the same.
Merely learning was not sufficient to become stronger. They also had to absorb mana using Mana Circulation techniques, a process that required time.
A balance was needed between learning and practicing so that all the students could accelerate their progress.
Asher was on his way out when he overheard a group of students discussing a hot topic.
"Hey, did you hear that an SSS Rank Calamity has already been defeated?" one of them asked.
"I heard it was Fashia," he added.
"Really, I was really concerned about my family since we live near the Border," another replied.
The news had already spread, and everyone was relieved that Fashia was safe, but this led to further discussion as news from other SSS Rank Hunters hadn't arrived yet.
"Well, I think they will vanquish all the SSS Rank Monsters just like this," one of them responded cheerfully.
However, the jubilant atmosphere only lasted a week, as news of the second Calamity's fall reached the public.
A week had passed, and the SSS Rank Monster was finally defeated by Silvus and two other SSS Rank Hunters, but the Vice Chairman of the World Association was severely injured in the process.
This news was closely guarded, known only to a few key individuals. It wasn't something that could be easily disclosed to the world.
Upon learning that only Nathan and Joseph had returned, Silvus also refrained from sharing any information.
Until the situation was under control and they had formulated a plan to handle Zephyr, it wasn't prudent to spread the news of a heavily injured SSS Rank Hunter.
Only a select few within the World Association were privy to the Vice Chairman's condition and involved in his treatment, all of whom were bound by a Mana Oath.
"Hah, so they are still fighting?" Silvus asked an Elder from the Mage Association.
"Yes, we've confirmed that the battle is ongoing, but we can't approach to gather any information," the Elder replied, looking somewhat concerned.
Silvus understood why they couldn't get closer - the clash of powers between SSS Rank Hunters and similar entities could significantly harm an SS Rank Hunter.
And the worst-case scenario was suffering from Mana Poisoning, an incurable condition that could only be managed over time as the individual grappled with the wild mana harming their Mana Core.
This was a Hunter's worst nightmare - having their mana core weakened.
"Inform Dexter that we're heading to Belvoria immediately," Silvus directed, but the Elder looked apprehensive.
"But are you okay?" the Elder asked.
"Don't worry, the fight was intense, but I've recovered half of my strength, and we don't have time to waste," Silvus reassured him.
Silvus was troubled by the fact that Farnus hadn't neutralized the SSS Rank Monster yet.
It didn't make sense as Farnus was the only person in possession of an SSS Rank treasure and the Ancient Rune, making him the strongest Hunter in the world.
Silvus had to witness the situation first-hand, but he couldn't go alone, hence the request for Dexter's company.
With Nathan and Joseph having returned, Silvus was confident that they would manage any issues in their own continent if things went south.
And Dalton, who was slightly injured, would recover soon, ensuring Desmar was also taken care of.
The only problem was Belvoria, which was confronting two Calamities simultaneously.
Within the Artisan's Association,
Dexter was engrossed in his work on a new rune in the forge when his ring began to glow red.
"Huh, did something go wrong?" Dexter mused, touching the ring.
The face of an Elder from the Mage Association soon appeared as a hologram. It was a visage Dexter recognized, having seen the group of Elders accompanying Silvus on several occasions.
"Lord Dexter, Chairman Silvus has urgently requested your presence in Belvoria," the Elder informed him, his tone respectful.
"What's happened?" Dexter inquired, waving his hands. As he did so, the red glow of the runes dimmed and the forge doors started to open.
"We're in the dark about the situation in Belvoria. Chairman Silvus only instructed us to contact you," the Elder responded.
Dexter didn't find it difficult to speculate why Silvus might need his assistance.
"Assure him that I'll be there soon," Dexter responded, and the holographic transmission ended.
"I wonder what on earth they're grappling with that's causing such a delay," Dexter muttered as he exited the forge.
He picked up a giant, rune-inscribed axe-like weapon.
"Activate the portal," Dexter commanded. A door in the floor swung open, revealing eight teleportation gates.
"Inform the others that I'll be heading to Belvoria, and my floor is off-limits until I return," Dexter instructed before stepping into the fourth teleportation gate and disappearing from the Tower of the Artisan's Association.
Meanwhile, Silvus had already arrived in Belvoria and was awaiting Dexter, who showed up shortly after.
"Hmm, seems like they're in quite the battle with these monsters," Dexter noted, feeling the pulses of mana from the clash of SSS Rank entities in the distance.
"Let's go," he declared.
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