Richard Mors stood before the academy's mission board, his dark eyes scanning the list of available tasks.
The professors had made it clear. If he wanted to graduate within the year, he would need to prove himself through an independent mission. No team. No backup. Just him, alone.
It was meant to be a challenge, a final assessment to determine if he was truly capable of standing among Agartha's greatest.
Yet, when given the choice, Richard did not hesitate. He reached for the highest-ranking mission available, S-Rank: Investigation of the Night Owls Squad's Last Mission.
A cold silence filled the hall as the professors exchanged uneasy glances. This was not just any mission.
It was a black mark in the academy's history, an unresolved case that had left many unanswered questions.
Seven elite members had embarked on the task, including Riezekiel Mors, Richard's eldest brother, and Ahcehera Bloodstone, the princess of the empire.