Zain and Ria (7)

Ria stood at the entrance of the Ascension Department, waiting for Kelsey. Her gaze was fixed on the sky, which bore signs of impending rain. Due to past phenomena, rain had become one of the most heavily monitored natural occurrences, as it played a crucial role in shaping the world as it was now.

Kelsey approached Ria, who remained staring at the sky. Without turning her head, Ria acknowledged Kelsey's presence, having sensed her arrival from several meters away.

"What are you looking at?" Kelsey asked.

Ria sighed softly. "I'm looking at the sky. I find it beautiful."

It was an odd statement coming from the famed "Ice Princess," but Kelsey decided to shrug it off.

"Come on, let's go. I need to show you something important," Ria said.

Moments later, the two walked to the janitor's office. Ria demonstrated how to access a hidden room, twisting the doorknob clockwise and then counterclockwise in rapid succession. It was peculiar that the janitor's office even had a doorknob since most doors in the academy were either motion-sensored or equipped with handles.

Kelsey's eyes widened in surprise as a hidden entrance revealed itself, leading to a secret room. As they stepped inside, motion sensors activated the lights, and Kelsey let out a startled yelp.

In the center of the room stood a capsule suspended in green liquid, and inside it was a boy.

"This is the secret room. Can you keep this place to yourself?" Ria asked.

Kelsey, transfixed by the sight, nodded silently.

"Who is that?" she asked.

Ria smiled faintly. "That's Zain." Her smile quickly faded. "He's in some kind of coma."

"How is that possible?"

Ria pointed at a monitor displaying Zain's vitals. "He's been in a coma for a year now. The people taking care of him disappeared. I think the academy decided to keep him here until he wakes up."

Kelsey turned to Ria, then back to Zain. "But why is he here with no supervision?"

Ria shrugged. "I don't know."

She approached the capsule, placing her hand on the glass. "I'll be going on a lot of missions, so Kelsey will keep you company. Oh, where are my manners? Zain, you probably can't see her, but this is Kelsey. Kelsey, this is Zain. He's... kind of my friend."

"Hello, Zain," Kelsey said quietly.

While Ria sat down and happily sipped on a bottle of Carbonated X, Kelsey wandered the room, inspecting various boxes and objects. She couldn't help but chuckle when she learned that Ria had originally snuck into the room just to eat junk food.

---

Ria's mission began the following day. Her first task was an academy mission: to retrieve the venom of a reptile-like monster in the desert within the academy's training grounds.

Studying the map, Ria headed into the desert. The area was vast, and the creature she sought was a Sand Snake. The good news was that it had a nest, but the bad news was that the nest branched into multiple underground tunnels.

The Sand Snake's primary prey consisted of Sun Worms, low-class monsters that absorbed solar energy for sustenance. Classified as a B-ranked monster, the Sand Snake possessed a degree of cunning intelligence that made it even more dangerous.

Ria had gathered all available information about the creature and wasn't going in blind. After thirty minutes of running through the scorching desert, she stopped at the entrance of what appeared to be the snake's tunnels—or perhaps it was the exit.

As its name implied, the Sand Snake thrived in tunnels, often leaving traces of venom in its lair when its mouth overflowed with the toxic substance. Ria now faced two choices: either venture into its territory to safely collect the venom or force the creature to spit it out.

She took a deep breath, carefully assessing the situation.

'The academy ranks students based on their combat and learning capabilities,' she thought, 'but in the field, strength and skill are what matter. Even though I'm ranked A+ by the academy, there's no guarantee I can defeat a B-class monster. Experience is crucial for survival and for attacking efficiently. Entering the tunnel is the best choice.'

With her mind made up, Ria tightened her grip on her weapons and cautiously stepped toward the tunnels, her sharp gaze scanning the area for any signs of danger.