Discovered!

Early the next morning, the students from classes 2D and 2C were already gathered in front of the academy entrance, waiting for the bus.

Everyone, including the teachers, was already suited up in the combat uniforms delivered to their homes the day before. The armor was sleek and black, simple in design but tough enough for real combat.

Rather than looking flashy, it resembled a tactical bodysuit, built for mobility and protection.

The teachers' suits had some differences, featuring extra gear and protection since theirs were custom-tailored to fit them.

While most of the students chatted among themselves, Reisou and 2B stood off to the side, quietly scanning the crowd. It didn't take long before they spotted Eriri, Yukino, and Kei.

The girls met their gaze and began walking over, drawing murmurs from the nearby classmates.

Since the two classes had clashed not long ago, many expected some kind of confrontation.

But to everyone's surprise, they greeted each other casually and stuck together, leaving the students puzzled.

After all, when the Princess Trio was together, they rarely mingled with anyone else. Now, them approaching Reisou and 2B on their own was almost unbelievable.

"So, have any of you been through a Gate before?" Reisou asked, trying to ease the tension.

"Nope, this'll be my first time," Kei said with a smile, though a hint of nervousness lingered behind it.

"I had the chance back when I lived in London, but I turned it down. So yeah, today's technically my first time too," Eriri said. She didn't look the slightest bit worried.

Yukino took a few seconds to respond, then simply said, "No."

Reisou wasn't surprised.

Gates weren't exactly places minors could enter freely, even with connections. The only reason he'd gotten in twice was pure luck.

Once because the system randomly issued him a GK card, and the other thanks to 2B hacking the national database and faking their IDs.

"Anyway, it's our first time too," he said, glancing at 2B, who caught the meaning behind his gaze and nodded. "So let's all be careful. I've heard even low-ranked Gates can be dangerous."

He knew the academy wouldn't send them into a truly dangerous Gate, but staying cautious was still important.

"Don't worry. If there's any real danger, the teachers will protect us, so it should be fine," Kei said, doing her best to sound confident.

As their conversation went on, the sound of engines announced the arrival of two buses.

Sae and the homeroom teacher from Class 2C stepped forward, calling out names and calmly guiding the students aboard.

An hour later, they arrived at the Blue District, where the academy had reserved a D-rank Gate. But instead of the usual Public Hunters Association personnel handling security, a group of Hunters in black suits and sunglasses patrolled the area.

Though they looked like ordinary bodyguards, they weren't. These were members of the Akuma Guild, contracted to provide security for the expedition.

Whenever Sozukusen Hunter Academy organized an expedition, one of the country's top five guilds was hired to handle security and ensure everything went smoothly.

This time, the job had gone to the Akuma Hunter Guild.

A few of their members approached the bus. One woman, with sunglasses hanging from the collar of her shirt, stepped forward and spoke with Sae, confirming their identities.

After that, Sae and the other teacher unloaded a large metal chest from the bus. When they opened it, the students saw a full spread of weapons inside, neatly arranged.

There were various types of blades, lances, bows, staffs, orbs, and even a few rare grimoires that instantly caught the attention of several students.

"Before you pick a weapon, keep in mind that whatever happens to it will be your responsibility," Sae said firmly. "Also, only activate your armor's protective shield when you're actually in combat. Don't waste energy unless you need to."

The students waited through nearly half an hour of instructions before finally getting the chance to pick their weapons. Once everyone was ready, the two homeroom teachers organized them into teams of up to six members.

At that moment, the Princess Trio, Reisou, and 2B signed up to be together, instantly drawing attention from both classes.

Even the teacher from Class 2C looked surprised—he had never seen those three willingly team up with anyone outside their circle.

With the teams set, the teachers reviewed the security protocols again, emphasizing the importance of staying vigilant and sticking to their assigned groups at all times.

They reminded everyone that after the assignment was issued, they must stay close to their teammates and confirm their Nano locators were fully activated.

Although technology didn't work inside Gates, special gems could be used for communication or as GPS devices, tracking the Nano energy of Hunters.

Minutes later, everyone gathered in front of the Gate. It was a large, gray, distorted passage shaped like a square.

That dull metallic color was common in E, D, and C-rank Gates.

The teachers reminded them to pass through one at a time and warned about a minor side effect of mild nausea during the transition.

On the other side, only a handful of students showed symptoms, and they were quickly given medicine to ease their discomfort.

Reisou and 2B didn't feel anything unusual, and the three girls from the Princess Trio passed through without issue as well.

As they kept walking, the students were met with an incredible sight.

Endless green fields stretched out before them, with a massive forest looming in the distance.

It looked so calm and beautiful that many of them just stopped to admire the place.

"The camp's just up ahead. Don't wander off until we get there," Sae said, taking the lead while the other teacher hung back to make sure no one got left behind.

Approaching the entrance to the encampment, three members of the Akuma Guild came forward to meet them.

Reisou recognized them immediately and tried to blend in as best he could. He still remembered the day he killed the Corrupted Boar—the first Gate he ever closed, which, unknown to him, was actually in Akuma Guild territory.

Sensing his discomfort, 2B stepped in front of him protectively, suspecting something might have happened between them.

"You must be Flame Storm, the former S-rank Hunter and Sozukusen's representative," Aki said to Sae, his voice calm and respectful. "I'm Hayakawa Aki. Miss Makima would like to speak with you before the expedition begins, if it's not too much trouble."

Behind him, Power stood with her arms crossed, yawning every few seconds, clearly uninterested.

Her striking presence caught the attention of several boys.

Denji, on the other hand, was right beside her, shamelessly checking out every pretty girl in sight. But the moment his eyes landed on 2B, his jaw dropped, completely stunned by her beauty.

Noticing her brother's obvious ogling, Power smacked the back of his head.

"You're scaring the girls with that creepy, pervy face!" she said loud enough for everyone to hear.

A wave of disgusted looks swept through the girls.

"S-Shut up! I-I'm a normal guy, okay? And with that nasty attitude of yours, you'll never get a boyfriend anyway," he snapped back, annoyed.

"Hmph. Whatever. Romance is a waste of time," Power shrugged.

Aki's eyes flickered with irritation at the siblings' childish bickering, and he gave them a sharp warning glance.

The two immediately stopped and turned their faces away from each other, prompting Aki to sigh in frustration.

- - -

Inside the encampment, several Akuma Guild personnel moved around efficiently, getting everything ready to welcome the Sozukusen students.

Meanwhile, the homeroom teacher from Class 2C took responsibility for both classes, as Sae followed Aki toward a large tent where Makima awaited.

Ten minutes later, Sae returned, walking alongside a beautiful woman in a black overcoat and formal attire. Her silk braided red hair and commanding presence drew the attention of everyone.

"No way! that's Crimson Devil, one of the five national Hunters!" a boy whispered to his friends.

"Damn… she's even more hot than in the magazines," another added, eyes wide with awe.

"I wouldn't mind becoming her dog," a third muttered under his breath, half-joking, half serious.

Others who recognized her also started whispering excitedly. It wasn't every day you got to see a national Hunter up close.

If one of them showed up anywhere, a crowd would definitely gather—eager for autographs or to take photos.

Makima gave the students her usual polite smile, but deep down, she wasn't really paying attention.

Her mind was elsewhere.

Since the day she encountered that mysterious figure and felt their unique, pure energy, she had become obsessed with tracking them down.

She began inspecting almost every private Gate under her guild's control, driven by an unshakable need to feel that presence once more.

"Welcome, everyone. My name is Shigekuni Makima. I'm the leader of the Akuma Guild and the third-ranked National Hunter," Makima said with a calm, unfaltering smile as she addressed the students.

"I hope your expedition goes smoothly today. Though I won't be joining you, I—"

Her words suddenly caught in her throat.

Slowly, she turned her head toward a specific spot in the crowd, locking eyes with someone.

'It seems I've found you.'