CHAPTER 124: NOT ALL BATTLE LEAVES SCAR!

Her sharp eyes swept across the group of students, pausing just briefly when they reached Kael.

He stood slightly apart from the others, quiet and alone near the edge of the clearing. His uniform was dusty, the cuffs stained with dried mud from the forest floor.

His boots were worn and covered in dirt, and slung over one shoulder was his satchel—its shape bulging slightly from the carefully wrapped beast claw hidden inside.

Though her gaze only lingered for a second, it was enough. She noticed. Still, she said nothing.

"You are dismissed," Professor Sylvia announced.

With that, the exam was officially over.

The students immediately began to move, some stretching their tired limbs, others sighing in relief.

The once-silent group quickly burst into life. Conversations bubbled up all around as they began to leave the clearing, heading toward the academy gates and the teleportation circle that would take them home.

Laughter, chatter, and footsteps filled the path.

"Did you see that final charge?" one student exclaimed, wide-eyed. "I swear the boss beast almost swallowed Marik whole!"

"No joke," another replied, still hyped. "But then Alina jumped in and froze its jaw shut right before it bit down! That was insane!"

Further ahead, a group of students walked with a mix of pride and disbelief.

"I still can’t believe we survived," one muttered. "When that second Savage-class beast appeared out of nowhere, I thought we were dead."

"Same," someone replied. "But we pulled through. We even helped Cecelia’s group when they were overwhelmed."

"They better give us extra points for that," another added with a laugh. "We basically carried them."

The mood among most of the students was a mix of excitement, relief, and exhaustion.

Some couldn’t stop talking about the battles they’d fought or the near-death moments they’d just escaped. Others were already wondering how they’d scored, or whether their efforts would earn them a top rank.

But off to the side, Kael said nothing. He adjusted the strap of his satchel and looked down at his boots, his thoughts already elsewhere.

Unlike the others, he wasn’t thinking about grades, or glory, or what the professors would say tomorrow.

He was thinking about the beast materials he’d hidden, the money they might bring, and the kind of strength he’d need for what was coming next.

The students were talking, laughing, and stretching sore muscles after their grueling exam. The forest, once full of danger, now felt peaceful. But not everyone was relaxed.

Standing slightly apart from the crowd was Edwin, his uniform still torn at the ribs, exposing the faded outline of a healed injury beneath.

Though his face was calm, his eyes were quietly scanning the group until they landed on Elysia—who stood a short distance away, adjusting the strap of her glove.

Jin stood beside her, wiping dried blood from the edge of his sword and muttering something about needing a better sheath.

Edwin approached them.

"You did well," he said, his voice steady and without its usual smugness.

Elysia looked up at him, a bit caught off guard by the sincerity in his tone. "You too," she replied simply.

Edwin let out a short breath and gave a wry, tired grin. There was a quiet beat between them—a rare pause in their usual rivalry.

In that moment, their past clashes and competitive tension melted into something quieter.

Mutual respect.

Edwin looked away first.

"You should’ve seen that last beast," Jin cut in, voice still edged with adrenaline.

"It was fast. Almost gutted me before one of my team mate blasted it with that freezing burst."

"It took both of us to bring it down. We weren’t expecting a second one."

Edwin nodded. "We had our hands full too. Ours was a savage-class. Big one. Took three of us to keep it from charging through the formation."

He glanced down at his ribs. "I was careless. Paid the price."

Meanwhile, off to the side, Cecelia was seated on a fallen log, her hand glowing faintly with golden light as she healed a shallow cut on her arm.

Her gaze drifted from her wound to Kael, who stood quietly at the very edge of the group, brushing dirt off his sleeves. He wasn’t smiling, wasn’t talking. Just cleaning himself up, alone, as if he didn’t quite belong.

He looked worn—not just tired from the battle, but drained in a way that went deeper. The kind of tiredness that came from carrying too much alone.

Cecelia rose and walked toward him, her steps soft on the forest floor.

"Kael," she said gently.

He looked up, a little surprised. "Cecelia."

She studied him for a second. There were small bruises under his eyes, a line of dried blood near his knuckles, and a tear along the side of his shirt that hadn’t been there earlier.

"You went back to the battlefield... after the boss beast was already down?" she asked.

Kael scratched the back of his neck, glancing toward the forest. "Yeah. I figured... since I was alone, I’d clear out any leftover threats. And, well... we’re allowed to take what we kill, right?"

"You fought it all alone?" she asked, eyes narrowing with concern.

"Yes you can do whatever that you killed"

He quickly shook his head. "No—it was already dying when I found it. Just had to finish it off."

But she wasn’t convinced. She saw the exhaustion behind his smile, the raw edge in his voice.

There was something he wasn’t saying—something heavy sitting quietly behind his eyes.

"You should’ve called someone," Cecelia said, her tone quiet but firm.

"It’s dangerous."

Kael gave a tired smile, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes. "I’m used to danger. And... I needed the coin."

Her expression softened. She didn’t press further, but she could feel it—that Kael was carrying more than just wounds from a fight.

Maybe it was the weight of survival. Or maybe it was the loneliness of always having to face everything alone.

"Still," she said, voice gentler now, "I’m glad you’re okay."

Kael looked at her, unsure of how to respond to the honest concern in her voice. A part of him wanted to brush it off like usual, to stay distant.

But another part—the quiet, hollow part that rarely spoke—felt oddly warmed by her words.

"Thanks," he murmured.

For just a moment, he allowed himself to feel the comfort of being seen.