Chapter 22 - The Missing Student
Jem Hansen continued throwing the knives. He was trying to hit the center where the two diagonal lines intersected.
Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
The knives failed to hit the bullseye, but he didn't lose his courage and remained positive. Jem was fully aware that it wasn't easy to improve his accuracy. If he wanted to develop this aspect, throwing them a mere ten or hundred times would never do the trick. He needed to exceed his limits until his body got used to it.
His problem wasn't only by accuracy, but also by the way he threw it. However, bit by bit, Jem started to show improvement. The knives were getting closer and closer to the bullseye.
After Jem's throwing training, he also trained with his new weapon, the dagger. The dagger was a little bigger and longer than the knives. It was a convenient weapon for melee fights, much better than a knife. Though, every weapon had advantages and disadvantages.
Jem repeatedly brandished the weapon, hitting no one but empty air.
His sweat started to pour down, but Jem didn't care about it. The most important thing for him was to improve himself.
He wasn't aware of how long he was in training. But Jem only stopped when he heard a loud howl coming from a distance.
OOOOOORRRRRRGGGHH!!!
The howl sent shivers down his spine. It seemed as though it came from behind him. It could be his imagination only, right?
But Jem could not linger longer. He needed to proceed searching his way out. After a meal and a rest, he continued.
Until now, he was still depending on the light coming from the emerald crystal on his neck. However, Jem noticed the glow in it started to diminish little by little.
'This wasn't good,' Jem thought worriedly. If he lost his source of light, it would be much more difficult for him to advance. He didn't wish to live his whole life in this strange cave. And more on that, he didn't wish to die in this place.
He needed to find the way out as soon as possible. A few minutes after he left the area where he practiced, he encountered some D-rank monsters.
But due to his new abilities, it became much easier for him to defeat them. Though, he still needed to be careful. It was easy for one to make a blunder of themselves when they were too engrossed in their newly found power.
Because of these new abilities, Jem depleted his Ex-energy a lot faster. He had to take a rest every time he finished looting his prey. Then he would never forget to spare some time for his training.
The other students of Ex Soul Academy were also committed to their training. They also stepped into the Desolate Region to hunt low-tier beasts.
The teachers and instructors gave a strict rule that was difficult for the students to violate. They could not let another accident happen.
Meanwhile, Miss Sylva was walking in the hallway. She was heading towards the army's headquarters. This time again, she would ask if there was any outcome for the search for her missing student.
No matter how she closed her eyes, it could not put her at ease knowing that one of her students was still out there, missing in that dangerous place.
Creak!
An about 50 years old man in a military uniform with a line of stars on his shoulders gazed at the door when it suddenly made a noise.
"Sir," saluted another man in a military uniform upon entering. Though, unlike the older man, there was no star on his uniform.
The man in front of the desk beckoned the other person for his reason.
"Chief, Miss Sylva of Ex Soul Academy is here again to see you," he reported.
The older man, the 3-star chief of the army, frowned upon hearing it before he told him to let her in.