Jason stood in front of the unique-looking combat arena that was more than 30 meters high with at least seven floors in total.

`What now? Should I wait or just go inside?` He was unsure what exactly he should to now, he was at a loss... `Is Malia even inside?`

Even if Jason went inside, he wouldn't know at which floor or combat arena Malia was currently in.

As such he decided to wait for Malia and maybe even Greg, if he were to appear in-between, outside.

But Greg was not important for his plan and more of a hindrance, because he didn´have a single essential characteristic that made him special for Master-ranked humans.

Jason however was different, because of his mana eyes. 

He was confident to be a beneficial asset to an expedition team, as long as Malia and her team were to venture into the four-star rift which was about to finish materializing in a few days.

While waiting, he predicted that the chance of Malia venturing into the four-star rifts was extremely high, as a temporary rift was said to have more treasures compared to permanent rifts.

With Greg´s current situation and their lack of credits, Jason was sure that Malia would try her best to support her family with all her might.

The only unknown factors were her teammates, because he wouldn't know their need for treasures. 

If they were in a dire demand for credits or treasures, they would most likely venture into the four-star right in save proximities.

However, this wouldn´t eradicate Jason´s biggest issue.

`Will they even accept me? My combat prowess is not high enough and they probably won't believe or rely on a stranger who tells them that he has a powerful ability which lets him track treasures and high-quality materials, just like that, right?` Jason thought, pondering what to do, as time slowly passed.

There was not much he could do in order to convince Malia´s teammates to believe him, but the first important thing for him to do was to find out if they would venture into the four-star rift.

If that was the case, he would have to convince Malia at first, which shouldn't be that difficult, because she knew of his capabilities, before he would focus on persuading her team.

It was almost 4pm, when school finally ended, as the first few students left the combat arena, visibly exhausted.

All students wore the same school uniform and the biggest contrast Jason immediately perceive about the students he saw, was probably their behavior.

Some seemed to be extraordinary confident, while others looked dejected with a few bruises covering the body and faces.

Seeing that, Jason smiled lightly as he thought that some students antagonized the decision their teachers took about the special combat class seat like it was the case with him and Seron.

There wasn't any pity in his eyes and he was satisfied with such a result, as he did the same only more extreme.

Once they learned their lesson, Jason was confident that they would either act more mature and become more motivated or they would act spoiled like small children, running to their parents while crying, which was extremely unlikely.

Scanning through each student´s mana core, Jason wanted to figure out the current average strength from all grades within the main-vanguard school.

However, somehow it was weird...Jason wasn't sure if he should be disappointed with the mana core ranks and sizes he perceived or not, as the average strength of most first-graders seemed to be at the 8th Adept rank, with a few exceptional students, while all mana cores were enlarged by one level at the bare minimum.

There was nobody at Max´s level or with a unique elemental affinity nor something similar to that which was somewhat disappointing, until he noticed a small group leaving the combat arena.

Almost 10 students were in their group, while two of them were third-years, the others were four first and second years.

But that was not the most important fact because their facial features seemed similar, causing Jason to predict that all of them were somewhat related and most likely either siblings or cousins…

According to his mana eyes, the four first years reached the 1st Expert rank according to their mana core rank, while the four second-year students reached the late-expert rank.

But even more astonished was Jason about the two third-year students, as their mana core was higher than Malias, already at the 3rd Master rank, while they didn´t seem to be older than her.

If he wasn't wrong, Malia was already considered extremely talented due to her high mana sensitivity and control, but seeing two siblings that seemed to be around her age with a higher mana core rank, caused Jason to look at them baffled.

Sensing their particular transmuted mana, Jason was even more reassured that all 10 of them were relatives and maybe not even from Astrix, as their particular transmuted mana was relatively rare on Astrix.

All ten of them contracted a darkness affinity soulbond, causing their mana to be transmuted into a slightly darker color.

`Are these maybe 10 exchange students?` Jason wondered, as he kept staring at the group of 10, which didn't stay unnoticed by them.

When  they turned towards him, Jason didn´t even avert his gaze, as he continued to star at the ten similar looking youths in front of him.

They were taken aback seeing him, as the black-haired youth with his golden eyes looked extremely handsome and pretty, which was a rare combination, but that was not all.

On his shoulder sat a large pure-white owl with pitblack horns protruding out of her head and the ten of them never saw such a beast.

While nine of them gazed at Artemis, one of the two third-year students stared at Jason, as she licked her lips which Jason noticed, creating an uncomfortable sensation.

`Why am I looking so good?` Jason lamented in his mind, as the girl said something to her group which decided to turn their direction towards him.

Sighing, he greeted the ten students politely, as the girl immediately started to shamelessly blur out.

"Hey handsome, I´m Jennifer Daer...Do you have a girlfriend? Are you waiting for her or are you free? Wanna hang out with me?" Jennifer wasn´t ashamed of her straightforward approach a tiny bit, while the others around her could only sigh deeply in regret, as they thought they went towards Jason because of his soulbond.

As the other third-year was about to say something, Jason heard someone from the site yelling his name

"Jason!? What are you doing here?" and turning around with the ten students next to him, he could immediately see Malia running towards him, as she saw Jennifer and her group.

"Oh? Jennifer, Theo… why are you still here?" Malia said, stopping next to Jason. 

Theo, the other third-grader next to Jennifer was about to answer, as Jennifer blurted out 

"Ohh!!! Malia I didn´t knew you had such a handsome boyfriend..It's a shame...tell me when you break up...hahaha" 

Hearing this, Malia blushed slightly, but Jason interrupted everyone's thought without hesitating for a single moment, as he clarified.

"Malia is more of a family to me, we are not together… and I don't want to hang out with you, sorry."