A sudden voice interrupted his casting.

///// Vincent's POV /////

I am currently plopping on my bed staring up to the ceiling, Slight dissatisfaction could be seen on my face as I let out a sigh for the umpteenth time.

"Well, that was anticlimactic."

Now you might be wondering

What is happening?

Why is it anticlimactic?

Well, let's go back a few hours.

///// Flashback /////

///// 3rd Person POV /////

"[Flames of Pryde!!!]"

"Huh?" Vincent wondered where the voice came from until he looked to the sky to see a person with a flaming fist falling from it

"What the."

BOOM

///// Moments Later /////

In a barren dust-filled area, The land beneath suddenly split open and a person climbed out of it.

That someone was Vincent.

After climbing out, He accidentally breathed the excess dust in the area and began to cough profusely. He could somehow taste the dirt in the air.

Soon after the dust settled enough for him to investigate, He examined the area around him and found nothing.

The forest

The stampede

Arachnid.

It was all gone, Only barren land and dust remained and this went on for most of the area, almost catching up with the defense line.

Suddenly he heard a shake.

Vincent instantly went on alert and created 8 floating flame spears ready to impale on command.

Thereafter he moved toward the noise.

The dust in the area still obscured his vision somewhat but it soon cleared up a bit more for him to see a scene that mesmerized him.

An armless bloodied Instructor Pryde in his full beast augment standing on a motionless Arachnid.

Even though his entire right arm was gone, Instructor Pryde had a triumphant smile on his face.

'Why does he look different' Vincent asked himself

Instructor Pryde stood still on Arachnid for a while before a strong gust blew past him and he fell towards the ground.

Vincent moved in to help as soon as he saw him fall but another person was faster.

An individual swooped in from the air and held Pryde stopping his fall.

'Instructor Vinda?'

And that's how it ended, Instructor Pryde came from the sky and landed upon Arachnid like a nuke creating a blast that destroyed everything in some hundreds of kilometers radius.

After that the Aemplefort defense line dealt with the remaining numbers of Dark Beast, about 150 or so.

That was how one of the deadliest stampedes in all of the realms was repelled

A truly anticlimactic ending.

///// Flashback End /////

///// Present Time /////

"Sigh", Another sigh added to the count.

[Are you unsatisfied with the ending of the stampede?]

"I don't know, I'm glad that the entire stampede thing has finally been put to rest. It's just that….. I still have this desire to fight."

"I have all this strong power within me and I just felt like letting it loose. You know, to do my absolute best and win."

"Don't get me wrong, I am satisfied with the ending of the stampede"

[But you're not satisfied with the way your fight with Arachnid ended.]

"Exactly."

[......]

[In the future, You'll meet those that will push you to the edge and beyond.]

[Beings that will force you to draw more power than you ever thought you possessed.]

[Arachnid wasn't able to do so but in the future, someone certainly will.]

"........"

"Good night system."

[Good night host.]

///// The Next Day /////

A day had passed and morning had come. Today, Vincent was called for an assembly in the Aemplefort school hall.

Aemplefort school hall was a 17,331 square foot hall (1610.1 square meters).

This long roomy hall was styled as an auditorium hall with matching red and gold classic armchairs for the audience, and an elv wooden podium for the speaker.

Soon students flooded the hall and sat down where they felt comfortable for them.

After a while, Instructor Selussa came before the podium and addressed them.

"Good morning students, As you have already known. I am your instructor, Miss Selussa."

"We have called you here today to apologize for the unprecedented interruption of our Dark Beast Hunt event."

"We are also sorry for involving you with the stampede. As children, it was not your war to fight but you should know by now how dire the situation was."

"For anyone that was harmed or met an unfortunate end. We apologize and send our sincerest wishes to the families of the lost ones."

'I don't know why I'm saying this, it's not like any of these bastards participated.' Selussa thought irked.

"However this is not the main reason for why you are here."

"We are here now to call upon the top winners of the Dark Beast Hunt. While indeed the event was interrupted, Any Dark Beast killed during the war was also recorded. Hence the school has decided to reward those with the highest kill counts"

"Third position for highest kill count with 2633 points goes to……. Amelia Maeth!"

Amelia left her group and climbed up the podium to where she stood behind Selussa.

"The second position for highest kill count with 3065 points goes to……… Vincent Cadmean."

'What!?' Vincent thought in surprise, 'How!'

He approached the podium with a shocked face then stood beside Amelia.

"Finally, the first position for highest kill leading by a close figure of two points goes to …….. Ama Ivory with 3067 points!!!"

'What!!!" Vincent shouted within him.

Ama approached the podium and stood beside Vincent. She flashed to him a mocking smirk before looking forward.

"These are the students of Aemplefort that managed to rank the highest kill count amongst the event's participants. Please endeavor to be more like them."

"Give out winners a round of applause"

Clap.

Clap.

Clap.

Now you might be wondering how Ama managed to rank up more points than Vincent.

Well while Vincent was drawn away dealing with Arachnid for hours, Ama spent her time grinding through the hordes of beasts without end.

Ether boost and Strength potions were used to help boost the grind.

Through this painstaking method, she managed to barely pass Vincent and come out on top.

Something that she was weirdly proud of.

///// 5 Minutes Later /////

Vincent sat on his bed lost in his thoughts

"Sigh, I spent too much time on that SSS rank beats." He thought

"I did not even gain anything from it at the end of the day."

"Sigh, Well there's no benefit in wiling on it."

"Now it's time to focus on these rewards and how much they can benefit."

For placing second in the event, the following rewards were given.

A sure graduation pass.

100,000 Merit points

A skill book

And money from the sale of beasts killed.

///// Aemplefort Infirmary /////

Instructor Pryde laid in a deep sleep on the infirmary bed, beside him was the Librarian who was currently reading a book.

Moments later Instructor Zeph, Vinda, and the Principal entered the room, Upon seeing the principal she gave a bow and excused herself.

Vinda looked at Pryde with a worried face, Instructor Zeph came to her side and comforted her.

Soon after a doctor walked in, he greeted the instructors and the principal.

"How is he?" The principal asked.

"He is fine for the most part" The doctor replied

"His arm is gone but it's nothing that the research group can not heal."

"But?" Zeph asked

"But he will still be in a coma for a while."

"How long?" Vinda asked.

"About two to three months."

"That long?" Zeph asked surprised

"Yes that long, It's his body's natural response to the massive amount of stress placed on it."

"10 high strength boost potions, Instructor Selussa strongest poison, the muscle release skill, beast augment, and a 28,000 feet drop should have killed him."

"Even though the principal shielded him with a layer of space, It is still a miracle that he only lost an arm and went into a coma. it could have been much worse."

The doctor then turned to Vinda, "You too should have almost died, If not for augmenting yourself with a shadow and Instructor Selussa placing an air bubble around you."

"You should have passed out because of oxygen deprivation a little after you went past 18,000 feet and then you would have fallen to your death.

"I advise you to not do such dangerous things anymore."

"Anyway, that is all. After three months he should awaken."

"Thank you, doctor," The principal said, grateful.

"You're welcome sir", The doctor replied then left the room

'Sigh, I should have interfered sooner' regretted the principal.

/////