A day soon passed. The Heavenly scent pill that was quickly absorbed into their system is indeed a miraculous pill. Each student felt their Ki circulation improve immensely, and could more easily take in and refine the Heavenly Energies.

Even Jones who was at death’s door has somehow managed to recover to nearly 40% and is once again rearing to go.

Granted, this recovery speed is simply unthinkable even with the five Soul Force users sending him their life force unreservedly. However, if they knew just how gifted Jones is, they wouldn’t be that surprised anymore.

The group went through the hill having collected all the crystallise essences from the bodies of the Orcs that were left. Most of the corpses had already been retrieved by the Orc armies, but there are still plenty around because of their hasty retreat.

The bright rays of sunlight momentarily blinded them as the stepped out of the tunnel. The 11 days of combat under crystallised light had rendered them vulnerable to the actual sun.

It took them an additional moment for their vision to readjust, and then they finally saw how tattered their timber-made camp has become.

The Orcs really did a number to their previous fortifications after they hid in the safety of East Hill. All of the ramparts were crushed, and every archer tower was broken. The crow’s nest rests uselessly on the ground, and the entire foundation of the camp has become completely ruined and beyond repair. Even the water moat have been crudely filled up with soil.

This is of course so that the students could no longer use this place as a defensive position. What they saw is proved that these beasts are smarter than they had all believed. A regular human army would’ve taken over the garrison, and probably fortified it further, but the War Beasts know they have the advantage on an open field with their physique, and hence did not even try to occupy what the students had built.

“Let’s hurry. Luciette might need our help…,” Kairos says with a thin smile. At the back of his mind, he suddenly realised that this might be their chance at victory.

Though it might be a sly thought, anyone that came from a background of poverty will know how much persistence one needs to make up for the disadvantage they had from birth. To even survive day-to-day requires a vested interest. Granted, most would have plenty of reasons to stay alive.

With their camp destroyed and hill base’s barriers and contraptions completely broken, this might be their only chance.

He shook his head in self-mockery. The other party is risking life and limb coming to their aid. Even should the opportunity arise, would he really be able to take it, or should he?

They did a fast march towards the West in the general direction where Luciette’s men should be. If they were not mistaken, the Orcs must have detected the Blue team heading towards their rear and have decisively pulled their forces out from East Hill to engage them.

They did not need to wait long before seeing signs of battle. The students and the Orcs already engaged in combat, although both sides appeared to be testing out the other.

Although the Orcs significantly outnumbers the students with over 500 warriors, they could not risk fighting on two fronts. When they noticed Luciette’s group flanking them at their rear, they already have intentions to withdraw.

It would become a disastrous situation if their army were trapped by the small corridors within the hill, where only a few could fight at any time.

If that happens, their superior physiques and number will only work against them, and their armies will eventually be starved to death.

Of course, Kairos also knew of such risks when he brought his men into the hill, but there is a difference between humans and Orcs. He was expecting help from the academy or the other team, and the tight quarters only served in their favour.

All these while, they do not know that the instructors have long since been sitting blindly in their instructors’ room. Their only means to see outside of the room, the Viewing Crystal, has been destroyed by the Head Events Instructor.

The door itself has been sealed by several other instructors. All of whom have connections with the Devilheart family. However, because he did not know this, Kairos started feeling disgusted with the academy.

After another day’s march, the red team found two groups fiercely engaged in battle in the middle of the forest. It was a densely forested area where even the afternoon sun could hardly penetrate the canopy. But at this place, there was a third group staying behind; Calculus and his supporters are standing at the side completely neglecting their comrades while watching the fight.

There’s no pretence of what his true motives could be for Kairos who saw this scene. The young noble obviously intended to let the Orcs swarm the red team. Therefore he did not want Luciette to interfere.

Granted, if the students in the blue team started dying, he might offer to help just so that he will not get into trouble. But, he expressly refused to partake in what he claimed to be endangering their lives.

However, it wasn’t to say that he was completely useless. Just the presence of his group at the edge of the battlefield caused the Orcs a lingering pressure, like a snake that is prepared to strike at any time.

Yet, for the sake of killing Kairos, he did not care the least if the rest of the first years die. Even the usually calm commander could no longer suppress his anger, “How dare him! Are lives simply so worthless to him?” he said, seething with fury.

Those that disregard the lives of his friends and family bond to him by battle and soul threatens to cut his heartstrings. In his heart, the academy that allowed such danger is only a little better than Calculus.

“Hmmm? Why’s Kairos angry?” Jim asked, rather belatedly.

*Thwack*

Edward kindly hits Jim over his head in an attempt to help the latter improve his intelligence.

Unfortunately, none was gain.

With disbelief on his face, the archer exclaimed, “Don’t you see why Calculus is doing nothing!?”

“He… he’s hoping the Orcs get us?... OOHHH! … Wow, he is such a jerk,” the self-made saboteur replied a moment late. His mental processing speed inversely proportionate to his swiftness.

“Everyone, ready for battle!” Alan said, his eyes red with no less rage than the rest.

Even Edward who hated needless conflicts felt his fists itching, and Tommy who is the gentlest of the group snorted in disgust at Calculus. The latter might love battles, but that didn’t make him someone without empathy. If growing up in an orphanage in Rutea Village could not take away his kindness, little else could. However, at this moment, if someone told him it’s a good idea to dismember Calculus from limb to limb, he would nod without hesitation.

The red team gathered up their arms and got ready for a charge. They are still a distance from the battle, and the two armies have not yet noticed them.

However, engaged as the Orcs are, their King suddenly sniffed the air and picked up the presence of Kairos. The target of its vengeance.

With a grunt, it ordered its army to throw themselves against the blue team. An attempt to overwhelm the fresher troops in one run, so it could focus on repaying the long-awaited vengeance.

Met with a wave of monsters, Luciette and her teams realised that their foes had been toying with them, nay, testing their abilities. They started falling back rapidly to prevent being surrounded, as multiple earth-shaking explosions also blew up at various locations on the battlefield.

In case they needed to retreat quickly, the blue team rigged the battlefield with all their reserve supplies, but even with their preparations, they were on the verge of being overwhelmed.

The red team decisively charged into battle at once, trying to flank the Orcs. Their experience in surviving deadly combat made their reaction swifter than others, but the Orcs did not give them a chance to redeem the crisis, and they pushed forward with the blue team's retreat and gained advantageous vital grounds.

It might be more accurate to say that this was the reason why the Orc King directed its forces towards the blue team instead of aiming for Kairos.

However, as the War Beasts swooped in to surround Luciette, one particular Orc spotted Calculus, who was staying far behind, for the first time.

*RAARRRRRRRR!!!!*

At the sight of the boy, a great Orc Knight roared with unbridled ferocity. As one of the survivors of the village raids, it had recognised the human child immediately. After that fateful day, it pushed itself to increase in power rapidly, all for the sake of revenge for its children.

Not a moment could it stop thinking of its loss and of the one that caused it, so how could it forget the boy that brought about the deaths of so many of its brethren?

When the Orc King heard its cry, it immediately understood that a message is sent on the magic channel. It quickly taps into the mana in the air and recognised the signal from the magical waves that resounded outwards from the Orc Knight.

So that is the true perpetrator of our suffering, and he appears foolishly unprotected. He Must DIE!

With a gruff and enraged snort, the Orc King’s figure flickered and disappeared.