The Discarded Son's Skill Market

Three days after the incident involving the students in the Forest of the Undead, a final verdict was issued, bringing the investigations to a close.

-Beasts were found that bore no resemblance to those found in the Forest of the Undead, so the situation was classified as a beast anomaly.

-Perhaps a surge drew beasts far more dangerous than usual to the area, leading to the loss of many family members.

Once the investigations were complete, the major families and guilds sent people to handle the disaster, recover bodies if they could be found, and also kill the beasts that were disrupting the ecosystem of the Forest of the Undead.

Fortunately for the academy, Robinson, Luke, Jackson, and five other students turned up alive in the area of the scrap portals, and their accounts helped confirm the investigation’s findings.

In Zaid’s view, it was just a cover-up to avoid revealing the possible internal betrayal they were facing; but it wasn’t his place to get involved, so he preferred to stay out of it.

Professor Lois’s Office.

Joe, Alice, and Zaid went to report everything they had seen and experienced.

"The beast was genuinely strong, Professor Lois. If it weren’t for that mysterious mercenary who showed up, we would all have died."

"And it was surely that beast that killed the previous group, right?" asked Master Lois, trying to confirm it.

Joe hesitated...

Zaid shook his head. "That beast was brutal. The blow it landed on me sent me tumbling hundreds of meters, and the only reason I didn’t die is because I’m incredibly lucky. If someone were hit by it several times until they died, they wouldn’t end up in such good condition."

"Even though you say they were in good condition, we weren’t able to recover any bodies," said Master Lois, ignoring Zaid. Perhaps he was misremembering, since he was too weak. He looked at Joe. "It’s not possible to verify that information. Instead, and given that it’s a stupid suggestion, I might think you’re not quite right in the head."

The room fell silent in the wake of his strong remarks.

Calling his students crazy wasn’t the best thing a teacher could do—especially when they’d just been through a traumatic experience.

A cold stare fell upon him. Neither Zaid nor Joe liked that remark.

But Master Lois wasn’t just any teacher. He was one of the most respected in the nation, a genuine Rank B, and since he was a fighter, making an enemy of him wasn’t wise.

However, Joe couldn’t testify that it was the beast who did it either. He understood Zaid’s reasoning and shared it to a certain extent.

"I can’t say for sure that the beast did it," he replied.

Master Lois raised his eyebrows for a moment, slightly annoyed, and jotted down a few notes: It’s almost certain that the Gorilla beast was the one that killed certain groups.

With that, he closed the investigation file. "You can go back. If you need medical help, go to the Academy Medical Center. There are good psychologists and psychiatrists there; they’ll help you with your trauma or vague memories."

Zaid, Joe, and Alice left the room with a lot on their minds, but unable to say it.

Joe went to his room, clearly upset that he hadn’t been heard. As a talented hunter who had a good chance of reaching Rank B, being mocked and treated like an "idiot" didn’t feel good.

Zaid was already used to it. He wouldn’t let what some stupid teacher—who couldn’t even protect those he was supposed to protect—had to say bother him.

’Anyway, I’m more intrigued by that strange feeling I had when I saw those bodies. Why did they feel so empty to me?’

He’d been racking his brain for days, trying to come up with an answer. But it was all too easy to get a headache from thinking about it so much, yet very hard to come up with an answer.

"Are you okay, Zaid?"

At lunch, Alice couldn’t help but ask the question when she noticed how distracted he was. It wasn’t the first time, but it wasn’t common to see him like that either.

Zaid took a bite of his meat and nodded. "I’m fine."

Although she wasn’t entirely convinced, she nodded. "Do you have plans for today?" she asked.

"Yes," he wanted to say, since he wanted to go to the guild and start taking on missions.

For a "cargo man" like him, missions within the academy are limited. There are too many like him. He won’t be able to grow here.

The protection it offers him is the only benefit for now, since until he’s able to protect himself, he won’t try to get a pass to any of the guilds through this means—which was his main reason for joining in the first place.

And now he’s facing a problem... The Crucible.

He doesn’t even know what it is, but it’s impossible not to feel uneasy when he hears that name. Is it some kind of demonic ritual, or the rise of a dangerous organization? Whatever happens, he knows that when something like this occurs, the weak are the first to die.

Alice is being hunted, and perhaps the entire Class F will be used as sacrificial lambs led to the slaughter—and he’s among them too.

He needs to get stronger!

But he can’t leave Alice alone in the hands of Robinson, Luke, and Jackson—she’d surely die. She’s a good girl with an amazing talent who doesn’t look down on him despite his identity; he wouldn’t want her to die.

That’s why he couldn’t just decide to go level up and leave her behind.

"I was planning to go to the mercenary guild, but do you want to do something else?" he asked after making up his mind.

She nodded gently. "I... actually wanted to join the mercenary guild," she said, lowering her head.

"Really? I thought you didn’t like the idea." Zaid immediately perked up—that made everything better!

"Do you want me to help you?" he asked with a genuine smile.

She looked up, confused. "Don’t you think that’s weird?"

"Weird? What do you mean?"

"Um... signing me up. I mean... most of the women who sign up are really... weird."

’Weird?’ Zaid suddenly frowned and tried to recall all the women in the mercenary guild...

There were some very pretty ones. Others...

He remembered bumping into a female-looking gorilla recently at the entrance. She was with four other female gorillas...

Then he saw other smaller, but equally muscular, female gorillas training in boxing...

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