For these seven days, Juben learned what true nightmares were.

If he didn’t spring out of bed the instant he heard the knock at dawn, he’d be thrown out the window.

During morning drills, whenever he was about to collapse, even the slightest lag in speed earned him a whip crack. If he passed out, a kick would jolt him awake—and he’d blacked out on the very first day.

After running, sword swings began. Slow down? The Wooden Sword’s weight increased.

An hour of relentless swings. Fail to hit the target count? Breakfast forfeited.

Even on an empty stomach, basic training bled straight into sparring with Yan Yi. He was beaten within an inch of his life, again and again.

Lunch was guaranteed—but the time window was fixed. Overstay by a second, half-eaten meal or not, and he’d be dragged away. After the morning’s torture, eating normally was impossible.

Afternoons meant more abuse. Guaranteed unconsciousness.

Evenings always found him waking in the bathhouse. Magic and herbs erased every ache, every bruise. Only soul-deep exhaustion remained—and mana drained to near nothingness.

He’d gulp down the waiting dinner, then immediately meditate to claw back a sliver of mana before collapsing into sleep. Until the next knock.

Yan Yi, the architect of this hell, genuinely thought it mild. He’d merely scaled down his own old regimen for Juben. Honestly, it hadn’t even reached his *satisfactory* training level yet.

Interle, a bystander who’d glimpsed this horror once, twitched at the corners of her eyes. She promptly dragged Luris into town—or into her room for some yuri moments—anything to keep Luris from witnessing their training.

Truthfully, Interle could be far more serious than Luris when it counted. Given her history, she’d absolutely have booked front-row seats for Luris to enjoy the show!

(Though one might wonder if she’d already set some scheme in motion…)

And so, this week—Yan Yi’s delight and Juben’s despair—passed. Even Luris’s mother, who cast the fatigue-relief spells, had pitied Juben countless times.

On the seventh night, Juben woke again under the bathhouse ceiling. He sighed, dressed, and devoured the food beside him.

Time for meditation. He couldn’t deny it: his mana and stamina *had* grown through repeated depletion. Alone, he’d never have pushed this far. Yan Yi knew his limits perfectly, forcing rapid growth. The *process*, however…

He sat on his bed, about to close his eyes—then his gaze snagged on his communication magic device. Only the wealthy owned such luxuries; commoners like Yan Yi had none.

A prickle of unease shot through him. Instinctively, he glanced toward Luris’s room before grabbing the device.

“Huh. Big sis messaged me… around noon? I was probably unconscious by then. Heh.”

Juben gave a bitter chuckle. He’d expected another matchmaking notice. But the message’s content froze him solid.

Just four words:

*Moonlight Village. Demon Ascension.*

His pupils contracted sharply. His sister’s mission was in Moonlight Village—but *Demon Ascension*?

The earlier unease flooded back. Was there a Demon Ascended entity there?! No—if so, she’d alert the dean, not him.

Then it hit him: Why send such a clipped message *to him* instead of the dean? Only one reason—she needed the dean informed *fast*. She only had her professors’ contacts, not the dean’s direct line. This was an emergency. She’d blasted the message to multiple people, gambling one would reach him.

And those four words… Juben’s blood ran cold. She hadn’t *time* to send details.

*Crack—*

The device shattered in his grip, its light display warping.

Ignoring his drained spirit, Juben bolted out the door. He needed his master. The dean was surely in the Royal City, unreachable and tied up in meetings. Right now, Yan Yi was the only Demon Ascended-level fighter he could turn to.

Yan Yi was chatting with Luris and Interle. Bored, Luris had asked about Juben’s progress.

Interle wore a strained “I tried to stop this” expression. Yan Yi was baffled—why act like he was about to confess love over a simple status update?

“Relax, Miss. With me overseeing his training, he’ll be fine. My methods are—”

“MASTER—!”

Juben’s voice cut through, raw with urgency.

All three froze. That tone held pure panic.

Juben skidded to a halt before them. He hesitated at Luris’s worried face—but his sister’s peril overrode everything. He bowed deeply to Yan Yi.

“Master! I need your help—something critical!”

Yan Yi blinked, utterly thrown. He glanced at Luris. *This isn’t about… that, is it?* Before he could ask, Juben pressed on.

“I’ll pay whatever it takes! Please, you *must* help me!”

Normally, Yan Yi would’ve grinned and named a price. Now, he just frowned.

The other two stared, stunned—not just at Juben, but at Yan Yi’s uncharacteristic gravity. They exchanged glances. *Is that really Yan Yi?*

“Explain first,” Yan Yi said, his voice dead serious.

Juben spilled everything: the device, the message, his deductions.

Both girls paled. Yan Yi understood instantly. Juben’s reasoning was sound—but the message was hours old. His sister’s fate was unclear.

“Summer’s in trouble?!” Luris gasped.

“I’ll find Mom. She’ll contact Moonlight City. We leave *now*.”

Nighttime shut down Teleportation Arrays. Even with Luris’s clearance for Aite City’s array, Moonlight City had to authorize the receiving end.

Luris sprinted off. Interle’s mind raced.

“It’s nearly 10 PM. Even if Aunt moves fast, it’ll take 30-60 minutes to alert Moonlight City. Reaching Moonlight Village by carriage? Daylight only. And if Summer’s in the Bone Forest…” Interle’s voice tightened. “We won’t enter the forest until 8 or 9 AM tomorrow. Factor in search time…”

Her frustration mounted. *Too slow.* No better options surfaced. She snapped orders:

“Juben—use Magic Stones. Recharge your mana *now*. Yan Yi—run to the Teleportation Array. Tell the guards everything. Demand immediate prep!”

They nodded. Yan Yi vanished. Juben dashed toward his room.

Interle’s thoughts churned. *Demon Ascension… Can Yan Yi even handle that?* Focus. Rescue first. Summer’s danger was clear. In the Bone Forest, only Spirits chased prey. Two outcomes: captured by a Demon Ascended Spirit—or escaped. But no follow-up message… escape was unlikely.

Her teeth sank into her thumbnail. *Is there time?* She mentally mapped Moonlight Forest and the Bone Forest. *The Safe Zone!* If Summer reached that neutral ground, injured or not, hope remained.

Firepower: Aunt—SSS Rank—had to guard Aite City. White the butler? Gone on errands. Other cities? Empty during the annual Realm of Magic summit. Only four of them could go. Juben *had* to. Luris and she owed Summer too much. But against a true Demon Ascended? They’d be useless.

No safe solution existed. Interle staked everything on two gambles: Summer surviving in the Safe Zone… or Yan Yi being stronger than he seemed.

For the first time, she regretted not memorizing every scrap of intel. No time left. She took a breath and strode after Luris.