Morning sunlight filtered through the half-open curtain, casting a dim glow across Leon's room. The world outside looked peaceful—birds chirped in the distance, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves.
But within Leon, there was no peace.
He sat on the edge of his bed, arms resting on his knees, his eyes staring blankly at the floor. The previous day's events played in his mind on an endless loop—the sudden ambush, the attacker's twisted ideology, the way Layla and Jacob collapsed, bleeding. The weight of that moment hadn't lessened with sleep. If anything, it had grown heavier.
They had survived, yes. But the brush with death had left an invisible mark on all of them.
Leon let out a slow breath. Bronze rank… it used to feel like a milestone. Now it just feels like a doorway to even more danger.
He clenched his fists. "I can't afford to be careless."
He exhaled slowly.
They were Bronze rank now. In the eyes of the world, that made them rising talents. But in the eyes of people like that fanatic? They were targets.
Leon closed his eyes, and the Beast Codex flickered to life in his mind. Not a book on a shelf, but a strange glowing panel only he could see. It had guided him through Ember and Cinder's growth, predicted Jacob's evolution route with precision, and shown him the beast paths others could only dream of.
But even that knowledge hadn't warned him about human enemies.
There's no Codex entry for betrayal. Or for fanatics hiding behind smiles.
There were still one and a half months until the university entrance exam. That should've been enough time to polish their skills, maybe focus on our combat experience or finding better training zones.
He scoffed to himself. "Bronze isn't the end… it's just where the real game begins."
There was a soft knock. He didn't look up. "Come in."
Layla stepped inside, eyes a bit tired, but her voice steady. "You're up."
"You too."
She sat beside him on the edge of the bed. "Did you sleep?"
Leon shook his head. "Barely."
Silence lingered for a moment, heavy but familiar.
"Do you think…" Layla began. "Do you think more of them are out there?"
Leon looked at her, then nodded. "Yeah. And I think yesterday wasn't an accident. That guy didn't just stumble across us. He chose us."
Layla frowned. "Why?"
"Because we're… different." Leon leaned back. "We reached Bronze in just a few days. That's not normal. To them, we're either threats… or tools to be erased."
Leon thought for a moment. "We keep moving forward. Bronze isn't strong enough. We need experience. Combat. Pressure."
Layla nodded slowly. "Then we need a better place to train. "
"I was thinking the same. Maybe we can ask someone at the academy. Head teacher. Or even the dean."
Layla gave a small smirk. "You think the dean has time for two Bronze brats?"
"Maybe," Leon said. "We did survive an ambush."
Layla stood and stretched. "Alright. Let's ask after breakfast."
They ate quietly. The clink of spoons and plates filled the space between them. Neither brought up the ambush again, but it hung in the air—an invisible reminder that the world outside wasn't as safe as it once felt.
As they stepped out the front door, the sunlight seemed a bit brighter. But the illusion of peace didn't fool them anymore.
The sun was already climbing when Leon and Layla stepped out of their house. The morning air was crisp, and the streets were just starting to get busy. After everything that had happened recently, the calmness outside felt almost surreal.
They took a left turn and started heading toward Jacob's house. It was just a fifteen-minute walk from theirs, and they'd taken the route together countless times before.
Leon knocked on the door. A few moments later, Jacob opened it, hair a little messy and looking like he'd just rolled out of bed.
"Morning," he said, stifling a yawn. "What's up?"
"We're heading to the academy," Leon said. "Want to come? We're going to ask about secret realms."
"Already?" Jacob blinked. "It's not even eight yet."
"That's why we're telling you to get ready now," Layla said, hands on her hips. "Hurry up."
Jacob chuckled and stepped back inside. "Give me five minutes."
True to his word, he was out quickly, fully geared up and slinging his bag over his shoulder.
"Alright, let's go," he said, falling in step beside them as they resumed their walk. "You really think the teacher will know a good secret realm?"
"Hopefully," Leon said. "We've only got a month and a half before the entrance exam. Can't afford to waste time."
As they walked, the three chatted casually, but the tension of what had happened recently still hung faintly in the air — unspoken but understood by all of them.
After a laid-back walk to the academy, the trio reached their classroom.
The morning light filtered through the windows, and the usual hum of academy life was slowly picking up.
"There's Mr. Han," Layla pointed to their class teacher, who was scribbling something on his tablet-like scroll at the front of the room.
Leon walked up and gave a polite nod. "Morning, sir. Quick question—do you know any good secret realms for new Bronze beastmasters?"
Mr. Han looked up, raising an eyebrow. "Already looking for the next challenge, huh? That's good. There are a few entry-level Bronze zones managed by the city. Not too hard, and they've got basic beast spawns. I'll write down a couple—"
Before he could finish, a sudden voice echoed in their minds.
"You three, visit my office. There's something I wish to discuss."
It was calm but carried weight—undeniably the Dean.
All three froze for a moment.
"Did… you guys hear that too?" Jacob asked, blinking.
Leon and Layla nodded.
"Well, guess we're going," Leon muttered, and they turned toward the administrative building, a mix of curiosity and nervous energy buzzing around them.
---
The Dean's office was quiet as always. When they entered, he was seated behind his desk, hands steepled under his chin. His sharp eyes studied them for a moment before he spoke.
"I've been keeping an eye on your recent growth."
"You're ready for something more. There's a private secret realm managed by the Wolfe Family. Richer spiritual energy. Stronger beasts. Better rewards."
Jacob looked intrigued. "What's the catch?"
The Dean's mouth curled just slightly. "It's not free. These private realms require a fee to access. You'll have to pay at the realm office."
Leon nodded. "Thanks for the recommendation, sir."
"Be careful," the Dean added, his tone heavier than usual. "This world won't give you anything without a price."
After leaving the office, the trio followed the directions to the Wolfe Family's territory, located just outside the southern end of the academy district. The entrance to the realm sat behind tall iron gates guarded by armored attendants.
"Are we in the right place?" Layla asked, looking around.
"Wolfe Family Secret Realm?" Leon asked one of the attendants.
The man nodded. "Realm ticket counter's just past that gate."
They followed the path, which led to a clean marble booth tucked under a canopy. Behind it sat a bored-looking staff member flipping through a ledger.
"One-time entry to the Wolfe Secret Realm," Leon said.
The staff member glanced at them, then checked the board.
"That'll be 1 gold coin per person."
All three froze.
"…Sorry, how much?" Jacob asked, hoping he'd misheard.
"One gold," the staff member repeated without blinking. "Each."
Layla pulled out her coin pouch. "I've got mine."
Leon and Jacob did the same. Between them, they had exactly three gold coins—enough for just one trip each.
Jacob chuckled dryly. "Well… at least we're not broke yet."
"But just barely," Leon muttered, slipping the coin into the slot. "One time in and out. We better make this count."
As the tickets were handed over, a quiet weight settled in their hearts. This wasn't just about power anymore—it was about planning every step, every coin.
Stepping away from the counter, Leon looked up at the looming realm gate.
"If this is the price of getting stronger," he said, "then we're gonna need a lot more gold."
Layla folded the ticket carefully and tucked it into her pouch. "Guess earning money's part of the grind now."
As they stepped away from the ticket booth, clutching their realm passes like rare treasure, Leon suddenly stopped.
"Wait," he said, brows furrowing. "We shouldn't rush in just yet."
Jacob raised an eyebrow. "Why not? We've got the tickets, we're Bronze now, and we're broke. Let's get some returns."
Leon shook his head. "Think about it. We don't know anything about this place. The beasts, the terrain, traps, how big the realm is... anything. Charging in blind is just asking for trouble."
Layla nodded thoughtfully. "He's right."
Jacob crossed his arms, sighing. "So what—you want to study the place first?"
"Exactly," Leon said.
Just as they turned to leave, Leon paused, glanced back at the ticket counter, and walked up to the man sitting behind it.
"Excuse me," he asked, "is there any information about the Wolfe Family Secret Realm? Like a map or beast list?"
The man looked up from his logbook and adjusted his monocle. "Information access isn't free, kid. You want the basic stuff or the full package?"
Leon blinked. "There's options?"
The man held up two fingers. "Basic info—just an overview of the realm's zones, recommended combat power, and beast types. That'll be 10 silver."
Then he tapped the counter with a heavier thud. "Full details—includes a complete map, resource spawn points, danger zones, boss spawn rotation, and detailed intel on the most common Bronze-tier beasts inside. That'll cost you 10 gold."
Leon's jaw nearly dropped. "Ten gold?!"
Layla leaned closer. "That's the same as ten entry tickets..."
Jacob let out a soft whistle. "They're really trying to milk every coin out of us."
The man shrugged. "Knowledge saves lives. Cheap when you think about it that way."
Leon stepped back and rubbed his temples. "We can't afford the full intel. Not now."
Layla tugged at his sleeve. "We should at least buy the basic one. Better than nothing."
He nodded slowly. "Alright, ten silver it is. Let's hope it gives us a decent head start."
Leon fished out ten silver coins and handed them over.
The man slid open a drawer, pulled out a thin booklet with a dark brown cover, and placed it on the counter. "Here's your basic intel. Don't go losing it."
Leon took the booklet carefully, like it was a fragile treasure. The title read: Wolfe Family Secret Realm – Basic Exploration Guide.
He opened it slowly, flipping to the first page.
Immediately, Layla leaned in from one side, eyes wide with curiosity.
Jacob shuffled closer from the other, stretching his neck. "Hey, don't hog the view!"
Leon smirked. "Relax, I'll read it out loud."
But they were already pushing their necks in, eager to devour every detail the booklet had to offer.
---