First Legendary Dragon: Starting With The Limitless System-Chapter 290: Arya and Emilia

"Well, now that we’ve met with Nyss, let’s head toward the Elemental Chambers," Orion suggested calmly, glancing briefly toward Instructor Viren, who had already returned to lounging lazily in his chair, twirling his recently acquired storage ring with an amused smirk.

Elias quickly nodded, stepping forward with enthusiasm. "Sure, I’ll lead the way."

Nyss quietly fell into step beside Orion, her gaze occasionally drifting sideways toward him, quietly studying the significant changes he’d undergone during his absence.

She couldn’t help but feel a subtle sense of unease; Orion’s drastic transformation seemed to hint at deeper events beyond her current understanding.

As the trio navigated through the familiar academy paths, vibrant greenery and carefully cultivated gardens passed on either side. The gentle morning sun cast a soft golden light upon the polished stone pathways, painting the academy grounds in a serene atmosphere.

Students passing by stared openly at Orion, whispering softly amongst themselves about his unexpected return and his significantly altered appearance. Orion paid them no mind, his attention solely focused on meeting with Arya and the others.

Soon enough, Elias led them around to the rear section of Thunderpeak Academy, toward a secluded area where multiple large, dome-shaped Elemental Chambers stood prominently.

Each chamber radiated subtle yet distinct elemental energy, the doors etched with runes specific to their elemental type.

Pausing before two adjacent chambers occupied by Arya and Emilia respectively, the group waited calmly outside, chatting quietly to pass the time.

After a brief wait, a soft hum resonated as Arya’s Elemental Chamber door swung open smoothly. Arya stepped out briskly, her purple hair cascading softly down her shoulders, and her clear violet eyes immediately falling upon Orion.

Arya’s eyes widened dramatically in surprise, astonishment clearly written across her delicate features as she took in Orion’s dramatically changed appearance.

"Brother Orion!" she exclaimed with genuine shock and excitement, hurrying quickly toward him, her gaze scanning him carefully from head to toe. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Her voice filled with curiosity and confusion. "What happened to you? How did you change so much?"

Orion responded with a warm, reassuring smile, amusement evident within his eyes. "Nothing much happened. Just a few events here and there, and now here I am, a little different than before. I’ll explain it to you later."

Arya studied him carefully for another moment, her gaze lingering with open curiosity upon his unusual dual-colored eyes. Eventually, she nodded slowly, trust overcoming her curiosity for the moment.

"Hehe," she suddenly giggled lightly, brightening with excitement as she eagerly changed the subject. "Brother Orion, do you know what tier I reached while you were away?"

Orion smiled faintly, already fully aware from her aura that Arya had advanced impressively to the Sixth Tier.

Nevertheless, he entertained her playful excitement, asking gently with exaggerated curiosity, "Oh? And what tier have you reached?"

Arya’s expression became proudly triumphant, her voice brimming with genuine delight as she declared, "Sixth Tier! I reached it recently, and I’m officially the youngest one in the entire academy to reach this level!"

Orion laughed softly, gently patting her head in affectionate approval. "Haha, that’s exactly what I’d expect from my Arya. You’ve made tremendous progress. Now, we’re finally ready to pursue the goals we had in mind when founding this club. We’ve all grown strong enough to start exploring."

Hearing Orion’s words, Elias’s eyes sparkled with excitement and anticipation, clearly eager for the adventures ahead. Arya nodded energetically as well, enthusiasm blazing brightly within her emerald gaze.

As they continued chatting happily amongst themselves, another Elemental Chamber door abruptly opened nearby, revealing Emilia stepping out gracefully. Her elegant features briefly revealed surprise upon seeing Orion standing there, his figure taller, more mature, and significantly altered from the Orion she remembered.

She halted momentarily, staring at Orion in astonishment, her sapphire eyes widening noticeably with deep curiosity. Internally, confusion and shock rippled within her thoughts. ’Huh? What happened to Orion? How did he change so drastically?’

Just then, a familiar voice resonated quietly within Emilia’s Sea of Consciousness, the soft, resonant voice of her spear spirit:

[Little girl, I sense powerful energy fluctuations from Orion. His bloodline feels significantly stronger compared to last time. My guess is, he might’ve undergone some form of awakening or evolution to his bloodline.]

Emilia’s gaze sharpened subtly, processing her spear spirit’s insights. The idea of Orion’s bloodlines evolving intrigued her deeply, curiosity and fascination intensifying within her as she continued to quietly observe him.

Orion, sensing Emilia’s quiet stare, turned toward her with a gentle, welcoming smile, calmly addressing her.

"Emilia, it’s been a while. You’ve clearly gotten stronger as well," Orion greeted warmly, breaking her out of her contemplative thoughts.

Emilia immediately regained her composure, stepping forward gracefully, the initial surprise replaced with calm serenity as she offered a gentle smile in return. "It’s good to have you back, Orion. Indeed, I’ve reached the Sixth Tier now as well."

Orion chuckled lightly, clearly impressed but unsurprised. "Excellent progress. Our entire group seems to have made significant gains while I was away."

Emilia nodded softly, her eyes sparkling briefly with quiet pride. "We couldn’t afford to stagnate while you were out there training alone. Everyone felt the need to become stronger in fear of you surpassing us by too much. And now..." she paused briefly, observing Orion’s significantly altered features again, "...it seems you have made decent progress as well, in other places rather than just your Physique Path."

Orion shook his head gently, humble yet acknowledging her praise with a small smile. "Perhaps. But there’s still much more we need to do. It’s finally time for us to start exploring beyond the city, to uncover ruins, hidden lands, and seek opportunities."

Emilia nodded resolutely, determination firmly etched into her expression. Arya, Elias, and Nyss similarly voiced their enthusiastic agreement, excitement clearly reflected in their brightened gazes.

The academy had already given them its full support. Now it was up to them to get stronger, as there was a limit on how much strength they could gain here.

Orion looked around and asked, "So, these are all the club members here, right?"

Arya nodded her head. "Yes, the others are outside doing their own things."

Elias looked at him. "Do you want them to gather as well?"

"No, not for now," he shook his head and looked toward Lumi’s screen floating around him. "For now, you guys will suffice."

All of them looked at him in confusion. Nyss asked, "What do you mean? Do you want something from us?"

Orion contemplated his decision for a bit before nodding his head. "Yes, you guys should come over to my mansion tomorrow. I’ve got something planned."

"Why so mysterious, Brother Orion? Just tell us," Arya giggled while saying.

Orion chuckled and shook his head. "It’s a surprise. Just come past morning tomorrow."

He continued chatting warmly with Arya, Emilia, Elias, and Nyss, each of them sharing snippets of their experiences and training during the months of his absence.

The soft laughter and comfortable conversations echoed gently around the serene area surrounding the Elemental Chambers, the early afternoon sunlight casting golden rays over their relaxed gathering.

Eventually, sensing the sun gradually climbing higher into the sky, Orion gently straightened himself, casting his calm gaze over his friends. "Well, as much as I’d love to stay and catch up further, there’s still another place I need to visit today."

Arya tilted her head curiously, violet eyes sparkling inquisitively. "You’re leaving already, Brother Orion? Is it really that important?"

Orion smiled softly, nodding gently. "Yes, it’s something I shouldn’t delay any longer. Don’t worry, though. Remember, I expect you all at my mansion tomorrow morning."