My Soul card is a Reaper-Chapter 1014: Dreams of the Past: Eon’s Clash with Bheema
A week passed, and Rael and Eon gradually settled into the academy’s rigorous timetable.
The days were structured yet intense, filled with combat drills, magic theory, strategy sessions, and history lessons. Despite the demanding schedule, they found themselves forming close friendships with a few notable classmates.
Among them was Arjuna, a prodigy from the Kuru Dynasty, barely ten years old but already a force to be reckoned with.
He was the same kid Rael fought in the rookie tournament. There were some regrets left in him as their battle never finished properly. He carries the celestial grade Arcana spirit, arguably the greatest bow-type Arcana spirit ever existed—The Gandiva.
Then there was Nuada Airgetlam, a twelve-year-old prince from the Kingdom of Danu. He carried the Sword of Light—Claidheamh Soluis, a celestial-grade light-element sword that can not only cut down its enemies but also heal anyone’s injuries and dispel any kind of curses.
Finally, there was Qin Shi Huang, a sharp-witted ten-year-old from the Qin Dynasty, whose ambition and intellect were as formidable as his martial prowess.
He was born with the Eyes of Truth, a special inborn ability of the legends that lets one see through any lies, deceit, or illusions. Apart from that, as if his destiny is to become a king, the prince of the Qin dynasty awakened a set of a crown and a throne as his Arcana spirit.
As for their abilities, no one knows yet, as he never summoned them during the past couple of years.
Each of these three had already reached the prestigious Elite realm, making them some of the strongest students in their age group. Of course, the fact that Rael and Eon were also in the 5-star soul realm made the others give them the title: The monster rookies.
According to the academy’s curriculum, students were required to form teams of three or four.
Initially, Artaigne had been assigned to another team, but she left it to join Rael and Eon. With her as their leader, considering she has more experience in the wilderness regarding hunting missions, the trio officially registered as a team.
By the time Saturday evening arrived, the week’s classes had come to an end.
The students gathered in the grand hall for the homeroom session, where their class instructor, Thera, stood before them, her sharp gaze sweeping across the room.
One by one, she called out the names of team leaders, handing them sealed scrolls containing their mission assignments.
"Artaigne Pendragon," Thera called.
Artaigne stepped forward, her posture straight, her presence commanding, unlike her usual timid self that Rael and Eon were familiar with. She took the scroll from the instructor’s outstretched hand with a nod before returning to her team’s table.
Rael and Eon leaned in as she unrolled the parchment. The three of them scanned its contents, their expressions shifting as they read.
Location: Vulcan Island, Greater Sector 114.
Objective: Hunt at least 10 Vulcan Beasts
"Our hunting mission is in the level-2 region," Artaigne murmured, her fingers tapping against the table. "That’s manageable."
Rael frowned slightly. "Vulcan beasts... I feel like I have read about them."
Artaigne explained. "Vulcan beasts are defensive-type beasts. They are tough, and their pelts are naturally heat-resistant. It won’t be an easy task, but nothing we can’t handle."
Eon grinned. "Sounds like fun."
Rael exhaled, his mind already planning.
Just like Eon, he was completely confident taking on those beasts, but the problem was that they were rookies who would be assigned a mentor to keep an eye on them.
He has no idea who the academy management will appoint, but he is in no way comfortable with someone watching over his movements, perhaps, recording his powers in the meantime. There are some abilities he wouldn’t want people to know, atleast not yet.
As the instructor momentarily left the class, the group settled in to discuss the mission, and Artaigne took charge. "Vulcan Island is located in the middle of the Sea of Lava," she explained.
Eon raised an eyebrow. "Lava Sea? We have to cross that sea filled with lava to reach the island?"
"It’s just a name, Eon," Artaigne smirked, shaking her head. "Long ago, a Vulcan King went berserk and spewed out streams of lava across the region. For a while, the entire island was surrounded by lava. That’s how the name came up. But right now, it is no longer a problem."
She then pulled out the Bestarium Arcanum, the thick, academy-issued textbook on magical creatures, and flipped to page 324. She pointed to a detailed illustration of a spiky, bipedal lizard-like beast.
"These are Vulcan Beasts," she read aloud. "As I have said earlier, they have incredibly high defensive abilities and are also aligned with both earth and fire elements as their element is Lava. Their weaknesses are water and lightning, but since their affinity isn’t purely fire, lightning-based attacks won’t be as effective as you’d think."
Rael rubbed his chin. "The good news is that none of our elements have any direct relationship with the Lava element, meaning we won’t have to deal with enhanced fire resistance."
Artaigne added. "Too bad that we don’t have any element strong against it either."
Eon’s eyes then lit up. "Wait. The island is surrounded by water, right? If we can manipulate it, we could use it against them."
"Water manipulation?" Artaigne furrowed her brows in deep thought.
Rael nodded in agreement. "That’s a solid strategy. We could store ocean water in empty storage rings and use it for surprise attacks, enhancing it with our soul energy like throwing water beams." He explained as if he read his sister’s mind.
"Exactly." Eon smiled with a nod.
A scoff interrupted their discussion.
"Only weaklings rely on such cheap tricks."
The trio turned to see a towering eleven-year-old with a body that looked far too muscular for his age. Rael glanced at him and muttered, "Bheema."
Bheema took a step forward, his presence casting a shadow over Rael and Eon. At 5’6", he was a giant among his peers, his frame packed with muscle far beyond his age. "Real warriors don’t rely on tricks," he scoffed. "They crush their opponents head-on." He said, staring down at the siblings. His eyes carry a clear sense of mockery as if he were looking down on them.
As Rael frowned at this boy who came to them, looking for trouble, Eon met his gaze without flinching. "Oh? Then why did your brother run away like a coward against Rael?"
The air tensed. Bheema’s fists clenched. A dangerous glint flashed in his eyes as if he was ready to strike her or something.
"You—!"
Before he could take another step, a hand rested on his shoulder.
"Enough, Bheema," a calm voice interrupted.
