By 9 PM, the academy hallways were empty and quiet, as most students were already asleep. However, two final-year students, named Todd and Kevin, came tumbling into the corridor after returning from a wild party, breaking the silence.

"Man, I’m telling you, the joint term is going to be legendary," Todd sneered, imagining the arrival of Rubverton’s Academy. Even though their set had nothing to do with the coming event, these two boys were still eager for degenerate reasons.

"Heh heh," Kevin laughed sinisterly. "Who cares who the next Dux is? I’m only counting the days until those Rubverton’s bitches show up. They strut around like they’re so tough, but the second they clock our senior pins and crest... they melt. Every single time. They’ll be spreading their legs for us just like last year."

"Dude, last year was like shooting fish in a barrel," Todd agreed. "Those broke little sluts see a Montclair guy and their eyes turn into credit signs. BOOM—they’re on your lap just like that. We don’t even have to try. They’re practically begging to be used."

The two arrogant seniors continued down the hallway, but as they passed by Room 44, Todd stopped and pointed at the electronic lock on the door.

"Hey, look at that," he said. "Room 44 is actually taken? Since when does someone move in mid-term? It was empty yesterday." He stepped closer to the door, an idea popping in his mind. "You know what? Let’s kick the door in and ’welcome’ the new guy. A little lecture will teach them who runs this floor."

But before Todd could do anything, Kevin quickly grabbed his jacket sleeve and pulled him back, looking around the hallway nervously.

"Are you an idiot, Todd? Think about it for a second. Nobody gets assigned a luxury room in the western wing mid-term unless they are a big-shot. It’s probably one of those powerful noble heirs likely staying here for a while. I pity you if you break down their door and start a fight. Don’t be stupid. Back off."

"Fine, whatever. Let’s just go to sleep," Todd grumbled, and the two seniors walked away.

On the other side of the door, Luke stood in the middle of the room, fully dressed and ready to leave. Thanks to the high Aeon density of the room, his stamina was at 100%, and that hot-blooded feeling was welling up.

After searching through the hunter networks for a few minutes, Luke had finally found the perfect location to farm Flame. It was a Beta-grade dungeon located at the edge of Skeleton Town.

Skeleton Town was a region to the right side of New Florence, a place that ought to scare any student. Even though it was called a "town"—that was a joke. Skeleton Town was an industrial wasteland, so gigantic that three New Florences could easily fit inside it.

Decades ago, an Alpha-grade gate had ruptured there, spitting out undefeatable monsters that destroyed everything. Only a nuke stood a chance to wipe them out, and consequently, the city turned into a zone of toxins and radiation. Now, any creature there was prone to mutation.

Luke had never set foot in Skeleton Town, but he’d heard a lot of stories as a noble heir with a good education. Yet, these stories failed to birth an ounce of fear in him. After all, he had already cleared a Gamma-grade gate, which was an advanced manifestation.

"Alright, time to move," Luke whispered. "Come out, Amigo."

Flash!

As soon as Amigo landed on the study desk, he looked at the phone screen, and his face melted in fear.

"Master! No! Absolutely not!" Amigo squeaked. "Skeleton Town?! That place is a dump! The green smog will ruin the shiny finish on my chestplate! My legs aren’t armored! If I step into an acidic puddle, I’m going to turn into soup! Please, let me stay here!"

Luke didn’t listen to its wiggling at all. He reached out, grabbed the little turtle by its shell, and stuffed him into the pocket of his jacket.

"Master!"

"Stop complaining, shell head," Luke said as he zipped the pocket halfway up. "You’re a support companion, not a dormant companion. This dungeon is the perfect test to see just how supportive you actually can be in a real battle. You’re coming with me."

Amigo sobbed before going quiet.

Within five minutes, Luke left his dorm, found his way out of campus, and boarded a cab. He stared out the window as the city lights blurred past, checking his phone every ten seconds because he was under the gun.

Unlike other gates, Beta-grades had stable energy, making them safer and easier to manage. Because of this, hunter parties monopolized them as training grounds to condition talent without risking lives. The hunter platform on Luke’s phone showed that a group of Bronze-rank professional hunters had already registered their intent to clear the exact gate Luke was going for. According to the GPS tracker, their van was already driving through the highway.

Luke only had a couple of minutes as a head start. He had to beat them there. If that group arrived at the coordinates before him, they would lock the entrance, and Luke wouldn’t be allowed to enter at all.

But even though he was running out of time, Luke had to make a quick stop by his shop to make sure his business was doing okay.

He asked the driver to keep the engine running as he jumped out of the car and ran over to his shop. The street was empty with nothing to offer, but when Luke reached his kiosk, he stopped in surprise.

Before leaving for the academy earlier that day, Luke had pasted a blank paper onto the shop’s exterior. At the top, he scribbled a note instructing customers to leave their names and required beast armor specifications, so he wouldn’t miss a single order while away at school.

Coming back now, Luke could see that the paper was covered in different handwritten scribbles, each a customer’s order!

Even crazier, a few customers had written "x2" or "x3" next to their names.

Many workers preferred rotating armor for efficiency; if a summon’s chestplate took heavy damage, the worker couldn’t afford to wait for repairs. So, keeping two or three backups on hand minimized downtime.

Luke turned on his flashlight and excitedly read the list out loud.

1. Morris — Mud Armadiilio Set (Cuirass + Mask)

2. Mike (Assembly Line 4) — Druidic Iguana Gorget x2 (Urgent!)

3. Brenda from the Clinic — Glow Skipper Wing Guards

4. Tony (Stone Quarry) — Iron-Hide Ox Helmet x3

5. Pete — Wind-Runner Falcon Leg Bands

6. Charlie — Magma Bison Shoulder Plates x2

7. Lily — Spotted Fawn Defense Vest

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A/N: Thanks for reading!