The next day, when Shoyo and Jennie were alone, it was clear that things had improved compared to the last time. Jennie also felt that he wasn't as despondent.
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In the evening, they saw Rachel returning to the dormitory covered in dirt, still wearing the same clothes she had on during the weekend's training.
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"Is the senior okay?" Shoyo asked.
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"Yeah," came her tired reply. Shoyo was curious about what kind of special training she and Edan were doing when they were alone. It seemed even more exhausting than before.
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In the following weeks, the group noticed that every time Rachel returned to the dormitory, she looked exhausted and hadn't changed her clothes. It seemed like she was indeed undergoing some incredibly tough training.
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It had been almost two months since the "Fakeslave Assault on the City" had occurred, and there were no more reports of attacks on the citizens by the "Fakeslave" or sightings of the new "Skullbreaker." The royal investigation continued, and while the citizens weren't aware of the new "Skullbreaker," the absence of "Fakeslave" for some time had eased their fears, and trade between the four cities was gradually returning to normal.
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During this time, Cloude didn't stop his training, Jennie and Shoyo continued to meet regularly, and on their way to their secret beach base, Jennie suddenly brought up something.
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"Next month is the 'Imperial Ceremony.' Have you guys heard the rumors about the hot favorite for the Onyx Badge in your class?"
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"Yeah, I heard some classmates mention it last week. It's Kazami from Room 1. He's handsome and kind, and he has quite a fan following among the girls. I heard he's at the top in terms of intelligence and strength among all the students this year, so he's a strong contender. You must see him often; have you been smitten by him too?" Shoyo asked with a sly smile, but Jennie didn't take the bait.
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"I'm not interested in boys like him. They're too showy. I think it's just the admirers trying to hype him up with these rumors."
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"As for hot favorites, there's also a rumor about Rico from Room 5. She's considered the academy's beauty with both looks and talent, like Kazami, she's exceptional. I've met her a few times, and she does attract a lot of boys. But I'm not interested in flashy girls either."
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Surprisingly, Jennie, who usually took her time to understand things, guessed what Shoyo wanted to say next. "Never mind, let's not talk about this. Do you know where Edan and Rachel are?"
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"Senior really isn't considerate. It's his birthday today, and he chose to spend it with Rachel."
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"You're the one who isn't considerate. It's common sense for couples to spend their birthdays alone, right? But did Rachel tell you?"
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"Of course, she mentioned it after class yesterday." Jennie pondered silently after hearing this news, but Shoyo didn't notice.
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She suspected that Edan hadn't really been with Rachel, that Rachel was lying because she was always wearing the same weekend clothes when she returned. As for where Edan was, they didn't care much; they didn't know him well anyway.
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As they talked, the two of them arrived at the entrance to their secret base.
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Despite the absence of reports on the "Fakeslave" and the new "Skullbreaker," the threat of ordinary "Skullbreakers" still existed. George and some Huntectors remained in the village, and Mock ventured out alone to investigate.
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This situation was common; the vice-commander led teams to protect villages and patrol, while the "Kingside" either worked alone or with other "Kingside" members on riskier investigative missions.
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Mock knew the crisis was far from over, and he hadn't let his guard down in the least. On this day, he arrived at the border of "Paradise" and began to inspect the area. In this forest, he could smell the presence of "Skullbreakers," but fortunately, they weren't "Fakeslave."
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Since the incident had occurred, all the mysteries surrounding the "Fakeslave" had remained unsolved. Where did they come from? Were they natural mutations, or were they artificially created? If they were created, then by whom?
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Grandecy was the only city attacked by the "Fakeslave" so far, and some radical officials in the royal court believed that the other three cities were conspiring to use these bioweapons to eliminate Grandecy and seize control of the capital. Although this was just an internal suspicion, it had spread to the three cities. They naturally denied it and, in response, revamped their city wall security and established more effective defense measures.
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"Kingside" members were promoted from all Huntectors, who came from various cities. Since the "Kingside" needed to protect the king, they typically stayed in Grandecy or nearby villages, making the military strength of the three cities relatively weak. After this event, they were even more concerned about their safety and therefore repaired the Thunder Cannon and stationed more Huntectors for defense.
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However, the investigation into the "Fakeslave" continued.
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To avoid alerting the Skullbreakers, Mock moved stealthily through the forest, matching his steps with the swaying of the grass and the movement of the trees, blending his presence with nature.
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Suddenly, several dark shadows passed by him; they were Skullbreakers, and there were four of them! It was unclear if they had other intentions, but they didn't notice Mock hiding in the woods. Mock quickened his pace, following them closely to find answers, but the strong scent of blood already gave him a clue.
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