<Saturday Morning>

"Stubborn old man."

I thought as I looked at myself. While I was exploring the [Unknown's Armor], I noticed a special property of this clothing.

'I can change the shape.'

That old man really didn't send me without one final gift. He was really as stubborn as I thought.

'But, this was really a needed change.'

While I was using this armor, there were many things that made it slightly impractical. The first one was the fact that I would need to put it under my clothes, and the other one would be its enchantments being one-dimensional.

'But now that is not the case.'

lightsΝοvεl ?οm I could change how it looked, and now I was using this as my casual clothes. It also had the property of adjusting the heat.

'A small rune is here.'

With the rune acting as the energy source, I could control the head inside. Also, adding the energy consumption of [Morphium], it was evident that this armor had now become a masterpiece.

After all, if everyone could make such armor, the Blackthorns would have already done that from the start and would have used the Morphium hidden in the vault.

'Now, everything is ready.'

Checking everything, I made my out of my room.

As I made my way to the meeting area, adjusting the [Unknown's Armor] to its casual form, I encountered Sylvie in the hallway. She looked up from a small book she was reading and offered a warm smile.

"Good morning," she greeted, her eyes looking at me. "I thought you would come around this time."

It seemed she was waiting for me.

'Well, this is not that bad.'

"Morning," I replied, looking at her. With how she had clothed herself and how cheerful she looked, it seemed she was excited about the trip.

"Excited about the trip?"

Sylvie nodded. "Yes, it's a nice change of pace. I've never been on a trip like this before."

"Do you like traveling?"

"I do."

"Then, why didn't you join the Travelling Club?"

The club's name was actually Adventure and Exploration Club, but there was no need to use that fancy name.

"Well, I like traveling, but I don't like doing it frequently. It is tiring."

"Hmm...We don't go around that much, though?"

"We? You are in the Traveling Club, then."

"Yes."

"How often do you go out?"

"We just went out one time. After that, we didn't go out another time."

"One time? Isn't it a little bit low?"

"It is certainly low."

Now that Sylvie had mentioned it, I suddenly remembered the events that were supposed to happen in the Traveling Club. In the first period, one more trip was normally supposed to happen; however, it didn't.

It could have many reasons, but if I needed to point one, that would be the monsters appearing on the Nexoria City trip.

In the game, I didn't know such a thing happened, and it was itself a derivation from the start. This was probably the reason why another trip had not occurred. The Academy must have prevented it, thinking of students' safety.

'Though, now that they have let Maya this time, the club should also start being active once again.'historical

"In any case, do you know where we are going today?"

Sylvie's eyes lit up as she retrieved a folded paper from her bag. "Yes, Senior Maya gave us this map. We're headed to Western Uxbridge. It's known for its magical phenomena and ancient ruins."

"Western Uxbridge," I repeated, the name holding a hint of familiarity. After all, it was a place I knew quite a lot in the game.

It was a special location that hosted quite a lot of ancient ruins and a place where many researchers were gathered.

Sylvie smiled, seemingly pleased with my recognition. "Yes, exactly. It's known for its rich history and magical anomalies. Senior Maya mentioned that there might be hidden secrets waiting to be uncovered."

As we continued our conversation, we reached the meeting place where other club members were gathering. Senior Maya was already there, looking enthusiastic about the upcoming journey.

"Junior, you are here."

She immediately greeted me, with her friend, the vice president of the club, beside her.

"Good morning, senior."

With a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "Junior, are you excited about the trip?"

I nodded, my expression stoic. "I'm fine."

She chuckled. "Always the calm one, aren't you? Well, as long as you're ready for whatever Western Uxbridge has in store for us."

'It is not the Western Uxbridge that has store in store for us, but someone else.' I wanted to say but held it in. It was not like this was Maya's fault.lightsnovel

We waited for a little while, and soon the last members arrived.

Mason and his friends joined the group, their presence adding a different energy to the mix. Mason, as always, wore a 'charming' smile.

"Sorry for being late, we couldn't prepare in time." He said as he threw a look at the group.

'He really is good at managing his expression.'

If not for my [Perceptive Insight] and my sensitiveness against the demonic energy, I might have been fooled as well.

But, I could clearly see how geared he was and feel how the quality of his demonic energy changed. He upgraded himself for this mission clearly, and no one seemed to sense this.

'Except Sylvie.'

Her expression changed, her eyes narrowing a little while she also clenched the sleeves of her sweatshirt. Knowing her habits, this was something she did when she was frustrated and angry at something, and it wasn't that hard to see why.

I could also see Mason looking at Sylvie and me for a split second, and his gaze wasn't normal.

CLAP!

At that moment, a clap sound brought me back to reality.

"Now that everyone is here, we can start."

Maya smiled, her enthusiasm undiminished. "Let's make this trip memorable, everyone! We'll learn, explore, and maybe uncover some hidden mysteries. Now, let's hit the road!"

With that, Maya led the way; it was first a small bus that took us to the transfer gate of Arcadia City.

The atmosphere was a mix of excitement and anticipation as we approached the magical gateway that would transport us to Western Uxbridge.

"We have a reservation for the teleportation gate B128."

"Teleportation gate B128, please let me check for a second...Miss Maya, correct."

"Yes."

"Here, your reservation is confirmed. My friend here will guide you to the gate."

The process in the government was actually the same as in the Black Market. Just like the portals that would take you to the entrance of the dungeons, there were countless different ones around.

"Wow...." I had used this station before while reaching Nexoria City, but that didn't seem to be the case for Sylvie as she looked around like a country bumpkin.

"This is amazing. I've never seen anything like it before. The precision and scale of these teleportation gates are just incredible."

I nodded in agreement. "It's quite something. The advancements in magical transportation have made long-distance travel much more convenient. No more exhausting journeys on horseback or through rough terrains....Only for the rich, though."

"...Yeah, that is right."

As we approached the designated teleportation gate, the guide ushered us forward, and one by one, we stepped into the portal.

The sensation of being enveloped in that vortex of pulsating energy surrounded us, and the scenery around us changed in an instant.

"Hello."

Before us, a guide appeared immediately.

"You are the group from the Arcadia Hunter Academy, correct?"

It seemed he was already waiting for us to come from the start.

"Yes, that is correct."

The guide greeted us with a warm smile. "Excellent! Welcome to Western Uxbridge. I'm here to assist you during your stay. If you follow me, I'll take you to the research site where Mister Jones is working. He is the one who informed me."

"Ah, I will pay him a visit later. Thank you for your attention."

"No problem."

As the guide and Senior Maya exchanged their greetings and a bunch of words, we started walking.

The teleportation hall was pretty small compared to other cities, and this was mostly because, in reality, Western Uxbridge wasn't actually a highly developed city. The sole reason there was a teleportation gate itself was because of the researchers who wished to share their experiences with the Magic Tower and the Government.

As we stepped out of the hall, the city unfolded before us, revealing a different vibe compared to the bustling capital. Western Uxbridge had an older, more reserved atmosphere. The cobblestone streets winded through the heart of the city, flanked by structures that seemed to whisper tales of a distant past.

Sylvie gazed around in wonder, her eyes taking in the ancient architecture and the faded beauty of the surroundings. The air carried a sense of tranquility, a stark contrast to the lively energy of the Arcadia City.

"Welcome to Western Uxbridge, a city frozen in time," the guide announced, gesturing towards the aged buildings and intricate carvings that adorned them.

"This place holds secrets untold, and today, you have the opportunity to witness some of its mysteries."

It was, indeed, as he said.

The city seemingly held the atmosphere of a frozen time. Of course, the time was itself not frozen, and it was flowing. However, thanks to the ancient ruins and the local traditions that were still maintained through time, the city was like its elder self.

"This place is so different from what I'm used to," Sylvie remarked, her voice filled with admiration.

I nodded in agreement. "It's like stepping into a living history book. Western Uxbridge has its charm, a different kind of beauty."

It felt quite nostalgic as I remembered my time on Earth. Most of the cities went into Modernization, but there were still some who preserved their uniqueness.

"Then, please follow me through the way."

Senior Maya and the guide led the way through the meandering streets, and as we walked deeper into the city, the ambient magic in the air became more pronounced.

And just like that, the trip had fully started while on the other side, a person was sharpening his sword.