The Third Wall was the first line of defense, and it had fallen more times than anyone could count. That was why everyone was desperate to live in the inner sections of Terragrave City.
Aries Star Academy sat closer to the Second Wall and was also on high alert.
Vogue arrived in front of Aries Star Secondary School.
The gate stood open, and students from junior year one to senior year three streamed through, heading inside.
The Crimson Phoenix Gaze was beginning to show itself, turning the entire world a deep brownish-red. It was roughly thirty minutes until the descent of the Osympic Trial.
Roars, shrieks, and mournful wails echoed from beyond the city’s massive ring walls. The ear-piercing sounds were so powerful they sent ripples throughout the entire city. But the Space-Locking Net covering Terragrave rebounded those ripples like they were nothing.
Vogue glanced at the towering city walls, their surfaces covered in marks and cracks. He frowned as he noticed several dots flying through the air in the distance. He hoped this time the beast horde wouldn’t break through the city’s defenses.
Many had died during the last attack. The beast horde was also what had killed this body’s parents.
He looked up at the sky, spotting the faint but massive hexagonal net that covered all of Terragrave.
With a sigh, he walked alongside the other students heading toward the academy’s massive coliseum. Around him, students began talking in hushed voices.
"Thank goodness the academy is letting us stay here for protection. Who knows if the beast horde will breach the city like they did four years ago." A senior second-year student spoke with relief.
"It’s been four years. There are way more Stellar soldiers defending the city now compared to last time. Those sun beasts would only be seeking death if they dared invade. They’d just become resources for us."
"Hah! You think killing Radiants is easy?" A more knowledgeable student scoffed coldly. "With the Crimson Phoenix Gaze, their regeneration speed increases by over three times, along with their strength. They can heal severed heads like it’s nothing. Unless their entire body is crushed to paste, they’ll keep regenerating under the crimson suns! Not to mention they don’t feel pain! You’re really clueless!"
The others inhaled sharply at this information. And the student was right.
Under the first crimson sun, [Solvarin], Radiants could heal any external injuries.
Under the second sun, 『Helioris』, they could regenerate severed limbs.
Under the third sun, 『Ignivar』, Radiants could heal destroyed organs—including their hearts.
The final sun, 『Aurex』, transformed Radiants into near-immortals. Under the fourth sun, they could regenerate severed heads, making them nearly unkillable on the battlefield.
Unless their head, heart, and solar plexus were all crushed at the same time, they would continue absorbing energy from the suns and fuel their endless regeneration.
It was even rumored that some scientists had once created an experiment to harness solar energy to fuel the human body, hoping to achieve immortality.
That abominable act had triggered some kind of reaction—transforming the world into what it was today.
Vogue only half-listened to his fellow students and hurried toward the stadium.
It was the same stadium where they had killed their first Sunfiends, so he was quite familiar with it.
The moment he walked through the stadium’s entrance and stepped onto the field, he saw students scattered across the spectator seats, all watching the field below.
But it wasn’t just students. Various registered Stellar Knights in full combat armor surrounded the stadium floor, their god-weapons clenched tightly in their fists.
That wasn’t the most surprising part, though.
What truly shocked him were the cages filling the entire stadium floor.
There were roughly five hundred cages spread throughout the arena.
And inside many of these cages, students were already locked in.
At first, Vogue was stunned by the sight. But when he thought about it more deeply, he realized it was necessary.
The Osympic Trial, when failed, would transform a normal human into a bloodthirsty Radiant. If they weren’t suppressed quickly, they could kill the other students—those who had passed their Trial and awakened their talents to become Stellar Knights.
The cages were absolutely necessary. It was probably why the academy had sent him a number via email.
Vogue pulled out his phone and checked his email. The number 221 had been assigned to him.
He was about to walk forward to find his cage when he heard the ground shake slightly with a dull thud—like a dinosaur walking among the rush of students.
Just as he was about to turn around, he felt a massive force land on his back with a heavy pat.
"Vogue! Finally, I’ve found you! You don’t know how happy I am to see you!"
A young woman no older than seventeen slapped Vogue’s back with her enormous hand. She laughed, grabbed him in a crushing hug, and twirled him around like a prince spinning his princess in joy.
Vogue was completely stunned, his face going blank as he tried to process what was happening. One moment he was about to enter his cage—the next, he was being spun around like a princess!
He wanted to struggle, but he quickly realized he couldn’t even budge against her bear hug. All he could do was watch in horror as his fellow students pointed and laughed at him for being carried around like a doll by a woman.
To say he was embarrassed was an understatement.
The young woman squeezed Vogue against herself with a satisfied sigh, then finally released him after what felt like an eternity.
Vogue was finally able to see who it was.
Greta—the Iron Lady of Aries Star School.
Vogue had almost forgotten about this best friend of his. She had deep violet hair, ocean-blue eyes, and an extremely beautiful and alluring face.
But what made her stand out was her enormous, powerful build.
She wasn’t called the Iron Lady because of her temperament.
It was because of her mass and strength.