The group sat under the shade of the tree near the field. Nathan was lying flat on the ground, one arm covering his eyes, clearly asleep.
And sitting on one of the tree's higher branches, Sion Quinn rested with his eyes half-closed. He wasn't sleeping like Nathan, but he wasn't paying attention to the others either. His hand rested on the bark of the tree beside him.
Back on the ground, the mood had beco lighter. Hannah looked at Areum, She gave her a small smile and gently extended her hand. "By the way, I'm Hannah Go. It's nice to et you, Areum."
Areum turned her head and looked at the hand for a mont, then reached out and shook it.
Just as their hands parted, Nayoung suddenly jumped forward and grabbed both their hands with an excited grin on her face. "And I'm Bae Nayoung!" she said loudly, shaking their joined hands in a fast and aggressive way that made both Hannah and Areum blink in surprise.
After a few shakes, she let go, then spun around and pointed straight at the tree where Sion sat. "And that grumpy guy up there is Sion Quinn! He's always like that, so just ignore him."
Sion didn't even move or react. He just kept his eyes on the tree bark, pretending not to hear.
Nayoung then pointed behind her at Nathan. "This guy with glasses is Minseok and That's Nathan sleeping! And his twin sister, Elshienne!"
Elshienne, sitting nearby with her legs folded and her hair falling neatly over her shoulder, gave a warm smile. "Nice to et you," she said softly, holding out her hand.
Areum smiled a little, more than before, and reached out to shake Elshienne's hand too. This one was gentler, more familiar.
Then, just as Nayoung turned to introduce the last one, a hand full of food suddenly stuffed her mouth.
"Mmmph?!"
Min Yoora, holding a rice bundle, looked straight at Areum with sharp, unreadable eyes. "Min Yoora," she said calmly. "I can feel it. You're awakened. What's your class?"
Areum blinked, but didn't seem surprised by the directness. She slowly nodded and said, "I'm a Mana Body Fighter."
"Interesting," Yoora said with a small nod, then went back to chewing her food quietly.
Nayoung finally swallowed what was stuffed in her mouth and huffed. "You didn't have to do that!"
Yoora didn't reply.
Nayoung suddenly clapped her hands, standing up with excitent in her voice.
"Areum Jung! Welco to Professor Jihoon's class!" she said cheerfully, then paused, placing a finger on her chin. "…Wait. We should think of a na for this class."
Before anyone could reply, Seojun, who had returned to standing nearby with Nymira at his side, "I'll leave the naming of this place to all of you."
Everyone blinked at that, Imdiately standing up. Areum stood up slowly, brushing dust from her pants as she looked toward the others, quietly observing the conversation.
Minseok stepped forward with a slight smile and asked, "Where did you go, Prof?"
Elshienne walked beside him and tilted her head gently. "How did it go? You went to the dean, right?"
Before Seojun could answer, Nymira stepped forward and responded in his place, "Everything is okay now. Master wants to divide your ti—training not only in the Ethereal Grounds but also here."
"Ehhh?!" Nayoung groaned with a disappointed frown. "How can Areum get used to the gravity then?"
"She will," Seojun answered simply, "Tomorrow it will start. For now, train in the Ethereal Grounds. Nymira, explain it to Areum. Since your duel, Yoora and Minseok, is cancelled, use the ti to train more."
Yoora and Minseok both nodded without complaint,
Jinhyu let out a small breath and added with a shrug, "Honestly, it's a bit unfair for Nathan. He just awakened. Good thing it got cancelled."
But Yoora raised her chin slightly and said with her usual flat confidence, "Trained or new. I'll still win."
Then, without another word, Seojun raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
One by one, they disappeared from the field And in the next blink, they reappeared in the Ethereal Grounds.
The ground under their feet was different now—darker, solid, heavier. A pressure instantly wrapped around their bodies, not painful, but heavy enough to make even breathing feel a little harder for those still adjusting.
Areum looked around slowly, her eyes taking in the strange energy in the air.
*****
[Finally!]
Seojun frowned slightly at his System. "Why are you so eager to check those inbox ssages?"
[Co on, host! Don't you miss it?! Back in the Abyss, you were so excited every ti you got a task reward. You even used to laugh when rare items dropped—rember that? You were like, "finally, sothing useful." Good tis!]
Seojun let out a long sigh, crossing his arms as he stared at the screen.
"I'm not in the Abyss," he said flatly. "Show the inbox."
[Transcendent ntor Notification – You have unread ssages.]
[Start from the bottom, host! You need to check them in order—so of them are linked to the students' progress!]
Seojun raised his hand and began to slide his fingers slowly through the air. The ssage window responded smoothly, scrolling down until he reached the very bottom.
He stopped when he saw the first ssage.
[Builder Acknowledgent: Complete][Registered Na: Malara of Bino Demon][Origin: Abyss]
Seojun raised an eyebrow slightly at that na.
He rembered her. Quiet. Obedient. But strong with her hands. A forr abyssal craftsman who took the job with no questions asked.
[Building Completion Confird – Han Seojun Structure (Na: Not Set)]
Main Hall Registered
Learning Rooms Bound
Clinic
Private Living Quarters Protected
Barrier: Active – Unauthorized Entry Blocked
[Building Rating: S-Class (Handcrafted by Abyssal Artisan)]
The next set of ssages blinked in, scrolling gently upward.
[Territory and Infrastructure Updates 2.1]
One by one, more glowing texts began to unfold, each carrying system-level importance.
[Congratulations, Transcendent ntor! You have successfully established a registered independent domain: "Unnad Domain][You may assign a na at any ti ____________.]
[Domain Level: 1][Ownership: 100% – Lord of The Abyss, Han Seojun][Land Status: Ethereal Alignnt Confird]
______________________________________________
[Landbound Effects: Active]
Mana Flow Increased
Spiritual Density Balanced
Monster Interference: Blocked
Flora Mutation: Passive Activation
[Garden Completion: Success][Replanting of World Tree Sapling: Confird][Status: Stable, Grown to Phase 1 through Forced Mana Injection][Side Effects Detected – Environntal Mutations Nearby Garden]
[List of Known Effects:]
All plants now carry basic dicinal or mana-boosting properties.
Herbs automatically adapt to wounded presence within 3 ters.
Flowers now emit mild purification aura.
Grass can soothe ntal fatigue if sat upon for long periods.
Fruit-bearing plants (if any) will contain mana nutrients.
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