Novel's Extra: I Awakened The Strongest Physique From The Start Chapter 172 CHAPTER 171 - Upcoming Competition 1

The fifth peak of the academic city was as lively as ever, its streets filled with students dressed in their respective academy uniforms.

Calls of vendors echoed through the air along with the scent of fresh food and chatters of students. Small groups of students gathered in various corners, engaging in discussions about the upcoming Academic Competition—a prestigious event that occurred every third year.

"I heard the club presidents would participate in the competition this ti. They've never participated in any competition until now."

"Why won't they? This isn't your regular competition. The one who wins gets to et the head/principal of the academy and have the chance of being trained personally by them."

"For real? I heard they had never shown their face or taken in any disciple."

"Well, this happens once every third year for a reason."

They were all discussing how things have been with the competition. It was supposed to happen every four years, and most students could see and participate in it only once.

That competition was coming up soon, and many key competitors—the ones with high chances of winning—were already the talk of the academy.

"Now that I rember, hasn't Lilia gone... missing? She was supposed to be one of the key competitors, wasn't she?" Soone asked, but with the ntion of her na, an uneasy silence settled over the small crowd.

It had been four days since she disappeared, and rumors about her sudden absence had spiraled into countless theories. So speculated that she had gone on a secret mission and the abduction was just a cover, while others were convinced she had been taken. One na, however, always ca up whenever her disappearance was ntioned.

"Lucias hasn't shown himself either. That can't be a coincidence."

"You think he really kidnapped her?"

"Co on, it's Lucias. If anyone were to pull sothing like that, it'd be him. After all, he still isn't coming forward to defend himself."

"Still... he was a fourth-year teacher."

"Then what about Alex? Shouldn't he be doing sothing? The two of them were close, right? But he's been missing, too."

"Apparently, he's training sowhere in seclusion. Maybe he just doesn't care?"

"No way, it's Alex we're talking about. If anything, I bet he's already planning sothing huge."

The discussions continued as the students speculated, but none knew the truth.

..................

Among the ones who knew part of the truth, Keryu Ivanovich, was right now, sitting at a quiet corner of a café, the delicate porcelain cup in his hands growing colder with every passing second. Across from him sat a girl dressed in formal attire, her expression seductive yet alert.

"There has been no movent from the student council regarding Lilia or Lucias," the girl inford him. "Most of them are either preoccupied with training for the academic competition or managing council affairs. With many supervising teachers imprisoned, the student council is struggling to maintain its order."

Keryu humd, his fingers tapping lightly against the cup. "And Alex?"

Alex was the only one he couldn't make out anything about. What that guy was doing mattered to him more than other council mbers.

"The general word is that he is training, but no one knows where," replied the girl.

Keryu frowned, his thoughts turning. 'How can Alex not make a move when Lilia is kidnapped?' It didn't make sense. From everything he had observed about Alex, he was the type to act without hesitation when it ca to those he cared about.

It was clear from the Zyrrak Incident. Zyrrak wasn't even a girl and just a prospect for Alex to use, yet that guy did so much for him, so there was no way he wouldn't do anything for Lilia.

Unless...

Before Keryu could finish his thought, he felt a hand on his, his eyes turning to the woman in front of him.

"Why do you look so serious?" She asked, under the table, her leg moving closer to his.

"What can I say? You already know everything," Keryu answered, letting her do what she wanted.

She was one of his close subordinates, and he had already bedded her, so this much physical tension between them wasn't strange in his eyes.

"This has sothing to do with Lilia?" The girl raised a brow, tilting her head in confusion. "You said things were going fine with her case, though."

Keryu had told this girl everything about his plans for the girls he wanted to take for himself. She was helpful and supportive, so there was no reason for him not doing it.

Keryu didn't respond imdiately, swirling the remnants of his coffee in his cup before setting it down. "I plan on leaving today."

The girl's brow furrowed as she heard that. "Already? But you said you'd wait at least a week before moving."

She knew Keryu's plan, so she couldn't understand why he would want to go right now.

"I know," Keryu admitted, his fingers tightening slightly against the cup. "But sothing doesn't feel right. I have this... uneasy feeling that my plans are slipping through my fingers."

For a while, he had been feeling that things were going way too easily for him, and when it was like that, there was always sothing that he was missing.

Even the girl had her face turned serious. She knew how accurate Keryu's instincts were. Whenever he had said sothing would happen, it had happened.

"Well," she sighed. "I can't stop you if you want to go, but..." Pausing, she smirked, her finger tracing against his. "Let at least enjoy so quality ti before you go."

Those words caused Keryu's lips to raise automatically. "You don't need to say it twice."

Ting-Ting

It was then that the bell above the café entrance jingled. A girl with striking orange hair and vibrant orange eyes stepped in, scanning the room.

"Ah, she's here," the girl spoke, pouting. "I wanted her to be a bit late." "Don't worry, I'll call you once I'm done with her," Keryu assured her, his gaze unwavering, and the girl, after a deep look in his eyes, smirked.

"You better," she scoffed before she left him alone, moving away before the orange-haired girl, Margaret, could spot them sitting together.

Just as the girl moved, Margaret spotted Keryu. Her face imdiately brightened.

"Keryu!" She exclaid before moving toward him.

Margaret closed the distance between them with quick, eager steps. Keryu glanced at the woman in formal attire and dismissed her with a nod. She bowed slightly before making her exit.

As Keryu stood up, looking at Margaret closing in, his mind didn't move away from the most pressing matter—Lilia's search. He exhaled slowly, calming himself. 'It would've been good if I had the teleportation device, but so bastard stole it before I could reach it.'

The loss still irritated him—even more so as he didn't know who took it—but he pushed it aside. He was going to get Lilia back, and that was more important than so artifact.

'Besides,' he thought with a smirk. 'No one other than knows where Lilia is anyway.'

..................

Deep within the eerie forest, Alex stepped into a clearing. The thick, twisted trees finally gave way to an open space, revealing remnants of an ancient structure long abandoned and overgrown.

He took a deep breath, feeling the shift in the air. A slow grin spread across his face.

"I knew this was 'The Forest,'" he muttered, smiling as he had accomplished sothing great.

[You had been saying the sa thing for the last five forests we ca across.] Sophie sighed hearing his words. [But yes, this ti I agree with you.]

Alex's smile widened as he scanned the area with sharp eyes. "Keryu probably thinks no one would reach here."

He didn't know how right he was, as that was the exact thought that Keryu had.