Island of Secrets

Two major buildings were gone—the middle school and high school structures. The protective barrier around the school still stood, locking everyone inside and cutting off any connection with the outside world.

Confusion spread among the students and teachers. A moment ago, they were all inside the buildings, but now, they found themselves standing on the open ground, the structures vanished without a trace.

A subtle change hung in the air, something not immediately noticed. People were missing, but the realization crept in slowly. Teachers gathered the students and visitors, attempting a headcount. It hit them then—every student with special abilities, along with the teachers who shared those traits, including the Principal, were nowhere to be seen.

Seeking answers, they headed to the school's university, aiming to understand the situation and make contact with the outside world.

After the blinding light faded, Reinhart, Ryder, Violet, Silver, and other students found themselves on a strange island. Checking his phone, Reinhart confirmed their predicament—no cell service.

"Stay here," Reinhart instructed, approaching a tall tree. With a swift leap, he reached its top, keeping a watchful eye on their unfamiliar surroundings.

He reached the top of the tree, where the leaves rustled in the gentle breeze. He scanned the horizon, taking in the view of the island. He smelled the salty air of the sea, mixed with the earthy scent of the forest. He heard the distant roar of a waterfall, and the chirping of exotic birds. He sensed the mana flowing through the island, pulsing with life and mystery. He opened his eyes, looking for any signs of danger or escape

The island's landscape was a rugged blend of towering cliffs and dense forests, simultaneously alluring and perilous. The cliffs, weathered by time, stood sentinel-like, and the forests offered shelter while concealing unknown threats.

This island bore an aura of intrigue, as if it existed in a realm apart from the world. Unfamiliar plants and creatures found their home here, adding to the sense of the enigmatic.

The island remained veiled in natural light, its secrets waiting to be unraveled. Ancient ruins, partially obscured by overgrown flora, hinted at a civilization long-forgotten. Mysterious symbols etched on aged stones suggested it was once home to an ancient civilization.

However, the island was more than just a canvas of natural wonders and historical curiosities. Hidden adversaries lay in wait, concealed in the shadows, ready to confront the newcomers.

He descended from the tree with his customary heavy sigh, closing his eyes in an attempt to track the mana signatures of the other teachers. However, he found himself unable to pinpoint anything specific—something was disrupting his sensory abilities.

His concentration shattered with the piercing scream of a girl behind him. As he opened his eyes, a girl in a Rakuzan senior uniform sprinted towards their group, tears streaming down her face. Claw-shaped scratches adorned her right leg, and her clothes were in tatters. As she drew closer, she urgently cried out, "Run, it's coming!"

"Violet, can you see it?" Silver inquired, squinting to discern the threat the girl warned them about.

"This is bad, it's a Gorgonix."

"A Gorgonix? Isn't that a B-ranked threat? What the hell is it doing here?" Ryder questioned.

"Everyone, get back!" Silver urged.

Emerging from the bushes, the Gorgonix revealed its form—a beast resembling a tiger with an exoskeleton and menacing red eyes. Renowned for its petrifying gaze, powerful tail strikes, and razor-sharp claws, the Gorgonix possessed a magical ability to paralyze victims with a single glance, rendering them vulnerable to its lethal strikes.

Its first target appeared to be its last. Locking eyes with Reinhart, the creature lunged towards him, aiming for a final, fatal slash with its claws to rip his head off.

The retreating students paused, expecting Reinhart to be petrified. Yet, the unexpected occurred. He didn't see the need to run; he didn't perceive the Gorgonix as a threat.

In an instant, Reinhart's actions unfolded too quickly for anyone to follow. Holding the core of the beast in his hand, he stood over the fallen creature, its life extinguished. With a swift motion, Reinhart shattered the core and turned back to the students.

"We're going to have some rules now," he declared in his usual deep tone, lacking energy yet radiating authority for some inexplicable reason.

"Rule number one, unless I tell you to run, no one runs."

"Rule number two, no one splits from the group without my permission."

"Is that clear?"

"Y... Yes, sir!" Ryder and the others replied, their voices reflecting a mix of awe and apprehension.

Approaching the injured girl sprawled on the ground, writhing in pain, Reinhart extracted a small, transparent bottle from the inner pocket of his suit jacket. The bottle contained a soothing green liquid—a healing potion.

"Drink this. It should stop the bleeding and ease the pain," he instructed, opening the container and extending it towards her.

Recognizing the potion, the girl took the bottle from Reinhart's hand and downed its contents. Within moments, her injuries miraculously healed, and a serene expression replaced the pain on her face. With a sigh of relief, she lost consciousness.

"So, that's a healing potion. I've never seen one in action before," Ryder remarked.

"Same here. I've never actually needed it, and I haven't been in a situation where I had to see someone use it", Violet added.

Reinhart cradled the healed girl in his arms as he stood up.

"We're going to take a look around first, find somewhere to settle down, and build shelter. Everyone stay close, and no matter the reason, don't separate from the group," Reinhart instructed, his gaze fixed on Ryder and his friends.

Nervous smiles formed on Ryder and his friends' faces, aware that the latter part of Reinhart's instruction was mainly aimed at them.

Heading north of the island, Reinhart intentionally avoided the direction the girl came from, minimizing the chance of encountering magical beasts. Along the way, they encountered domestic creatures like the Woolywisp, a furry flying creature known for its insulating wool, and the Harmonyhare, a small, docile rabbit.

Choosing a spot near a lake, they decided to build their shelter. Reinhart gathered wool from the Woolywisps, enough to create soft platforms for the students to sleep. As night approached, he lit a fire with tree branches.

Setting the girl on a natural bed he had made, Reinhart kept a vigilant eye on their surroundings. Ryder and his friends joined him by the fire.

"You should be asleep, gathering strength for tomorrow. I'm sure you know we won't be here for long."

"I don't have an inch of sleep in me, Mr. Reinhart," Violet replied energetically.

"Same here," Ryder and Silver added.

"I see," Reinhart replied without revealing any interest in engaging in conversation.

"Uhm... Just out of curiosity... Uhm, what form of energy do you use, Mr. Reinhart?" Ryder inquired, staring at the fire.

Reinhart stayed silent for a minute before responding, "Mana."

"Do all mana users have special abilities?"

"Some mages are born with specific inherited abilities or traits, or a different type of mana core. For example, a dragon slayer or god slayer has a mana core that refines mana in a way which makes their output stronger than a normal mage's," Reinhart explained, showcasing his role as a teacher.

Ryder stared at him in awe, trying to grasp the different levels of strength he described.

"There are those who naturally possess the capability of utilizing a specific type of magic. These abilities are embedded in a mage's mana core. Then there are the all rounders, who can learn any type of basic magic but are incapable of learning advanced types, like gravity magic, time magic, space magic and many more. Even if they were able to learn these advanced forms of magic, developing them to high levels would prove to be highly difficult and time consuming", Reinhart added.

"So, a mage's mana core is really important. What happens if they lose it?"

Reinhart looked at Ryder and answered, "The look in your eyes tell me you think they'd die. That is correct to some extent. After experiencing pain enough to drive a man to the brink of madness, they'd die, as a mage, but remain alive as a human. In other words, they'd lose the ability to use magic."

Violet interrupted with her question, "Concerning that, what part of the body is a mage's mana core located?"

"For humans, the mana core isn't something as basic as an organ; it's a part of a mage's soul. Destroying it isn't an easy—"

Reinhart's explanation was abruptly halted by a familiar voice in his head. Closing his eyes to focus, he tried to identify the voice, while Ryder and his friends stared at him.

Although lacking in combat skills, and possessing strength which could be measured up to the level of a grade 3, B ranked, Sentinel, Lian was a specialist when it came to ki control, opening a pool of exceptional skills, for her, on the level of a grade 2, A ranked Sentinel. Healing, sensory abilities, and telepathy happened to be some of Lian's many specialties. Despite the erection of a barrier that rendered even the sensory abilities of an A ranked Sentinel useless, In less than twenty-four hours, Lian was still able to track down everyone on the island and communicate with them telepathically.

"Reinhart... Reinhart!"

"Lian?"

"Finally..."