Extra Demon: Sacred Academy of Light

Hundreds of leaves rose into the air, carried away by the wind, or fell gently from the branches of the trees to the ground. They were shades of red, yellow, and orange, creating a beautiful landscape all around. Everything seemed full of life and joy. The clouds in the sky had completely cleared, revealing the sun shining warmly over the entire area. Wherever you walked, the leaves on the ground rustled softly. It looked like a painting made by an artist. The trees weren't as tall as those in the deep forest, standing about ten meters high, but they were all vividly colored.

The autumn forest was the third-to-last area of the Beastly Glades. It was the place where you had the most freedom, so to speak. Your vision wasn't obstructed, and it wasn't empty either. It was a perfect place to hunt, search for treasures, or find unique plants and fruits. Likewise, this was where mid-blooded beasts were commonly found, and deeper in, even high-blooded ones. It all depended on luck… but one thing was undeniable—the beauty of this place.

After spending several days in that icy passage, seeing the autumn forest was undoubtedly a true joy for all the students. Finally, they wouldn't be as tense as before. The fear of falling into the void had been terrifying.

Professor Emilia stood silently for a few seconds, taking in the scenery before turning around:

"We'll walk for a few more hours and rest at a waterfall a few kilometers from here," she said. After a moment, she added, "At that waterfall lives a high-blooded beast. Our goal is to gain its permission to enter those waters."

"Hehehe! It's a great benefit for all of you!" Elizabeth said excitedly, thinking about the beautiful waterfall. "Those waters are miraculous for purifying the vital energy of your souls!"

*****

Arthur was looking at the tall, damp rocks, some towering more than a hundred meters high. They were covered in mosses of different colors, creating a unique and stunning sight—almost like a rainbow. Water fell from them, speckled with tiny glowing motes that flickered slowly. The waterfall plunged down onto rocks that took the full force of nature without mercy. Beneath those stones lay a beautiful lake, about seventy meters in diameter. The waters sparkled under the sunlight, and the glowing motes appeared even more frequently. Around the lake were beautiful flowers—plants with rose-like petals swaying gently in the wind—and behind them, the autumn trees.

This lake was surrounded by trees, making it a private place, in a way—and it certainly was. Arthur let out a deep sigh…

"Absolutely not!" A voice, adorable like that of a little girl, came from one of the lake's shores. Professor Emilia stood there, her expression complex.

Arthur looked at the cold professor's face before turning to the lady of the lake. She had turquoise hair and violet eyes. Her face was pale as snow, her cheeks puffed in a pout. She looked like an extraordinarily beautiful human, but instead of ears, she had what looked like fish fins.

The high-blooded creature that owned this place was a mermaid. The first time the students—and Arthur—saw her, she emerged from the crystal-clear waters. Her upper half was that of a woman, completely naked except for a pair of starfish covering her nipples. Her slim waist was fully visible, and her movements were incredibly alluring.

Her lower half was that of a fish. Her scales shone like multicolored diamonds in the sunlight. She was quite tall, around one meter eighty. When she saw them, her eyes lit up, and she swam toward them with smooth, fluid movements. She had allowed the students to enter her home—on the condition that they did not pollute the surroundings. Everything had gone fine… until now.

"No! No!" the mermaid shouted, her voice childlike, making an 'X' with her arms to show clear rejection.

Arthur thought about it and confirmed it even more… He was absolutely not welcome in this place. The adorable mermaid had completely rejected him and refused to let him enter the waters. She was even upset with Professor Emilia for trying to convince her.

They had been talking for over twenty minutes, but the mermaid had never changed her mind. In her words, the moment that repulsive "thing" (Arthur) entered the waters, they would be corrupted, and her home would be destroyed. She was utterly unconvinced otherwise.

Arthur watched the adorable mermaid shake her head firmly at Emilia. In the end, Emilia gave up. She thanked the mermaid for allowing the other students to enter and handed her a pure white stone. Upon seeing it, the mermaid accepted with a beautiful smile and dove back into the clear waters—though not before shooting a fierce look at Arthur.

"..." Ever since he arrived in the snowy zone, he had received nothing but hostile stares.

"I wonder what awaits in the depths of the Beastly Glades. In theory, we'll be surrounded by high-blooded beasts… and even that semi-divine queen," Arthur thought, already regretting coming on this trip. That place would no doubt be even worse than this... He let out a sigh.

"Well… I did what I could," Professor Emilia said with a gentle, forced smile. She sighed and looked at the crystalline waters. "But what the little mermaid said is true. If you entered the waters, they would be corrupted and turn dark. I was trying to convince her to give you a small portion of them, but she still refused… In the end, I couldn't do anything. I can't force her either—that would be breaking the rules. Besides… I don't want to see a mermaid cry." Her gaze turned strange and distant.

"Thanks for trying, Professor… There's nothing more we can do," Arthur said, smiling weakly. What else could he do? Even so, he was envious. He wanted to experience that soul-cleansing energy himself.

Professor Emilia remained silent as she sat beside Arthur, gazing at the beautiful crystalline waters. After a few minutes, she took out a pure white crystal and handed it to Arthur.

"Here."

Arthur looked curiously at the beautiful crystal in the professor's hands. He hesitated for a moment before touching it... and the moment he did, the crystal turned black. A strange substance began to writhe inside it, as if it were alive.

"Well, that confirms it," Professor Emilia said with a soft, cold mockery before falling silent again.

"…" Arthur stared at the crystal and shook his head. He no longer felt the concentrated energy within it. Instead, the corruption had completely devoured it.