The Strongest Student of the Weakest Academy

Chapter 576: Arcadia, The First Planet In All Creation (LIV)

Aestrea stepped out of the fourth tower’s arched doorway.The moment he crossed the threshold, the oppressive weight of the Tower’s restrictions vanished.

His full power surged back into him , and the black-and-white aura flared around him as he returned to his full power once again, albeit injured.

Five days.

From Elleonora’s perspective, five entire days had passed while he was inside the tower.

The moment she saw him, her eyes widened with overwhelming relief and joy.

"Aestrea!!"

She pounced on him instantly, launching herself through the air and crashing into his arms.

Her legs wrapped tightly around his waist as she hugged him with all her strength, burying her face in his neck.

"You’re back... You’re really back!" she cried, her voice trembling with emotion.

"Five days... I waited five whole days out here! I thought something had gone wrong... I thought I’d lost you again!"

Her massive breasts pressed firmly against his chest as she clung to him desperately.

Tears of relief welled up in her light blue eyes as she peppered his face and neck with frantic, happy kisses.

Chu~ Chu~ Mwah~

"I was so worried... I kept staring at the entrance, imagining the worst. Don’t ever scare me like that again!"

Aestrea wrapped his arms around her, holding her securely as he let her vent all her pent-up anxiety.

He gently stroked her long wine-red purplish hair, his voice low and reassuring.

"I’m here now. I’m fine."

Elleonora pulled back just enough to look at him, her hands cupping his face as she searched his eyes for any sign of injury.

"Did you get the Trumpet? Are you hurt? What happened inside? Tell me everything!"

She was still clinging to him like a koala, her legs locked around his waist and arms around his neck, refusing to let go even for a second.

Her body trembled slightly from the relief of finally seeing him safe.

Aestrea couldn’t help but smile faintly at her over-the-top reaction.

He kissed her forehead softly.

"I got it. The challenge was... annoying. But I’m back, and even stronger than before"

Elleonora’s eyes sparkled with pride and happiness. She hugged him even tighter, burying her face in his neck once more.

"Good... I don’t care about the Trumpets. I only care that you came back to me.

Aestrea gently stroked Elleonora’s hair as she clung to him, her body still warm and soft against his.

After a long moment, he spoke quietly.

"It’s time to go to the fifth tower."

Elleonora immediately pulled back just enough to look up at him, her light blue eyes widening in protest.

She pouted, her lips forming an adorable little frown as she hugged him even tighter, refusing to let go.

"Already...?" she whined softly, her voice carrying that spoiled, possessive tone she only used with him.

"I haven’t seen you in five whole days. Five. Days. And now you want to leave again? No. We’re staying here a little longer."

Aestrea chuckled softly, the sound low and fond. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, then her pouty lips.

"We can stay a bit longer," he murmured against her mouth.

"But we can’t put it off forever."

Elleonora’s pout deepened, but she didn’t argue further. Instead, she buried her face back into his neck, breathing him in like she was trying to memorize his scent all over again.

The next week passed in a blur of tangled sheets, heated kisses, and desperate touches. They barely left the secluded area by the waterfall.

Elleonora was insatiable, clinging to him, riding him, letting him take her in every position imaginable, as if trying to make up for the five days he had been gone inside the tower’s challenge.

She marked him with bites and scratches, whispered possessive words against his skin, and came undone in his arms over and over again until both of them were exhausted and sated.

But eventually, the time came.

They stood once more at the entrance of the fifth tower.

This time, there was no one waiting to stop them.

The large, simple arched entrance stood open and unguarded, almost strangely quiet compared to the previous towers.

Aestrea and Elleonora stopped in front of it.

The same glowing panel from before reappeared the moment they approached, floating silently in the air as if to remind them of the rules one final time.

[Prove that you’re worthy]

The words materialized in bold, golden letters before fading away.

They walked forward together, the sound of their footsteps echoing softly against the smooth stone floor.

The interior of the fifth tower was deceptively simple at first, a vast, circular chamber with high ceilings and walls that glowed lightly.

In the very center of the chamber stood an exquisite-looking sword, stabbed vertically into the ground.

The blade was perfectly straight and gleaming, the hilt wrapped in pristine leather with intricate golden engravings that glowed under the tower’s soft light.

The crossguard was elegant, almost royal in design, and the pommel held a flawless blue gem that pulsed gently, as if alive.

Aestrea stopped a few steps away.

His lips twitched the moment he recognized it.

It was a perfect replica of Excalibur, Lucas’s Sword.

’...Why is this sword here?’

He took a few steps closer to it and analyzed it more intently. From the design alone, he could confirm that it was Excalibur... but why would it be here?

Unless Elohim took it back from Lucas... there was no way that it could be here.

Speaking of which... where is Elohim?

Aestrea had searched for him as he wanted to beat the shit out of him purely because he had annoyed him, but didn’t find him at all.

’Maybe it’s a divine replica...’

While Aestrea was lost in thought, Elleonora walked over to the sword without hesitation. She reached down, wrapped her hand around the hilt, and pulled.

The blade slid out of the ground effortlessly, as if it had been waiting for her all along.

Aestrea, who had been preparing for some kind of trap or resistance, fell into a brief trance.

His mind went blank for a second as he watched her lift the legendary sword so casually.

’What the hell...? Is this a test? A trap? Why did it come out so easily for her...?’

Elleonora turned toward him, the sword resting lightly in her grip. She noticed his distant expression and reached out to gently shake his arm.

"Hey. Aestrea. You there?"

He blinked, snapping out of it.

"Yeah... I’m here."

She smiled softly, though there was a hint of concern in her eyes.

"You looked like you were about to fight the sword itself. Come on. Let’s keep moving."

Together, they climbed the rest of the tower.

The path was surprisingly straightforward, with no additional guardians, no illusions, no deadly traps.

It was just a long, spiraling staircase that eventually led them to a quiet chamber at the very top.

There, floating serenely above a simple pedestal, was the Fifth Divine Trumpet.

Aestrea approached it without hesitation.

"It seems that there really was no trap..." he mumbled as he reached out to absorb it.

THRRRUUUUM!

The Trumpet suddenly vanished into particles of light.

The entire world around them convulsed violently, the chamber walls rippled like water, the floor shook, and the air itself warped.

"Of course!"

A new panel appeared in front of him, glowing with bold, golden letters:

[Prove that you’re worthy by saving the princess!]

In an instant, the chamber dissolved.

Millions of strange creatures materialized across a vast, open battlefield.

Twisted, nightmarish beings with jagged limbs, glowing eyes, and weapons made of shadow and bone...

All of them turned toward Aestrea with pure killing intent.

And just behind the endless horde stood a massive, ancient castle, its towers reaching into a stormy sky.

That had to be where the princess was being held.

Aestrea instinctively tried to take to the air, planning to fly straight over the creatures and reach the castle.

But another panel appeared immediately:

[You cannot fly here. Defeat all the creatures purely in swordsmanship alone...]

He turned toward Elleonora to tell her to stay back...

She was gone.

The sword she had pulled earlier had vanished with her. The space where she had been standing was now empty, as if she had never been there at all.

"...Fucking hell."

Aestrea took a deep breath and reached for his two swords.

To his relief, they responded to his call and materialized in his hands, the Heaven Swallowing Sword in his left and the Midnight Sword in his right.

Even in this sealed space where most of his divine powers were restricted, the swords were as powerful as ever.

He spun them once in his hands, the blades cutting through the air with sharp, clean whistles.

The horde of millions of strange creatures roared in unison.

They were grotesque, twisted abominations with too many limbs, jagged black armor fused into their flesh, and glowing red eyes filled with nothing but murderous hunger.

Some were massive, towering like giants, while others moved in swarms like insects.

All of them began charging toward him at once, shaking the ground with their thunderous advance.

Aestrea’s eyes narrowed coldly.

’Pure swordsmanship... huh?’

He stepped forward, taking on a stance.

’Thankfully, that’s my area of expertise!’