Rhian woke up feeling something he hadn't in a long time, genuine excitement.
Today marked the official return of the portals.
The rumors had been swirling for months, whispered through hallways and buried in speculation.
But yesterday, the academy finally confirmed it.
The announcement had gone out late in the evening, and the entire student body had been buzzing ever since.
Now, the air felt sharper, charged with anticipation. Students were no longer whispering, they were planning, organizing, preparing.
It had been a long wait. Too long without portals and without progress.
But that was over now.
For a carrier, that silence was dangerous. Their growth depended on absorbing divine cores from monsters.
No cores meant no power. No advancement. No chance to catch up to those ranked above them.
Rhian sat up, stretching. His muscles felt restless, like they already knew what was coming.
He grinned to himself.
"Finally," he muttered, getting out of bed. "It's about time."
