The third phase of the elite training program began, and the students received a group text message early on the first day.

To be precise, it was a welfare message. To reward the students’ outstanding performance and encourage them to improve constantly, the training camp’s staff decided to allow the students who had successfully tamed their beasts to take them home for free.

However, each student was only limited to taking home one Magical Beast. It was great news for students like Moss since he came from a low-income family.

“That’s awesome, Moss. You can bring your juvenile Bloodthirsty Bighorn Sheep home!” Alan looked at Moss cheerfully and continued, “I heard it would cost a lot to take a Magical Beast home in the past.”

“The training camp also needs to produce taming and beast-raising certificates for our Magical Beasts because we aren’t allowed to raise them privately.” Mill was excited.

“It looks like I still have a chance!” Baylon’s eyes revealed a glimmer of hope as he exclaimed.

Moss knew raising a beast was a symbol and would require a large sum of money to keep one, so he did not mind these things before.

Still, he had tamed a sheep yesterday. If not for the system’s notifying him that the sheep was a mount he had unlocked, he would not have taken it home, considering its costliness. Nonetheless, he had the opportunity to bring the sheep home for free now, so he was in an excellent mood.

After breakfast, he went to the training grounds alongside his teammates to gather with the other students. But when the 445 students lined up, they did not see a single instructor or teacher.

It was already 8:00 am, and the students became increasingly curious when they received another text message.

“Notice: You have until 9:00 am to choose equipment. You can choose your equipment in the training camp’s department, or use your own. All students must gather at the training grounds at 9:15 am for the third phase’s briefing.”

“It seems the instructors are playing us.”

“Maybe the third phase is the most intense among the rest, and the instructors have deliberately created a more relaxed atmosphere for us.”

“That’s highly likely because this phase has the highest casualty rate among the others.”

“Stop it. We’re supposed to be more relaxed, but you’re making it stressful again.”

“Yeah, let’s hurry up and choose our equipment. The good equipment will be gone if we’re too late.”

After reading the notice, the students spoke to each other as they made their way to the training camp’s equipment department.

However, many did not need to go to the equipment department. Students like Mill had their family’s support and access to excellent equipment and potions.

“Moss, tell me if you need any equipment, so I can tell my family to send some over.” Mill blinked her bright eyes and smiled at Moss.

“Thanks, Mill, but the equipment I got from our school should suffice. I’ll go to the equipment department to have a look later, too. I can replenish anything I’m missing if I need to,” Moss replied with a sincere smile.

“Moss doesn’t need equipment, Mill, I do! I need more two-star potions. Wait, three-star potions will be even better!” Alan feigned seriousness as he spoke.

“I-I need some too, Mill,” Bass said shyly.

“You wish!” Mill replied in a bad mood.

Nonetheless, Moss did not take any equipment from the training camp’s department. He only took some stamina potions and a standard first aid kit.

Moss knew his three-star knight set, two-star Frost Knight Holy Sword, and the agility ring Elroy gifted him would suffice.

…

It was 9:15 when the students gathered on the training grounds again. However, the teachers and instructors were already sitting on the stage this time.

Old Mur did not wear his sunglasses again. His bone-deep scar was particularly eye-catching in the sunny and beautiful weather.

He said thoughtfully, “In the next five days, you will cross the war zone and enter the Magical Beasts’ territory to carry out several missions. It is the elite training camp’s third and final phase, so I hope you work hard to claim your graduation certificates.

“I want to remind you that the third phase is perilous,” Old Mur pointed at the terrifying scar on his eye socket as he continued, “You must protect yourselves first when encountering dangers before considering the third phase’s assessments. Is that clear?!”

“Yes, sir!”

Four hundred students shouted in unison as their collective voices echoed throughout the training grounds. The students, instructors, and teachers had solemn expressions on their faces.

Following that, Red Spider and Flying Wolf introduced the training contents and other matters that needed attention. Then they began the next segment—selecting instructors.

The training camp’s staff divided the 445 students into 30 groups in the first segment, each consisting of fourteen to fifteen students. There were fifteen instructors, each responsible for two teams in a group.

The students caused a racket when they discovered Deputy Chief Instructors Red Spider and Flying Wolf were among those fifteen instructors.

“I heard Red Spider is a psionic priestess that knows advanced healing spells.”

“There are absolutely no risks if she’s your instructor. It doesn’t matter if one can complete their missions or not. At the very least, the students under her watch won’t be in a life-threatening situation.”

“Flying Wolf is no slouch either. He must be competent since he’s a deputy chief instructor.”

After listening to the other thirteen instructors introduce themselves, the students could not help but exclaim in admiration.

Most students went to Flying Wolf and Red Spider in hopes of them being their instructors. Still, nearly 200 students went to Red Spider.

Considering Red Spider and Flying’s Wolf’s limited energy and the dangerous missions, the two deputy chief instructors could only take in around 20 students each, forcing the other students to go to other instructors.

Despite all that, The Guardians were fortunate enough to be under Red Spider’s watch.

After a while, the students acclimated into their groups and immersed themselves in intense and targeted training.

Since the first task was to scout a Magical Beast territory, and the students had never done it before, each instructor would give detailed explanations about it.

Red Spider was even more so. Although she usually gave people the cold shoulder, making her seem unapproachable, she would carefully answer every question the students asked.

Especially at this phase where the students would face life-threatening dangers, Red Spider dared not be even slightly negligent. It might’ve had something to do with her past experiences.

Her teammate and sweetheart, Black Spider, was on a mission with her in the Magical Beast territory and died saving her. It was her eternal pain and why she became an instructor in the elite training program.

…

The training portion was about to end when Red Spider said something heartfelt to her group, “I sincerely hope you can all be responsible for your and your teammates’ lives during this phase. Always be 120% focused when carrying out missions.”

The students felt Red Spider’s care and expectations she had for them, as well as a strong sense of responsibility on their shoulders. Similarly, her words ignited the students’ fighting spirits.