A hot gust of wind struck the students from various races above the sea of desert sand, the scorching sunlight unobstructed by clouds made sweat drip from the students.

Throats as dry as the desert made them exhausted without moving even a little, the blazing sun began burning every inch of their skin. In the middle of all that, alex’s words about having fresh water made their heads hurt even more.

But unlike the students from other races, the human students cheered around alex, they shouted beneath the scorching sun as if they had obtained an iceberg mountain, wide smiles carved onto their dry lips, some jumped in excitement.

"Do you store a lot of water?"

"Hey everyone hurry closer, water is no longer a problem!!"

"Is this the water you stole back then?! The water is definitely cold right?!"

The students from various races felt confused, but aera who saw that immediately approached and gathered among the human and beastman students which made the elf students follow her, meanwhile the dwarf students who were fewer, inevitably gathered together with them.

Alex chuckled softly, he raised his small paper toward the sky, the symbol engraved on it facing the scorching sun "of course this water is very cold! It’s very expensive you know?"

The human students laughed hearing alex’s answer, they remembered once again the incident of alex being caught by the principal at dawn, while the students from other races only stared at the sky.

Alex smiled faintly "enjoy it leisurely....I stored enough water." after alex’s words, a burst of light came out from his symbol, after a few moments, a gush of water came out like a glacier covering the sunlight.

All the students stared in disbelief at what they saw, slowly their dry and hot skin began being touched by cold and fresh water, their suits and dresses began getting wet, but they didn’t mind it, instead faint smiles slowly appeared and erased the stressed expressions from the heat earlier.

The students from various races slowly laughed together, they who were previously separated were now gathering beneath the same fountain, they laughed and jumped in the middle of the barren desert, the sun might feel annoyed at them.

They enjoyed every drop of water that fell onto them, sometimes they opened their mouths to wet their throats, every drop of water felt more valuable than the most beautiful diamond.

In the middle of all that, aera only stared at the sky, she still wore her umbrella which prevented the fresh water from touching her skin, her green eyes only stared at the water spray that interested her the most.

She then lowered her gaze and looked at alex who was jumping around among the students from various races, even the elf students had now joined together with him inside his world.

Aera’s eyelids blinked several times, she slowly gripped her umbrella tighter, her throat looked like it swallowed saliva, her sigh sounded for the first time because of the artificial rain created by alex.

Her eyelids slowly closed, her elf ears could hear the rain drops hitting her umbrella, a whisper came from her pink lips that were beginning to dry "his world is so beautiful..."

Aera slowly released her grip on the umbrella protecting her, her body slowly began touching the cold and fresh water, a relieved sigh came out from her.

Aera directed her palm toward the sky, she flowed mana into her palm, the wave of mana from aera began reaching every falling drop of water, slowly every drop of water transformed into tiny ice fragments in the middle of the dry desert.

The students from various races who realized the change immediately turned toward aera, their cheers became louder because now they could feel ice in the middle of the dry desert. The elf students began cheering because they had never seen princess aera bathing in rain.

"Princess!! Are you alright?"

"You’re amazing princess!!"

Aera smiled faintly in response which made the elf students cheer even louder, but that smile was actually directed at alex who shouted excitedly.

"Woah!! Shaved ice!!"

Alex smiled widely while shaking the hand holding the paper that released water. Meanwhile, his other hand pointed toward aera with his thumb sticking out.

"Amazing crazy elf-" alex immediately shook his head "I mean, elf princess!!!" They all enjoyed the ice particles falling, the desert temperature they stepped on now began decreasing, while the sand beneath them began becoming wet.

Among all the enjoyment of the students playing with water, sesa only stood upright in the middle of all of them, she looked like she wasn’t enjoying it but her fox tail kept wagging like a dog.

Her red fox eyes stared at alex who kept surpassing her expectations, her short dress began getting wet but her red fox ears instead stood upright, she licked her lips that were beginning to dry.

A breath came out from her, she made a rectangle with the index fingers and thumbs of both her hands, one eye closed while the other eye looked at alex through the rectangle she made from her fingers.

A regretful sigh came out from her pink lips "ahh what a shame my smart bracelet was taken...even though I wanted to capture this moment..." sesa then brushed her silver hair that was beginning to get wet "if that’s the case, I’ll just store it in my heart."

All the students from various races now played with water for some time, the stress haunting their heads now slowly began freezing because of every grain of ice and cold water hitting them.

That sight made the sun become annoyed, that sight made the desert regret making them dirty, that sight was also witnessed by a green fly flying around them, its red eyes continuously stared at the crowd of students holding a water party in the middle of the desert and beneath the blazing sun.

However after some time, the water party finally ended, life once again became visible in every student’s eyes, aera began helping the students dry the wet clothes of the students one by one, she froze the water absorbed by the students’ clothes which made them continue feeling cool in the middle of the desert.

They slowly formed one large circle, now all the students from various races had mixed together without separating, some of them wrapped their arms around each other.

Sesa who saw all that immediately clapped her hands several times which made all the students pay attention to her.

A faint smile carved onto her face showing her fox fangs "woah...that was very exciting right? Who would’ve thought we would play with water..." all the students nodded in agreement, while sesa pointed at alex and aera "thanks to my friends alex and aera, we all can feel life again..."

The students from various races immediately protested

"Hey...alex and princess aera are my friends too starting today!!"

"Aren’t we classmates now?!"

"It feels great being in this class!!"

Sesa chuckled softly, her fox tail wagged again like a dog, she then looked at alex with her red fox eyes "is there anything you want to say? We’re going to discuss strategy for tonight, yeah...after what you did after the lively night and the incident just now..."

Sesa nodded once "I think you have a good idea for us to escape this hell." All the students from various races began looking at alex, they were now waiting for alex’s crazy idea.

Alex stayed silent for a few moments, his black eyes kept moving as if thinking, but in the end he only shook his head "no idea. But, I’m ready to be placed in any position, I mean..." alex raised his left hand, he took out the glowing changing sword.

All the students stared at alex with open mouths, their eyes reflected the light of the changing sword "....I can still use weapons, so I can be at the very front or even support–" alex’s words stopped when the students near him shook his body.

"Hey! What is this?! You have a soul-bound weapon?!"

"Shit...! Turns out you’re rich huh?"

"Woah...is your weapon that can transform into anything a soul-bound weapon?!"

Alex’s face froze expressionlessly even while his body was being shaken by the students ’what is this? Isn’t my weapon normal? Soul-bound? Can’t they do that? I thought they only sometimes stored it in smart bracelets’

Krystal clicked her tongue amid the noisy voices of the students trying to see and touch alex’s changing sword ’idiot!! I already told you, learn something! Read something or whatever, you don’t even try following the development of this new world!!’

Krystal sighed ’our main weapon really is quite unique, that sword is bound to the soul, and in this world it’s fairly rare because only the dwarf king or talented dwarves can make it. Please learn basic things...’

Veins bulged on alex’s forehead, he let his friends see and touch the changing sword ’how could I know if you never told me? Katarina and the others also never reacted so I thought it was normal...’

Krystal fell silent for a few moments before answering ’that’s why I said study!! Katarina and the others probably thought you took it out from your smart bracelet’

Alex sighed, he finally gave up arguing with krystal and would study diligently later. He began calming the students from various races, he started improvising and said that he was actually the child of rich people and lived in the most magnificent palace.

The students who saw alex telling stories with a serious face finally began believing him while alex and krystal only laughed loudly inside alex’s mind ’crazy person, you’re lying and telling the truth at the same time.’

Alex chuckled softly, he looked at sesa "yeah so that’s all, and the other problems are better left to the beastmen. Because you know more about the desert than the others"

The students nodded agreeing with alex, while sesa only smiled faintly because once again she was amazed by alex, she finally clapped her hands several more times to continue the discussion beneath the scorching sun.

"Alright...once again there’s an impressive surprise....if that’s the case, let’s talk about desert monsters" sesa paused for a few moments so the others listened "yeah, that is our hardest problem. There are dozens and maybe hundreds around here"

Sesa sighed, she looked at the faces of the students from various races "so we will do many exhausting things, yeah...if only saint azara was here, she could chase away her pets easily using her holy energy"

Alex’s ears twitched, he turned toward sesa with a blank stare, he no longer heard sesa’s words about battle tactics at night against monsters, his thoughts instead headed somewhere else.

Sesa led the discussion as if she often did it, several times she made adjustments according to what all of them needed, and after some time the discussion finally ended.

They finally began walking again beneath the scorching sun, but this time they felt more prepared for any situation, their steps weren’t too fast because some girls had to walk slowly because of their heels, but they instead enjoyed the slow walk.

Now they could speak with one another even though they were different races, they began getting to know each other beneath the sun, their steps moved together atop the sea of sand, they began laughing about things they all liked.

Their clothes that still felt cool added harmony among them, several times alex gave cold water to those who were thirsty, it felt like they were touring the desert instead of surviving.

Slowly the sun began descending from its highest point, its light slowly turned orange, day slowly began changing together with all of their relationships growing closer.

Sesa nodded several times seeing the others becoming close to each other, she slowly shifted her gaze toward alex’s back walking in front of her, she also looked at alex’s feet which only wore cloth footwear.

Sesa smiled faintly, she slowly walked catching up to alex, she began matching her steps with alex and started speaking.

"Hey...alex. Isn’t it hard for you to walk?" Alex turned toward sesa, he wanted to answer but sesa spoke again "want to wear my shoes? I’m used to the desert heat...so I don’t mind"

Alex opened his mouth several times, he didn’t know what he should say, alex then looked at the shoes worn by sesa "there’s no way I would wear heels..."

Sesa chuckled while covering her mouth, her fox tail wagged and was illuminated by orange light "are you dating katarina?" Alex’s face lost expression while sesa placed both hands behind her back, she raised both shoulders "I mean, you two were very close at the party...or did you prepare all that party for her?"

Alex’s eyes narrowed while krystal inside his mind spoke ’hey hey, this fox girl seems interested in you!! You have to answer clearly!! Remember, I don’t support more than one partner!!’ Veins bulged on alex’s forehead, he gritted his teeth ’shut up, I know too. Shit...don’t lecture a coach!’

Krystal immediately kept talking continuously inside alex’s head, meanwhile alex ignored her, he only looked at sesa "katarina isn’t my girlfriend..." sesa’s red fox eyes widened, her tail wagged harder and her fox ears stood upright, alex who saw that immediately continued his words "....but I really did make all that for her, yeah of course also for ken and reva. Yeah also for all of us..."

Sesa’s expression changed in an instant, her tail slowly stopped moving, while her ears began drooping, a sigh came out from her, while orange light enveloped her silver hair.

"Then what’s your type like? Beautiful? Kind? A princess? Likes children? Long hair or short hair? Can cook? Does her voice have to be good...?"

Alex sighed, while sesa kept talking as if escorting the departing sun sinking lower, alex finally raised his hand "why are you asking that? You’re pretty relaxed huh? Even though we only met a few hours ago..."

Sesa raised both shoulders, she smiled faintly "I just want to know you more closely..." sesa touched alex’s left arm with her index finger "who knows we might match-" sesa’s words were cut off by alex’s trembling body, he got goosebumps after sesa touched him.

Alex immediately created distance between them "hey hey!! You can’t touch men carelessly!! Especially since we just met!!" sesa chuckled, her tail wagged again, she tried approaching alex while alex kept moving away.

The students walking behind them began speaking beneath the sky that was starting to darken, their conversation could be heard by aera who stared at alex and sesa chasing each other.

She walked while holding her umbrella that she no longer used, the wind blew through her two-colored hair, her expression never changed, while her steps were more comfortable than the other female students because she wore boots.

Her green eyes kept following every time alex ran, a soft sigh came out from her, but nobody knew that.

Meanwhile in the reflection of her eyes, aera saw alex raising both hands as a sign of surrender.

Alex’s breathing became heavier after being chased by sesa for some time ’shit...this fox girl can run without difficulty in heels even on sand...’ alex swallowed his saliva, he pointed toward the students behind him with his chin "let’s stop the chasing. It’s almost night, you better give instructions again..."

Sesa’s face immediately became flat, but she nodded several times "alright..." her red fox eyes began glowing as the sun started setting "...besides, you won’t be able to run away next time"

Sesa immediately turned her body around, she threw away her heels and ran barefoot atop the desert sand that was beginning to lose heat, meanwhile alex only got goosebumps hearing sesa’s words.

"She’s really dangerous..." alex brushed his black hair, he clearly looked at the sun beginning to set ’so, how about our previous conversation?’

Krystal’s sigh echoed inside alex’s head ’I already told you!! You don’t need to ask, just say you need it and I’ll channel our holy energy to you!!’

Alex slowly walked toward the other students ’of course....but, we’re going to use it for quite a long time maybe even until it’s exhausted, I’m afraid you won’t endure it you damn brat!!’ Krystal clicked her tongue ’damn tacky person!! Did you forget who I am?!’

Alex rubbed his face several times irritably ’I know, you’re the only angel in this world right? You’re also the best guide that ever existed right? What else? Anything else to add’

Krystal’s voice immediately changed after being praised slightly, while alex spoke to her again ’if that’s the case I’m doing it okay?’

’Do it!! I also want to see it because it’s funny!!’ Alex nodded several times, he finally hurriedly approached the other students before the sun completely set.

He began speaking to the students who had now become his classmates, he spoke about all his plans except about his holy energy, the students reacted differently, they were somewhat confused about what alex was trying to plan. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"What kind of power is this again? Isn’t your talent only storing objects?"

"You’re always full of surprises huh? But this time it seems rather risky..."

"Won’t we become too vulnerable if we do that? If it fails we won’t have time to prepare..."

All the students from various races looked at alex after expressing their opinions, aera and sesa also looked at him seriously while waiting for alex’s answer.

A warm gust of wind struck all of them beneath the sky beginning to darken, alex looked at the students from various races "I know it will be vulnerable, I also can’t possibly carry all of us without battle..."

Alex raised his index finger "but, I can carry you several steps without having to fight, all of us can rest while walking...you all just need to trust me."

Alex scratched the back of his head "I’ll also stop before reaching the limit, and all of us can prepare. Yeah of course I hope at least half the night has passed by then..."

Silence enveloped the dozens of students from various races, sesa finally spoke first "what exactly is this power of yours? If we know clearly, who knows maybe we can make another plan..."

Alex sighed, he looked at sesa "yeah, I already said, I can’t tell you all. But I guarantee nobody will get hurt from this plan..."

Everyone became silent again, sometimes they looked at the sun beginning to disappear, sometimes they looked around the quiet sea of sand, but the sound of torn clothes was heard which made them all shift their gazes, there aera removed her jacket and tore it into several pieces.

The elf students near her immediately spoke worriedly to aera who now only wore a long sleeved shirt

"Princess aera...what are you doing?"

"You don’t have to tear your jacket! It’ll be night soon..."

Aera sighed, she looked at all the students from various races "just do what he asks....after all he always does amazing things right?"

All the students fell silent at what aera said, while aera continued with her flat expression "besides he wouldn’t talk about it if he wasn’t sure..." aera slowly gave parts of her torn jacket to the elves around her, she then covered her own eyes with the jacket she tore "...and who else could make us play water in the middle of the desert."

Alex chuckled hearing aera’s words, he slowly removed his jacket which left him only wearing a short sleeved shirt, he also tore his jacket into several pieces, while moving the remaining papers he had into his pants, all the students turned toward him.

Alex then gave one piece to sesa who wore a short dress, he also gave them to other female students who couldn’t possibly tear their dresses.

Sesa smiled faintly and finally wore it to cover her eyes, meanwhile the other students finally began following, the male students began tearing parts of their suits, meanwhile the female students tore their long dresses or received from others.

They finally began covering their eyes, meanwhile only alex didn’t wear a blindfold.

He quickly began arranging the students from various academies into two long lines, he did it using strategy from sesa so they could immediately fight if night hadn’t passed.

Alex placed sesa in one of the frontmost lines, he placed aera in the middle line together with the special fighters, and lastly he guided the dwarves to line up at the very back.

Alex looked at them who were now holding onto one another, meanwhile the frontmost dwarf could only hold the waist of the student in front of him "forgive me friends, all of you have to be at the very back and not spread out like the others..."

The dwarves clicked their tongues, they turned left and right where alex stood in the middle of both lines

"Hey! You shouldn’t say it like that!"

"We know we’re short!! Don’t make it clearer!!"

Alex chuckled hearing the dwarves "if that’s the case as compensation, all of us will survive without injuries..."

Alex slowly walked in the middle of the two lines, he helped the students hold the shoulders of the students in front of them and in the end alex stood at the tip, he touched sesa’s hand and one elf student to touch both his shoulders.

Alex sighed, his heart beat faster as the sun disappeared, now darkness enveloped all of them, darkness that also enveloped alex who didn’t close his eyes.

A cold gust of wind struck all of them, the sound of rustling sand slowly broke the silence, but the students still spoke among themselves.

"Doesn’t this position look like we’re playing oranges and lemons....?"

"Eh really?"

"Now that I think about it, it really does!! The difference is only we can’t see"

Alex chuckled hearing the students’ words behind him, he felt sesa’s grip becoming stronger, alex then arranged his surroundings where dozens of sand mounds began appearing with glowing eyes behind the sand.

"Is the game the same in every region?"

"What do you mean?! You think it only exists in human territory?!"

"Damn this human....you think we only play with ice, climb mountains, or play with sand..."

"How would I know you damn brat! I never had friends from other races before."

Alex almost laughed hearing the students’ conversation while dozens of sand mounds began approaching them, alex then took a deep breath and exhaled it quickly.

Krystal slowly flowed her holy energy into alex, alex’s body slowly emitted golden light accompanied by golden dust, that light became brighter and enveloped the two lines behind him all the way to the dwarves at the very back.

The sand mounds finally stopped right before crashing into the two student lines which made alex sigh in relief, the sand mounds began moving away but they still swam around alex and the others.

Alex slowly laughed inside the darkness he illuminated with his light, his laughter made the students fall silent and whisper among themselves.

"Is that the side effect of his ability?"

"I think he became crazy while using his power..."

The students slowly nodded agreeing that alex probably became insane, meanwhile sesa squeezed alex’s shoulder and whispered to him "alex, what’s happening?"

Alex stopped laughing and shouted while his body glowed and was surrounded by dozens of sand mounds swimming around him.

"WE SUCCEEDED!!"

The whispers about alex being crazy slowly faded and were replaced by cries of success, all of them laughed loudly in the middle of the siege of sand mounds.

Alex then stopped their enjoyment "alright!! Let’s walk slowly..." alex slowly stepped his foot forward, the two lines behind him holding onto each other’s shoulders slowly walked.

Alex looked around the dark desert area, the sand mounds slowly swam away as alex’s steps got closer, a sigh came out from alex ’shit! So scary!.

Alex finally shouted to the students he guided "sing!!" The students were confused hearing alex’s sudden words meanwhile alex spoke again "sing the game’s song..."

All the students slowly turned toward each other even though they were in different lines, meanwhile sesa who was right behind alex chuckled, she slowly opened her mouth, her voice sounded soft but reached the very back line

"Oranges and lemons" everyone fell silent hearing sesa’s voice unlike usual, meanwhile from the line on the right side, a beautiful voice sounded from aera as if answering sesa. "...Say the bells of St. Clement’s"

Silence enveloped afterward, but sesa broke it again, and the students in the same line as sesa began following "you owe me five farthings"

Aera in the opposite line answered again, and the students in her line joined singing "....say the bells of St. Martin’s"

Slowly both lines began singing and answering each other

"When will you pay me?"

"...Say the bells of old bailey"

"when i grow rich"

"....Say the bells of shoreditch"

"when will that be?"

"...Say the bells of stepney"

"i do not know"

"...Says the bell of bow"

The two lines led by alex inside the darkness now began singing together, alex chuckled hearing their varied voices, he didn’t even realize his head was beginning to hurt. Even so, just hearing them sing together he still kept walking like a torch of light.

"Here comes a candle to light you to bet..."

"And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!"

The students singing slowly hummed louder "Chip chop chip chop, the last man still lives!!"

The students laughed together inside the darkness of their covered eyes, their steps didn’t stop because alex didn’t stop, they didn’t realize that they kept being followed and surrounded by dozens of sand mounds.

But they didn’t care because alex didn’t tell them to stop, he instead asked the students to sing another song to accompany his loneliness watching the sand mounds.

Sweat began pouring heavily, his lips began turning pale, but the golden light he emitted and the smile carved on his face had not disappeared.

The sight of the students walking in lines in the middle of the dark desert with alex glowing in front of them was visible in the eyes of a desert eagle following them, the eagle didn’t fly high, it only followed the students who sang and had fun even while being surrounded by dozens of sand mounds.