Saintess? Not Anymore! I'd Rather be a Destroyer

Chapter 392 - 329: Second life pact

"We’re going to a Ruin!! I finally got it approved!" Juvin announced proudly, holding up a rolled golden paper that shimmered under the light. His grin stretched from ear to ear. From the way his eyes were shining it was clear that he was excited.

"We’re going to fail though," Shuwi muttered dully, arms crossed as she leaned against the wall. Her tone sounded bored, her eyes half-lidded with disinterest.

"It doesn’t matter! It’s stated in the mission, even if we fail, each of us still gets paid thirty gold coins!" Juvin said quickly, his voice filled with hope.

That caught Elena’s attention immediately. Her eyes widened, and suddenly sparkled.

"Oh my gods, that’s a lot!! Let’s go! I’m ready!!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down in excitement.

Juvin laughed at her reaction before turning to Aurianna. "Aurianna, would you come as well?"

"Yeah, yeah," Aurianna replied, waving her hand dismissively, as she ate her pastry.

Juvin’s smile brightened even more. "Alright then! Let’s pack our stuff and get ready to leave," he said, already heading for the stairs.

"Where exactly is this Ruin?" Elena asked, tilting her head curiously.

"It’s in the Holy Land Desire... the Aphrot Ruin," Zeche replied. "We’ll be teleporting to the Promised Land, Karo, since it’s part of the Church of Light’s domain. From there, if we’re lucky, we’ll teleport directly to Holy Land Desire. If not... we’ll have to find transportation."

"Such a pain!" Zorian groaned. "I hope we get a teleportation tower all the way there!"

"Don’t complain! The money and experience will be so worth it. And what’s more, we all get to travel together once again!" Elena said with a big grin, spinning around in excitement.

"What? Zorian, are you coming too?" Aurianna asked, raising a brow as she turned toward him. Her expression carried genuine surprise.

"Of course," Zorian replied, crossing his arms proudly. "I haven’t been on a mission in a while. I was even the one who helped Juvin get this approved. A teacher will also be coming with us to supervise."

"What teacher?" Aurianna asked curiously.

"His name is Alfred. He’s our Ruin and Dungeon instructor for second-year students," Zorian explained.

"Why the hell do we need a teacher like that for?" Christopher asked, raising an eyebrow while munching on some bread. His tone was more irritated than curious. Shuwi and Elena had already dashed off to their rooms to pack, and Peter, Batholem, and Zeche didn’t seem too worried about luggage at all.

"Well, a lot of people don’t know the rules of a Ruin, that’s why they end up dying before they can do anything," Zorian said, his tone serious now. Christopher hummed and nodded, understanding his point.

"Hmm... Aurianna, you won’t go for clothes?" Batholem asked as he noticed her standing still, arms folded.

"Oh, don’t worry. I have enough," Aurianna replied with a calm smile.

Her gaze softened as her thoughts drifted. ’Maybe I can use this as an opportunity to check how our new business is doing,’ she mused silently. The potions business she had built with her church had been growing steadily. Though she could access the memories of her church members at will, doing so often overwhelmed her mind, the rush of hundreds of thoughts and emotions was too much. She preferred seeing things with her own eyes.

Once everyone finished preparing, Zorian led them to a massive building at the center of the academy, the Mission Center. It would probably be considered as a guild but for students. They take quests and get permission to leave the school and gain experience.

Hundreds of students swarmed the area, moving in and out of the building, some staring at the massive mission board filled with quests ranging from F-class to S-class, while others huddled in small groups chatting with each other.

Zorian guided their group of ten through the crowd until they spotted two familiar adults waving at them. Aurianna recognized them immediately.

"Nice to meet you all again! I’m sure you remember us," said the fair-skinned dragon man with long black hair tied neatly in a ponytail. A thick tail swayed lazily behind him, and blue scales glinted faintly along his neck and forearms. And he was very muscular, "I’m Draek." His deep voice rumbled warmly.

"And I’m Luera!" said the brown-skinned elf beside him, clapping her hands cheerfully. Her short purple hair framed her face perfectly, and her vivid green eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Oh, Aurianna! Do you remember us?" Luera asked, smiling brightly.

"Yes, I do," Aurianna replied calmly. "But I assumed you two handled entrance exams. So, I’m confused why you’re here."

"Oh, come on~ the entrance exams won’t open again till next year!" Luera laughed, she sounded very cute.

"Hey, hey! I’m supposed to be the one speaking," another voice interjected. A middle-aged man stepped forward, clearing his throat. He was a tanned western man with a bald head and his piercing slim blue eyes stared at them.

"I’m Alfred," he said firmly. "I’ll be leading group twenty-four to the Aphrot Ruin for practical experience." He adjusted the light armor strapped to his chest, matching those of Luera and Draek, and then continued, "Now then, first off, we’ll be making a Second Life Pact."

Without further explanation, he turned and began walking up the wide staircase, hands clasped behind his back. The group followed closely behind until they reached a large chamber filled with people and white-robed healers.

Aurianna’s eyes followed as Alfred approached one of the stalls where a healer pressed a glowing seal onto a student’s hand. The mark shimmered briefly before fading into a tattoo-like pattern.

"Now then," Alfred began, turning to face them, "you will all receive a Second Life Pact. This mark ensures that when you die, your soul will be tethered here, allowing for immediate revival. It also protects you from external interference; no one can tamper with your soul to prevent your resurrection."

He gestured to the healers. "So, get your marks quickly. Once done, we’ll meet with the others who will be joining us."

"Others?" Shuwi asked, sounding surprised.

"Yes," Luera chimed in with a friendly smile. "We’ll be a group of thirty people in total."