Regeneration System-Chapter 54: Emergency Quest

The next morning, Kain was sleeping soundly, wrapped in the comfort of his blankets, his body still recovering from the intense sparring match the day before. The academy was quiet in the early hours, the only sounds being the occasional rustling of leaves outside his window and the soft murmurs of students beginning to wake.

Then, without warning, a blaring alarm echoed in his mind, piercing through his dreams like a dagger.

[SYSTEM ALERT: EMERGENCY QUEST ACTIVATED!]

The sudden noise shocked Kain awake, his eyes snapping open as he bolted upright in bed, heart pounding in his chest. A deep sense of dread settled in his gut as he quickly processed what was happening.

"Emergency quest?" Kain muttered, his voice groggy but laced with urgency. "System, open my emergency quest!"

Immediately, the translucent blue interface appeared before him, glowing ominously in the dim morning light. His eyes darted over the text, his breath catching in his throat as he read the details.

[EMERGENCY QUEST: SAVE THORNE]

Description: Thorne is currently being attacked in the cafeteria by a group led by a second-year student. If left alone, Thorne will be forced to leave the academy.

Failure Consequence: Thorne leaves the academy.

Success Reward: +25% to regeneration ability.

Time Remaining: 10 minutes.

Kain’s blood ran cold. Thorne was in trouble.

There was no time to think—only to act.

Kain threw off his blankets and jumped out of bed in one swift motion. His hands fumbled as he yanked on his academy uniform, barely bothering to straighten it as he strapped his belt and secured his hammer. His heartbeat thundered in his ears, the urgency of the situation driving him forward with sheer adrenaline.

As soon as he was dressed in is full equipment, he bolted out of his dorm, his feet slamming against the wooden floors as he sprinted down the halls at full speed. He didn’t care if other students were just waking up or staring at him in confusion—every second counted.

"Damn it! What the hell happened?!" he growled under his breath, pushing himself to move faster.

The cafeteria wasn’t far, but at that moment, it felt like miles away.

Kain burst through the cafeteria doors, his breath ragged from sprinting at full speed. The moment he stepped inside, his eyes locked onto the scene at the far end of the room.

Thorne stood near a table, his back against the wall, his usual demeanor cracked under the tension. His fists were clenched, his shoulders tense, but he was clearly outnumbered.

Four first-years surrounded him in a semi-circle, sneering and smirking as if they were toying with their prey. A second-year student stood at the center, his posture relaxed but exuding dominance. Unlike the others, he wasn’t mocking Thorne—he was simply watching with a cold, amused expression as if he already knew the outcome of whatever was about to happen.

The cafeteria wasn’t empty, but most students kept their heads down, eating their food and pretending not to notice. Some whispered to each other, while a few cast nervous glances in Thorne’s direction. No one was stepping in.

Kain’s jaw clenched, anger flaring in his chest.

The second-year, a broad-shouldered boy with short, dark hair and a scar running down his cheek, tilted his head as he finally noticed Kain. His smirk widened, his sharp eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Oh? And here comes the other stray." His voice was calm, almost lazy.

One of the first-years, a lanky boy with a cocky grin, scoffed and turned toward Kain. "Stay out of this, newbie. This doesn’t concern you."

Kain ignored him, focusing on Thorne. "You good?"

Thorne’s eyes flickered with relief for the briefest second before he quickly masked it. He adjusted his sleeves and forced a small smirk. "Oh, yeah. Just having a friendly chat."

The second-year chuckled, shaking his head. "You call this a chat? I call it a lesson. You see, this guy’s been acting like he doesn’t know his place. Thought we’d remind him."

Kain took a step forward, his presence unwavering. "Five against one? That’s not a lesson. That’s just cowardice."

A tense silence followed.

The second-year’s smirk twitched slightly, his eyes darkening. "Watch your mouth, kid."

Kain rolled his shoulders, planting his feet firmly. He could feel his adrenaline kicking in, the weight of his hammer on his back reminding him that he was far from defenseless.

This wasn’t just about Thorne anymore.

If these guys thought they could just push people around without consequences, they were about to get a very rude awakening.

Kain took another step forward, his gaze unwavering as he stared down the second year. The air in the cafeteria grew heavier, the whispers of onlookers rising as more students began to pay attention to the brewing confrontation.

"You think you’re teaching him a lesson?" Kain’s voice was calm but firm. "Then let’s make it official. A duel. Five against two."

The group of first-years exchanged glances, some snickering, others looking a little uncertain. The second-year, however, only raised an eyebrow, as if Kain had just told a joke.

"A duel?" He let out an amused chuckle. "You really think you stand a chance?"

Kain shrugged. "Afraid to make it fair?"

The cafeteria went completely silent. Even the students who had been pretending not to watch were now staring in open anticipation. A duel at the academy was no small matter—once the challenge was issued and accepted, backing down would bring serious embarrassment, not just for the challengers, but for their reputation as fighters.

Thorne tensed beside Kain, his fingers twitching as if he were restraining himself from pulling at his sleeves. "Kain, are you sure about this?" he muttered under his breath. "That second-year is strong. And these guys... they aren’t playing around."

Kain glanced at him, his expression unreadable for a moment before he smirked. "Thorne, you’re not weak. Stop acting like you are."

Thorne blinked, taken aback.

"They’re pushing you around because they think they can," Kain continued. "Because no one ever fights back. But if you stand your ground now, they’ll think twice before trying it again."

Thorne exhaled sharply, still looking uncertain, but there was a flicker of determination in his eyes. He slowly nodded.

The second-year watched the exchange with mild amusement before shaking his head. "Fine," he said lazily, cracking his knuckles. "If you’re that eager to get humiliated, I’ll play along. Five against two. Arena rules. No killing, no permanent injuries."

One of the first-years muttered, "This is a waste of time."

"No," the second-year said, his smirk widening. "This is entertainment."

With that, he turned on his heel, gesturing for his group to follow. "We’ll settle this at the training grounds. Fifteen minutes."

As they walked away, the tension in the cafeteria didn’t ease. Instead, it only thickened with anticipation.

Students began whispering excitedly. A five-on-two duel? Against a second-year? No one had expected this morning to take such a dramatic turn.

Thorne ran a hand through his hair, exhaling again. "You’re insane," he muttered.

Kain simply grinned, clapping him on the shoulder. "Maybe. But let’s make them regret underestimating us."

The Duel Begins

The training grounds buzzed with excitement as students gathered to watch the five-on-two duel. Word had spread fast—everyone wanted to see how this reckless challenge would unfold.

Kain and Thorne stood on one side of the arena, facing their opponents: four first-years and the second-year leading them. The second-year, a tall and broad-shouldered fighter with a confident smirk, rolled his neck, his aura radiating strength.

"Hope you’re ready," he taunted. "I’d hate for this to end too quickly."

Kain tightened his grip on his hammer, his expression unreadable. "Let’s see if you can back up all that talk."

The instructor overseeing the match raised his hand. "Duel rules are in place. No lethal attacks, no permanent injuries. Fight until one team is unable to continue or yields. Duel... begin!"

The Battle Unfolds

The second-year wasted no time, lunging forward with surprising speed. Kain barely had time to raise his shield before a powerful punch sent him skidding backward. The force of it rattled his bones. "Fast and strong. Great."

At the same time, the first-years split up—two of them went after Thorne, while the other two backed up the second-year, aiming to overwhelm Kain.

Thorne’s fight was immediately challenging. The two opponents knew his class well and rushed him aggressively, not giving him time to cast. One wielded twin daggers, striking with precision, while the other used a staff, keeping Thorne on the defensive.

Thorne gritted his teeth, barely dodging a dagger swipe. He reached into his pouch, fingers brushing against vials of poison. I can’t afford to hold back. With a quick flick of his wrist, he shattered a vial on the ground—thick, green mist spread rapidly.

The dagger-wielder coughed violently, stumbling back. Thorne took the opening, slamming his palm into the first-year’s chest and activating Curse’s Affliction. The student staggered as his body weakened, his movements slowing.

Meanwhile, Kain was struggling.

His hammer was useless against the second-year, who was faster and more skilled. Each blow Kain tried to land was dodged effortlessly, and in return, the second-year struck with brutal efficiency. Kain’s shield absorbed some of the impact, but it wasn’t enough—he was getting pushed back.

One of the first-years saw an opening and lunged at him with a sword. Kain barely twisted out of the way, but a sharp pain exploded in his side—a glancing hit.

Damn it.

Then, a sudden blast of water crashed into the first-year, sending him tumbling across the field.

Thorne had finally managed to break free from his opponents and was casting from a distance. His hands glowed faintly with mana as he used **Healing Waters—**but instead of healing, he shaped the water into high-pressure bursts, turning them into projectiles didn’t cause damage but still gave them time to focus on the second year.

Kain grinned. "Nice!"

They regrouped, standing back-to-back. "This guy’s too fast," Kain muttered. "I need an opening."

Thorne nodded, sweat beading on his forehead. "I’ve got one last trick. Just... don’t get hit."

He pulled out a deep violet vial and crushed it in his palm. The air thickened with poison, spreading in a low fog.

The second-year scoffed. "Poison? Weak." He dashed forward to attack—

—only to suddenly falter, his body slowing. His movements lost their fluidity, his reaction time dulled.

Kain didn’t hesitate. He charged forward, hammer infused with mana, and slammed it into the second-year’s chest.

The impact sent the upperclassman soaring backward, skidding across the ground. He groaned, trying to rise, but his body refused to move properly—the poison had sapped his stamina.

The remaining first-years, seeing their leader fall, immediately surrendered.

"Winner: Kain and Thorne!" The instructor’s voice rang out.

The Aftermath

The crowd erupted with cheers and murmurs of disbelief. They actually won.

Thorne panted, wiping sweat from his brow. "That... was close."

Kain chuckled, wincing as he touched his bruised ribs. "Yeah, but we did it."

The second-year groaned as he sat up, glaring at them. "You got lucky," he spat. "Next time, you won’t."

But before Kain could respond, one of the first-years—pale and clearly nervous—muttered, "You know we didn’t do this for fun, right? It’s because of his family."

Thorne stiffened. "What?"

The student hesitated before continuing. "The Blackwoods don’t want you wasting your time with poisons and combat. They sent word to upperclassmen to... pressure you into quitting."

Silence.

Thorne’s fists clenched, his face darkening. "Of course they did."

Kain scowled. "So this wasn’t even about you guys? You were just doing someone else’s dirty work?"

The second year didn’t confirm it outright, but the look in his eyes said enough.

Thorne took a deep breath, his anger simmering beneath the surface. "They want me to be a full-fledged healer. Nothing more."

Kain placed a hand on his shoulder. "What do you want?"

Thorne hesitated, then clenched his jaw. "I want to be an alchemist and I have grow to like fighting along side you. I want to be more than just a healer."

Kain grinned. "Then that’s all that matters."

The duel might have ended, but the battle against Thorne’s own family was just beginning.