The Outer Academy, which had been quiet for ten days during the Magical Beast hunting competition, gradually returned to life.
A large number of students left the Back Mountain. Some carried bulging backpacks with beaming smiles on their faces, while others clutched their backpacks and looked dejected. There were also students waiting outside the barrier; these were the ones who had unexpectedly encountered insurmountable Magical Beasts. Rescued by the elders, they had withdrawn from the competition ahead of schedule. However, once an elder stepped in to save a team, that team was automatically disqualified.
Student teams, led by their instructors, gathered at the academy's large plaza. A high platform had been set up here, complete with dozens of inspection stations.
Chapter 55