Villain Is on Vacation

Curiosity.

It dances like a flame within the soul, igniting a hunger for knowledge and understanding that cannot be satiated.

It is a force that drives us to explore the unknown, to push the boundaries of what is known, and to discover the secrets that lie hidden within the universe.

If there were any parameter to measure curiosity, Veronica\'s curiosity about Thanatos would be off the charts.

After all, even with her resources she could barely find anything about him. 

She remembered how unbelievable things happened after she read his message that came with that package. 

***

After reading his message, she decided to travel to the Roaring Cave to investigate. There was nothing to lose.

If the information mentioned in the message was true, it would be good. And if it was false, she could track down Thanatos and "talk" with him.

Veronica effortlessly piloted her Space Sprinter vehicle through the air, traversing the long distance from Dawn City to the Roaring Cave in just under 30 minutes.

Upon reaching her destination, she deftly landed on empty plain. 

As she landed near the cave, she was taken aback to see the professors of the Academy fighting monsters at the entrance.

Kevin, Charlotte, and Sir John faced a formidable foe in the grotesque Cave Crawlers.

The monsters\' tough, leathery scales glistened in the dim light of the cave, and their razor-sharp claws and teeth glinted menacingly.

Their eyes burned with a fierce intelligence, and they hissed ragged breaths as they launched attacks on the professors.

Despite the professors\' skills, the Cave Crawlers proved to be cunning fighters.

With quick movements and evasive maneuvers, they dodged the professors\' attacks and struck back with surprising ferocity.

Although these monsters were just A and B rank monsters, their number was too high. They kept coming, making it hard to take rest. 

Kevin, an expert swordsman, employed his skills in Swordsmanship, executing lightning-fast slashes and parries with his weapon, deftly maneuvering around the Cave Crawlers to slice through their tough scales with each strike.

Charlotte, a skilled fire mage, chanted incantations and unleashed powerful flames using Fire Magic that engulfed the monsters in searing heat, leaving them writhing in agony.

Sir John, a rapier user, utilized his proficiency in Fencing, darting in and out of the fray with quick and precise movements that allowed him to land devastating blows against the monsters.

But the Cave Crawlers continued to press the attack, their numbers seeming to grow with each passing moment.

At that moment, three of them heard a voice. 

[By the power of the sun above,

I call forth the blazing flames I love.

With energy crackling all around,

Let Solar Blaze now come unbound.

From my outstretched hand, I unleash,

A searing beam that none can breach.

Consuming all in a scorching fire,

My enemies fall to ash and pyre.] 

Veronica chanted the words of Solar Blaze, causing the air around her to crackle with energy.

A brilliant light radiated from her body, growing until it was blindingly bright.

The ground trembled as an intense heat emanated from her, causing the monsters to hesitate for a moment.

A searing beam of fire erupted from Veronica\'s outstretched hand with a deafening roar.

The beam of fire engulfed the entire horde of monsters in a scorching blaze with incredible force.

The inferno burned white-hot, leaving nothing in its path but ash and cinders.

The monsters were consumed by the flames, their flesh sizzling and bubbling in the heat.

The ground beneath them turned to molten slag, as if a miniature sun had descended upon the battlefield.

This spell consumes a large amount of mana compared to an average human mage\'s point of view.

Moreover, chanting takes too much time, making it very hard to use this in the battlefield.

However, Veronica was the Dragon Princess. She had a large pool of mana and high proficiency in mana, allowing her to easily use this spell.

After dispatching the monsters, Veronica approached the professors to inquire about the situation with the students.

She listened carefully as they explained how they had lost contact with the students, and how the monsters had attacked them when they entered the cave to investigate.

Veronica hurried towards the area where the students were gathered, her senses on high alert for any sign of trouble.

The professors were now stationed at the cave entrance, keeping watch for any further danger.

As Veronica was rushing to the area where students were gathered with sensing the mana, She couldn\'t help but find this scenario weird. 

"Did that [arrogant guy] know this too?" She wondered. 

As she neared the group, she could see that they were engaged in a fierce battle with hooded figures - members of the evil organization she had encountered before.

"Oh, the bunch from evil organization..." A cold smile smile flashed on her face as she found a tail of the culprit. 

Among the students, she spotted Ken locked in combat with her brother Casper.

She scanned the area to see Ken. 

"Casper.." She couldn\'t help but feel Nostalgia as she saw her brother. 

But she was curious to see Ken\'s abilities. 

Veronica watched the fight closely, studying Ken\'s moves and sizing up the traitors among the students.

She knew that she couldn\'t let the fighting go on for too long, but it was a good chance to size up everyone\'s ability and potential. 

After a few minutes, she felt any longer would harmful for some students, she approached Casper and "convinced" him to end the battle.

With the situation resolved, Veronica took stock of the aftermath. She was relieved to see that there had been no casualties.

As the professors and students boarded the airship and prepared to return to the academy, Veronica couldn\'t help but feel a sense of unease.

She knew that the evil organization was still out there, plotting their next move.

While they were returning to the academy, she gathered as much as info she could gather about the person who sent her that package. After all, she was curious about him. 

His name was [Thanatos]. 

***