Blue Star Military Academy, Conference Hall. Valen stood at the front and spoke, while rows of cadets in black-blue uniforms sat below him. They were essentially the academy's top 10 in overall strength, along with the leading elites from the Command Institute. Valen took out several stacks of banknotes and had soldiers hand them out. "Take a look. Tell me what's special about the bills you're holding." His voice carried authority, clearly shaped by years of training students. The moment he spoke, authority came with it. Thora picked up the bill and immediately recognized it as the common currency used throughout Chaules. Each empire minted its own money, but this one circulated freely across all pack territories. She rubbed the bill between her fingers again and again. On the surface, nothing seemed wrong. The other cadets looked just as confused. That reaction was exactly what Valen expected. The fake bills were made with terrifying precision—more realistic than the real thing. Even standard detection machines couldn't spot them, let alone human eyes. Thora pressed harder with her fingers, and slowly, she felt something wasn't right. It was fake. Even though it looked exactly like genuine currency—almost perfect—the process used to print official money was fundamentally different. It was a hidden difference, impossible to see. A copy could never fully match the original. "These are counterfeit," Roxen said first, holding a bill between two fingers and giving it a light shake. Once he spoke, other cadets also began to notice the issue. Their expressions turned serious.Valen looked satisfied. That was the standard he expected from Blue Star Military Academy's elites. "That's right. Every bill you received is fake. And this is what your current mission assessment is about." He raised his hand and activated the console. A 3D projection appeared in midair. "All live-combat missions at the academy are based either on requests from Lycan Kings or real-world situations." Since most students were werewolves, the missions naturally focused on matters within Chaules. "The team that finishes first wins. You already know the rules, so I'll skip them and go straight to the mission." Valen pointed at the image of the counterfeit bills, his face serious. "Your task is to destroy the counterfeit syndicate producing these." Thora kept rolling the bill between her fingers, looking relaxed, but she listened closely."This group is currently the largest and most aggressive counterfeit operation within Blue Star's reach. Their printing tech is extremely advanced—their counterfeit money is nearly flawless. There's a high chance they have members with special abilities. They're cautious, heavily armed, and have spent huge sums buying weapons from arms dealers. They've even built a guerrilla unit as cover. On top of that, they're tied to major theft and numerous violent crimes." Valen paused before continuing, "Intel suggests they've survived this long because they have a stable network of clients spread across all packs. These partners are either high-ranking officials or wealthy elites. No one knows their identities, and the syndicate has never exposed them. "A few days ago, the academy received a joint request from several Lycan Kings. Fake currency has already spread into eastern werewolf territories and is moving fast. They want Blue Star Military Academy to assist, making this a global live-combat mission. After discussions between Mr. Ewing and senior leadership, the operation has been approved."As Valen explained everything, the cadets below grew solemn. Thora stopped fidgeting with the bill and clenched it tightly, her cold eyes fixed on the investigation data in the air. "These materials were gathered through global intelligence channels," Valen said, using his pointer to explain each section. "Your first objective is to locate the syndicate's base. After that, you'll plan and carry out the takedown," he concluded. "You'll form your own teams now. Departure is in one week. The mission time limit is 15 days. The first team to find the target, wipe out the operation, and return with full identification of the syndicate leader wins. Understood?" "Yes, sir!" the cadets shouted together, voices sharp and full of energy. Valen seemed to remember something else. "When you get back, you'll face the academy's freshman entrance exams. Consider this a little 'welcome gift' for the new students. Let's see how well you perform."He smiled and waved them off. "Attention!" a soldier shouted. Whoosh! All the cadets stood up in perfect sync. Even the sound of fabric moving was identical. They raised their hands in a crisp salute. Valen returned the salute and said, "Dismissed!" Only then did the cadets lower their arms and leave in neat order. Just then, Valen said, "Thora, stay behind."