"…So as long as you work hard, score points by hunting wild beasts, exploring new areas, finding resources, you can request new potions and grow stronger, faster," Kyle concluded his speech and returned to his seat.
"And this concludes our entrance ceremony. These three years are crucial for you. Cherish every minute." Evander concluded.
Classes started the next day and the cadets were in for a huge surprise. All the teachers were high awakeners. Compared to any other academy, the standards here were on another level.
Time flashed forward and a month passed. It was both hell and heaven.
Every morning at 4 AM, they'd be thrown into teleportation formations which would end them in the middle of a forest filled with beasts. They'd have to fight, fight and fight until 7 AM when they'd be retrieved back.
In case of danger, the faculty was always there to rescue. But their overall score would be impacted and if they performed too badly for too long, they'd risk expulsion.
Of course, every morning, they'd also get specialized healing potions.
As a result, the recent high school graduates who barely fought a few dozen beasts until then turned into killing machines. Forced to survive, they turned from prey to predator.
It was a mad way of teaching and learning. It's just too risky for anyone in the past to attempt. But being the Lord Of The World, Varian simply decreed a will so that anyone on the verge of death would be rescued.
So, even though the cadets faced brutal training that they regularly broke their legs, arms, and even spines, no one died.
But the real challenge was the psychological pressure.
As always, some succeeded, and many failed. But the teachers were all veterans and knew how to motivate the kids.
So, one way or another, the cadets continued grinding.
After the early morning hunting, they'd have a short break before classes begin. Classes focused more on fighting, strategizing, and tactics than theoretical knowledge.
Every week, there was a test of sorts where the cadets competed against each other and also to beat their past scores
In the beginning, the cadets coming from influential and established families were at the top positions.
Slowly but surely, the most talented and hardworking regardless of their background began to climb the ranks.
— — —
"The semester test starts in an hour. Pick a team or we'll pick one for you and you'll have to survive the Valley Of Echoes."
Following the announcement, the cadets roamed the campus, relaxing before the test. For some reason, no one was particularly anxious.
Fighting, getting injured, persevering, sleeping, rinse and repeat—this had been their life for the past three months. It felt normal now.
"I don't understand…" Rey walked with his hands behind his head.
"What's there to not understand, Bores?" A petite blue-haired young girl walked moved with her hand touching the soft flowers on the side of the road and asked absentmindedly.
"Why are there so many high awakeners on the campus? Level 7s, level 8s, level 9s…even sovereigns are coming here as much as they can. But why?" Rey plucked a flower and crushed it in his palm.
Then, he smelled the fragrance oozing out of his hand with a content smile.
"Do that on a date and she'll leave you in a blink!" A young man with black hair and red eyes laughed at his antics.
"Shut up, Giggles. You think I still have any energy for dating now?" Rey elbowed him not so gently. "Anyway, what do you think of my question?"
Mark, nicknamed Giggles, only smiled wider as he stretched his arms to the sky. "This is literally another world. The exotic regions are filled with resources and beasts. Of course, high awakeners would come here. As for sovereigns, I heard there were three new sovereigns. Give it a year or two and they won't be that rare anymore."
"If they need resources, they can simply get them supplied to their homes. Why come here?" Another girl walking with them in silence suddenly said. "There's something we don't know. The Emperor himself said on that day…that this place is a gift."
Rey, Laura, and Mark all looked at the girl who just spoke in surprise. Estelle was super stoic and never talked unless necessary. She wasn't cold, she just thought it was useless to talk. So, her joining a conversation was a feat in itself.
But her words did cause them to think.
Sure, the resources were the best. The teachers were the best. The training method was completely different. It's just another level.
So much so that while the average students in Earth Academy would go from mid level 2 to peak level 2, the ones in Imperial Academy went from mid level 2 to low level 3. There were more than 10 peak level 3s.
It's crazy that all this development happened in just three months. Of course, their progress was slowing down. But it's almost guaranteed that they'd reach level 7 before they graduate.
Not just one or two, but quite a few would be hitting that level. Just from the trends in the first semester itself, that much was certain.
Still, for the hype created, especially stating that this was an opportunity even Sovereigns would covet, this improvement felt a bit off.
"Maybe the Emperor just played a prank?" Rey exhaled as they reached the teleportation formations where the cadets were already beginning to gather.
Laura recalled her brief meeting with Varian. He gave her and others who failed a second chance. It was the only time she saw him in person and at such a close distance. His faint smile and kind eyes left a heavy impression on her.
"He wouldn't joke about this…" Laura bit her lip and looked up at the sky. Even though the Emperor never visited the academy again, she had a feeling…that he was watching them. "He really is giving us something we don't know yet."
"I'm already satisfied anyway. What more should I even expect?" Mark shrugged with his signature sunny smile.
"I'm just curious." Rey raised his hands in surrender.
Estella shook her head and stepped into the teleportation circle.
They all were teleported into a valley filled with many level 3 and level 4 beasts. The scary thing, they gradually realized was that each beast needs to be killed twice. Once, in their natural form. The second time, in their Undead form.
— — —
"…As the winners of the exam, you'll each get a boosting potion that will improve your progress speed by 100% for ten days. It's a very rare potion and even level 9s are fighting for it. So, make good use of it." Evander presented them with the rewards and ended the ceremony.
Rey played with the potion bottle like an idiot even while he and his team entered the space gates and appeared in an Earth spaceport.
After the routine security check, they walked out of the spaceport.
"I'll party hard!" Rey pumped his fist.
"I will visit my hometown," Laura muttered. "And see my friends at school…if any are still alive."
"I will…go just chill, I guess?" Mark's smile was a bit stiff.
"I'm going to the ruins after resting for two days," Estelle told them calmly and walked away, leaving the three dumbfounded.
The academy recently implemented another measure. Students could now enter the ruins directly from the academy and the ruins would teleport them to places not too dangerous for them.
But this was too much, okay?
"What?!"
As they were about to comment on her strictness, Estelle screamed.
The three sprinted to her and checked her safety. She's perfectly fine. It's just her gaze was frozen on…
All three turned to the hologram at the parking place. It was about some new VR game. But that wasn't what attracted their attention.
It's the row of texts showing the latest game activities in real-time.
It's been three months since they left the solar system but according to the dates shown…it's been only two weeks.
The four looked at each other in horror and quickly checked their comms.
They were flooded with messages all screaming the one thing.
[Timeflow is different!]
[1 day on Earth is 10 days in the academy!]
[This is crazy!]
Only then did they understand what the Emperor was really talking about.
'What you get inside the academy would make the high awakeners, even the level 9s envious.'
