"You'd normally be taught this only after the first month, but seeing that you're the type to do nothing if you don't see the use, I'll kindly explain it to you"
"Thank you"
"Understand that you cannot tell any other about this"
Ezra nods.
"Now, the number of tokens you get is determined by your crest number. Tokens are distributed at the start of the entire month. But unlike what I told you before that's not all. Even with the same crest, you can have your tokens depleted"
"With ten thousand students here, being strong physically isn't enough. You have to be strong mentally, which is proved by how long it takes you to burnout in training sessions and your academic grades from other subjects"
"Then, you have to be strong emotionally. How many people did you fight-and for what reasons? Those who fight without clear reason tend to die faster on the battlefield. We'd rather not have such individuals"
"Then, you have to have strong communication skills. No man nor woman is an island, its why lone mercenaries tend to die faster than those in groups"
She looked him straight in the eye. "Now, I'm saying this because that you're peculiar for being a lone wolf. That will cost you points in the long run, more so than other students"
"What? Why?"
"You're a Prince. If you're not thinking of fighting for the throne, communication is a skill you must learn to seek allies, or lead armies, there is no way around it. No one can go at it alone, no matter how tough they might seem"
"I know that. But you think I don't, so how do I prove that I do?"
"Create a team. You'll be tested on how well you can lead that team"
"Ha, easy"
"I'm glad you said so"
"Anything else"
"You'll be tested physically as well, and these tests take place in monster regions, five days to the end of every month"
"Or I just could finish my quota before then?"
"Yes"
"Is that it"
"Yes"
"So, where's my dorm room, or should I head to class first?"
"Ah! Thank you for reminding me. There's a reason we called the others here in the first place. Give me a minute"
Then she started moving her hands mysteriously.
A minute passed. "It's done"
"Come in"
The door was pushed upon to reveal the five teenager Experts, Westin was receiving treatment.
"Meet your new classmate. Ezra"
They expressed surprise, but quickly accepted it quickly.
Ezra turned to them. "Who is number one, no, what are your numbers?"
A short boy with white hair raised his big arms first, "I'm Umeron. Number one"
"Emerson, Number Three" said the tall and slim boy.
"Benedict, Number Four" said the short brown-haired boy.
He turned to the girls. "Valentine. Number Two" says the purple haired, blue eyed girl.
"Valencia. Number Six" said a petite girl with green hair, red eyes and red nails-she did not seem friendly.
"Then I'm Ezra, Number seven, no wait, since I beat Westin, number five?"
He turned to Elisa. "Can a student have two crests?"
"Oh? A student can accrue as many crests as they want. Only, you can be challenged by same amount of people at the same time"
"Meaning…"
"Take three crests. And three people can fight you for it all at once"
"Oh?! Splendid" Ezra white teeth was carved out with his smile.
Elisa clapped to get their attention. "With the introductions done. Let's get down to it"
"You were called because of something else" her gaze pervades them. "We have deemed the normal classes to be inefficient to teach you who are Experts, so we're putting out a separate class, a class of Experts where you receive training dedicated to improving your abilities"
"Sounds cool on paper, but is there anything different from what we did before?"
"For one, you will have different set of teachers who will dedicated to your class, not much else after that"
"Wait. Give us new uniforms" Umeron pointed to Ezra, "I want his type"
"What the? No don't-
"I suppose there's wrong with that request, I'll grant it"
Ezra didn't like it, but what could he do?
"With that done. You can head to your dormitory; your class is still being prepared. Someone should show Ezra around"
"Oh. I'll do that" says Umeron.
Like so, they clear out of the head office.
Ezra didn't get a crest because number seven was already assigned to someone-he would go and take it from that person.
Umeron seemed oddly eager to guide.
He showed him the other classes, then away from the main building, Ezra saw the magic tower and the arena for duels-it looked like a dome, Umeron also told him that the arena held cultivation chambers underneath.
Then, they say different stores filled with all sorts of things lined up for them to spend their tokens.
'I was wondering what was in here for it to take more half of the city. Seems like I underestimated the ingenuity of Niton's top academy'
It looked a whole different place.
After that, they weren't to the dormitory.
It was a building of ten floors, painted red, and very wide-as it should, in other to accommodate ten thousand people.
"This one is for the boys. The girl dorm is a bit far"
"Ok"
"Wanna check out your room?"
"Sure"
"Hehehe, race you to the top!"
Umeron took off in a dash.
Ezra decided to humour him and took off as well.
Umeron felt his competitive spirit blaze after watching him demolish Westin just hours before.
'Let's see how fast-
"Hello"
Umeron's heart skipped a beat. Ezra was at his side.
'When did he…?'
He didn't even fell him coming.
'This guy...!'
It seemed he still had many things hidden.
Such thoughts had Umeron fired up, a grin forming.
'Let's see how fast you can go!'
"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha"
Umeron panted, sweating heavily with his back on the floor.
He'd lost, even after mustering all of his strength, he'd lost.
His eyes didn't leave Ezra's figure.
They arrived at the tenth floor in less than five minutes.
'But he's not even sweating!'
Umeron realized that Ezra outclassed him in speed by a large amount.
'What about strength? Is he more powerful than me?' Umeron wondered.
He could do what Ezra did to Westin, easily. So Umeron wasn't able to judge.
Apart from Valentine, none of the boys made him feel threatened.
'But this guy pushed me to this extent'
Umeron admitted. He just met his match.
Now, with a real rival, Umeron felt his competitive spirit shooting to the sky.
'Maybe this won't be as boring as I thought!'
Meanwhile, Ezra was pervading the dormitory.
He was shocked when he entered.
'This level of space magic is unheard off'
The insides were far wider and far taller than what was projected outside.
The stairs were so long they took over four minutes even at Umeron's top speed.
'They're not going easy on us huh'
He shook his head just imagining students walking up such steps exhausted after a full day of classes.
Moreover, the school pushed students just as much as they were strong.
'The rooms of the first hundred is one first floor'
Ezra chuckled. This was pure evil.
'Well, that's their problem'
He looked around, helping Umeron up after he stretched his arm.
The layout was simplistic. You had a sufficiently wide corridor stretching to the right, tiled in white terrazzo.
Along the corridor were doors on both sides.
Each door stood six feet from one another, and you had five doors on each side.
So, both sides of the right made twenty doors.
Then, at the corridors end lay final door, facing the corridor, making it 21 doors.
Ezra-ranked in the first ten-had his room at the end of the corridor, on the right side.
Atop the door was placard with a large 1.
"Come on. Enter" said Umeron, nudging him forward.
He tried to open the door but…"It isn't working"
Umeron facepalmed. "Ohh! That's because you don't have a crest yet"
"Here, let me do it"
With a small movement, the door knob clicked open to reveal the inside.
"Oh" like the building, the room was sufficiently wide.
You had a bed like that in the castle at one side, and then two bunk beds at the other.
Ezra looked around. "So, the room participants are fixed?"
"Yes and no"
"What?"
"The room had five bed, meaning it's for five people"
Ezra nodded.
"But the only one the room is fixed for is one who's number is at the top"
"So, this is fixed as your room?"
"Yes, as such, I have the power to decide who the other four I'm going to accommodate are"
"Four from how many people?"
"A hundred"
"Mmm" Ezra held his chin in contemplation, "Can you accommodate any of the top twenty?"
"No I can't. It's unallowed"
"Hmm, I see" he says. 'Their making sure the competition stays strong…can't have top students getting cozy with each other'
Umeron continues. "In all, I can accommodate nine more people. But the last five are voluntary, the first four is obligatory"
"I see, and these four they can be of any rank?"
"Umm…" he contemplated. "Yes"
"Okay"
"But there's a catch"
"Talk"
"The academy takes your room members as a group. So, the performance of your group matters. If a member of your room loses duels consecutively, it'll affect the overall situation"
"Ha" Ezra chuckled. "Things just keep getting better and better"
'With these rules, it obvious they don't want any strong protecting the weak situation. And all these rules are making sure of that'
Ezra was smiling, plans forming in his mind.
