Field trip! Screw studying and learning new skills. Field trips were the best, and this was going to be his very first. As per Milvus' instructions, Alwin gathered up all his things, which consisted of only himself. The only thing that the academy had given them was a room to sleep in, and as much as Alwin wanted to bring it along, his pockets were unfortunately not big enough. Also, because he didn’t have pockets.

Monsteria, based on what little knowledge he had in that teeny tiny slimy brain of his, was the largest city of monsters to ever exist. It was home to over a million residents and housed the main branch of the Human Hunter Academy. The King of Monsteria, the self-dubbed King of all monsters, established it as a monster safe haven. It was the epicenter of the resistance against humanity. Also for some reason root beer was banned, something about the Monster King losing his marbles after chugging down too many mugs.

Alwin and his fellow students filed out of the classroom and followed behind Milvus as he led them through a series of long winding corridors. The academy could seriously do with a makeover. Eggshell white walls, gray linoleum floors, drab light emitting crystals overhead. The various sturdy brown wooden doors that lined the hallways were the only thing to break up the monotony. It was definitely the weirdest way to decorate a corridor that he had ever seen but Alwin wasn't complaining, okay maybe he was, but just a little bit.

After navigating through the labyrinth of a school, the class finally arrived at the academy's front entrance. Looming before them was a massive set of wooden double doors. Behind them, two grand spiral staircases coiled upward like the tails of twin serpents, disappearing into shadowy heights. Alwin craned his whole body up, trying to catch a glimpse of what lay at the top, but the spirals just kept going up and up, far beyond anything he could see.

Milvus heaved open the doors, allowing Alwin and the rest of his classmates to step out into the cool fresh air. Alwin squinted as the sun's rays assaulted his eyes. Since his birth, he had been confined within the walls of the academy, and now for the first time since then, he could finally gaze upon the outside world. He was greeted with a cobblestone street filled with numerous monster races meandering about in groups of various sizes.

"Ah, the sun! How I've longed for you," Phyll the Leafling sighed as he basked under the warm rays of the sun.

Right, Phyll was the guy with the Solar Powered Core Skill. It seems like he could finally put that skill to use if there even was a reason to have a showdown in the middle of the street. The chances of that happening were near zero because everyone here looked so friendly.

"Follow me," said Milvus.

Just like that the whole class obediently followed their teacher like a bunch of baby ducks trailing behind their mother duck. Alwin and his two squad mates situated themselves at the back of the line, their eyes darting around the bustling crowd of monsters. They wove through a sea of bizarre creatures ranging from slimes to weird beasts that made Alwin question his entire understanding of monsters.

A monster resembling a starfish spun past them, moving forward with a series of cartwheels. Nearby, a cat made entirely of ice cream padded along on four legs, leaving a sweet, melting trail behind it. Alwin's gaze settled on a snail with a shell that looked like a stack of pancakes, each layer dripping with syrup as it inched forward.

"You're staring," Uchronia said, giving him a shove.

Alwin immediately tore his gaze away from the pancake snail. It was rude to stare. But gosh, why were there so many weird monsters? Why couldn't there be something more normal like goblins or even spiders?

As Milvus led the way, the crowds parted before the class, waving and saying hello as they passed.

"Hi, Milvus."

"Hey, Milvus."

"Wonderful to see you again, Milvus."

"Been a long time, Milvus."

"We got some nice wine the other day, Milvus. Next time you stop by, I'll be sure to get some ready for you."

"Looking forward to it," Milvus replied as he waved in return to each and every greeting he received.

Their teacher sure was a popular guy. Alwin didn’t get it, but maybe when he grew up he would.

Once they cleared the immediate streets, Alwin could really take in the scenery. A dozen tall buildings lined the wide avenue, standing like watchful guardians over the sea of people. Shops, cafes, and restaurants brimmed with life. From a bakery with a sign that read 'We don't knead to be good.', to a bookstore named 'Tome Sweet Tome.'.

The buildings were constructed in a mishmash of styles. There were brickwork storefronts with peaked roofs, colonial houses with elegant porches, and even a few metal-roofed shops reminiscent of the Wild West. Thank goodness for his knowledge of ancient human civilizations. Here and there, a tree or two rose up amid the pavement, adding a splash of green to the busy scene.

The class was brought all over the city, with Milvus constantly pointing out buildings of note to Alwin and his classmates. The place was huge, with a whole range of things to see. There were so many fascinating shops filled with exciting wares that he itched to buy something. Unfortunately, all he had to his name was himself, and a growing sense of wonder.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Milvus eventually guided the class into a building with a glass display window, decorated with the words, "MOM's Cafe". The interior of the cafe was almost the complete opposite of the academy. Instead of the cold hard white of the academy, this place was warm and cozy, with an orange and gold color scheme. Plush carpet cushioned Alwin's bottom, as he hopped into the establishment.

The sound of utensils clinking, and conversations going on, filled the cafe as the monsters inside carried out their daily lives. Clear diamond-shaped crystals floated through the air, each one carrying a tray of steaming food and frothing drinks from the kitchen to hungry patrons. What were those crystals? Were they monsters or perhaps some sort of technique? Actually, scratch that, there were more pressing matters to attend to. Like the smell of freshly baked cookies that was wafting its way over to Alwin's nose.

"Welcome!" yelled a cheerful voice. "Here for your usual, Milvus?"

Alwin glanced toward the voice. Standing behind the counter was a scaled-up version of the crystals that were floating about the shop. Two questions came to Alwin's mind. Firstly, were the crystals floating about the place children of the counter clerk? Secondly, did that mean that the shop was operated using child labor?

"You already know what I'm here for," laughed Milvus.

"Oh, I know. Just messing with ya."

The crystal took off, escorting Milvus and the class to a private room at the back of the cafe. The room, though not particularly big, had a cozy, intimate atmosphere with soft, warm lighting. In the center stood a large, round wooden table surrounded by plush wooden chairs. The walls were adorned with eclectic artwork and shelves filled with curious trinkets. The air was filled with the faint aroma of coffee and spices, adding to the room's charm. Milvus seated himself and gestured for the students to do the same, the crystal hovering quietly nearby.

"So these are the children? My my, isn't this exciting," said the crystal. "Soon, we'll be entering a new age."

"We'll see about that, but right now I'm just showing them around the city. Last thing I want is any of them developing cabin fever," said Milvus.

"Coming here is always the right choice. I'll send in my drones to take your orders and don't worry, it's on the house today."

"That's very generous of you, but one of our boys is a big eater. Hope you don't regret it," Milvus said, bowing.

The crystal left the room, and moments later, a swarm of tiny crystals, this time carrying menus, streamed in through the doorway. The drones distributed the menus and began floating about the class, diligently taking down every student's order. Alwin flipped his menu open and scanned the contents. The pages were packed with an array of breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and dessert dishes, each accompanied by mouth-watering pictures that made his stomach rumble.

"What would you like to order?" asked a drone, breaking Alwin's train of thought.

"Umm, can I please get an ultra supreme waffle stack."

"Any drink to go with that?"

"Oooh, oooh, can I have the hot chocolate with lots and lots of whipped cream on top!"

"Of course. We will be back shortly with your orders."

"Alright," Milvus said, smacking his tentacles on the table, startling Alwin and the others. "So how's everyone liking the city? Pretty neat, eh?"

"It's amazing! Everything is so interesting. The sights, the sounds, and the smells," Uchronia answered with a dazzling smile.

"Well, I know someone even more amazing. Their sights, their sounds, and their smells," said Bion, giving Uchronia a wink.

"Bion, you little rascal. You're supposed to wink at me," said Brie, swatting him playfully on the head with her leaf tail.

"Everyone here is so friendly and nice. I'll be sure to defend this city with everything I've got," said Tess the Leafling.

"While I'll destroy anything that threatens to harm this city," said Galeo the Furball.

"I'll help protect this city. I'll have all the evil humans under lock and key," said Clavis the Dark Slime.

"Well, it looks like you all have been inspired. Good!" Milvus said. "But this place wasn't always the safe haven it is today."

"You sure about that, teach? It seems like the city's only ever known the word peaceful," said Flintlock the Furball.

"I'll cover the history of Monsteria during our social studies lessons, but just know that it's only thanks to the brave hunters of old, that Monsteria is the way it is today. So remember to work hard and don't forget why we are doing all this. For academy, for Monsteria."

The class nodded. Alwin was all in. He was determined to become the best hunter he could possibly be and defend Monsteria from humanity's wicked grasp. He would practice night and day, pushing himself to his limits, until he was strong enough to lead the charge against humanity. But first, waffles!

As if reading Alwin's mind, a drone glided in carrying a towering stack of golden crispy waffles, oozing with strawberry jam and whipped cream, topped with a variety of fruits. It set the plate in front of him, and he eagerly dug in, shoveling forkful after forkful of the sugary goodness into his mouth.

"It’s so yummy!" he exclaimed.

"Don't speak with your mouth full," the drone reminded him, as it drifted out of the room.

The rest of the class enjoyed their own meals, chatting about what they had seen in the city so far. Meanwhile, Alwin was busy demolishing his meal. Crumbs and whipped cream smeared his face as he practically inhaled the towering stack of waffles. By the time he was done, only a clean, empty plate was left.

Gus, on the other hand, was literally inhaling his food, vacuuming it up into his mouth like a black hole. Pancakes, waffles, crepes, pancake balls, doughnuts, all manner of breads, meats, and sweets were sucked into his endless abyss. At last, the Furball burped in satisfaction, his furry belly bulging out.

"Ah, that hit the spot!" he said.

A moment of silence passed as the class stared at Gus and his swollen stomach in awe. Then the room erupted into a cacophony of chatter and laughter.

"I hope you all enjoyed our little field trip," Milvus announced a hint of a smile on his face. "But now, it's time to head back to the academy. Tomorrow, we return to our usual classes, and I expect each of you to be fully refreshed and ready for whatever challenges I throw your way."

Alwin sighed. Field trips may be the best, but getting back to class after a field trip was the worst. No one was ever excited about the boring school part. Alwin, who had spent his whole life confined within the academy grounds, wanted nothing more than to explore the city once again. He just hoped that tomorrow's classes weren't going to be a snoozefest.