Chapter 105: Resuming Lessons
Walter was glad to see that Paladin Blue had attended today's lesson.
He was informed about a tragedy that had happened to him. Though he wasn't briefed about the entirety of it and how it ended up with the deaths of two students later on he was, however, astute enough to understand that it was a serious matter and the fact that vice principal had explicitly told everyone to refrain from ever asking about it to those involved in it was another glaring certainty for his conjecture.
He could only shake his head at the cruelty Paladin Blue might have faced a few days ago. He had surmised that a fight must have broken out or something. It was very shocking that Concocter Xavier and Halter Thomas were dead but that is just how the player society was. Especially Xavier, as he was very pampered by the academy till then.
That being said, players died very often regardless of a monster invasion within the union. Even an elemental affinity player was nothing in front of such cruel reality.
Anyways, Walter consoled him, a tragic victim of school bullying, before telling the other young Paladins about how student Blue was recuperating for the past few days. Now that he is back, the lessons for those selected for the first exchange event at the end of this month will resume for his party, the Azure Sun.
In the third month, students were divided into two types for the teachers to teach in a targeted manner. Those who were not in the upcoming exchange event and those who were selected for it.
The top hundred in student ranking and party ranking was automatically selected for the event.
Walter thus told student Blue to follow him as he went towards the teleportation circle in the distance. Other two Paladins, Matthew and Marlow, who were also in the Azure Sun party followed along. They were only taking the individual lessons for these days as the party leader was absent. Now they could resume the lessons for the party training.
Starting from the third month, the top hundred train from nine am to two pm daily on the subject of individual training in their class and joint training for the player party. It was not the usual ones they were used to though. Now that the students' levels and three attainments were in an appropriate stage the academy had cranked up the intensity of the curriculum to match with it.
Terrain adaptability.
This was the main focus of this month before the exchange event started. Other students were also taking this lesson but compared to what the top hundred was going through it was much more meek. Barely passable for their level. This was the preferential treatment of the academy to those young and top prodigies.
Humans were bipedal species of land and they had survived and developed themselves on the land since the dawn of the universe. This fact greatly put them at a disadvantage of terrains outside of land. Take for example aquatic terrain or deep sea itself. Humans would be sitting ducks there in front of those who were born and raised in it.
Or an extreme example like a lava terrain and even underneath it. There was no way for a human to cope with such a place and against those who hailed from it. Either beneath the land on the subterranean environment or above the land on the clouds drifting above, humans couldn't do much unless they relied on technology or aura related items and equipment.
As for outer space… forget it. It is too high level for just a newbie player like these students.
With so many glaring weaknesses it is no doubt a sad fact that humans are one of the weakest races in this universe. To be more precise, the mortal human race only.
When the aura vein had been awakened it was an entirely different matter.
From that point on, it was an entirely different race known as the awakened humans and the limits of an awakened human was yet to be seen. After all, the union's Jester Domain was entirely a civilization built by the awakened humans. Just mortal humans were nothing to mention but those branch races evolved from it was powerful enough to be able to stay alive in this cruel void for six epochs.
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Humans aren't weak!
Walter prided himself in his race that held on till now when many races, far stronger and resilient, had long vanished completely from the river of time.
He went a bit off topic in his thoughts there. Now, the students were practicing on terrain adaptability and with student Blue, the first ranked student, back on track he held great expectations on the result of this time's exchange event. But he couldn't help but have some lingering concern.
“Spells are difficult to handle after all.”
He thought with some bitterness as his first time coming across it face to face surfaced in his mind and the following difficulty he had to face because of the unfamiliarity.
Even with what was provided in his student life, that was beyond lavish than what these students got, he faced many hardships on the first exchange event during that time.
The player academy he graduated from was one in the Inner Area with many resources, not here obviously that has only the bare minimum present.
He is an inner denizen from birth, after all.
°°°°
Blue met up with his pawns after entering a special facility that was being frequented for this month.
After not having seen him for a few days and the cancellation of the party training they were all concerned about him but thanks to Karla, Clara and Nicole having handled the matter prior there wasn't much he needed to elaborate. Luna also resumed the lessons like him today. With the entire party gathered they continued.
It seemed that the sudden intimacy with Luna, and that even in front of Karla, was very shocking to them but he obviously conveniently ignored it as he was the “dense guy” who couldn't notice such subtlety.
Now that Luna was living in his place and also was made aware of his “Home skill” the closeness had increased further. It was still not on the level of Karla’s clinginess but locking his arms with her and being touchy here and there was still visible for everyone.
Karla had learned to be accepting and now was firmly used to the polygamous mindset he had indirectly instilled in her for some time now. Both the girls were now holding his arms on each side as the party listened to Walter's instruction for today's training. This teacher seemed to be unfazed by this display as he had seen much, after all.
Though Blue didn't need terrain adaptability as his true aether attribute comprehension of space element was high enough to ignore the weaknesses of an awakened human body but he had to go along with the curriculum for obvious reasons.
That aside, he very much enjoyed Luna's reaction after she witnessed his [Clan Manor] and met with Laura and that horse Horizon. It was good to see some shocked expressions on her face that were becoming expressionless by each day. It seems that she had started resembling her true self more and more.
She naturally promised to keep his secret.
“I wonder if the Enshrouded Blade would see through the system. Even though it confidently gave her free access to that menu but… sigh! Forget it. Let's just leave it to luck, I guess. I really hate this uncertainty when others are on the initiative. Tsk!”
He inwardly clicked his tongue out of annoyance as he hated not being in control. He was a massive control freak and it had served him well till now.
Walter had finished his instructions and the party headed towards another teleportation circle within the special facility.
The scenery in front of them changed to that of underwater as they now stood on the river bed with raging currents trying to sweep them away. The visibility was low, near zero even, as the water was very murky from all the pollution.
As the party used aether to make a thin bubble of space around their body, where pure air was drawn from the outside to keep their breathing unhindered, myriad race's species such as Lizardmen and Crabmen, who were amphibians, were simulated all around them before those “monsters” charged at them in a bloodthirsty frenzy.
He got the party in a circular battle formation with Karla, Marcus, Darwin and Dawson in the center that was suitable for when they were surrounded like the present situation.
A battle broke out and the party cooperated seamlessly.
Even the two supporter roles were contributing by throwing projectiles such as aether coated needles and darts on opportune times without impending much on the combatants rhythm.
“Well, it seems that I have not much to do till the exchange event starts except for the main mission and Nicole's one. There's no rush on those two so in actuality I got to wait it out to see what this core denizen would do after the eventuality. Hopefully, I am spared or… I truly don't know what to do if I am busted after all this planning.”
Blue pondered anxiously as he impaled a Lizardman’s neck.