Ten Thousand

On the 4th day of waiting on the outskirts of the Wrath Nihility Academy, hundreds of thousands, to even a couple million people, remained within the encampments all around the Academy and one after the other. It was barely past 9 AM.

Heian Ciemnosc was, just like the rest of the people wishing to enter the Academy, in front of all encampments close to it, to the south. He wasn't at the very front of the insanely large crowd, but he was near there, and all around him were the many young and few old that were here for that one purpose. In front of the encampment was an ‘old man’ with a simple but quite attractive to look at and of a pale purple color.

He was bald at the top of his head but still had white hair to the sides and a thin beard. Standing a couple tens of meters away from the crowd, he looked at them calmly and without emotion, despite facing off a few hundred thousand people from all Races and origins. He elaborated without any showy fashion, his voice reaching everywhere without an ounce of energy being thrown at the air, amazing Heian Ciemnosc.

“If you wish to partake in the test and subsequent tests, you’ll have to forget where you came from and focus on yourself. The only thing that will matter will be the results of those tests, and you will always be watched. So, please refrain from doing illicit activity for the better of this Academy’s respect.” The old man brought his hands together at his belly.

“You will be brought over to our testing grounds, they are not precisely within the Academy’s territory, but everyone will be given the same opportunities. There are a few million who came this year, but the estimated amount of you becoming our students is the same as every year. No more than ten thousand students shall enter the Wrath Nihility Academy.” Though he said so, there was no pretentiousness or disdain in any of his features.

“I am a Supervisor, and you can call me that. Any attempt at causing trouble or heinous acts will be stopped and punished depending on the crime. Follow the rules, and in this enrollment the Academy will protect you.” The Supervisor said. It gave Heian Ciemnosc a bit of a reminiscence from the supervisors of the Rocaloi Academy, but also nothing like that. It was strange.

“Do not move. The Wrath Nihility Academy’s auxiliary Grand Array Formation will bring you to the testing grounds. Follow the instructions once you’re there, and do your best to show yourself before our eyes and the Academy itself. Good luck,” The old Supervisor said. His hands were lifted over his head before lowering them in crescent moons before his chest.

“...” Just as Heian Ciemnosc heard pure energy coming to work like bell sounds drifting with the air and began feeling the working of an array formation, which made him deeply amazed, he felt his body sucked in as everyone around him also felt the same. He felt his shoulders pushed down and pulled from right before his armpits. In just a moment, his vision turned black, and he felt like something, such as a combination of air and water, was flowing in the opposite direction that he was falling in.

Meanwhile, the old Supervisor, who was left alone in front of several encampments that could hold these many people looked around for a bit before nodding to himself when looking at the tents and also leaving by being ‘swallowed’ by the ground as a black tunnel appeared 1 meter around his feet and sucked him in.

… On the other hand, Heian Ciemnosc continued to feel like his body was cruising through the unknown. He still couldn’t see anything but knew it wasn’t darkness or obscurity. It was material and the work of array formations. It wasn’t called ‘the’ auxiliary Grand Array Formation after all. He couldn’t feel nor sense the presence of anyone other than him and this strange tunnel, but it was obvious he wasn’t the only one going through this.

‘Now that I think about it, the old Supervisor seemed casual, as if he was walking around in their home with some sandals. This must be like a daily activity for citizens, but for cultivators… whose lifespan I don’t know how long it could be. Being a 2nd Step organization, they have cultivators at the peak of the Step, let alone from my Step. Eh?!’ Just then, as his calm thoughts went on, Heian Ciemnosc felt his body pulled by little hands as if he were being helped out of somewhere.

Rapidly, he felt his body fall onto the floor, or at least he thought so. Gravity returned to him, and he immediately sensed the warm air of an enclosure. As well as the presence of objects and items of the standard kind all around the place he was being pulled to.

Thud, squeeze.

“Kyaa!” Getting out of the tunnel, those little hands disappeared, not like they were ever there other than as a sensation, and what met Heian Ciemnosc’s eyes was a slightly tall, young-looking girl with huge breasts pinned against the ground beneath him. His hands politely gripped her left breast tightly after her cry as they fell to the floor. With her face blushing intensely, Heian Ciemnosc remembered the old Supervisor’s words.

With decency, he gave her a couple more shakes before helping her up before looking around. Ignoring the poor lamb, he observed the several sets of chairs and small tables in front of each chair. There were only about 500 sets, with the room being that big. The floor was made of thin but exceptionally long wooden planks. The walls were wooden too, but had a much smoother surface and work, with windows no longer than 2 meters, wide enough for a 3-year-old baby to walk through.

The ceiling was made of wood, of course. But looked like a simple, smooth, and wooden tile. It looked thinner than the walls or the floor, and below it were chairs made out of ‘smooth’ wood, with bright orange, brownish. The tables only had a slightly darker brownish color. On the tables, there was a pencil and several paper sheets. Not too many, merely enough for what anyone would think necessary to test one’s knowledge in all aspects of cultivation and civilization nowadays.

After looking around, Heian Ciemnosc chose a seat to sit on and walked to it. Another person won him the set, a young man who looked distracted but knew well what he was doing. Heian Ciemnosc ignored it and went for another chair, only for a little girl to run at it with flurry steps. She had blonde, long hair with curls here and there and a final ‘crown’ of hair resembling a root around the back of her head.

“Move,” Heian Ciemnosc softly said. The little girl glimpsed at him. Her little, green eyes and pale, bright skin were already attractive, but her very long, pointy ears exposed her High Elf status. Yet, she immediately stared down as if looking at him would curse her and lowered her head more and more while blushing red. Even the tip of her ears became crimson. Heian Ciemnosc tilted his head to the left and said, “If you don’t move, you’ll sit on my lap.”

“...” The little girl hung her head even lower, her whole body reddening, looking tender. Heian Ciemnosc shook his head, pressed his lips and inclined his head slightly forwards, and lifted his left hand. Passing behind her, he patted her a few times before leaving the set of chairs and the little girl.

The third was the one. Thus, Heian Ciemnosc found a set and punched the stomach of a male teenager who had sat on the chair since the beginning. After a couple more minutes, most found a place to sit, and the rest simply went to those far away from their current position. An entourage of people entered the room, wearing pale gray robes, and another one wearing a gray robe was leading them into the classroom.

“Hello, everyone. I am a Student of the Wrath Nihility Academy, and those you can see following me here are Sub Students.” The Student spoke with pride but sounded humble still. And as he looked at the people within the classroom, he paused slightly, gestured to the Sub Students, and continued. “They will be taking your papers from you. As soon as you finish them, they will be handed over. Don’t worry about it being mixed. First, remember to put your names on the papers. Secondly, our devices will keep them safe and differentiated from the rest.”

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“But before that, you will be given another paper sheet. In this one. Sub Students will take your information as much as possible. And should you lie then or later, as you are tested in this first part. Then you’ll be committing a crime in our Academy. Please remember that. Now, Sub Students! You may begin!”

Step, step. Flip, flip.

“Excuse me.” - “Here we go, hello~...” - “Nice to meet you, I’m Alice…” - “Sup, good luck and all, let’s begin~.” The Sub Students began moving all around the classroom, but there were only dozens of them, nowhere near enough to at least cover ¼ of the 500 sets of chairs and tables. They would have to spend quite some time getting everyone’s information to pass on to the next person. But they seemed to do that well.

Heian Ciemnosc was a bit to the right and at the rear of the middle, so it took half an hour for a Sub Student to reach him. First was the little girl from before, then the ‘distracted’ fella, who Heian Ciemnosc pardoned. After those 2 had their turn, it was Heian Ciemnosc’s time to be questioned. A teenager, about 17 years old, blonde, with light blue eyes, and with a cultivation at the Ashes Apperception realm 8th stage, came to him and stood cordially but quickly and friendly in front of his table.

“Name? Organization? Cultivation? Spirit Sense? Any Elemental affinity? Specialty? Already a Craftsmaker? Which profession or professions? Age and bloodline, if you have any, please.” The teenager asked Heian Ciemnosc; as soon as she placed a blank paper sheet before him on the table. She leaned over to him, her butt aiming at the back of the person sitting in front of Heian Ciemnosc’s set.

Heian Ciemnosc, sitting somewhat lazily, sat up straight and looked into the girl’s eyes with his head tilted to the right. The teenager, who looked down after taking the pencil from his table, sensed Heian Ciemnosc and looked back at him. “...”

“Heian Ciemnosc,” after looking at each other silently like this, Heian Ciemnosc began answering her questions one by one and detailedly. “I rather not say. Obsidiafying realm, 5th stage. 1,600 meters can go a few tens of meters below the ground. I don’t think I have any affinity towards any Element. I have an innate Art or innate Arts. Also, my Soul seems to have already been formed. Craftsmaker of all professions only know the basics, though. Oh, that’s right, I became 14 years old just a week and 4 days ago.”

“...?” The teenager wrote down everything detailedly, her handwriting beautiful. Locks of her blonde hair covered her hair, exotically, as tights do to one’s beautiful, meaty thighs. But when he said his age and innate Arts part, she quivered. She didn’t react as much when she heard he was an all rounder for Craftsmaking.

“Born on the day of the Great Sage’s death? Are you the son of the world? Hehe, alright then.” The teenager’s eyes gained a glow, her voice no longer neutral as she even grinned slightly. She looked attractive and was pretty nice to chat with, but nothing of attraction was exchanged between him and her. In the end, before leaving, she said in correlation to her comment on his age. “Congratulations.”

“...” Heian Ciemnosc watched her go. First, she returned to the front to deliver the paper sheet, from which the Student looked at her as if she told him something. The teenager turned around and winked with her right eye at Heian Ciemnosc before proceedingg with the next person. The Student, however, seemed pretty serious as he turned his face from reading the paper sheet, which he could’ve done instantly a few times in that time, to look at the handsome and pale Heian Ciemnosc.

The Student noticed Heian Ciemnosc’s gaze already on him and wondered if Heian Ciemnosc’s Spirit Sense was already covering him. But remembering his cultivation and the place, he became composed. The Student then nodded at Heian Ciemnosc, while the latter only looked back, but the former didn’t seem to mind. The Student appeared excited, in fact. Seeing and feeling such, Heian Ciemnosc looked elsewhere to wait for the rest of the classroom to be questioned.

“... Very well, now that your information has been written down…” The Student said after 20 minutes since Heian Ciemnosc’s questioning. He made a long pause and had everyone in expectation. While some began sweating. Then the Student pointed at various and said, after pointing at the last one. “All of you have tried to fool the Academy. You will now be prosecuted according to deception, falsifying information and impersonation. Be gone!”

Sha cla cla la~~.

“No! Ah wait!” - “Give me a chance, waaah- noo!” - “Please! I’ll do anything. I just- aaaAAAH!” - “I was just trying, testing you back- oh- please!!” - “Not like this!!” The people pointed out were slammed against the ground without making a sound, for the wooden floor became alive, and a tongue-like bed welcomed instead of the wood. Black chains appeared, emanating strong Darkness element fluctuations, covering the criminals before suddenly swallowing them all!

Heian Ciemnosc watched just as interested as the rest were. Just like that, only 327 people who took the test remained. It was an overly crazy and absurd amount. But after being seen through so efficiently, even those who did genuinely good at hiding their actions, reactions, and bodies. Became so scared they didn’t even bother feigning innocence.

“Now,” the Student spoke after a slightly long silence. Everyone turned to look back at him. Heian Ciemnosc felt the Student’s eyes on him - occasionally as the Student in question gave them the moment they were waiting for!

“You may all begin takng this first part of the test. The test… to become part of the Academy!”

Flip, flap! As soon as the Student lifted his arms in a V, the people in their chairs felt their blood rush amok for the young, and hope gripping their hearts for the old. Every pair of eyes shone brighter, even Heian Ciemnosc’s, though he only shone slightly. He took the pincel, felt the warmth of the Sub Student from before and even her scent, and looked at the pincel in contemplation.

Paper sheets moving within the classroom were heard for about a minute. These 300+ test takers each took the time they felt they needed. Some not even bothering to think as their anxiousness got the better of them and quickly began to go through the first paper sheet. Heian Ciemnosc didn’t know that all paper sheets were of different order regarding cultivation purposes. He only knew that his first paper sheet was about alchemy.

After writing his name, Heian Ciemnosc noticed his handwriting had gotten worse, or rather, not improved, in the slightest, since his Sister left him. After taking note and setting himself to better it to make many of his Mother’s wishes and hopes come true, Heian Ciemnosc looked at the first problem.

1.- If you had a plant with no Elemental affinity, old and dying, and could only possibly save it with a herb with the Fire element. What would you do in order to try saving it?

Heian Ciemnosc thought for a bit, his eyes glimpsed upwardly at the Student, who had just taken his eyes away from him, and then began to write. ‘The plant has to be too old for its species, not well attended, or even injured and incapable of healing itself. It’s depressive, so any forceful action towards it means its death, even if one tries to connect with it. The Fire elemental herb has to be old too, but nowhere near ending its lifespan to be useful, so I would only use it then.’

‘Either cut its roots, leaves, or tendrils if it has, or petals. Any of those can be helpful in lighting up the plant’s stem and would kill off lots of the rotting inside the plant. It would give an opportunity for the plant to mutate or even evolve. Thus its lifespan would increase. Even if it doesn’t, as long as it is placed in a humid or cold place, not in water or wet. And the plant receives warm light at all times. It can be convinced to recompose itself and might heal after several weeks.’

After responding to the first one, Heian Ciemnosc went after the following problems, most requiring intuition rather than knowledge. There were 3 paper sheets for the alchemy test, each well-thought-out with enough space for most answers. That was only the first one was slightly too much, and Heian Ciemnosc felt like they gave it too much space. Then, he came upon another curious and engaging problem.

7.- How many days would you let herbs and plants rest before concocting them into a pill?

‘As many as they need. Not want. Every herb has an exquisite state after being around certain plants or a specific plant. And when resting around such, they gain the property of bearing better fruits in one’s alchemy. But remaining like this for too long will make them grow fond of life, lazy, and lose their property. Moderation is needed for alchemy, as it is with the sacrifice and life of all flora.’

‘Plants, on the other hand, need a surrounding that complements them the most. They are the ones between the herbs and plants who enjoy being spoiled the most. But most compost that works for a plant work for any other. That can be enough, but it won’t be the best. Each plant species has a type of biome, air, and state they enjoy the most. And unlike the herbs, they grow better the longer they stay in their preferred surroundings. They grow better but also give birth to more plants, some not even of the same species. But they are costly and complex to maintain.’

When Heian Ciemnosc finished writing this, he mentally ‘tsked’ as he found the space given for the 7th problem far too little. He even had to take up some blank space from the subsequent 3 problems so as to answer it.

…