Questions, Questions!
After finishing all 16 problems, Heian Ciemnosc finished the paper sheets and called over a Sub Student with his eyes as he lazily lifted his alchemy test. One Sub Student around the Student came and took it directly for the Student to glimpse at it before putting it in a Covert Space bag behind his back. After observing, Heian Ciemnosc stared down again and continued with the forging test.
2.- How would you see the problem between choosing between either creating Mortal grade weapons en masse in case it is needed. For example, a war or large operation. And choosing to forge them only when such situations occur?
Straight up, Heian Ciemnosc was intrigued by one of the problems, which also showed how much the Wrath Nihility Academy was testing their possible Sub Students and Students to choose them. Heian Ciemnosc responded without wasting a second more, ‘Mortal weapons should be created. They will always be a necessity. But it could only work when there’s a need for them, in case they are compromised or targeted by various enemies.’
‘But they should still be created from time to time. To reward the organization’s members and be made according to the wishes of the awarded person, or depending on the organization to reward their members specifically. The Mortal weapons, the organization’s members, and their lives can be spared. Every wasted resource for or failed Mortal weapon is the same as lives lost because of that failure.’
The subsequent problems were resolved swiftly. Heian Ciemnosc danced that pencil over his table and scribbled the paper sheets one after the other. The forging test was slightly different than the alchemy in terms of what they were looking for in every person’s answer. The forging test tried to highlight the person’s capabilities for decision-making for the sake of a group or the organization. Not just in the knowledge of creating weapons or armor for the organization, making money, and wasting fewer resources globally.
Soon after, Heian Ciemnosc was done with those paper sheets, he gave them to another Sub Student around the Student. Next was the caretaking test. Luckily, there wasn't much about Monsters or Preternaturals, the latter being the most difficult. It was predominantly about the connection that the tested had between the fauna of the world and not just cultivation, and even insects as well as ‘things’ that couldn’t be described and the experiences one had with it all.
Heian Ciemnosc was surprised to see some questions regarding ghosts, or Expectres, for that matter. He answered truthfully, however. Despite Heian Ciemnosc not having that much experience and only being capable of dealing with 3 out of 4 he had experienced, his answers to those problems were written without a second thought. But there was one problem that, to him, stood out from the rest.
11.- Can you tell the thing or reason that unifies all the world’s fauna with one word? Especially with the sub-fauna such as Expectres?
‘... Longing.’ Heian Ciemnosc thought in his head, then wrote it on the paper as if hypnotized, his eyes unfocused but his right hand moving on its own. And it was the truth. He could feel it. Longing was their everything, no matter what. The First Beast from the Sinvonnia Kingdom longed to evolve, and then he longed to create a Kingdom. Though it should’ve been changed to that of an Empire for what little knowledge Heian Ciemnosc had.
Creatures, Monsters, and Preternaturals longed to evolve into Beasts. Treating the latter as their gods and worshiping them wasn’t just instinct. They weren’t just animals. As for Expectres, or ghosts, Heian Ciemnosc felt their terrible pains, even more terrible past, and deaths. He felt how they felt terrible and didn’t know what the hell to do. In the end, Heian Ciemnosc discovering them was their salvation, and even until today, he isn’t aware how.
Insects were in between the fauna and that sub-fauna, they were easier to control because of that, and Heian Ciemnosc had seen many in the Crimsonbreaking Faction who are insect caretakers, they have fearsome pets, and they are as intuitive as any other animal. Creatures, Monsters, and Preternaturals might be impulsed by their longings and have a little instinct-based mentality. But insects were entirely by instinct.
Heian Ciemnosc finished those paper sheets quickly before giving them to another Sub Student around the Student. Next was the array formations test. In this one, Heian Ciemnosc took more time than before, spending a few seconds to ponder heavily on the answer to every problem. He then solved it swiftly, appearing to not have needed to think that much after all.
In truth, Heian Ciemnosc was sweating. Before, he might’ve answered with ease, but after he was ‘taught’ by that unknown presence, all he knew was that he lacked fundamentals. The array formations test presented him with many doubts and trickery. If a test given to the Sub Students-to-be right now was supposed to be challenging and potential deciphering, it had to be this one.
Heian Ciemnosc took 15 minutes to answer the 10 problems, which were in for long answers and for really intricate solving of the situation presented in each problem. It was as if they were giving Heian Ciemnosc a puzzle for him to solve by disassembling every part it had into a flat surface, forming a shape that could be any kind by the time he finished unraveling it.
Though everyone else took within 15 to 20 minutes to finish the other tests, Heian Ciemnosc thought he was slow enough to force him to focus on array formations as soon as possible. He passed it over to another Sub Student around the Student with a glare that made the Sub Student promise they would treat the test well with their lives.
Heian Ciemnosc then began with the cultivation test, where it had a note explaining that this test’s paper sheets, which were 8, were about cultivation, its realms, Spirit Sense, battling, and morality.
After giving such a note a moment to read it instantly, Heian Ciemnosc answered them as they came into his eyes’ view. His right hand worked, and his mind calmly answered each of them.
1.- If a fellow Student talked about trying to kill or harm you in a future joint mission or operation. What would you do?
‘That fellow student may not return, depending if they ever find me alone, both of us. A person without the mission or operation in question in mind before anything else, who will divulge to simply be stared at more, would be a useless asset. I can’t tell if an organization like this would take that kind of person into their arms.’
4.- Would you cruelly dispose of your subordinates in a mission or operation for failing on their job? Answer with all possibilities and elaborate on them. If so, how would you deal with it?
‘I wouldn’t in case it wasn’t a job correlating to interacting with the enemy and if I had an observation from that subordinate’s strangeness or unwillingness. I would cleanly cut their heads off or explode their brains publicly. It could send a message to the targets and to my subordinates. I would be their leader anyhow. If I was incapable and good for nothing, why would I be leading people in the first place? Or they obey me, respect me and follow me. Or they can return to the Academy, never go out with me in the first place, or die.’
7.- Would you kill harmless enemies? Firstly, those without weapons or means to defend themselves. Secondly, those who are afraid, defeated, or disabled. And thirdly, those unaware of their organization, group, or party’s real intentions against you, your organization, group, or party?
‘I’ll kill anyone who threatens me or can threaten me. As for the third, I would recruit or kill. It can only be their choice. No one controls someone else’s life, but no lead should let their people run into danger if they can avoid it, and the situation is urgent.’
Stolen story; please report.
8.- In correlation to problem #3, your commander, who has always been a great commander for your group or organization and has just made great merit in a crucial battle, suddenly flees and orders part of your army to retreat in fear of losing more troops and prestige. What would you do?
‘Kill.’
… Heian Ciemnosc answered the last 8 paper sheets, front and back - with ease, leaving the Sub Students who walked around and sat patiently to pick the tests from other people astounded. Heian Ciemnosc was none the wiser as he did, he didn’t bother letting his Spirit Sense run amok, but he felt their stares and amazement.
Only he was unaware that the last test was always the cultivation one. And for someone of such low cultivation realm at that age to be considered even a Genius in the world, he had to be a complete idiot for answering such a vital test of utmost importance. Even other people who had repeated or been told by family, friends, or good fucks who noticed Heian Ciemnosc shook their heads in schadenfreude.
A couple minutes later, Heian Ciemnosc finished his last test and gave it to another Sub Student. This time, the Sub Student was slightly disdainful; but the Sub Student couldn’t be blamed too much in others’ eyes. After all, having to witness someone being so dully stupid had to be a pain in the ass for anyone who had entered this Academy and had been here for at least a year.
After Heian Ciemnosc ignored the disdainful glares and alteration in attitude, he stretched out impolitely before sitting on his chair so lazily that some who were citizens just a few years ago were about to criticize him and tell him he wouldn’t be able to walk 10 years later. Heian Ciemnosc’s shins rested on the other end of the table while his wrists supported his head. His chair didn’t have a tall enough backrest for his body.
A few mentally tired people to his sides looked at him and noticed the natural bulge in his pants as he sat like a motherfucker. The females were startled, the dudes were indifferent yet deadpan, and the girls his age giggled, and self-mechanism blushed the shit out of the pores of their faces and necks.
Heian Ciemnosc was at it again, a charmer and fine divine being of life and death.
“... Very well then, everyone, please!” After another 2 long hours, after the first 2, the Student in charge of this classroom spoke. His hands clasped above his head in the air, and as everyone had rested for 10 minutes, they were tranquil and peaceful for some reason instead of nervous. They paid attention to the Student. Heian Ciemnosc continued to offensively sit.
“I am sorry to say that this classroom…” the Student began, his words and face making the people within the classroom feel like not so good, but also not so bad, news. The Student declared out loud. “Some of you have failed to meet the Academy’s expectations. Those I will point out next can still choose to form part of the Academy.”
“You showed good enough talent for a Craftsmaking profession, and you will be rewarded if you choose this path. Allowing you to move between storage, studies, and warehouses. The Academy will give you work until your death, and the payout will be 1 Powerful Stone per week. Your lodging, clothes, livelihood, and food will be taken care of by the Academy within the civilian staff districts beside each Sub Student district.”
“Additionally, but not least,” the Student added, his face showing the importance of this ‘addition’, which could be the primary importance of being a civilian staff member of the Academy instead. The Student lifted his right eyebrow and lowered his chin, then said after raising his chin high. “A descendant of your choosing, or a pupil in case it is needed, will be allowed entrance to the Wrath Nihility Academy without taking a test. But you will have to teach them yourself so that when they come in, they take the place you could have if your lifespan and probabilities for cultivation weren’t too deplorable… I will begin.”
After a slight pause, the Student pointed at 17 people who were very old and so thin their bones could be seen detailedly. Without delay, those 17 moved to the front of the classroom, each giving their own thanks to the Student in the name of the Academy.
“Many thanks, young man. “ - “I’m deeply thankful, thank you, thank you… I have a granddaughter…” - “I have a grandson, in case…” - “Thank you, Wrath Nihility Academy, you’ve given my family hope… hope!!” - “Thank you, sweety. I will work hard. So I hope my grandchildren can work here too. Ah, over there? Very well, thank you again, farewell, ohehe~.”
The Student met everyone who came to him and took some medallions from a box which was in turn brought out of his Covert Space bag, with an amicable and calm face. He responded maturely and smiled at the oldies, even nodding at their marriage proposals and selling their grandkids like baggage.
It wasn’t unseen, of course. The Academy wouldn’t deny making all sorts of connections with non-harmful people. Karma was everywhere, and forming bonds, little by little, around the world with these simple yet honest marriage proposals for both sides’ benefits was harmonious. Even Heian Ciemnosc imagined there were already stories due to this, notorious within the Academy’s history. It was an intriguing prospect.
After the oldies left, only the 300+ people who weren’t in their shoes remained to be told who was competent enough… and who wasn’t. The Student took away the box, now empty with 17 medallions gone, as if those items were transported into his Covert Space bag after the evaluation was over, and looked at the rest. He was merciless as he coldly spoke in a low tone.
“The next ones I will point out have failed to impress the Academy. You are to leave immediately. Do not try next year if you haven’t still learned anything.” The Student began pointing, and as it happened, nothing that Heian Ciemnosc thought would occur… occurred.
Those who were aimed with both his index hung their heads but did nothing else other than step out of the classroom. The moment they did, a black smoke surrounded them, and the people who failed to accomplish anything directly disappeared. One by one, over 200 people were pointed at, leaving Heian Ciemnosc’s mind with his mouth open.
Heian Ciemnosc's eyes were wide as the last person to be signaled nodded and left the classroom. He then understood… There was far too much time since the Wrath Nihility Academy became famous, much less since it has been brewing excellent students left and right into the world, from troublesome and good for nothings into capable evildoers and righteous, clever people.
This was the effect of a genuine organization. One that might be much older than any organization in the Sinvonnia Kingdom he lived through. Respect, admiration, and worship; those were obvious in everyone’s eyes. Heian Ciemnosc could tell that much. Reverence, subservience, and acknowledgment; those were also in the hearts of the people who wanted to enter it. Heian Ciemnosc wasn’t seeing or feeling ‘things’ but the truth behind every person around him. Including not only these Sub Students and the Student. But even that old Supervisor from before. They were all idolatrizing the Wrath Nihility Academy!
This was the might, the power, and the renown of a proper organization in the world! The first one Heian Ciemnosc came into contact after leaving the prison-like Crimsonbreaking Faction. He… was also shocketh upon witnessing this. But even more, his heart throbbed at the realization. He liked what he saw very much… After all, ‘if others can’...
“Everyone, thank you for trying as hard as you could. And show us what you’re capable of doing.” The Student said, then added with a warm and slightly emotional tone. “Congratulations on passing the first part of this test.”
Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.
The ‘successful’ people started clapping. They weren’t naive about it, they were glad to have gone through this, and doing so together in the most acknowledged Academy to ever exist, that oxytocin worked really hard. It wasn’t that far away no more. Heian Ciemnosc remained seated until he felt some gazes on him. They were coming from the right and as if the walls had life and eyes of their own, which he couldn’t present before.
“Now, you will be escorted out of this classroom into the open testing grounds. You told us of your weaknesses and strengths and the specialties you possess. These will be the second last test before you are chosen for the Wrath Nihility Academy. There, you will show the Academy your capabilities. The Academy asks you to let those be known in exchange for being tested and in the best case, to enter the Academy.”
“After all,” the Student said, his lips forming a smirk from the left corners of his lips. “Once you form part of the Academy, knowledge is yours.”
“Well, you should also do it because if you didn’t impress the Academy enough in the first test, you might gain an advantage in the others. In fact, if I didn’t give it my all in the last 2 tests 8 years ago, I wouldn’t have entered the Academy and would have wasted time studying to get in.” The Student said, encouraging the students to not let any part of themselves untouched in the tests to follow so they coil give their all.
“Woah, 8 years?!” - “Impressive, senior is impressive. Thank you, senior!” - “I will one day be like you!” - “Senior, you are right. We will do our best!”
It seemed like entering the Academy and becoming a Student in 8 years was an incredible feat. Heian Ciemnosc could only guess up to there as he looked to the left, at the ceiling and floor, to see if there were any more presences making themselves known to the people inside. There were, but only he seemed to be aware of them, him and the Sub Students. Naturally, the Student knew that too, and he looked at Heian Ciemnosc with flashing eyes, realizing the teenager had felt them.
An ease smile was put on the Student’s lips as he looked at Heian Ciemnosc, then blinked and looked away to gesture the Sub Students to guide the people to the outside.
“You may guide them outside,” thus, the Sub Students were followed out by the people, including Heian Ciemnosc.
…