Chapter 35: Arena Thirty-Three: Foul Restrictions VII
The next day at the academy started as normal. No one tried to kill me, no one tried to isolate me... It was an extremely normal day.
After the academy closed yesterday, I had headed directly to the dormitory and went through a pretty normal night. I had half-expected to meet Anastasia or Roxy, but met neither.
And, after an uneventful early morning, I was yet again, sitting inside my classroom.
Incidentally, the lesson Kain was explaining right now was about the laws regarding the Elliots. Just like he had told us, the next day started with him reading out the first page of the seven thousand pages long rulebook.
"... Alright. Any questions so far?"
Kain asked an exhausted-looking student body, who just sighed and shook their head.
Of course, I was part of the people shaking their heads. While most of the students were toppers and were eagre to learn, they were more interested in learning the practical skills instead of memorizing old laws... I could understand their feelings to some extent.
"Alright then, the class ends here now."
Kain chuckled while looking at us before turning around towards the screen behind him.
"I wanted to give you guys some homework but... Let that be for some other day."
He said while laughing before turning off the screen. At the same time, a voice announced the starting of the next class. Quoting Kain's words, "The tutorial period was over", meaning that we'd have the same rules as the senior students. Apparently, these seniors would also be the ones training us once the practical classes start.
I still had yet to meet any seniors personally except Jeffery and his lackeys, as well as Raymond, so I couldn't gauge their personalities. Though, judging by the people I had seen so far, they would either be scary, or be disgusting.
...
"Welcome to the Armament Design course, students!"
An extremely energetic old teacher greeted us as soon as we entered the class. He ushered us towards the tables full of machinery and small miniature Regalia models. As we took our seats, the old teacher spoke up.
"We had met yesterday, but let me reintroduce myself. I am George, you can call me George, teacher or lead. Whichever you prefer!"
The old teacher smiled brightly, with his gentle eyes narrowing behind his rimmed glasses. He seemed like an amicable teacher.
"Well, without further ado, let's start the class, shall we?"
George smiled as he picked up a gear lying on his desk. He then quickly put it on his neck with experienced hands before looking at the students.
Urged by his gaze, we hesitantly picked up the Stigma gears in front of us and put them on while replacing the ones we were wearing (the fake in my case). Though, unlike the normal gears, the small holographic screens didn't show up.
Even the clock, which was a default function of the gear, was absent.
"Now, you guys might be surprised by the lack of functions. But fear not, this is a hundred-percent working gear. You'll know it once you pick up the small Regalia in front of you."
As he said that, he picked up the small Regalia figure in front of him. The figure was identical to the ones we had in front of us. I could faintly recognize the shape, but didn't know from where. Still confused, I decided to pick up the figure first, before anyone else.
Just like before, an extreme headache hit me while filling up my brain with all the necessary information about the Regalia... Or the model of the Regalia to be in fact. I clawed at the table, trying to keep myself standing. Gritting my teeth, I somehow controlled myself from falling unconscious.
How to fix the Regalia, where its core was, the wire formation inside it, the armour plate formation, the weapon designs and how they worked... Years of gathered knowledge flowed inside my head. The amount was much larger than the amount I had received inside Stigma when touching the gun for the first time.
"Are you alright?"
I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. I barely managed to look at the person due to the pain.
"Sit down. It'll go away soon."
George assured me as he forced me to sit on the ground. He kept patting my back as if to lessen the pain.
And just as he said, after a few more agonizing seconds, I was finally free of the pain.
"Hah... Hah... Thank you, teacher."
I said, panting. He just smiled wryly before extending his hands towards me. I grabbed his hand and stood up, then noticed the gazes of my classmates.
What a 'normal' day.
George, after confirming that I was okay enough to continue the class, went back to his desk and explained.
"The thing you experienced right now, it's called creating connection. It only hurts the first time, but from the 2nd time, it's as easy as eating your lunch or walking on the ground."
George stopped for a moment before continuing.
"Though, you would have to experience this thing for everything Stigma related you touch. I mean, for the first time only and only one thing per type is just fine. Meaning that once you experience this after touching a rifle, touching all other types of rifles will not give you a headache. "
"And non-stigma related things, for some reason, doesn't work. By the way, to clarify, non-Stigma related things mean things that haven't originated or have no connection with that world. For example, these glasses."
The old teacher pointed at his ancient-looking rimmed glasses with a smile before continuing.
"However, the Regalia figures are connected with Stigma. Or, more specifically, these figures have the core fragments of the Regalia our first Holy Maiden used. This is why it's connected directly with the virtual world."
George said while poking the chest region of the figure gently.
Now it made sense... I had probably seen this model in the picture books I had read in my childhood... But I still couldn't remember any specific book or detail. I was a bit curious as to know why, but I decided to put that thought in the back of my mind for now.
"Now then, some of you, who have visited Stigma and had touched a Regalia before might be wondering... Why didn't you awaken this ability before?"
George smiled at a couple of students who nodded. I was also among those students, but for me, the ability had awakened to some extent.
Probably due to my SSS grade, but I decided to keep that theory to myself.
However, it was true that I hadn't felt anything when I had touched Helios. Not even once.
"The reason is that... The Stigma gears you usually use have no protection against the flow of information. Due to the virtual world being... Well, virtual, a huge amount of data gets transmitted to the gear from the [Source], which then gets converted into the basic senses and then gets conveyed to us. Due to the information being released steadily throughout the body, our brains aren't burdened, though people still suffer from headaches and dizziness once they log out. Is everything clear so far?"
One of the students held up their hand. George glanced at him, and the student spoke up.
"Teacher, what is the [Source]?"
Hearing the question, the teacher smiled and explained in a jolly tone.
"A very good question. Though I have no answer to that... Yet. No one does. It's conceived as the 'server' or 'device' which holds the data and is responsible for the whole virtual system... Though it's just a theory. I'll explain it in the later classes, so look forward to that."
The student nodded and lowered his hand. George once again asked whether we had any more questions or not. As no one raised their hands, George continued with the explanation.
"So, as I was saying. Unlike that usual gear, this gear limits the flow of information. Once it realizes that the host is unable to cope up and is in danger, it will shut off the transfer process."
"As the usual gear doesn't have the limiters on information, access to these types of knowledge is restricted unless they experience it here first, before going there. So yes. Now that you have experienced the feeling, Arnold Tilgen, you can access these pieces of information using the normal gear too!"
George happily declared, while I just smiled wryly.
"Now then, please touch the figures in front of you!"
As George instructed, the students all hesitantly picked up their Regalia.
Soon... The classroom was filled with tired, exhausted and terrified students.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone