บท 31: 31. Academy Training

The first day of the Academy was pretty basic. The class introduced themselves, and the teacher in charge, Mr. Jones, explained their class schedules.

They were all taught the necessities like reading, writing, mathematics, etc., during the morning and until lunch.

But then, after lunch, they had training. The training included strengthening the body, mind and the skills that one had.

Sarah found the morning classes boring but still paid attention to them. When it was lunchtime, she sat with Ithil and Aala in the cafeteria, "So what did you think of the morning's lessons?" Aala asked Sarah and Ithil.

"I don't mind learning all this information. It will be helpful in the future when we are adults." Ithil smiled.

"I find it all boring... I wish Zion were here." Sarah whined and pouted but immediately smacked her cheeks lightly, "Nope, I can't be like that. Zion once told me that one day he won't be connected to me anymore and that I should get used to relying on myself or get a strong team from the very start that I can trust." She gave a determined look.

"Wow... that's very true. Being a Fae, we are always sought-after due to our strength with magic craftsmanship. That's why my Dad worried about me coming to the Academy." Aala ate a mouthful of her food after she spoke.

"My parents were also a little worried about me coming here. But I promised them I would be safe, and the great elder of my tribe said it was necessary." Ithil said.

"Oh? A moon elf great elder is said to have strong prophetic ability. Did yours see something?" Aala immediately became curious hearing his words.

Ithil hesitated a moment before he whispered to them, "The great elder said that coming to this academy is someone who, in the future, will be a Rank SSS if they lived long enough to become that strong. But they didn't know who. I was only told one little hint about the one to watch out for." Ithil moved back after saying that.

Aala and Sarah had their mouths open in a silent 'wow'. They then looked at each other and giggled while Ithil glanced out the window towards the dorms.

'Great Elders hint about the one who will become a Rank SSS... was Rainbow.' He kept this thought tucked away in his heart.

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Once lunch had finished, all the level 4 to 6 year one students were taken to the same open field. Looking around, Sarah, Ithil and Aala noticed at least 150 students.

The bald, bearded instructor who did their test stood before them, "Everyone pays attention because I will not repeat myself. If you don't understand or hear something, then deal with it. My name is Ivan Uthron, but you can call me Sir Ivan. I will be your teacher for the next 5 years. By then, some of you hopefully will get a chance to move to Lotoria Academy."

He looked at the mismatched group and frowned slightly, "First things first. From now on, you are to all get dressed in your training outfits, provided to each of you in your dorm rooms, before you come to training. And once you are here, you will all line up neatly into lines of 10. Is that understood?" He spoke with a loud voice so that everyone would hear him.

"Yes, sir!" Everyone replied loudly. He nodded, "For today, we are doing something simple. 5 laps around the whole field."

"That's simple?!"

"No way! This field is huge!"

"I'm already tired just thinking about it."

Many complaints arose from the group of 8-year-olds. Ivan frowned, and suddenly, everyone felt an immense pressure fall on them, causing some of the weaker kids to fall to the ground.

Sarah, Ithil and, Aala, and a few others like Krakow managed to stay standing, although they immediately started sweating.

"Anyone complains, and they will be running with 20-pound weights added to them!" He yelled as he released his pressure.

"Does anyone have anything to say about the training now?" He asked, but no one answered that.

He nodded his head again, "Good. Now get started."

The ones who had managed to stay standing during the intimidating pressure recovered quickly and so began their loops at a steady pace.

Others hurried to catch up, while the last ones managed to get moving only after resting another 5 minutes.

After 2 hours, no one had completed more than 2 laps, and about two-thirds of the students were already exhausted.

The last 50 were still going steady, which included about 20 of the 30 from the level 6 group. The previous 10 had pushed themselves too hard and had slowed down.

Ivan glanced over to watch the ones still going. He had expected the ones in the level 4 and 5s to collapse so early, but a few had surprised him to keep running with the majority of the level 6s.

One had to know that the entrance test just showed the strength one had in their attacks. Whether they could keep going for long periods or how well they held themselves couldn't be seen with that test, which is why, although some had less strength, they lasted longer than the ones with more strength.

Ivan wasn't too surprised to see Sarah still doing well. He had seen her student information that her father had filled out, including the fact that she had trained for 3 years after being attacked by a small pack of Earth Claw Mole-Rats.

'She's going to go quite far, I believe. As long as she continues to train diligently.' He smiled faintly to himself, watching her jog and laugh with her two new friends.