Winter break was over and the last month of the academic years first sester was finally upon us. Unlike the previous four months of the sester though, the last month would hold no classes.
Amazing? Not entirely.
Instead of having lectures in classrooms, the next few weeks would be solely for independent and discovery learning, as well as applying everything weve learned in the classrooms during the days we had lectures.
In the next three weeks, we would need to integrate the theories, techniques and spells we have learned and we would be evaluated by the end of the month. It was apparently a tradition in the Imperial Academy that final exams would have no written exams, but were sole practical exams. But the downside was that, the students were not told how the exam would be carried out or what thods would be used for the students to be tested, until two days before the exam.
So... it was a whole other deal of difficult student life.
Last year the Military Arts Departnt held a race around the city walls. said Charles as we asked him about the final exams. The Alchemy Departnt looked for herbs in Kawayan Island, the Magic Arts Departnt had hide-and-seek with their teachers, the Engineering Departnt refined raw mineral ores from the source, and the General Studies Departnt were asked to formulate a plan on the organization of the public market.
So its pretty random? Andrea asked in disbelief and we couldnt help but agree with her.
Pretty much yeah. Charles answered. But if you sohow hit a wall, you can ask the teachers or so free senior students for guidance in the next couple of weeks.
I could only sigh at Charles answer. I think the others were also as dejected as I was. We were hoping to extract so ideas about the final exams form Charles since he was a second year, if that was how the academy made it then we did not have any other choice. His last sentence was a reassurance though so not really everything was a lost cause
On my part, the only thing I could do was to train. My friends and I decided to practice individually but still try to keep in touch with each other during our trainings. Since we belonged to different departnts, it wasnt like we could help with each others application of theories and skills.
I spent most of my trainings in western forests clearing, the sa place where I found Freya in a daze but was actually in a heated argunt with her other personalities inside her head. Nobody seed to co in the area and I even heard a few rumors that students deliberately stayed away from there because of .
I wondered why but I never really got an imdiate answer.
-Am I an unlikable person?
I just shook my head and continued with my swordplay routines. The swordplay I was practicing was called , sothing I learned when I was still fox deity. I had committed it to mory and I was very surprised when Aunt Zaira gave a manual about it.
I asked her how she ended up owning such a manual but back then she just said a friend gave it to her.
-Now that I think about it, maybe she knows about the foreign gods too?
The is swordplay with nine independent sword stances created to overpower all sorts of weapons. I was taught by a foreign god who crossed over to Afasia almost a thousand years ago and beca fond of it. This swordplay was also perfect for the condition of my mortal abilities. It can also be integrated quite nicely with .
One ti, when I was in the middle of practice, I suddenly felt the presence of soone else within my vicinity. I imdiately summoned sturdy needles from my inventory and threw it to the direction where I sensed the presence. I watched as the figure evaded it at high speed. I continued throwing needles, then put ice needles and daggers in the mix, but whoever it was, he was really fast.
The dark blue blur suddenly stopped on front of . It was revealed to be a tall man wearing the badge of the Military Arts Departnt and if I looked even closely, the badge of the third years was pinned to his uniform collar.
-A third year? He seems powerful.
I coated my eyes with energy, activating a special sight, and I saw dark blue energy wrapped around him. Not to ntion I saw the cackling of lightning as he evaded my needles a while ago which made him a magus knight with affinity to lightning magic.
Who are you? I asked but I was already in a stance with my two swords in my hands.
I was wondering about the rumors spreading among the students of the lower-years. I ca here to verify. Apparently, theyre lying.
Excuse ?
Theres a rumor among the first years and second years that a monstrous energy level can be felt in the training area within the western forest. They tried to check it out but apparently the closer they get the more they get crushed by the pressure of the energy. he smiled which showed off his white teeth. The rumors said it was an unchecked monster. Others say its a guardian spirit, but apparently its a first year student from the Magic Arts Departnt.
-Was I releasing that much energy in the first place? But then again, my energy levels have jumped a lot higher ever since I got my spiritual core back.
My hand went instinctively to the badges on my uniforms collar in an attempt to cover it. Who are you?
Right, where are my manners. My na is Trent Kidlat, a third year magus knight student.
So, are you really just here to confirm the rumors? I asked again, getting my guard up even more. The guy in front , felt very dangerous. Plus, his na seed very familiar.
Yes and no. I ca here for two things, one of them was to check it out due to the rumors, while the other Senior Trent suddenly smiled devilishly and suddenly pulled sothing from behind him. I want to fight whoever was hogging the western forest for himself. Or herself in this instance.
He produced a thin short spear from behind him, but all of a sudden, it transford into a full-length halberd with a wicked looking black blade on top of it. The entire thing was as tall as him and Trent was a very tall person.
I swallowed the nonexistent lump on my throat and my grip on my swords tightened.
-This guy is dangerous.
It was my instinct speaking and it repeated in my head like a mantra but I knew I sohow couldnt back out. Even if I did, I could already tell that he would run after and engage into an unwilling fight.
So? What do you think? Do you accept my challenge, Luna Hysi? he asked.
-How did he know my na?
Dont you think its beneath a third year to challenge a first year? I joked. Im technically still wet behind the ears.
Is that a joke? my jaw tightened at this remark. I always see your na on top of your year and youre different from most of the students of this school.
Different?
Yes. As soone who grew up in the Celestine Territory, you have experience in dealing with monsters and have probably been in a life-and-death situation. You know the terror of to kill or be killed. You know how important it is to survive, sothing the students of this institution definitely lacks.
Saying sothing like that to a girl... thats not nice you know?
He only scoffed and imdiately got into stance. Ready or not, here I co!
***
Note:
The in this story is based on the Nine Swords of Dugu from The Legend of Condor Heroes.
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