Since Humans had claid a legal territory, Players did not beco idle or fall into the comfort of safety; instead, they were now spending more ti in the Beyond than on Earth, using VR rooms in their spare ti there, which was far more ti-efficient.
As a result, they prioritized building the VR rooms and completed the work days ago, transforming an entire section of the city into a quiet hub filled with sealed, lightless rooms and rows of VR machines.
"How many people can we accommodate at a ti?" Adyr asked, raising an eyebrow in interest.
Henry, realizing where these questions would lead and already guessing what Adyr intended to do with this information, felt a headache coming, a dull, tightening pressure forming behind his eyes, as if his skull were slowly being clamped. Even so, he once more answered clearly. "Currently, 200 devices are ready and can be used at the sa ti."
In fact, 200 was far more than the number of Players Humans currently had, but from the beginning, the VR rooms had not been designed just for Players.
They were also ant for STF soldiers, providing a controlled environnt where they could systematically train and develop their talents.
With that intention and a plan for the future, they had already started helping promising people gain many talents, quietly investing in them with the intention that, if one day Researchers found a way to turn them into Practitioners, those people would awaken with a library of talents already learned and improved, stacked neatly in their minds like well-ordered files, allowing them to start their power-up imdiately by registering them.
"Good" Adyr nodded calmly, a faint hint of approval flickering in his eyes as he pieced these numbers into his own plans.
With that settled in his mind, he turned to Zephan again, seamlessly carrying the flow of the conversation into its next stage.
"Should we start our city tour now? I want to show you sothing I think you will like."
Though Zephan had no idea what these VR rooms were or why Adyr had asked about them before addressing him, he couldn't help but feel a quiet sense of anticipation rise in his chest.
Curiosity and trust blended together, and he answered without hesitation. "I would love to."
He didn't yet realize it, but with that simple agreent he was about to discover the world he thought was big was actually much larger than he could imagine.
He also had no idea the Humans' progress and technology were opening a future no Lunari had ever dared to imagine.
In the Human City, apart from the massive black structure at the center, which served as the Headquarters, there was another one not far from it, very eye-catching even among the rigid Human buildings.
It had the sa black color, as if carved from a single colossal block of stone that drank in the light, but it looked wider and shorter, more like a grounded fortress than a tower.
This was the training building, and though it was one of those buildings restricted to outsiders, it was still one of the places more crowded with people, its surroundings constantly alive with movent, voices, and the distant echo of drills.
Today it was even more crowded than usual, as many military vehicles were lined up in the parking lot in front of it and many people in black full-body suits could be seen entering the building in ordered lines, boots striking the ground in a steady rhythm that matched their disciplined posture.
While these hundred or so people were slowly proceeding to the doors of the training building, a new sound rolled over the general noise. A car approaching with its loud engine soon caught their attention, a deeper growl cutting through the background and making them all turn their heads to see.
It was one of those black military cars, like the many others currently waiting silently in front of the building's open parking lot.
However, there was a small detail on this military car that made everyone suddenly stop moving forward and change their stance.
They turned their bodies toward the car, straightened their backs, raised their chests, and put their fists on their chests-a gesture the soldiers used when greeting their higher-ups and generals, drilled into them through countless repetitions.
The detail on the car was just a small red flag on a short pole at the front of the vehicle, waving at its tip in the faint wind.
It marked the car as belonging to soone very high in the managent or military, a mobile symbol of authority moving through their midst.
Yet even that small flag was not enough on its own to justify the importance of what or who-the car was carrying today.
As the car approached and finally stopped in front of them, all the soldiers kept waiting at attention without moving or making a sound.
Then the door of the car opened, and the mont all of them saw who was getting out, a sudden change spread like a wave through all the STF personnel,
tightening faces and brightening eyes.
They all, while waiting at attention, with the sa sudden motion as soon as they saw the figure, lowered their backs and heads, dropping one knee onto the polished marble, making a heavy thud that echoed everywhere like a single, deep note of a symphony, bouncing off the wide stone walls of the entrance.
"We greet our Young Master."
A synchronized voice, as if it were a single sound, rang out in unison as they all greeted Adyr with high discipline and respect.
It was a greeting they had been taught to perform whenever they saw Adyr and were required to do so.
However, when looking at all of their faces and hearing the tone of their voices, one could tell it was not just sothing they were doing because they had been told to. Real respect and admiration could be read in all of them, visible in the slight light in their eyes and the almost proud way they held their posture.
Adyr had already transcended his status as a re figure and symbol among the STF's mbers. Now he had beco a real legend in the military sense, where his accomplishnts far exceeded even Rhys Graves, whom they all respected greatly, and any other general they could think of, carving out a deep place in their hearts and souls as the kind of leader stories were built around.
Adyr, looking at the scene, kept a relaxed smile on his face as he spoke to the kneeling soldiers. "At ease."
With his casual order, all the STF soldiers rose to their feet again, straightening their backs and heads but never easing their stances.
They simply shifted into full focus mode, their eyes carrying all their attention to the dark ash-gray-haired and lighter gray-skinned young man and the guests behind him, alert and ready for whatever command might follow next.
"Their level of discipline amazes every ti." Zephan comnted with high
praise, once again finding himself lost in thought about how to integrate this level of discipline and training into his own people, already imagining Lunari lines moving with this sa unity.
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