Ery passed through the academy's teleportation portal and casually flew toward the massive mountain where Hall 120 was located on a lower slope. As he approached, he noticed familiar acolytes running up the mountain, each struggling under the burden of a huge weight on their backs. Intrigued, Ery decided to quietly observe them.
It was their physical training day under the supervision of Magus Ashaka.
Ery shows a glint of happiness, noticing that the acolytes were carrying much heavier weights than the last ti he had seen them. The sweat pouring down their faces and the strain evident in their movents indicated the increased difficulty of their regin. So of the senior acolytes had additional weights strapped to their arms and feet, making their training even more intense.
He recognized the significance of this training.
When an acolyte reaches the sky realm stage, particularly ranks 8 and 9, such strenuous weight training becos less common. Most at this level prefer more advanced thods to enhance their physical capabilities, such as using gravity rooms or specialized apothecaries for body enhancent. Ery understood that Ashaka maintained these seemingly outdated training thods not just to build physical strength, but to cultivate determination and resilience among the acolytes. Each acolyte was allowed to choose their own weight, with the stipulation that they must increase it each week. This practice fostered a competitive spirit, as the acolytes began to showcase their progress and push their limits. Ashaka also had a hidden objective: to encourage camaraderie and mutual support among the trainees.
As Ery watched, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction. He observed acolytes encouraging one another, helping each other reach their individual goals. One acolyte in particular, Ulong, caught his attention. Typically withdrawn and reluctant to participate in group activities, Ulong the boar bloodline, was now striving hard to complete the task, despite gaining much body weight.
When the session finally ended, the acolytes were drenched in sweat, but their faces lit up with joy and a sense of accomplishnt. Laughter and cheers echoed through the training yard as they celebrated their achievents together.
At that mont, Ery decided to reveal himself. His presence was t with a wave of excitent and enthusiastic cheers. So acolytes, more eager than others, rushed forward to greet him.
"Master, you are back!!"
"Master, I can't wait to show you my new moves!!"
"Master, did you bring back any food?"
The enthusiastic shouts from his students filled the air as they crowded around Ery, their faces lit up with excitent and admiration. In addition to the acolytes, Klea approached Ery with a bright smile. "I'm glad you're all right," she said warmly. Then, with a sense of pride, she turned to the group and revealed their master's recent success: Ery had captured a notorious Grand Magus criminal.
The acolytes were stunned. They all knew how formidable the Grand Magus Realm was. To fight and survive such an encounter was one thing, but to actually defeat and capture a Grand Magus level criminal was extraordinary, especially for soone with Ery's background.
The magnitude of this achievent resonated deeply. It was akin to how the old Ery felt upon hearing that soone like his master, Xion, had defeated a powerful figure like Zenonia.
Among the acolytes, Hardy and Dillion were particularly aware of the significance of this feat. They had kept up with the latest news from the Magus Alliance and knew that the criminal Ery had captured was an infamous two-cosmos Grand Magus. However, they had refrained from sharing this information, knowing it would sound unbelievable to their peers.
Klea, continuing to bolster the group's morale, revealed another significant achievent: Ery had broken through to the Full Moon Magus realm. This announcent was ant to underscore the importance of his prolonged absence and to dispel any doubts about his dedication to them. She also aid to raise their spirits for the upcoming mid-year examinations.
"It's ti for everyone to see who we are!" Dillion declared, his voice filled with conviction.
The acolytes responded with a resounding roar, their anticipation for the events palpable. The announcent ignited a renewed sense of purpose and determination within them.
For many of the first-year acolytes, this would be their first major test since arriving at the academy five months ago and joining Hall 120 four months ago. In just three days, they would have the opportunity to showcase the fruits of their rigorous training.
The mid-year examination period was structured into four intense weeks. The first week focused on establishing personal rankings for all first-year students who had yet to earn a rank. The second week involved the real academy rankings, where acolytes aid to place within the top 1000, top 500, or top 100 categories.
Once these individual rankings were determined, the hall examinations began in the third week. This phase featured a magus ga to identify the top rankings among the lower, middle, and higher halls. The final week culminated in team and instructor battles, which would determine their eligibility for hall advancents.
Understanding the significance of these upcoming tests, Ery dedicated the following days to closely observing his acolytes' progress and providing them with personalized coaching. He moved through the training grounds, offering insights and tailored advice to each student.
Taking a break from his intense coaching sessions, Ery sipped a cup of hot tea, trying to gather his thoughts. Klea noticed his pensive expression and couldn't help but smile.
"You are wondering about your favorite student, aren't you?" she teased gently. "No, she never once ca here."
Ery's face fell slightly at this news, but Klea quickly added, "Don't worry, I did check on her last week. She has been training really hard. We'll see her progress soon."
Hearing this gave Ery a sense of relief, however, sothing seems to have still troubled his mind. He couldn't shake the feeling of concern and curiosity about her well-being.
As he sat there, contemplating, Ery wondered if he should visit her. But then, he hesitated. Would it not seem too intrusive?
#####
While Ery was preoccupied with thoughts of Shinta, another group was secretly convening in Utopia City, having a similar discussion.
"We've been here for over a month, and she hasn't left the academy even once," one mber of the group voiced in frustration.
"Has our presence been detected?" another inquired with concern.
"No, that's definitely not the case," A figure with an authoritative presence stepped forward. "I can't deliver another empty report to our supre lord. The examination month starts tomorrow, and they will soon allow visitors to enter the academy. This is our chance."
"Yes, Elder," the group responded in unison.
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