As the new academic year began in earnest, Ery, Klea, and Ashaka returned to their rigorous routine. Each of them dedicated one day a week to their specialized lessons.
Ery focused on Dao techniques, including swordsmanship and movent steps; Klea specialized in spell casting; and Ashaka led ditation sessions, with a new emphasis on strengthening ntal defenses.
With a full roster of 50 acolytes, all three instructors needed to extend their hours each day.
Fortunately, the senior acolytes, already accustod to the training regin, were available to assist. They guided the new recruits, providing valuable support and ensuring a smooth integration into the rigorous schedule.
As in previous years, the initial weeks were dedicated to thorough evaluations.
These assessnts were designed to understand each acolyte's physical attributes and inherent talents.
Ery enlisted his team from the Apothecary shop to perform detailed tests on each recruit. Based on these evaluations, they provided personalized recomndations, including specific pills and potions to support the acolytes' developnt and enhance their growth.
Ery's schedule had beco a whirlwind of activity, driven by a range of demanding responsibilities and personal pursuits.
In addition to giving personal training to Shinta and selected acolytes, Ery dedicated substantial ti to his own personal growth.
His training regin was comprehensive, involving the cultivation of his Nature Core to deepen his connection with the natural world. He also worked diligently to enhance his understanding of light energy through the inheritance embedded in the [Ocean Heart Vest]. Complenting this, he practiced ditation with the [Prism of Light] divine technique, which was instruntal in refining his soul power and achieving greater clarity and resilience.
Ery's responsibilities extended beyond personal developnt. He also had to tend to the creatures within his Domain, ensuring their well-being and managing their environnts. Additionally, the Elysian tree, needed careful feeding and upkeep to ensure its continued vitality and the benefits it provided.
His professional life was equally demanding. Managing his apothecary shops and overseeing his supre gene projects required ticulous attention to detail. On top of these tasks, Ery was actively engaged with the developing Earth factions and the newly ford Lower Realm Alliance. Ery was fortunate to have his [True Body Clones], one that allowed him to manage his extensive responsibilities more effectively. By keeping his main body focused on training at the academy, he was able to delegate significant tasks to his clones.
One clone was dispatched to Centauri City, where it took on the critical role of overseeing the supre gene projects. Additionally, it spent much effort on studying the insectoid half-bloods, delving into their unique characteristics and how they could be integrated into the broader gene research efforts. Another clone was sent to Golden City, tasked with handling various strategic and logistical matters. Despite the advantages, maintaining two clones was ntally exhausting for Ery.
Each clone required constant attention, leading him to recreate them every two days.
This process was demanding and tested his ntal endurance. Fortunately, the Khaos waypoints, which provided a network of magical transport and communication, greatly eased the logistical challenges. Ery also viewed the ntal strain of managing multiple clones as part of his soul training. It pushed him to expand his ntal capacity and resilience.
However, the ti and effort required for cloning and managing various projects were not without significant costs. The resources invested in maintaining the clones, conducting research, and overseeing operations were substantial. The Centauri City Apothecary shop, newly opened under Ery's managent, did not gain popularity as swiftly as its counterpart in Golden City. This discrepancy highlighted the significant role Tessa Karat had played in the success of the Golden City shop. Her expertise and efficient managent had been a cornerstone of its rapid success.
Recognizing the need for improvent, Ery decided to bolster the Centauri City shop by hiring more skilled personnel. He brought in talented individuals to manage various aspects of the shop, aiming to replicate the success achieved in Golden City. Additionally, Ery invested heavily in promotional activities to raise the shop's profile and attract more custors.
Despite these efforts, the increased expenditure on hiring and marketing led to a lower profit margin, resulting in slower growth than anticipated. #####
As ti progressed, the mid-exam period arrived, bringing with it a crucial assessnt of the acolytes' progress.
During the personal exams, Ha Ron made a notable achievent by securing a spot in the top 100 golden insignia, with a rank of 78. This was a significant milestone, demonstrating his advancent and skill developnt.
Blaine and Kingrig also made impressive strides, both advancing to the silver insignia ranks.
Additionally, another acolyte from Hall 33, the first-year spider bloodline acolyte Evalice, achieved the silver insignia. Evalice's success was particularly notable given her relatively short ti in the academy, highlighting her exceptional talent and potential.
In the bronze rank, over 20 acolytes achieved this status, including all of the half-blood insectoids from Hall 33. Their success underscored their strong performance and effective training. This result made the two Roman acolytes, Titus and Arnius, feel overshadowed as seniors, given the impressive performance of their peers.
As for Shinta, she learned firsthand that the competition among the top ten rankings was extrely fierce. Despite her six months of rigorous training and achieving her 8th pillar, she faced on loss in the final round. As a result, she only managed to advance one level, placing her at rank 9. This experience highlighted the high level of competition and the difficulty of reaching the top ranks.
Next was the team challenge.
The academy reinstated the 20-man virtual simulation, in which acolytes faced a siege battle against orcs. Unfortunately, the teamwork between the insectoid half-bloods and the lower realm acolytes was still not up to par. Their coordination lagged compared to the higher hall acolytes, resulting in their placent among the lower ten of the higher halls.
To address the challenge, five acolyte teams were selected: Ullong, Evalice, Blaine, Kingrig, and Ha Ron. Despite their efforts, the teams were unsuccessful. Ery had to step up for battle, confronting a peak-level instructor—a Cosmos Grand Magus—and successfully defended his hall's ranking.
Hall 9, the half-blood hall, faced a similar situation. However, Shinta, Rajh, and the now third-year crocodile half-blood Suno fought fiercely, successfully defending their position.
While the performances of both Hall 33 and Hall 9 fell short of impressive, they aligned with Ery's expectations. This situation sparked a competitive spirit among the acolytes, motivating them to train even harder for the end-of-year exams.
#####
As the weeks of intense training went by, a notable event took place.
From the restricted Nephilim territory, an esteed elder erged from his 30-year period of seclusion.
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