"Man, just kill me," one student groaned as we all lay down on the grass after the grueling training that man had put us through. He wasn't kidding; he really showed us all "attention and love." He didn't stop until every single person was on the ground. If you were still standing, he took it personally.
"That was fun, right?" he said, grinning ear to ear. "From tomorrow on, we will involve actual combat. Along the way, we shall mimic different environments and situations that can befall you, so that you will be prepared for anything to come."
He walked away, leaving us with no strength to move. After a couple of minutes, I stood up and started heading to my house. Everyone looked at me like I was a monster, but I just left them there. After I arrived, I ate like a maniac, took a shower, and gulped down the Phoenix Tears before going to bed.
I woke up feeling refreshed and full of energy, as if I could destroy anyone or anything. I knew this was an illusion that would pass with time. I checked my panel to see that I had broken through to Rank 5. Good. I managed to do so ahead of schedule, which should give me a lot of free time.
Now, I need to set my priorities straight. I need to get stronger faster and check the current state of the world myself. I don't believe for a second the bullcrap the Monarchs have been cooking for years—that our continent is the only one left. That's the terrifying thing about them: you never know if what they're feeding you is even true. To live freely in this world, I will have to clash with them in the future. I will not live under their chains; that would be a stain on the legacy of every reincarnator out there.
I prepared to head to class for another tiring day. I didn't believe half the theories they taught us, but I still had to memorize them if I wanted to pass. I'm just hoping I don't lose my mind along the way.
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Name: Lucien Moonstar
Age: 17
Race: Human-Elf
Rank: 5
Stats * Agility: 38
Strength: 32
Intelligence: 37
Durability: 39
Mana: 43
Will: 50
Abilities: * S-Rank Chaos Monarch (Water, Fire, Air, Earth, Lightning)
S-Rank Undying Body
Techniques: * Moon 12 Formation Blade, Seven Series Slash, Flashstep, Golden Shield
It has been six months since the first day, and my stats are coming along fine. It's not as rapid as back home, but for my age, they are acceptable. The pace of training has given me time to focus on other things. I haven't gotten anywhere with my research on the world, though; the books in the library all sing the same crap as the teachers, and it's working. Most of the students literally worship the Monarchs.
It is now time for our first examination at the Academy. There are two exams we are expected to take. The first is an evaluation of how we are absorbing the material and a measurement of our potential. The second test is the crucial one—this is where the first part of my plan begins. A wise man once said that to defeat an enemy, you have to know them first. Maybe that's just me talking to myself, but we can all agree I need real knowledge of this world and the Monarchs. This is the perfect time.
The first evaluation consists of a written exam and a dungeon exploration. They won't give us a hard dungeon, but it won't be an easy one either. There are two types of dungeons: the normal ones, which are usually random locations filled with monsters and traps, and then there is the second type—the one important to me right now.
These are called Echoes of the Past. It is a dungeon that mimics important world events and can only be conquered when certain conditions are met. Like its name suggests, it is a song reciting what has happened; it does not lie, and the information is always true. These dungeons are so rare that the known ones can be counted on one hand with three fingers to spare. They appear at random, and most people call it bad luck because they are incredibly difficult and the death count is immense.
But I cannot rely on luck. That's why I have this baby: an Echo Stone. It was very hard to steal... ahem... acquire this item. As long as one enters a dungeon with it, that dungeon turns into an Echo of the Past. The only downside is that you can't control the rank of the dungeon, but if things go my way, none of that will matter. A few of my teammates are going to die, but you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.
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"How are we going to handle the Monarch children in the coming exams?" Leo asked, standing in front of the Headmistress.
"Put them all in the same team," her voice came as a whisper that felt deafening in Leo's ears. His body felt weak, as if her voice were forbidden for others to hear. "It will save us manpower and resources if they are together. And put the commoner in there, too. She has taken an interest in him, and it is my job as Headmistress to protect my students within these walls."