8:30 PM, Jyorta made a call to his home once again. As he hadn't managed to contact the previous night and inquire about the things in the pamphlet he should strive for, he had to make a call.
Prying eyes existed everywhere in the military; so, he had to ensure that he acted in line and not expose the fact that he had been informed of everything beforehand. Moreover, he was also worried about his sister, the prime reason for his call.
After three rings, the call connected as a calm voice resounded through the speaker. "Sorry, I had just returned from my mission. It took longer than I thought."
"It is fine, sister; as long as you are safe." Jyorta heaved a sigh of relief; her voice soothed his tensed nerves. Moreover, he could infer from her tone that she was just exhausted, her mission being taxing. Other than that, she seemed fine for the most part.
"How do you feel about the military academy? Is it fun?" The voice resounded, its tone filled with curiosity.
"Yeah, it is fun. They made me run through an obstacle course, calling it stamina training. I don't know if my stamina improved but, I can definitely take a better beating now." Jyorta laughed. Since his body was perfectly fine, he could brush off the day's incidents, calling it a bad memory.
"Well, you will eventually get used to it. It gets harder and harder as you proceed with your stay there. Eventually, you would hope for this obstacle course since everything else would be many times gruesome. Alright, I think they have a time limit to the conversation. Hurry up with the list."
Hearing the urging voice, Jyorta laughed and iterated everything in the pamphlet. He didn't go into specifics except for the Trait of Growth and the Trait of Severability, which were inquired by the speaker. The staff soon motioned for him to hurry up, informing him of the time running out.
"Alright, you should first get the Trait of Efficiency followed by the Trait of Temperance and the Trait of Resistance. Considering your capability, you would be able to get them all soon. Okay, I need to get going. I am still in the middle of work. Don't stress yourself; take care."
"I will," Jyorta nodded, "Be safe, sister."
Hearing the call disconnect, Jyorta sighed once, feeling his mind relax. He then thanked the staff and proceeded towards his dorm.
On the other side of the phone, a lady placed the receiver down. She had short stature and a slightly plump figure. Her face glistened with an oily sheen while her eyes sported a vicious look, making the others involuntarily take a step back.
She turned around, looking at a man standing ten feet away from her, maintaining a distance that was more than necessary. "How is Heima?"
"She is still mad." The man sighed, his voice concealing a mild shiver, trying his best to rein in his fear. "The Essence of Frenzy has seeped all the way to her heart. At present, she is no different from a Frenzy Beast. Thankfully, she has exhausted the energy in her Heart Crystal."
"Let me repeat," The lady's voice resounded, sounding pleasant, bordering on a lullaby. "How is Heima?"
The man blinked twice, his forehead covered with sweat while his hands began to unconsciously shiver. His mind went into overdrive as he thought through his reply, trying to link it to her question.
He then spoke out, mustering every ounce of his willpower, "The Essence of Frenzy has seeped into her heart and brain. It has also affected her Wisdom Parasite, further raising the chance of her losing control. Even though the best of our doctors are operating on her now, the chances of her survival are almost zero."
"For the last time, I'll repeat my question." The lady smiled, painting a picture of innocence only possible for pure-hearted kids. "How is Heima?"
"S-She…she is…she has…" The man stuttered, his mouth shivering nonstop, failing to produce a coherent word. He then heard the lady sigh, his expression morphing, feeling his mind plunge into despair.
"If Heima doesn't survive, I'll ensure that the lot of you will accompany her. Calling those inexperienced kids as the best, how ironic. If they fail to treat her by tonight, then they can jump into the Memoir Brook." The lady gave their death sentence as if she was sipping her coffee and commenting on its taste.
The man nodded his head like a chick that lost its composure; he rushed out in a fluster, scrambling on the floor as he fell a couple of times, painting a sorry sight as he hurried towards the doctors, intending to inform them.
All along, the lady looked at the phone she had put down, basking in nostalgia. She then heard a flurry of footsteps as a middle-aged man walked in, wearing a set of loose, cotton clothes. He didn't wear any other accessories on him, seemingly having a preference for minimal necessities.
Even though he walked barefoot, the sound produced when the soles of his feet touched the ground was equivalent to a steel slab dropped on the ground. Receiving a glance from the lady, the middle-aged man changed his gait, not producing any sounds as he walked.
"Mother, how is Heima? I didn't want to disturb her treatment so I have yet to see her in person." The middle-aged man spoke, his tone filled with respect.
"It is not looking good but, she will pull through. She's a strong child." The lady said, gazing at the middle-aged man.
"If only Gajara Rahi had more subsouls that hadn't had their original egos destroyed, it would have been a bit easier." The middle-aged man sighed.
"Indeed," The lady nodded, "After the death of Space, we have lost contact with the other cities. Even though Ancestor Light's Unranked Skill can be used to communicate, the travel path to each city falls in the territories of Tier 6 Frenzy Beasts. The last thing we need is to be besieged by them on all sides."
"So, Heima is a valuable existence for humanity. Moreover, since she has inherited the memories of Rhachis Ancestor Space, as long as she doesn't die a premature death, she has a shot at Tier 6." The lady said.
"If it comes down to it, I can use my Unranked Skill on her." The middle-aged man said, "Something is better than nothing. At least, I can preserve the ability in its embryonic stage. I can then research and eventually develop it until Tier 6."
"It carries a lot of risks. After all, only Rhachis Ancestor Space was well versed in the domain of souls. If you attempt it without much knowledge, and some complications were to arise, humanity would lose a pillar." The lady said, expressing her worries.
"I'll remember it, mother," The middle-aged man replied, falling silent. He then noticed the lady placing a hand on her forehead, as if she had forgotten something important.
She looked at his eyes, her gaze filled with anticipation, "How is your progress in nurturing your Tier 6 Skill?"
The middle-aged man shook his head, "I have already understood its essence. Now, I just have to wait and accumulate the necessary experiences to eventually complete. If nothing surprising happens, it would take me another decade at the very least."
"That is…wonderful." The lady clapped her hands, her face beaming with joy, "The greater the time to nurture it, the more comprehensive it turns out. Anyway, our city is currently safe. Ancestor Light and Ancestor Marble are more than enough to deter our enemies."
"In preparation for that, I will be roaming around the city and the Wild Zones in disguise." The middle-aged man smiled, "Also, I plan to meet Kaushik. I want to see how he is faring."
"Well, make sure you create a good impression on him. I heard about how Ancestor Light conversed with him; that child now hates him."
"If all your secrets were stripped bare and hung out in display, you wouldn't take it lying down. Kaushik's reaction is justified." The middle-aged man said, his expression tinged with a trace of disgust, "Moreover, I don't like him either."
…
Returning to his dorm, Jyorta sat atop his bed, deep in thought. He then retrieved the pamphlet and laid it on the table, taking a glance at its contents, hovering above a certain line.
[Trait of Efficiency] [12,000 Credits]
"The sooner I obtain this, the greater my advantage. I guess no amount of knowledge can beat practical experience." Jyorta murmured, taking a glance at the math textbook. He stored the small box containing the Tier 5 Artifact in his trolley bag, securing its lid with rope. He then placed it in the cupboard overhead his bed.
Changing into his uniform and strapping his watch on his left wrist, Jyorta hung his ID around his neck. Placing a pen with a smooth ink flow in his shirt pocket, he picked up his key and exited his room. Locking the door, he pocketed his key, walking towards the stairs.
On the way, he noticed the students in the hallway shooting him weird glances. Ignoring their gaze, he exited the Indigo Building, heading towards the White Building.
9:00 PM, finishing a set of procedures that were efficiently executed, Jyorta sat inside a small room. Spanning 6 feet long and 4 feet wide, the room gave him a cramped feeling. There was a table that spanned the breadth of the room, situated to the end. Placed on it were a keyboard and a mouse—both wireless. There was also an empty notebook, sporting 30 pages.
Affixed on the wall was a large monitor, its screen flashing to a set of instructions. Jyorta gazed around, looking at 6 cameras, affixed at various places, making it impossible for a student to cheat.
Suddenly, a wave of psychic energy washed over his body, inspecting if he carried anything extra. After a second, the psychic energy disappeared as a voice echoed in the room.
"Subject: Algebra. Test time: 3 Hours. Test type: MCQ." [1]
Jyorta smiled, his lips curled up further at the mention of the term 'MCQ'.
'Now, I can use my shortcuts and quickly finish this test.'
He moved the mouse, making the cursor hover on a large green button with the words 'Begin Test' inscribed on it. With a click of his mouse, he began the test.
[1] MCQ: Multiple Choice Questions