"Okay! I'm going to help prepare some things so you can enter Bone Crystallization. Before that though, do you have a preferred weapon?" Tara can not pass on the Twin Sphere technique as easily in her Story as she could with her Explorer friends.
Still there are plenty of things she can do to elevate Frae's level. Helping her break into the next stage as well as forge a Soul Bead weapon. Also, as she had skipped the last few times, Tara could go to the Celestial floor of the Skill to find a fitting gathering and circulation technique!
Frae admits that she's wieldy with a great axe despite her lithe frame. With this in mind, Tara heads off to begin her preparation. Tara spends her points buying the ingredients for the Sun Seed Pill and materials for a new ax quickly. Because her elders in both the Alchemy and Forging are taken by the adorable protege, they didn't hesitate to give the best material available for half the points.
The problem now though was how to get a Soul Bead for Frae's weapon. Each student interested in Forging could only take out two Soul Beads from the Academy's storage in a semester. Tara had already done so f,or Asuka's mother. Those who looked down on her and her family would likely accuse her of abusing her status as the Headmaster's direct disciple if she went to ask for another.
"I could always try hunting an Aural Beast?" The thought crosses her mind as she returns to her room. The Academy had gotten their stock through students and teachers taking outings for growth. There wasn't any reason she couldn't hunt Frae's Soul Bead.
"I think you'd benefit greatly from the experience." Beiling agrees as she crosses paths with her student. "May I know what brought about this decision? Walk with me."
Tara carefully explains the situation as Beiling listens. They arrive at her office after some time as her teacher contemplates what Tara's next move should be.
"I have heard a rumor that in the Asoyu Mountains of a twin-tailed aural beast that might fit well for your purposes. I can adjust the teleportation array to take you to a training spot I used in that region ages ago if you'd like?" Beiling's certain if it's Tara then she can easily capture this twin-tailed beast within a week. Tara eagerly accepts but first needs to finish setting up Frae for while she's gone.
Between her growth in elemental control and breaking into Billowing Muscle low stage, it takes nearly no time at all for Tara to create an updated version of the Sun Seed Pill. Unlike before, Tara this time imbues the medicine with both fire and Solar energy to help rapidly further Frae's growth. Ideally, it'll be similar to when Tara ate the Basic Energy Pill.
She's able to find the Ash Vixen gathering technique and the White Hearth circulation technique fairly easily. Under Tara's instruction Frae begins to channel her aura using them after taking the Sun Seed Pull. Following that, after making sure she is fully equipped with her hunting gear and assigning a Life Stone for Beiling to keep, Tara steps onto the teleportation array.
Around the same time, several forces from neighboring kingdoms have also made a move on the Asoyu Mountains. The twin tailed Aural Beast would be put to use to make their homes even stronger! Then they could further their own agendas!
***
In the Hawxin Empire's capital Harrowine Academy lies within. Explorers, or Travelers by the NPCs, seem to move past the registration desk as if it isn't there. It's as if their minds are subconsciously ignoring the Academy.
This happens to be the plan Wersai, a lower level teacher of the Academy who lucked on registar duty. Though he is only a low tier Bronze, his pressure is enough to cause the weaklings running about to avoid this place. With no interested Explorers, he can rest without any worries. This is how it had been for nearly two months. With how he observed their steady growth, he could finish his round of registrar duties without incident.
At least that's how it was supposed to go.
"Are you sure we're going the right way?" A shrill voice floats into Wersai's ears causing him to begrudgingly raise his head. Seven Explorers are approaching the desk. An Elven Witch, a White Tigria Witch, a brown Ursayji Forefend, a Human Infantry, a Bestia Vanguard, and two Dryads, one a Fire Infantry and the other Water Forefend.
Then he finally processes what he's seeing, sitting up straight with wide eyes, Seven Travelers are approaching the desk! These Explorers are heading his way while completely ignoring his pressure.
"Of course it is! Viridian Swift had someone make a map for when we returned. There's only one Harrowvine in the entire Empire." The Dryad Forefend replies to the Elven Witch matter of factly.
They truly weren't lost and instead were here with intent. Oh all his plans to not have to do any work were shattered by their arrival. How can this be!? Yes, their Equipment is clearly a higher quality than the others he glanced over but even then that shouldn't be enough to resist his pressure! No, no Wersai rationalizes that he was too relaxed with his Essence. They always call him Lazsai among the staff. If he just put in some effort then maybe--?
Before reading the History of the Banished Country, Pakeeja had asked these seven to investigate the Academies. On the Western Continent, Syringa Fang, Mauve Hammerhead, Citrine Chevalier, Boulder Haven and the two Battle Couples were to look into theirs.
At level 18 from their Crossover rewards, they are close to the next major threshold. Since they didn't need to immediately focus on level grinding or Equipment acquisition, they had some spare time. If they did find some benefits from joining an Academy, Pakeeja would immediately have all their Dungeon Runners and Field Goers attend before level 20.
They, who had fought against the Aberrant Chief and dealt with the pressure of the mysterious woman, don't seem to sense Wersai's. Or rather, they feel a sense of discomfort but it wasn't something they couldn't shrug off with their own power.
"Hello! We'd like to apply to the Academy." Kingdom Lock says, holding out a hand to shake. Wersai frowns as he witnesses no change from seriously extending his Essence. He shakes her hand only to see if he can get a better understanding of who he's dealing with.
Barely ten seconds pass as he gulps in fear, sweat covering his face. Not only is his Essence quickly rejected by this Porcelain Explorer, he immediately realizes that her Resonance with Essence is even higher than his! If they were to fight, he would surely win because of Level and Skills, but possibly not because of tier. She'd at least last several minutes against him in a one on one bout, and if they were all like her then together they'd surely harm greatly.
"W-welcome! Let me guide you all to meet the H-headmaster." His voice cracks as he rises to lead them inside.
It was better to hand them off to the school's leader should they cause trouble. They follow behind, ready to see what this previously unexplored area of the capital has in store
"Headmaster, Wersai is waiting for you." A human woman in her mid-fifties soon announces as she peeks into the office.
"He had better not be trying to skip out on his lesson tomorrow just because he currently has registrar duty."
"It's not that, sir, he wants you to inspect some incoming students. And for once I agree with him."
A brown skinned elven man with a single streak of gray in his black hair looks up from his paperwork in surprise. Having been the headmaster for the past 50 years, Charlotte has been his aid for about 20 of those years. Never once in that time has she sided with a teacher when it came to him meeting a prospective student. But few in the entire Empire have a keener eye than her.
"Then bring them inside and tell Wersai to get back to his post!" He tries to hide his excitement but Charlotte gives him a knowing smile and a roll of her eyes. Seven young Travelers enter soon, one by one. He immediately notices something odd. Many Porcelain ranks, especially Travelers, had chaotic Essence of various types flowing within and around their bodies.
Only Dryads and Elves naturally start a high Resonance of their Essence, about 5 percent at Porcelain. This offered better control of their energies as well as a stronger output of their Skills. When a Dryad or Elf enters Obsidian tier, however, their Essence would then flow in a certain direction that jumps that number to 15 percent Resonance. Other clans would only just begin to reach that 5 percent at the same level, unless they are a spell focused class then they'd reach 10 percent.
The two Dryads and young elf before him are at 15 percent Resonance without even breaking into their first class advancement into Obsidian. It's as he sweeps over the other four to judge that they had around 10 percent Resonance, that the group notice he's probing them with his Essence that they focus. V'ratl eyes bulge as those numbers jump to 20 and 15 respectively. He realizes what he saw was merely their idle state!
"I apologize for placing pressure on you." He sighs in admiration. If he had been blessed with their Essence control then maybe...Headmaster V'ratl shakes his head before looking every one of them in the eye. "I am V'ratl Harrowine, the Headmaster of this Academy and I welcome you."
The group reigns in their Essence as he rises. They all take a moment to greet him to be polite but they are guarded. He is stronger than the Aberrant they faced.
"You are all very talented in your energy control! I would be glad to give you a tour of the facilities. If you all would follow me?" Headmaster Harrowine rises and walks around them. He shows him the classroom in which all students wore a similar school uniform.
The stand out feature among them is the colored band on the sleeves of the jackets. Seven different colors indicate a different class: red for Vanguard, blue for Forefends, beige for Pugilists, green for Infantries, silver for Summoners, gold for Mages, and white for Witches.
"This is our library which has copies of books both from the university and even the Imperial library within the palace." Harrowine explains as he walks them through the aisles. "We have a separate area for Skills, of course, but it's only accessible if you have enough Academy Points."
To the young Explorers' this library is bigger than they've seen in the natural world. As the Lapis Tome group looked at all the books and scrolls, other groups are currently struggling to get into the Scholar's university. What they lacked is both a high enough Intelligence stat as well as Reputation to enter! Just having immediate access to the rows of information made it worth Lapis Tome joining.
V'ratl notices the young elven Witch break away from the group as if possessed. Flame Ribbon's eyes are drawn to a scroll on display. All the aisles eventually lead to this centerpiece which was behind a type of glass. It is a treasure he had acquired in his youth but was never able to find a translator for it.
"When we check out something are we allowed to take them off campus?" Flame Ribbon asks, squinting at the scroll with interest. Tara had told her to keep a look out for the ancient script. Who would have thought she'd find something so quickly.
The Headmaster sees a look of recognition and grins. "That won't be a problem.