After each of us finished receiving our badges, we were taken by our respective instructors on a tour through the cube.
In front of us, the combat class was Philip. While the one in front of the non-combat class was the dark blue uniformed woman, who introduced herself as instructor Harper.
Entering, we were greeted with the sight of what seemed to be a reception room with a woman wearing a uniform you'd usually see from a hotel staff behind a desk.
Noticing us, the woman stood up and did a 45-degree bow. She told us that if we ever had questions about the cube, we were more than welcome to ask her. She also gave us each a piece of candy that she prepared.
{What a kind woman.}
I thought as I chewed on the vanilla-flavored candy.
Beside the desk were two entrances left and right that both led to the same place. Passing through them, I could smell a hint of leaves and was greeted by a bright light, prompting me to close my eyes.
After my eyes adjusted, I opened them to see what seemed to be a forest full of tall sturdy trees.
"How do you guys like the trees that we spent months of painstaking labor to grow just so you can always get fresh oxygen throughout your time here?" (Philip)
"Enough, if we were to stay here any longer, precious time we could use for training will be wasted. Let's proceed now." (Harper)
Waking us from our shocked states, instructor Harper stepped onto the grass and went deeper inside. All of us also followed suit and entered.
Traversing the path was very physically taxing for normal 8-year-olds so I could already see some participants looking extremely tired.
"In this area, the use of activation needed gifts is greatly prohibited. Not only is there a chance you'll damage the trees, but it would also negate the purpose of the entire area. So, if we see you using them, then please be warned of the consequences you'll have to bear."
{It seems like they are really serious about training us physically… not like I'd complain, this is great for me}
Hearing the man, some already had looks of regret on their faces while those who had physically related gifts didn't mind it so much.
When we went even deeper inside we saw a wide clearing that housed four elevated 50-meter-wide platforms surrounded by stadium-looking audience seats. Slightly behind them was a huge shed that contained all types of equipment such as training dolls and target marks.
"This here is the arena where we will hold a lot of combat-related activities such as hand-to-hand combat, so those of you who are in the combat class should start familiarizing yourselves with it."
Letting us look around for a few minutes, the instructors then once more called us to continue the tour.
Leaving the area, we went even further inside until we reached a gigantic entrance that led to a wide hallway. After hours of being in a jungle environment, seeing modern infrastructure after a while was calming.
Stepping on the checkered tiles, we proceeded deeper inside to continue the tour. Just a little further was an enclosed air-conditioned room, that was called the training room. Inside of the room, we could find all sorts of common gym equipment such as weights and treadmills. And futuristic-looking rooms such as "the gravity room" and "hologram room".
{They really exist!?}
Further in we were also introduced to places such as the massive cafeteria capable of catering to roughly 200 adults.
Although the food in there was free, as to be expected, the higher your rank the better food you'll get.
The advanced class participants in particular were able to receive limited portions of meat every time they ate.
It has to be reminded that meat was now an extremely rare delicacy, and despite so the overall rank 1, Chao Yuchen was given the right to ask for an enormous amount of it.
"whisper*…The fact that they mentioned it in front of everyone is a great move on their part. I can already notice the burning motivation brimming from the others." (Darius)
Looking at the faces of the other participants, I couldn't help but acknowledge the way they did things… hell, even I was more pumped up than usual.
After calming the bloodlust down after being introduced to the cafeteria, the instructors proceeded to introduce us to more and more places.
A huge bathing area equipped with all sorts of fancy showers and baths. Two wide bathrooms, one for the boys and one for the girls. My personal favorite room, the library which contains 'almost' as many books as the main library's first floor.
But a stood out for sure was a luxurious-looking living room that had TVs and other entertainment gadgets such as arcades and PS 4's.
{Well of courseee, only the advanced class can use them. What do you expect?}
There were more places but at the end of it, we were finally introduced to our respective classrooms.
There were 3 rooms for each class making it 6 overall. Above the room's doors were plaques that proved as an identification, C-1 referred to the combat class advanced participants and NC-1 referred to the non-combat class advanced participants. The remaining 4 were the larger C-2 and 3 and NC-2 and 3 rooms that each took in those who were ranked from 31 to 200 and 201 to the 400s respectively.
{looks like all four of us are in room C-2}
but as you'd expect from a room that was designed to cater to hundreds of children at a time, the room was designed in a way where from everywhere you sit you can clearly hear the instructors' teachings. It was similar to a college classroom where the seats are further elevated with the instructor at the bottom with a giant whiteboard behind him.
Looking at her watch which showed the current time 9:58 am, Harper heaved a satisfied smile.
"Good, we've made it in time." (Harper)
"Since the first class is only a few minutes away why don't we just get on with it?" (Philip)
"Your right. Kids!"
"!?"
"We'll be immediately proceeding with your first class which is general language! Get inside your classrooms and wait for your teachers to enter! Understood!"
Hearing her commands, everyone rushed inside the classroom and found seats. The room was deathly silent due to everyone still being a bit nervous as we waited for our instructor.
The door then opened and a man wearing a dark purple uniform and 1 armband entered our C-2 room.
"Good morning everyone, my name is Kurt and I will be your room's head instructor. I expect that you guys are now familiar with me after the tour so I won't be wasting any more time and get on with our general language class."
{Hmmm, it's a lot tamer than I thought-}
"Oh, and let me first mention this to you all."
"?"
"After every 6 months, we expect you to fully learn a new language already. This is why every 6 months you'll all be tested on that specific language and the following language after that, and so on and so forth. Failure will result in an immediate grade deduction, lose enough, then expulsion. So, you all better make sure that you listen to me, ok?"
{... I take that back.}