Natalya approached Andrew as she took sheets of paper from his hands. She didn't even bother to read them.
"You can go to the library" she said as she went to the nearest trash bin and threw all of his hard work. Although, she couldn't make kids suffer physically yet, she could still do some small misgivings as a way to give them mental trauma and frustration.
Andrew was emotionless since he already had considered this outcome. He didn't care as long as a caretaker bore witness to his talent, he would be permitted to study to his heart's content.
Soon, he walked out of the section as he walked through multiple hallways before descending. The library was situated on the underground floor so it took him a while to reach it.
There wasn't even a librarian since this place was empty most of the time. He finally took out a book as his learning spree officially began.
___
Several days later.
Andrew encountered a book called *Arrays For Dummies*.
He unhesitantly decided to read it.
[Arrays are just orders given to mana. Once a mortal transitions his existential state, the mortal will come to know the existence of Language of Mana]
[Language of Mana is a tool to interact with surrounding mana. It's not necessarily a language but specific inputs of energy that give orders to the surrounding mana]
'Is not it just basically programming the surrounding mana?' Andrew couldn't help but think about it this way.
[There are countless ways to create arrays. The arrays need sources of energy to function. These sources of energy are categorized into two types. External and internal. External sources of energy are the magicsl materials that mages use to fuel arrays, internal method is just a mage using their mana to fuel the arrays]
[The Mana Language is ever-changing since there can be devised countless new inputs using just one input of energy. The higher the Evolutionary Realm the mage has attained, the higher the number of inputs the mage can create, change, improve, learn, derive from and many more functions and abilities]
[The array can be set anything and anywhere as long as there aren't any restrictions imposed on that particular area]
[There are some unorthodox techniques that can engrave arrays into flesh itself! The majority of such arrays use life force as fuel!]
[Naturally, the arrays have countless forms and variations like anything else related to magic!]
[There are infinite uses and infinite outcomes!]
[You can put whatever condition you want as long as it's within your capabilities]
The book went on describing many more known types of arrays and their uses. The book's purpose was to give mortals a vague idea of what arrays are, thus it didn't dwell too deep into the topic, only superficial knowledge.
Andrew was fascinated nevertheless! Arrays were closely related to spells! Spells also needed specific inputs of energy to produce the desired effects! The book also mentioned that spells like arrays can be casted using mage's or world's mana!
Basically, it meant that as long as the caster wasn't mentally exhausted and the mana of the world wssn't sealed, the mage would be able to cast an infinite amount of spells! As for the possibility of exhausting world's mana? That had never happened since it was believed that world wss equal existence to the Gods! So the mana was infinite!
Andrew made his own theories regarding where mana could have originated from. Earth didn't have the inking of mana since he already scoured Earth for any individuals who might possess superpowers.
He wondered what actually was mana...
___
Eventually, 5 years passed.
A 7 year old boy ran laps around in a field. A bag was on his back, his hands and feet were wrapped in heavy metallic cuffs, his breathing steady as his muscles contracted with each step he took forward. The sunshine illuminated his tanned muscles as traces of masculinity started to appear on his face.
Lap after lap he strode forward with absolute confidence and ferocity. Nothing seemed able to distract him as he was intent on reaching his goals.
After 2 hours he finally stopped and he instantly took a plank position, for the next 2 hours, he stood like an immobile structure as a heavy bag added pressure on his whole body. The sweat flowed like a fountain from his whole being.
If an onlooker saw him, he wouldn't even think about the possibility that this boy was just 7 years old!
Finally, Andrew decided to push himself out of this petrified position. He flexed his core muscles as his legs rose up as he positioned himself to do handstand push ups.
For another half an hour he relentlessly pushed himself despite the heavy weights on his body. His muscles were toned and tanned since he spent the majority of his time outside.
Many more exercises followed soon after as he finished them all!
He entered the 12 story tall building as he climbed upstairs and greeted multiple caretakers with a smile.
Soon he reached the 4th floor and entered one of the dormitories.
"Andrew you are back!" said someone with a cheerful voice.
"Yes, Lara I have finished my daily work out" said Andrew as he greeted his recently made friend.
Lara was an 8 year old girl who lived in the same section as Andrew.
After becoming a five year old Andrew was transferred into Kids 5-10 #3 section.
And the story about Natalya? She reattempted to get into Moonshine Magical Academy and succeeded. She didn't physically harm any child but still did some things that might sadden a kid. Like stealing a candy. But she didn't go further than that for her own good.
Today was the first day when Andrew was going to school! He was finally going to exit the confines of his orphanage! Merchant Laris financed the education of the kids, even though they were orphans and had absolutely no backing.
But the school wasn't the typical school from Earth, but a military-like institution!
There kids were taught essential survival skills, like close combat, how to identify poisonous plants, how to neutralize them and many more. Everything that a mortal might need.
Soon, Andrew and 119 other kids gathered in the yard of the orphanage. All of them wore grey robes. A caretaker soon approached and let them out of the orphanage.
It wasn't the first time for Andrew to go out of the orphanage since the orphanage would sometimes organize a tour around the town's famous places.
All of them matched for less than a dozen of kilometers as they arrived at the military institution.
It was a complex of buildings scattered throughout twenty kilometers square. There were a lot of facilities for different purposes. The most striking one being a tall tower in the center of the military school.
Several minutes later, a man wearing black robes came out as the gates opened. He wore a stern expression as he gestured for the caretaker to follow him who in turn prompted the kids.
They passed by numerous facilities as they encountered other students. The majority of these students had a dangerous vibe around them as if they would bare their fangs at the moment's notice.
Some students had tattered robes but no injury could be seen on their bodies. It was becoming increasingly confusing to the orphans since this place didn't follow common sense.
Some students were downright beaten down yet they stood up and yelled out their gratitude to the one who didn't leave a single spot alive on their bodies.
This place more looked like a mental asylum rather than a military school.
The orphans took heavy gulps as some of them couldn't stop themselves from shaking from fear. A few of them even thought of running away but the orphanage warned them that they couldn't quit.
Andrew thought that this place was a hardcore boot camp since people seemed to be subjected to extreme pain to reinforce their wills.
He could vaguely understand their way of doing things since he had created such a boot camp for his private force in his past life.
Soon the group approached the building in the farthest corner from the gate.
"Caretaker Latia, leave the kids here. You can either wait or come to pick them up in the evening" the man draped in black robes said authoritvely.
Caretaker Latia simply nodded as she turned around to look at the kids.
"Do your best" she said with a warm smile as she left the perimeter of the military school.
Some of the emotional ones hopefully looked at Latia's disappearing figure as if hoping that she would show some pity and take them back into their safe orphanage.
But she didn't do so.
The black robbed man clapped with his hands to garner children's attention.
"Attention! From today onwards, you are cadets of Oswool Boot Camp!" said the man draped in black robes.
"No matter what, you must obey the orders of your seniors! If they tell you to die, you die! Even if you have to kill yourself! This isn't a playground!" the man said as he observed everyone's expression, he mostly saw fear, hesitation and anxiety but a few of them showed excitement?!
A chestnut-haired youth grinned from ear to ear as he couldn't wait to smash everyone's heads! He wasn't just your mere school bully, but rather a twisted and battle thirsty kid.
'It's not going to be boring' thought the man in black robes as he ordered everyone to follow him.