After Ahiro was done with the demonstration, there was only one boy left. He was also a group member of his tour group and his name was Ethan,
Ethan, the last student to demonstrate, had chosen a bow as his weapon. What caught everyone's attention, however, was that he didn't pick up any arrows which lay beside the bow.
He calmly took his position in the dojo and closed his eyes to focus.
Slowly but steadily, two immense, jet-black wings began to materialize. They unfurled gracefully, casting an awe-inspiring shadow over the dojo floor. The wings were unlike anything the students had ever seen—dark as midnight, yet gleaming with an otherworldly luster.
The wings, each the size of a large door, extended outwards from Ethan's shoulder blades. They were covered in iridescent feathers that seemed to absorb the ambient light, giving them an eerie, almost ethereal quality.
Ethan plucked a single feather from one of his wings, the feather he plucked elongated and reshaped itself into a perfect arrowhead.
Ethan notched the feather arrow into his bow and drew the string back. His movements were fluid and precise as he aimed at a distant pillar at the end of the dojo. In one swift release, the feather arrow soared through the air, hitting the pillar dead center and impaling itself deep into the solid stone.
Ethan's demonstration left no doubt about the strength of his feathers, which had easily impaled themselves into the solid rock pillar.
"Your weapon complements your ability, good choice," Master Ruchi commented, offering a rare compliment. It was only the second such praise he had given during the demonstration, with June being the other recipient.
Ethan calmly placed the bow back in its designated spot, He returned to his seat, having made quite an impression on his fellow students.
Finally, the demonstration and weapon selection was over. Master Ruchi calmly started speaking.
"You all performed well today, and many of you demonstrated abilities surpassing your age," Master Ruchi began, as he directed his gaze toward Ethan and June, Master Ruchi continued, "From tomorrow, you will be joined by your seniors, who will be here to guide you if they wish to do so."
"Now, you can spend the rest of the week accessing the resources available for the weapons you chose today," Master Ruchi declared. He rose from his seated position, his white hair framing his determined expression. "You have a whole week to diligently improve. I will see you all next week."
With that, Master Ruchi made his way towards the exit of the dojo, leaving the students to absorb his words and prepare for the challenges that lay ahead.
After the lesson was over Ahiro made his way out of the dojo joining the flow of students dispersing in different directions. Some were headed back to their dormitories, while others had various activities planned for the rest of the day.
Opening up his holoscreen, Ahiro contemplated his options. With his elective classes scheduled on alternate days, he had the afternoon free. He thought about either heading to the dorm or exploring the library.
A quick check on his watch showed that it was only 5 p.m. now and dinner won't be served till 9. Realizing that he needed something to tide him over, Ahiro decided to grab a quick brunch at the academy's canteen.
Unlike the cafeteria, the canteen was open 24/7, providing students with a variety of food options at any time of the day. Upon arriving at the canteen, Ahiro was greeted by a massive interactive screen that displayed a wide array of food and beverage choices. Each item on the menu was accompanied by a point value, indicating its cost.
Ahiro's choice was a simple one. He selected a refreshing juice box and a pack of his favorite dried apples, a delightful and healthy snack. The combined cost of these items was a mere 3 points.
Soon, his order was ready. A neatly packaged juice box and a sealed pack of dried apples were dispensed from a nearby compartment.
Ahiro took the items and decided to head toward his dormitory, he had decided to finally fulfill some things he hadn't got time to work on for some time instead of exploring the library.
On his way, Ahiro could see many students of the academy moving back and forth going from dorms and academic centers according to thier schedules.
As soon as Ahiro entered his dorm room he felt at peace. Turning on the lights, he settled down in front of his HID, placing the pack of dried apples within easy reach. It was time to delve into some important research he had been postponing.
First, he logged into his previous account and checked his email. he had already quit the part-time job as a data analyst that he had been doing for some time. he had also informed his benefice that had employed him for the job, and both his employee and the one who helped him land that job had wished them all the best for the future. Quickly replying to the mails he made his way to the thing he wanted to open.
He navigated to a website he had discovered earlier, known as "WaF," which stood for World Awakened Form. It was the platform, where he had come across videos and resources related to shield and spear combat techniques, he mailed the owner of the video a thank you comment and started searching for a lecture related to manifestation.
During the demonstration today he had seen many students showing advanced stages of manifestation, but he was not even a novice till now. Thus his immediate focus was on mastering the art of Manifestation and reaching stage 2. Ahiro understood that this was a crucial skill, and he was determined to excel in it.
To begin his journey, he started by scouring blogs and articles for any advice or tips on mastering Manifestation. However, as he delved deeper into his research, he encountered a common obstacle—most of the valuable content was locked behind paywalls. While some information was freely accessible, the more advanced and detailed resources required a subscription or purchase.
The weight of his failed pursuit of tactics and shortcuts to perfect the manifestation was felt by Ahiro as he reclined in his room. He felt a surge of frustration, seeing that he had wasted two hours in research he thought it was better to practice in the remaining time.
He focused his thoughts and began the familiar process of manifesting the one-handed shield. His concentration intensified as he carefully summoned the golden shield, holding it steady before him. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he tried to maintain it for as long as possible.
Time seemed to blur as Ahiro remained absorbed in his practice. He understood that there were no easy shortcuts to mastery; it required diligence, patience, and countless hours of dedicated practice. As he continued to train, he couldn't help but wonder how far he could progress on this path.