It was two days after Aaran's breakthrough. Since then, he has been busy arranging the history he gathered from mysterious symbols in the void. The aura around him also changed. He didn't give the mature feeling anymore but pure harmony, as if the last puzzle had been placed correctly, creating a wonderful picture.
Today was the first day of school, and he was sitting in the auditorium, packed to the brim because of the inauguration.
'It looks like my abilities were why I inherited so many habits from the previous lives. Now that I think about it, they were based on my past, so it's reasonable that they affected me more than expected.'
Looking around, Aaran saw most students wearing similar clothes.
Many wore school battle suits provided by the school because they were comfortable. It's not like it was mandatory to wear them, so few people still chose their own clothes, Aaran included. Although he liked the warring state fashion overall, today, he wore a robe in his favorite colors, a fantastic-looking white robe with black details and golden decorations.
A few minutes later, when every seat was taken, the principal got on stage. After scanning the crowd, sometimes stopping to look at a few people, he proceeded to deliver his opening-year speech.
"Welcome everyone, I am Salomon Berks. Although most of you are familiar with me, I would like to introduce myself. I played a significant role in building the Royal Capital and establishing this academy, and I am currently serving as its principal. However, I must acknowledge that my accomplishments were only possible because, during a time of crisis, humanity joined forces and gave its all to create a better future. Thousands of individuals, like myself, were involved in forming our Kingdom, but only a select few remain today. The rest of them used their sweat and blood to..."
As the principal's speech continued, patriotism burned brighter in listeners' hearts with each word. But Aaran wasn't interested in that at all.
'Thanks to that dream, my perspective changed, so I can see many elements that evasioned me earlier. I need to up my game; otherwise, it might become more problematic.'
...
"So I hope that you can work not only for yourself but also for your family and the future of the whole of mankind."
clap
clap
After about ten minutes, Salomon finally finished his speech, and after a short applause, everyone moved to their classrooms.
Following the path he remembered earlier, Aaran found his classroom. After getting in, he sat near the window and waited for the rest of the people.
As more people gathered in class, almost everyone who got in cast an inquisitive glance in his direction.
Soon, the second oddball of their class came in. Her beautiful blond hair gently fell on her gorgeous blue robe decorated with golden designs. On her small head lay a tiara surrounded by essence. When she came in, everyone turned toward her, including Aaran. Seeing her, he nodded in greetings before closing his eyes again, deep in thought.
'I have a hunch about why just awakened talents could interfere with something of Absolute Rebirth level, but I cannot be sure with my weak cultivation. Sigh, one step at a time, let's focus on presentation for now.'
Soon, when the classroom was almost full, someone came who Aaran hadn't expected to see. A blonde, handsome man with a white shirt unbuttoned at the top strolled loudly through the doors.
"Hello, my name is Joseph Berks." Yawn, "I'm your homeroom and alchemy teacher."
...
Bang
"Don't lose your awareness of your surroundings just because you focus on your enemy!" As Aaran finished talking, his palm strike sent Ying a few meters away.
BANG
Just as Ying was ready to rush back, a voice from the border of the clearing interrupted him.
"Excuse me."
When he moved his head to see who said that, a small shiny object hit his face and sent him to the floor.
thud
A few seconds later, Aaran was already picking his coin while admonishing his friend.
"Next time, I will start incorporating using surroundings into our spars. And try not to lose focus whenever beauty is involved, will you?"
After finishing his teacher's act, he ignored Ying's embarrassment and turned towards the newcomer.
"Hello princess, how can we help you?"
When Zoe heard him, she moved her eyes from the pitiful Ying, who still had a red mark on his forehead, to Aaran. There, her attention was briefly drawn to him skillfully moving a coin between his fingers before focusing back on him.
"I asked teachers and checked the library but couldn't find that technique you presented in the lesson. Where did it come from?"
"Of course, I created it by myself, and I'm pretty sure I said it at the very start of my presentation." As Aaran answered with his kind smile, he noticed in the corner of his eye that Ying slowly started creating distance between them but didn't call his friend out.
"When I showed it to the uncle, he said it was a new perspective on body cultivation and could even revolutionize that path. Are you still sure u invented it?"
Seeing the doubt and curiosity in her eyes, Aaran's mind had already started formulating a simple plan.
"I'm sure I created that technique. I based it on few different creatures that naturally uses poison to cultivate their bodies. If that's all you wanted to know, I'm glad I could help." With that, he turned around and started moving away.
"Wait. I'm sorry for doubting, but can u explain more about it?"
Aaran stopped and turned towards her.
"I'm sorry, princess, but you see, I'm already as busy as possible, and I don't think I will have time to teach you everything about it. After all, it would take a while if you are actually interested in such a complicated matter.
Zoe pondered briefly before looking at Ying, who was slowly backing out from her.
"You are busy sparring with him, right?"
Aaran smirked inwardly, but outside, he nodded with total seriousness.
"That's right. Ying is a rare talent, but his real-life experience isn't nearly enough because of his circumstances. And it's my duty to help friends in need."
Ying was deeply touched when he heard it.
Zoe, on the other hand, looked at Aaran weirdly. Why was the youngest person here teaching about life experience? But she quickly threw that thought back into her mind. There were more important things.
"How often do you two spar?"
"Everyday!" Ying answered, coming closer after a conversation that involved his training started.
"Then how about it?" Zoe turned towards Aaran. "I will spar twice per week with him so you will have time to explain that technique to me."
'That would work fine, but it was you who approached me; shouldn't you show some sincerity?'
"It would certainly free my time."
"Then..." As Zoe wanted to continue, Aaran interrupted her.
"But that doesn't benefit me in any way, princess. How about that. Everyone has to do a small project at the end of their first year of senior school. You will get me permission to use the Royal Library for a week so I can do that said project, and in exchange, I will answer all your questions, both about technique and if u have any others in the future."
"Deal." Zoe accepted the terms instantly. After a quick discussion, all three agreed on which days fit their schedules. After a while, Zoe and Ying left to do their own things, leaving Aaran alone in the clearing.
'Ah, it's finally time to cultivate. At my current pace, it might even take me three years to reach the next realm; there is no time to waste.'
As Aaran started cultivating, he felt the metaphysical abode he created in himself after his last breakthrough. For every person, it differs. In his case, it was a dark void filled with countless everchanging figures.
'I guess that's given for someone who lived countless lives, huh?'
Unlike in other realms, in the Abode tempering realm, the more talented you are, the slower your progress. That's because, with a higher cultivation talent, the limit you can temper your abode is much higher. The geniuses could take as much as two years to naturally breakthrough, while the average person needed around a year. Of course, there were ways to breakthrough earlier, but in most cases, it was trading long-term benefits for short-term ones.
'After the next breakthrough, my skills should grow qualitatively. I wonder if I will finally have something else than passive effects.' With quick refocus Aaran started his daily qultivation.
...
Days passed and soon Aaran explained everything he could about the technique Poison Heart, which he had to create for the sake of presentation, but Zoe did not stop coming even after that, and they soon started further researching alchemy together.
'Every day I'm growing without any dangers. It's a nice feeling, but if it keeps going like that, it's going to be detrimental to humanity's growth.'
Day after day passed. Once in a while, Sheela needed guidance outside of their everyday evening time, so there were times when as many as four people were in the clearing. The quietness was only interrupted by the sounds of their sparring and Aarran's guidance, but even then, the tranquil atmosphere wasn't destroyed.