Not long after their conversation, the boys decided to head back into the arena to further prepare for the next class.
On their way back, Yoel noticed a lot of greenery and a few bystanders who did not quite match the look of a student.
Old people, children, and people of all ages strolled around the academy, almost as if they didn't even know it was one.
Many of them seemed to pay no attention to the students, while a child or an old lady would stare for a bit too long before returning to their daily activities.
After looking around for a few more minutes, Yoel realized that the bench they occupied for a few minutes was inside a park.
I really have to start paying attention around me.
Yoel was so preoccupied with the devil and his own thoughts, that he had never really paid any attention to the scenery around him.
Without realizing it, he had stopped to enjoy the scenery before him, before heading back into the arena which was filled with complex equipment and artificial lights.
For a second, he thought he could smell the earth as it once was, but it must have been his imagination.
"Yoel? We're going to be late! C'mon."
Allowing a small smile to reach his lips, he pulled away from the oddly refreshing sight, and began walking towards the arena.
What greeted him was the whir of machines and the quiet static of artificial lighting. He didn't particularly like this sound, even though he had practically gotten used to it over the month he had already spent here.
Upon entering the arena, the giant door and its handle acting as an all-too-obvious landmark for the class, he instantly saw that the scenery had changed.
The mats and the empty surroundings were now filled with some sort of complex machinery, each shining with a different light.
Yoel had also noticed that the black box-like machine was also amongst those; albeit, it had been a bit different from back then.
Amongst all of these machines, stood a somewhat familiar man. He was the man Yoel had seen frantically walking about where they were evaluating their awakening chances.
He did not note anything too extraordinary about him, except for the fact that his robe's outline was covered with weird, almost shimmering symbols.
It was the only reason Yoel had even remembered him; well maybe except for the fact that he had deep eye bags under his eyes, but anyone can have those.
He also had greasy black hair, and black eyes that seemed bottomless. He squinted a lot but never seemed to complain about it. He had a skinny build, and a terrible posture.
'He's definitely going to be a hunchback in the future. Look at the state of him!'
The runes on his robe still slithered about from time to time, but today, they seemed calmer.
If Yoel looked closely, he could see faint shimmering lines covered around the advanced machinery as well.
"Welcome to the Enigma Basics class, kiddos. I really don't have much time, nor do I want to bother with this class, but I'll teach you what you need."
He turned around and started walking towards a row of machines, he did not stop once to look at the rest of the class, and it seemed as if he was avoiding his group the most.
And Vasil even more.
Yoel glanced at Vasil, and he seemed visibly affected by those disappointed stares; his constantly tightening mouth acting as proof.
"These pods, you see? They will take you to a simulation. They will copy your body down to the last detail, and you will be able to use your enigmas in there. Anyway, the point is. You will be pitted against each other and you'll have to use everything in your arsenal to win."
A small pause followed, the man's breath was growing ragged and short.
"Anything goes. Cheap tricks, overpowering someone with your enigma, just using your weapon, whatever. Just remember what this class's name is. If most of you have guessed what I'm thinking of, you'll know what to do. Also…"
The man– scientist, professor, whatever he was, finally made his first positive expression after a series of disappointing and resenting stares.
A smile that did not quite reach his eyes, barely even looking genuine. When Yoel looked at it, he imagined a crescent would fit that smile almost perfectly.
"You will still feel pain in the machine. Yes, it will be dulled… but losing an arm or two can only be dulled so much."
With an expression that barely showed any emotion, he looked blankly at the students and spoke in a flat tone.
"Good luck. I will be in the next room over. As for the simulation, you will be automatically sent out once the class ends."
Without wasting a single second, he turned his back to them and walked away in a leisurely manner.
He was definitely not going to let them ask any questions, as Yoel heard a door locking as soon as the man was out of sight.
A confused silence enveloped the arena, as the students looked at each other, hoping to find answers on their faces.
"Is.. is he allowed to do this?"
"Is he not supposed to follow the code of conduct…?"
"What a damn weirdo!"
"Did you see his greasy hair?! Goodness, thank god he wasn't going to teach us up close."
After a while, the hateful comments stopped. The students warily looked at the pods and some of them even approached it, analyzing its features.
Eventually, Vasil decided to step up, and opened the lid of the pod. With a few crude, but relatively knowing movements he laid down on the pod and pressed a button from within to close the lid.
After a few moments, mist enveloped the inside of the lid until it covered him whole. Not even a hint of his face could be seen.
Soon enough, many others followed his example; there had been many who still hesitated, but Yoel couldn't care anymore.
As he stepped into the pod, he felt the cold touch of the weird object seep into his skin like poison.
After he had laid down in a comfortable enough position, he looked around to find the same button Vasil had pressed to enter the simulation, and he repeated his movements.
Soon enough, his vision blurred as mist seeped from the corners of the machine, encompassing him in his entirety.
Yoel felt as if he had spent a long time in the mist, and maybe he really had. While there, he didn't exactly feel as if he was in a body, nor that he had a mind.
Eventually, amidst the fog a sky formed, its formation had been all but breathtaking; simply appearing from the mist out of nowhere.
That old man really didn't like putting in effort into teaching others, did he?
Yoel waited for an answer, but all that met his inward voice was silence. Could it be that Consequence wasn't able to manifest himself in this simulation?
Maybe since the pod's aim was to bring only Yoel's mind into this place, it only stimulated his, keeping the devil out of it.
It was strangely calming to know the devil wasn't able to hear every thought of his. Even if it had only been for a little while, he would enjoy this hour of privacy.
Basking in the serene feeling for just a few more moments, Yoel casually watched as many things started to form around him.
From the mist came, the ground, and from the mist came buildings.
His own body had come from the mist as well. It took quite a while to materialize, most likely due to the intense complexity of the human body, and the precise output of avon and its core, along with the human's enigma.
As he watched his own body materialize from an outside perspective, many thoughts came to his head.
I've built a bit of muscle, haven't I?
He had been training his body for the last month, never leaving a day off. Almost. It was quite an achievement that he lived through that rigorous training, and an even bigger one that he had stuck with it.
It was a given that he would put on some kind of muscle, even if it wasn't perfect or a lot.
As he looked at his neutral face, uninhabited by any mind or soul, a sudden thought slid into his mind.
I really should smile a bit more.
And the very next second, he was pulled by an invisible force down onto the ground.
It was so sudden that Yoel did not quite understand what had happened to him until a few moments after it began.
His mind was being pulled towards his body; and that at an incredibly frightening speed.
The fall, if it could be called a fall… did not stop for at least half a minute, he was wondering if he was even supposed to reach the ground.
But, as if someone had slapped him on his back, he fell face first into his own back, and then lurched forward in his own body, startled at the transition.
Feeling a bit dizzy after that weird transition, he finally managed to gather the courage to look at his surroundings.
What in the world…?