With a grimace, Archie hoisted himself upright and trudged along the corridor of the fifth floor, the location of his inaugural class.
Indeed, the academic year was officially commencing today. Despite the bruises marring his face and the bandages adorning it, Archie was determined to attend his first class.
The edifice that housed Archie's class was a remarkable eight-story structure, specifically designed for the freshmen. Its unique architecture resembled an 'O', with two domes at the center, giving it the semblance of the numeral '8'. The premises were adorned with lush gardens, gushing fountains, and a state-of-the-art cafeteria that served authentic, freshly cooked meals—a far cry from pre-packaged food—catering to the High clans students who also pursued their studies there.
As Archie navigated the corridor, he was met with icy glares or hasty retreats from his peers. However, Archie's primary concern was to remain conscious. He had consumed a painkiller, but it barely dulled his agony.
Archie found himself unable to eat anything with his chef's chopsticks, given the absence of homemade food in the cafeteria and the lack of noodles from his shop in his inventory.
At this point, Archie could only pray for a swift natural recovery.
Archie's journey to his classroom was a battle against his own body.
The classroom was a majestic lecture hall. It featured tiered seating on three sides, each equipped with individual chairs and foldable desktops, arranged in ascending rows towards the rear.
At the front, a sizable desk for the instructor took center stage. Above it, a board was installed, with a TV screen discreetly embedded in the wall above.
The walls were adorned with wooden panels on the lower half and a light-hued paint on the upper half, while the ceiling housed recessed lighting fixtures and a projector aimed at the board.
Archie chose a seat in the first row on the middle side, rested his head on the table, and attempted to soothe his throbbing pain.
The previous day, Archie's rash remark had provoked Ron into a violent frenzy. Ron had mercilessly assaulted him, using both his fists and legs, all while shrouded in his Terra Ethereal. This amplified the severity of the blows, resulting in Archie suffering from internal bleeding.
Archie had been oblivious to Ron's use of his Ethereal during the assault. However, one of Ron's cronies had filmed the brutal beating—conveniently omitting Archie's provocation—and shared it with the entire student body, including Archie.
Gradually, the room began to fill with students. Within a matter of minutes, the entire class was occupied, save for the row where Archie was seated.
"Quiet!" A commanding voice echoed through the room as a large bell signaled the commencement of the class.
The source of the voice was a middle-aged man, his hair meticulously groomed, glasses perched on his nose, and a neatly trimmed beard framing his face. He was clad in a crisply ironed blue suit.
From the man's stern demeanor, Archie deduced that he was a stickler for the academy's rules, and clearly lacked both the authority and the audacity to intervene in Archie's bullying situation.
"Everyone seems to be present. Let's get started."
The teacher didn't bother with introductions and dove straight into the lesson. His voice was dutiful, yet distant and frosty.
As soon as the teacher started jotting down the day's topic on the board, the students swiftly diverted their attention to their mobiles or engaged in hushed conversations. Yet, no one dared to leave the class.
Even Archie, his head resting on the table and groaning in pain, had no interest in the day's lesson. Still, the teacher continued his lecture, unfazed by the students' indifference.
This apathetic behavior was nothing new to the teacher; he had witnessed it year after year. Yet, he persisted with his lectures, adhering to the stringent rules of Rhoman Academy.
The students' attendance was also dictated by the academy's rules. Over the course of a week, classes were conducted only on Mondays and Tuesdays. On these two days, every student was required to be present in class, regardless of their physical condition. Absence would result in suspension.
The rules established during the inception of Rhoman Academy were so inflexible that even the principal couldn't amend them. Any attempt to do so would lead to her dismissal.
Once the two days of classes concluded, the students had the remaining five days for self-guided physical and combat training. They had unrestricted access to all the equipment, but no faculty would be present to guide them.
In their first year at the academy, students were expected to discover their own path, identify their preferred combat style, and choose their weapon. They had to rely on self-realization to enhance their skills. That was the essence of being a student at Rhoman Academy.
As the teacher continued his lecture, Archie gradually tuned into his words, seeking a temporary distraction from his pain.
The teacher's chalk scratching against the board resonated in Archie's ears as he elaborated,
"Students, you might already be familiar with this, but I'd like to revisit the topic of Ethereal and its natural encounters.
There are eight natural encounters associated with Ethereal:
Water, Fire, Land, Air, Trees, Ice, and finally, Light and Darkness.
Each Natural encounter has its corresponding Rift Table name:
Aqua Ethereal for water
Ablaze Ethereal for fire
Terra Ethereal for land
Zephyr Ethereal for air
Sylva Ethereal for trees
Glacia Ethereal for ice
The most potent Natural encounters in the entire table are:
Lumin Ethereal for Light
Umbra Ethereal for Darkness
To put it simply, other Natural encounters, even when combined, are not potent enough to withstand Umbra and Lumin. That's the extent of their power and limitlessness.
Each natural encounter comes with its own set of strengths and weaknesses.
For instance, if someone wields their Aqua Ethereal, they can extinguish a common fire. But if an opponent retaliates with Ablaze Ethereal, and both are on equal footing, who do you think will emerge victorious?"
The teacher's question hung in the air, met with silence. After a few beats, a female voice chimed in from behind Archie,
"Ablaze wins, Sir."
Archie found himself intrigued by the voice. It seemed someone else was also paying attention to the class. He wondered what kind of personal turmoil she was facing that made her divert her attention to the lecture.
Without turning around, Archie stole a glance at her from the corner of his eyes.
A girl with a distinctive appearance caught his eye. Her purple glasses, hair, and eyes were complemented by a purple jacket layered over her academy uniform. Her demeanor, marked by a genuine smile and an eagerness to learn, set her apart from the rest, including Archie.
The girl noticed Archie's gaze and waved at him in a comical manner. Archie quickly shut his eyes, assuming she was mocking him, and redirected his focus to the teacher's voice.
"Correct, Helena Decima,"
The teacher acknowledged the girl's response, applauding her.
Archie mentally added her name to the list. He was already on edge, and even a simple "hello" might shatter his composure. To avoid any further distractions, he decided to tune out everything else and concentrate on the teacher's words.
"From an outsider's perspective, it may seem like Aqua can easily overpower Ablaze. However, in reality, if the users are on equal footing, Aqua consumes more mana than Ablaze to create water. So, in a prolonged battle, an Aqua user will face mana depletion faster.
However, Aqua can easily defeat another overpowering Natural encounter, Terra Ethereal. When an Aqua user unleashes their Ethereal, the water hardens the land upon contact, slowing its movements."
The teacher offered a faint smile and advised,
"Remember, each Ethereal and its Natural encounter has its own strengths and weaknesses. Always keep this in mind before engaging in a battle."
As the teacher continued his lecture, Archie slowly succumbed to sleep.
After three hours of a single class, the morning class concluded, and a two-hour lunch break commenced. Yet, Archie remained asleep, oblivious to the disgusted looks from passing students.
An hour into the break, Archie groaned in discomfort. Clutching his stomach, he woke up and lifted his head, intending to grab something to eat from the cafeteria.
"AHHH…"
As soon as Archie lifted his head, he let out a scream. Rowe was kneeling behind the table, peering at him as if playing hide-and-seek.