The injured academics stayed back to receive treatment. Why Kyle went on to the dormitory, stopping by at the restaurant.
He ate his fill before deciding to give Nate a call. The matter of how to obtain credits bothered him. The meal he has just had cost 7 credits. Leaving him with 14 to spare.
After dialing his ID repeatedly without an answer, Kyle concluded he was in a class. They had been dismissed early, so the time was still a little past three.
He got home, refreshed and began practicing his mana control. He remembered the Professor's words: 'Great control comes with practice, there's no shortcut to it.'
Professor Seraphina had said this as they were practicing earlier. Kyle continued with his practice until he reached his limit.
As he opened his eyes, he noticed it was already late. "7:02," he murmured after looking at the wall clock.
He removed the egg from the inventory and dropped his blood on it again.
He had enjoyed today, but Kyle was tired of the academy. 'Ah, I forgot to give Nate a call!' Kyle remembered before dialing his ID.
"Yo! Kyle?" Nate's voice came after about two seconds.
"Yeah, it's me. Just wanted to ask. How exactly do we obtain credits?"
"Ha, ha. The expenses, right?" Nate chuckled slightly. "It shouldn't bother you. If you're free, you can come over to my place; I'll explain."
"Okay, thanks. I'll be coming."
"Sure, I'll send you an invite. We'll meet at our restaurant," he informed before hanging up.
Kyle didn't wait long as a notification came upon his screen, informing him of his invitation with a QR code attached to it.
Kyle accepted the invitation and got ready to go. It didn't take long for him to arrive. He proceeded to walk into the Year 2 dormitory after his comm was scanned from the gate.
Kyle observed the year 2 dormitory as he walked in. It looked like a 2.0 version of the Year 1's, bigger space, bigger and better houses.
He observed the academics in the dorm. They all carried themselves as they walked around the dorms. He noticed they were all in their uniform, which had a yellow cloak, unlike his white. Some only wore their main piece without the clothing.
Kyle reached the restaurant before deciding to give Nate a call. It didn't take long after he informed him that he saw Nate approach him with his wide smile as when they had first met. Same as before he wasn't wearing the cloak that came with his uniform.
"Let's go inside," Nate suggested, his hands directed at the restaurant.
Nate bought two plates of Tier-1 meals for 30 credits each!
Nate enjoyed the meal before saying: "About the question you asked earlier, y'all will receive an academy allowance of 30 credits every two days. There's no need to worry," he took a piece of his steak before continuing. "As an academic, you can be awarded credits from the teacher, or earn from selling your skills and products."
Nate looked at Kyle before saying in a low tone. "Or you could visit... the arena."
"The arena? The practice arena you told me about the other day?" Kyle asked with interest, he had already dropped his meal.
"Noo!" Nate exclaimed in an exaggerated manner. "The underground arena."
"Underground arena?! What's that?" Kyle asked in a rather loud tone.
"Keep your voice down, it's a student thing. Although it's quite popular, we prefer to keep it toned down. So, the arena is a place where academics battle against each other, gambling in the process."
"I'm in! It would be a great way to practice," Kyle didn't hesitate to say. "Do I have to come with my own weapons or something?"
"You sure? Well, it's your choice," he conceded after seeing the look on his face. "No, external weapons aren't allowed."
"So, can we go now?" Kyle asked after Nate agreed.
"Yeah, it's a night thing so now will be the best time. Besides, why do you need credits so desperately?" Nate asked.
"I need a training weapon, but the credits aren't my main reason. I want to fight." Kyle said as he clenched his fist.
Nate burst out into laughter after he heard Kyle's statement. "Sure, you'll fight. Seems you don't yet recognize the value of credits. Once you start your real learning, you'll get."
"Let's get going already, it opens by eight," Nate informed.
The boys quickly ate up their meal before they began to head out. Kyle recounted his day to Nate whose laughter was beginning to annoy him. It wasn't until Nate explained something similar that was done in their first year.
"...someone even peed on their pants," Nate added.
Kyle couldn't hold back and laughed nonstop. He was having a good time talking with Kyle and eventually, they reached 'The Arena'.
The underground arena at the academy is buried deep beneath the grounds.
The entrance to this covert lair is ingeniously concealed within the oldest, least frequented part of the academy—the basement of the ancient library, a building that has stood for centuries.
A staircase is used to descend to the arena. As Kyle and Nate walk down the stairs, the distant sounds of the arena grow louder: the dull roar of the crowd, the clash of steel, and the occasional explosive burst of magic.
"There's no how the academy won't know about this place!" Kyle remarked, though hidden, that this was a place in their academy and they were meant to know its nook and cranny.
"You're right! Smart observation. This arena is more of an open secret while the academy knows about it. They allow it as it's a good opportunity for the students to develop and experience real threat." Nate explained.
Down the stairs, they find themselves in the main cavern—a massive, natural underground chamber that has been adapted to serve as the arena.
The ceiling is high and arched, and the walls are rough and uneven, glistening with moisture.
The cavern is illuminated by a combination of magical lanterns and torches.
The centerpiece of the cavern is the arenas themselves, two large circular pits dug into the ground.
The pits are surrounded by academics, their eyes gleaming with excitement or tension.
The pit's walls are constructed from massive stone blocks. The floors of the pits are covered in a mixture of dirt and sand to provide a somewhat forgiving surface for the fighters.
Scattered around the periphery of the arenas are various makeshift structures: a small medical station where healers stand ready to tend to the injured, a rudimentary armory stocked with weapons and equipment, and a series of booths where bookies take bets and exchange money.