Four out of the six students they brought back were already stellar fighters?
Rolan abruptly stood up, roaring with laughter.
Parkinson turned to Anon, his expression stone-cold.
"Look kid, though with some difficulty, I can still wrap my minds around the children of great families, without having entered the camp, already opening their mind's eyes."
Pausing slightly, he built up some tension in the room before changing his expression into a deep frown.
"But am I supposed to believe that you, an orphan, are also an awakened stellar fighter?"
It was already hard to believe that all three high-status students were stellar fighters.
Although their parents were Otherworldly Knights, how could it be so easy to be a genius?
Wasn't Cassius a prime example?
In fact, young masters and mistresses from great families, like Cassius, were more common than one might think.
Seth turned to Anon.
He hadn't expected this boy to expose himself like this.
It made more sense to step onto the enlightening platform a few times before revealing that he was a stellar fighter.
He'd only be wasting a few days in exchange for the safety of his secret.
"As you may know, it's a dangerous world we live in."
Anon sighed, "To boot, I'm just an orphan."
His eyes revealed unspeakable emotions as stellar cosmic energy became visible in the air, converging above Anon's head, proving that he was indeed a stellar fighter.
"At that time, I was only thirteen when thieves broke into my home. In that moment between life and death, I saw the stellar cosmic energies in the air."
"You what?!" Rolan's eyes widened as he blurted.
A mortal seeing stellar cosmic energy?
Becoming a stellar fighter requires awakening the will and opening the mind's eye to perceive the stellar cosmic energies in the air.
Doing this without external help, opening the mind's eye naturally, was improbable and almost impossible.
This was not just rare.
Although there are records of humans becoming stellar fighters just before their inevitable demise, titled as the body's final attempt at life, where all of one's potential is devoured, these records were but few.
This was a genius, a true genius, not needing an enlightening platform, instead being spurred on by the threat of imminent death.
'Individuals such as these,' Parkinson's eyes heated up.
'Unless something unexpected happened, these individuals would almost certainly graduate from the military academy in less than five years and become powerful soldiers of the country.'
As for what happened to those 'thieves,' the two instructors had already seen a vision regarding their future, one of fortune, one of merit…
What about the two thieves?
What about them.
Anyways, with these four, and then Melissa and Andrew, plus who knew if there would be other geniuses yet to come when the official camp began, in the vision of these instructors, they already saw their authority and status rise.
The two thieves?
Are they alive?
Who cares!
They sought out their own deaths.
Status, fame, merit, honor, authority, women!
Now these things are treasures that can be sought but remain untouchable.
"Is there anyone else with surprises?" Rolan made his way to the front of the class and asked.
But he obviously threw this question out without expecting a response.
After a moment of silence, Parkinson's voice resounded out, "Anyways, let's speak of our future schedule beginning from tonight. Since there are some unexpected surprises among our ranks, it'll be altered accordingly…"
The meeting went on for some time more.
When it came to an end, none of them headed back to their dorms.
Though the schedule would officially commence the next day, that was for the stellar fighters, there were still two students who weren't.
As of now, they had been led to a different building, therein were dozens of workers in white coats surrounding stone platforms as tall as the average man.
A middle-aged man adorned in a white coat made his way over to them.
"Good night young ones, you can refer to me as Aren, welcome to the Enlightenment Tower. Who wishes to attempt at opening their mind's eye first?" He asked with a strange smile whilst gazing at the group.
Parkinson stepped forward and greeted the man with a handshake before laughing.
"You're watching four stellar geniuses who have already opened their mind's eye, and are asking them to do it again? Hehe, I've brought them here to observe the process of awakening via the enlightening platform."
Ignoring the surprise on the middle-aged man's face, Mr. Park pointed at Andrew and Melissa, "Only these two have yet to become stellar fighters," He signaled for them to step forward whilst continuing, "Which of you wishes to step onto the enlightening platform first?"
"It's a very painful process, I must warn you." Aren grinned with a flash of brilliance passing through his eyes.
These six, four were geniuses who were already bound to enter the military academy, and the other two also had a very high chance of entering.
The screams of these geniuses were priceless, and it made his heart thump with excitement.
"Don't scare them away you fucker." Rolan cursed from the back.
Because he was smoking a cigarette, he maintained a slight distance away, but Aren's words caused him to twitch with annoyance.
"I'll go." Andrew stated whilst stepping in front of Melissa.
"To back away and let a woman endure this pain first... how could I ever call myself a man?"
"She'll be screaming in agony soon anyways, but whatever." Aren chuckled as he and Parkinson approached a stone platform followed by the rest of the group.
'Face, honor, pride, these ideals are so engraved into their bones.' Anon mused internally.
A stone staircase led Andrew up to the platform.
"Just sit down, close your eyes, and relax."
Aren stood behind a monitor that immediately began recording Andrew's vital signs the moment he stepped onto the stone platform.
Following Aren's instructions, Andrew assumed a meditative posture and inhaled deeply before holding his breath for a period, and then slowly exhaling.
One, two, three…
By his tenth breath, his mind was calm, thoughtless, causing Aren to smile.
The group behind him observed closely, with the students especially, intently staring on.
Even Anon was intrigued, after all, the best way to speak lies was to meld it with truths.
Him awakening without the need of any outside forces was the truth, the process though, was nowhere near as exciting as a life-and-death battle.
Due to this, right now was the first time that he was observing the enlightenment platform in action, causing his mind to buzz and his heart to tremble with some anticipation.
Aren clicked on several buttons before a loud sound reverberated in the enlightenment tower.
Melissa's body jumped from the abrupt noise.
Right after, several crackling noises followed as a drop of sweat trickled down Andrew's face.
He was already clenching his jaw in pain.
Flashes of multi-colored brilliance appeared above the platform as stellar cosmic energy permeating the air showed themselves.
The energies in the air made contact all along Andrew's skin, melding with the surface of his skin, seeping into his pores, entering his glabella and more.
"Arghhhhhh!"
He couldn't hold it in any longer.
His vital signs spiked as the monitor began displaying a yellow light.
"Is he okay?!" Melissa, who was initially very silent, suddenly blurted out with a ghastly pale face.
Maybe she cared for Andrew, or maybe she was frightened because she was next to experience this.
"Hahaha, it has only just begun!"
Aren turned to her and cackled, "Much less fifteen minutes, not even thirty seconds has passed, his hell has only just begun."
Parkinson placed his hand on Melissa's shoulder.
"I'm sure you know, humans have changed, and our spirit has grown more robust along with our bodies, hence we can endure stellar cosmic energy."
"But to truly open one's mind eye, the spirit needs a slight shock before it can truly accept stellar cosmic dust."
Whilst Parkinson calmly said this, Andrew bellowed out in suffering.
Staring into his eyes, and then at Aren who cried tears of joy, Melissa realized…
'These… these people are mad!'