To pass the camp of ten thousand, by the end of the camp, the students would have needed to awaken, becoming stellar fighters.
Like this, Anon was above and beyond such a requirement before even entering the military zone.
But he wasn't the only one though.
There were over thirty districts, with each having two or three great families, so even if he and Seth were the only ones to awaken before entering this district's camp, it was just that, only in this district.
If one entered the camp and saw that they were the only stellar fighter, it was easy for one to grow haughty and arrogant.
The arrogance of youth.
It suited the sayings, 'a frog at the bottom of a well', or 'a big fish in a small pond', quite well.
So, when they then entered the Military Academy, and crossed paths with geniuses from the other thirty-five districts, they were most likely in for a rude awakening.
Especially those of the Core district.
Evidently, Anon wasn't really focused on the camp.
Seth had compared his strength to a year 1 student of the Military Academy.
This was a rather broad statement if one knew the Military Academy.
"My full strength is probably around a genius year 1, but this isn't enough." Anon deduced.
Every year, there were multiple students who were beyond geniuses, and even if he lacked resources, his path did not allow him to be even slightly ahead of others.
He needed to destroy norms and rewrite common sense.
'When I join the Military Academy, there will be profound arts, mystic treasures, divine weapons, and mythical items.'
Mythical items, mystic treasures, divine weapons, rather than cultivation, they all allowed one's strengths to increase sharply.
Profound arts went by another name, magic ritual, as a profound art is a ritual utilizing mystic treasures and mythical items to drastically and permanently increase the strength of one's spirit.
It was a much faster alternative to cultivation and yet went hand in hand with it.
These things though, weren't freely given away by the academy.
And while some students with powerful backing may be given help by those standing behind them, Anon, who had a backing much grander than them, would ironically have to rely on himself.
'It doesn't matter. There are many ways I can go around this.'
A dark light shone in his eyes.
The world was fair and always opened a way.
Only those who lacked the ability to perceive this way would suffer perpetually.
Utilizing the academy's rules to benefit himself, there was no reason why it could not be done.
Anon had just finished preparing himself for school.
At minutes past six in the morning, he was already snapping the lock on his gate, about to head to school.
Elizabeth had come out in her pajamas and handed him breakfast.
This bowl wasn't a disposable box that held yesterday's dinner, so he carefully placed it in his bookbag and thanked her.
She revealed an endearing smile and said, "Grandma said to be careful in school and always watch out for bullies."
"You have innate strength so don't be frightened by them and beat them up if they come around you. If the school asks you to bring your parents in, grandma will go and make a ruckus."
Elizabeth hugged him, and since he was larger than her by a decent amount, she was almost lost in his embrace.
Anon chuckled and whispered in her ears, "Don't worry, since the last time, no one has made it difficult for me. But don't you have something you wish to say?"
Pulling away, Elizabeth covered her face with her hand and said in a low tone with shining eyes, "I've been training really hard, and even meditated for multiple hours every day, I feel like I'm close to awakening. Just wait for me in the academy, so I can help you."
Naturally, Anon heard everything, replying in a gentle tone, "You're still a fourth year so by the time you enter the academy, I'd be a second year. Tell me, what help can you give me?"
He chuckled lightly whilst pinching her cheek.
Amid miserably failing to shove Anon's hand away, she proclaimed with indignation.
"Hmph! Do you even know what principle I'll awaken? I'm telling you, one day I'll be your savior. Then, you'll need to kowtow three times and apologize for your arrogance!"
"So, you say you'll awaken a special principle?"
Anon giggled, "Yes, my little El is a genius, I'd expect nothing less."
"Once you know." Elizabeth scoffed whilst puffing her chest.
The fact that she was close to awakening, even without the help of external objects, it was clear that she was also a freak.
Even though he didn't say it, he was inwardly surprised by this.
'Though not comparable to me, she's much better than most of those revered children of great families.' Anon smiled.
Soon after, he departed, making his way to school.
At this hour, the fiery particles in the atmosphere still released a breath of coldness that threatened to freeze one's blood.
As time went on though, this coldness would melt, and a stalemate would be met.
But by late morning, and all the way until late evening, until around five, the fiery particles would release waves of heat that ruthlessly lashed onto one's skin.
In his walk to school, Anon felt his vision grow blurry.
Time was like this.
Like a river that showed blurry memories.
These memories moved too quickly and so, they appeared blurred.
Or maybe, more accurately was father time's relentlessness.
Wrapping a conceptual chain around present time's body, father time pulled the present forward, causing a restless past to chase after the present, unknowingly devouring the essence of the present and altering it to events of the past.
Indeed, what you've just read has now become a fragment of the past.
With such a logic, the days fluttered away, and more than a month since Seth crossed paths with Anon, the latter was walking to school.
In this walk to school, he grinned, "The environment is exactly the same as a month ago, as was the environment a month ago similar to the environment the month before that."
The weather in Blackridge district, and by extension, the Lasting Lands, rarely changed.
The last time the weather changed from what was now common was when a foolish yet powerful beast attacked the city.
Snow blizzards formed in the closest district to where it appeared, and though it was over a dozen districts away, the Blackridge district also saw snow for the first time.
With the help of the powerful city formations, it was swiftly taken care of by the city troops.
This is also why, if someone failed to enter the military academy but gradually increased their strength to become a truly powerful figure, the city lord would not make an exception to add them to the army... unless they were mind-bogglingly powerful.
The city also needed powerful individuals in case of odd scenarios where a powerful beast suddenly showed up.
Whilst the country's army was stationed in six different points on the borders of the lasting land, there were beasts growing within the lasting land itself, so the birth of a beast emperor, though not exactly common, wasn't unimaginable either.
When Anon reached school, he could see several students doing short cramming sessions.
On this day, besides the fifth-year students, all others didn't have school.
In fact, it had been like this for some time now.
Only one topic was covered in a day in the form of two or three different kinds of exams.
The first was multiple choice, the second was genuine questions that needed answers with explanations, and the third format of exams were solely for the beast exams which involved actual drawings of many types of beasts.
Today was the final topic being covered, with the hardest two already gone, this tested one's knowledge of earth, the blue planet before the great rebirth.
In the exam room, there were adults present who Anon hadn't seen before.
Naturally, the final exams could not be overseen by the school's instructors, but instead people sent by a branch situated in Blackridge district related to the city's ministry in charge of the betterment of the future.
Schools directly affected the children, and children were the leaders of the future, so their process of nurturing needed to be overseen carefully.
'Since school is one of the easiest forms of brainwashing, if we're going to be brainwashed anyway, may as well do it for the betterment of humanity's future.' Anon smirked coldly.
It was already seven, so the multiple-choice exam would begin soon.
By eight thirty, it'll come to an end, and by nine, the second examination would begin.
He'd be on his way back home by half twelve.