The academy had some of the top physicians and an abundance of supplies that they could use to speed up the recovery process. They were even more equipped than some of the top clans but not the very best.
This was all due to the investment by all of the clans in the Dark Faction, in the first place; they needed to see a return on their investment.
One student had healed quicker than others, as it turned out his injuries weren't as severe as they looked. That was Simyon, and he only had one answer to that: the reason had to be due to the earring that made his body a little special compared to others.
"What is this place!" Simyon's eyes were wide as he walked into the toilet. He never thought he would have this type of reaction to seeing a place where waste was disposed of, but he was over the moon because he hadn't seen something so luxurious.
"There are these holes where people can wash their hands and collect the water. Where does the water even go? And the toilets, it's not just a hole in the ground but something you can sit on as well? I wonder, are you meant to stand on the seat or what, but wouldn't that break it?"
Entering the toilet, Simyon decided to sit with his back facing the door, placing his two legs in front of him and using the top of the toilet next to his face like a little shelf.
"I have no idea if this is right or wrong? How are you meant to use this thing?" It was quite the head-scratcher, but he had only come in for a short visit. After doing what needed to be done, he proceeded to wash his hands, and when he looked up, he was surprised to see that someone else was in the toilets with him.
Quickly, Simyon placed his head down and continued to rub his hands, avoiding eye contact.
"If you continue to rub your hands so fast like that, then the skin is going to come off them," Ricktor said.
The tall student with a feminine face, Ricktor, was someone who had caught the attention of everyone, and his name was one that all the students would remember. That was because he was one of the disciples of the five major clans.
Not only that, but he belonged to the Erupting Fist Clan, the clan with the clan head that was the closest to reaching the deity stage and also the one that was the principal of the Dark Faction academy.
"Thanks for that," Simyon nervously said and tried to walk out of the toilets as quickly as he could, until Ricktor sat up on the washing stations and looked directly at Simyon, somewhat blocking his path.
Simyon could forcibly move around him, but he had a feeling that if he did that, it wouldn't be the best of ideas.
"I saw you out there, you have quite the strong body. You are impressive, a lot more than the others. I can't believe it myself; I can't believe you're really a no-name," Ricktor claimed.
"Imagine how strong you would be if you were to join a clan, and what a coincidence that I have taken a liking to you, and I am part of a strong clan with a high position."
In the past, Simyon would have done anything to bite at the chance of joining a clan, even the Red Brigade, and now he was getting the chance to join the Erupting Fist. People would have done anything to get this opportunity.
However, with what had happened to them in the second assessment, a bad taste was left in Simyon's mouth, and besides, he had made a promise already.
"It would be an honor to join a clan like yours, but I'm afraid a no name like me would ruin the reputation of your clan. I believe I will try my best to progress in the academy as I have done so far," Simyon answered politely, trying not to make it sound like an outright rejection.
"Oh, but you can join. I am here to make you an offer. In the next assessment, we will be going through the grounds forest. Take the white-haired boy North West, and if you do that, then I will be happy to put in a good word for you," Ricktor suggested.
Simyon thought this was the case, and it was one of the reasons why he was trying to avoid a conversation.
'Can this guy not get the hint that I just turned him down? Or has he never been turned down before?' Simyon looked at Ricktor's face, and with a face like that, he imagined that might have been the case. Men and women would both be drawn to a person looking like they had been dropped from the heavens.
"Why, why are you going after Raze?" Simyon asked.
Laughter followed after the question had been asked. "I think you have it all wrong, young one. I am not going after your friend Raze; I am going after you," Ricktor jumped off from the washing area and walked close to Simyon, looking down at him with a large smile.
"You see, there aren't many things that excite me, but seeing people placed in a predicament, where they feel they have no choice but to betray those that they thought were close to them, well that just makes me feel ecstatic."
Standing so close, Simyon was sure of it, that around his waist, he could feel something poking him.
'What the heck is wrong with this guy, is he aroused right now!' Simyon went to move away, but immediately had been grabbed by Ricktor.
It was a firm grip on his wrist, and it felt hot to the touch. Simyon felt like his skin was burning slightly.
"I know you no-names would do anything to join a clan like mine. You're lucky my requirement is just a simple betrayal and not something else. Do the task and get rewarded; I'll even give you a few Qi pills.
"However, if you fail, I might just go ahead and ask that girl that seems close to him instead."
Ricktor let go and exited the toilets. The moment he did, Simyon felt like he could breathe again. Looking at his arm, he could see a mark had been left behind, the skin had gone a little redder through his dark-toned arm.
"Crap, now I feel like crap. If that was Safa, I bet she would have fought back at the mention of her brother, yet here I am saying I'm loyal and didn't do a thing."
Returning from the toilet to the others, Simyon was trying to cover up the marking on his arm. He was playing with his sleeves a bit when he joined the others and noticed that many of the students around them looked as if they had made a recovery.
'Should I tell Raze what just happened? But then…what about Safa, what will happen to her if they start to target her, what do I do?'
"Is something wrong?" Raze asked.
With the students having recovered, they were then escorted to the area where the third part of the assessment would take place. All three hundred students that had made it were brought to the edge of the academy city at the very back, leading into the dark forest.
The night sky had come out, as it had been hours since their first assessment. The moonlight lit up the faces of them all as Pincer and Gunther stood at the front.
"Alright, everyone, it's time for the third part of the assessment to begin," Pincer claimed.
Looking around him, Simyon had caught the eye of Ricktor again. He slightly nodded his head.
'Crap, what do I do!' Simyon thought.