Images showed battlegrounds buried in vines and fog, skeletal remains within flowers.
"They are beautiful," Aria murmured while staring at the projections. "Beautiful and terrifying."
Victor nodded. "Pretty much like every girl I've had a crush on."
Selene gave him a sidelong glance and smirked. "Am I included in that list?"
Victor grinned. "You're a separate category."
Instructor Kaelani Vos voice boomed. "Some interaction with awakened humans have proven that you can only break out of their illusions by finding the center..."
He pointed to a floating screen.
"Your first field mission—next month—will take select students to the borders of an enchanted region once ruled by a Sylrith clan but have long been regained by Mana Defense Officers. It is now a training zone."
The class settled into stunned silence.
Victor leaned toward Selene. "So, basically, don't flirt with the flower elves unless you wanna end up buried in a rose bush."
"Unless you like that sort of thing," Selene whispered.
Victor squinted at her. "...Weirdly specific."
The lecture concluded after another thirty minutes, and the students were dismissed.
As the crowd dispersed, Victor walked out alongside the group with the buzz of Sylrith lore still hanging in the air.
The sun was beginning to set over the gleaming towers and domes of the Awakened Academy, casting long amber shadows across the manicured walkways and training zones.
After a long day of lectures, Victor opted to skip the usual cafeteria bustle and instead made his way toward one of the Academy's private training centers.
The room was already dimmed and configured to solo combat mode. The training bots were stored in pods along the wall, each one capable of mimicking human, beast, or elemental movements depending on the selected challenge.
Victor swiped a finger across the control panel, selecting a medium-difficulty bot programmed for close-quarters combat.
As the bot activated, its metallic limbs unfolded with smooth whirring noises. Victor exhaled slowly and gripped the training sword he had chosen. Though it wasn't the legendary one he desired, it was perfectly weighted, ideal for blending his wind-based qi techniques with typical Warrior maneuvers.
He began with Wind Gale. His feet slid across the polished floor, and he twirled once before releasing a tight spiral of compressed wind from the swing of his blade. It struck the bot squarely in the chest, pushing it back twelve feet.
Victor followed up with Wind Blade, swinging his sword horizontally and unleashing a sharp crescent-shaped gust. It spun as it sliced through the air, embedding itself into the bot's torso and sending sparks flying.
"Good," Victor muttered while sheathing the sword briefly as the bot reset.
He adjusted his stance and performed Wind Dash, vanishing for a split second and appearing on the bot's right side with enough momentum to strike cleanly. He paired it with Wind Glide—jumping forward, and then again in midair, using qi-infused energy to burst from the soles of his feet.
This time, the bot reacted. Its arm shot out, attempting to grab Victor mid-glide. He twisted in the air and brought his sword down in an overhead slash. Sparks rained.
After nearly four hour of constant drills, Victor felt sweat trickle down his back. His body was warm but not exhausted. The purpose of this session wasn't to tire himself out—it was to master the art of camouflage.
These were techniques derived from his cultivation within Ascendant Realms, but to the Academy, they needed to look like nothing more than high-level Warrior abilities.
He wiped his face, changed into fresh clothes, and made his way back to Dorm 11.
To his surprise, the lights were off and the room was empty. Kairo hadn't returned yet.
Victor wasted no time. He tossed his towel into the bin, grabbed a snack bar from the counter, and scarfed it down. Then he lowered the blinds, checked that the room's privacy settings were active, and slipped under his bed covers.
He placed the VR helmet over his head and relaxed his breathing.
Moments later, the familiar flicker of blue and silver particles filled his vision, and Victor was pulled back into the immersive world of Ascendant Realms.
Only this time, he wasn't standing.
Victor blinked as the environment fully rendered. Wind whipped past his ears and the rocky scent of high-altitude terrain filled his nose. His body was jostling slightly—he was moving...
He tilted his head up and saw braided black hair and the dark swirling tattoos of Tarkos.
The assassin was carrying him across the vast mountain ridges of the Eastern Wilds.
Victor almost burst out laughing. "You couldn't just wait for my return?"
Tarkos didn't even glance back. "You said to keep moving. I'm keeping us moving."
Victor groaned while trying not to bounce too much on the assassin's shoulder. Below them, the terrain was a twisted mess of jutting stone pillars and craggy slopes.
The region had no roads and no villages—this was part of the unaligned lands, a place notorious for rogue cultivators and spirit beasts.
Victor asked, "How far till the next stop?"
Tarkos responded dryly, "About half a day from here. Assuming no one tries to kill us."
"Comforting." Victor shifted until Tarkos finally lowered him onto solid ground during a brief stop by a narrow stream. He rolled his shoulders and checked his status panel.
[ Bloodline Integration: 49.9% ] [ Cultivation: Nascent Soul Realm - Early Stage (6%) ]
Almost there. Just a fraction more.
He opened his Quest Panel.
[ Quest: Return to Lingyun Town Within a Year ] [ Time Remaining: 4 Months ]
[ Quest: Doom's Edge: The Grove of Sealed Fate ] [ Objective: Visit the Hollow Verdant, uncover the failing seal, repair and strengthen the seal ] [ Sub-Objective: Survive the Ancient Grove's Trials ] [ Time Remaining: 7 Months ]
"Still a lot to do," Victor muttered. He looked to Tarkos. "Once we reach Yinfrost city, we find out which Jade Serpent faction placed the bounty."
Tarkos nodded before unwrapping a rice bun and handing one to Victor.
Victor accepted it and chewed thoughtfully. "It'll take weeks to get to that city, right?"
"Yes," Tarkos said. "At least two weeks left. Maybe more depending on how often you leave and return."