Arriving in front of a gray-white building, Sonia was stopped by two Gun Sword Masters guarding the entrance. Despite the Gun Sword Faction still being in its early stages, owing to its exceptional combat prowess and lower learning threshold (for Sword Masters and Gun Masters), it had already become standard-issue for Silver Armed Mages.
As she ascended the steps, a Gun Sword Master extended a hand to block her, "Sorry, the area ahead is not open to visitors; external personnel are not permitted to enter."
"I’ve already made a reservation for the training room," Sonia said, puzzled. "You should be able to see my reservation as well."
The Gun Sword Master equipped with the Miracle Goggles shared a database with the Veil within the academy, allowing direct access to basic information about the students in front of them—very useful for catching students breaking the rules. Thus, they could easily identify that Sonia was not a student from this school, but they should have also been able to see Sonia’s booking.
Moreover, this was Sonia’s third visit to the "Time Training Room", and she hadn’t encountered any issues the first two times. Why was she being stopped now?
The Gun Sword Master replied courteously, "Sorry, the school has recently heightened security measures; entry of non-school personnel into critical facilities must be reported to management, please wait a moment."
Sonia stood there for a few seconds until she saw a student pass by her and enter into the Time Training Room, when she suddenly realized something.
"Sorry, management hasn’t replied yet," the Gun Sword Master said. "Maybe the person in charge stepped out, please wait a moment."
This flawless bureaucratic speech sounded like the kind of nonsense a noble council member, hung-over for five days and drunk on three liters of wine, could spout.
Sonia instantly understood what she was facing—suppression from Truth University.
No, it wasn’t suppression from Truth University as a whole; such a behemoth wouldn’t bother with Sonia. Currently, it was probably just an administrative staff member from the admissions office retaliating ’slightly’ because Sonia had rejected the olive branch from Truth University a couple of days ago.
Many of Truth University’s training facilities were among the best, unique, and available for use by other alliance schools upon application through a professor, like the "Time Training Room" Sonia was trying to access.
The retaliator hadn’t openly bullied Sonia; he simply instructed the guards to block non-school students and report outsider information to management for review, which was quite justifiable, especially after the "Star Fall" incident; it seemed perfectly reasonable to strengthen security.
Sonia could even imagine the consequences of various reactions she might have:
① She lashes out at the two Gun Sword Masters, attracting a crowd of Truth students. Without doubt, Truth students who were already unhappy with outsiders using their cultivation resources would feel no empathy towards Sonia and rather think ’it was about time to enforce rules’;
② She waits persistently, but the Time Training Room is fully scheduled, and even if she waited three hours and was allowed to enter, it wouldn’t provide her with the necessary training room. Likely, after waiting more than two hours, the person in charge would ’very regretfully’ rush back to allow her entry, making it hard for her to even express her frustration;
③ She complains in the school forum about Truth University’s discrimination, but only the members of the Claw Club would support her. Complaining about being too powerful for Truth University seemed more like boasting to the regular students;
④ She complains to Professor Trozan, but regardless, today’s training session was ruined. Whether she would be targeted next time would depend on how much influence Professor Trozan had.
However, the most likely scenario was that even if Sonia complained to others, they would think she was ’paranoid’, ’making unfounded accusations’, or ’too self-centered’.
After all, why would such a large and powerful institution like Truth University target a single student?
Flies don’t swarm flawless eggs; it takes two hands to clap...
But Sonia was absolutely confident in her assessment.
She was too familiar with this feeling. Everything done according to rules and regulations, yet designed to inconvenience, frustrate, and cause loss to you without reason.
They did it because they knew you had no power to fight back, so they acted without any sense of restraint.
Persisting would at best regain your entitled rights; no compensation would be forthcoming, nor would they face any punishment.
This stifling pain, like a fish bone stuck in your throat, neither spit out nor swallowed, Sonia had endured it all her life alongside her mother.
Only, unlike her mother who grew increasingly numb over time, she grew increasingly angry.
In the view of the two Gun Sword Masters, Sonia cleared her throat, clicked her Miracle Bracelet, and dialed a number.
"Mm-hmm?" A lazy voice came from the other end.
"Professor Trozan!" Sonia’s voice choked up as she cried out like a distraught maiden. "Please come to Truth University and save me!"