Chapter 42: Arcane Gates (part 1) (1/2)

Chapter 42: Arcane Gates (part 1)

“Let me join the school team?”

In Holy Dawn Academy, Belo stood facing Carter at a corner of the forest of huge trees.

“I can’t even condense arcane particles. Why is it you think I have the strength to join the team?”

“Even during the few months you were in the infirmary, you still snuck out to train at night and even drilled a hole in the Beast Training Field’s wall. You have half a year’s worth of training time on Ayrin and the others. According to my expectation and that of a few elite teachers, if you start a special training today, it’s possible with the current state of your body for you to condense arcane particle before the qualifiers begin.” Carter looked into Belo’s eyes, saying in all seriousness, “Moreover, you can already transform when the moon’s up, thanks to your own training. If you can achieve autonomous transformation, your strength will be higher than Korin and the rest, to the point it’ll be possible for you to use secret skills only usable by arcane masters with two open arcane gates.”

“So it turns out you’re planning to make me condense arcane particles and achieve autonomous transformation at the same time, then have me use arcane skills after I transform.” Light flashed on Belo’s glasses. “It’s going to be especially difficult to meet these two conditions at the same time in such a short frame already. As to grasping arcane skills only usable by arcane masters with two open arcane gates, I can only start learning them after I master autonomous transformation. The possibility seems really too low.”

Carter watched the presently extremely cool-headed Belo, and nodded. “As long as you’re willing to join the team, we’re going to try no matter how small the possibility is.”

“Alright, I’ll join the team.”

Belo’s words made Carter blank out for a second.

After Rinloran’s blunt rejection, he didn’t expect Belo to accept in such a straightforward manner.

Belo threw him a glance just as he was slightly blanking out, and added, “I have a condition though.”

Carter asked, somewhat curious, “Which condition?”

“I want to enter the Beasts Enclosure and conduct special training.”

“What!”

Carter’s stare latched onto Belo’s eyes with disbelief, greatly taken aback. He clearly remembered Liszt saying that Belo’s grave injury from last time was due to him sneaking inside the Beasts Enclosure.

“I don’t know what kind of special training you have in store for me, but looking at your reaction, you’re probably not planning on making me fight the monsters inside the Beast Enclosure.” Belo pushed his glasses, held Carter’s eyes, and said, “For those with beastmen blood, they progress fastest when fighting monsters and rare beasts, because our ancestor beastmen living in the Huge Magic Jungle had to face all kinds of monster and rare beast from the moment of their births. Only in such similar environment is it possible to awaken the power of beastmen bloodlines as fast and as thoroughly as possible.”

“No need to mention the Beast Training Hall.” After a slight pause, Belo went on to say, “These trashes who don’t have much of their bestial nature left are totally useless when it comes to awakening the power of my bloodline. Only the beasts and monsters raised inside the Beasts Enclosure are able to let me reach the state you spoke of.”

“But the Beasts Enclosure is a venue for real fights, it’s only for genuine battlemasters who already passed the test… It’s really too dangerous for someone like you.” Carter watched Belo, a little speechless, “Moreover, since you want to simulate as much as possible the beastmen’s living environment during the era of the War of the Dragons, we’ll certainly not be able to stay by your side. If that were the case, you’d be putting your life in genuine danger.”

“If you don’t have the courage to stake your life away, what’s the point of coming to school, what’s the point of pursuing your dreams?” Belo turned away, not looking any longer at Carter. His eyes burned with a strange unprecedented flame, filled with resolve and hatred that were difficult to put into words.

“These words should be those of a teacher exhorting their students. I didn’t expect a student to say them to a teacher instead, today.” Carter took a deep breath as he watched Belo’s back, thinking, “What on earth gave you so much ambition, so much determination to fight?”

…

“Special training? Belo went with teacher Carter on a special training?”