47 Large Training Field (1/2)
The group that was heading for the training grounds was fairly small, with maybe a few dozen Moth students. The Butterfly students had already left for their own classes, while the remaining Moth students also went their own way.
Arnin was a part of the group that was going to the training grounds. He didn't need to get a job since he had one already, and missions could be done later. Right now, he wanted to break through into the Essence Manifest realm as quickly as possible. He needed to cultivate quickly and learn more about the different components, especially the time component.
Although it may have seemed as though Arnin had plenty of time, he did not. The other world that he wanted to go to was difficult reach because the gates for that world only opened at certain intervals. He needed to cultivate and have a breakthrough quickly, so then he could go to that world.
The group mostly consisted of older students around the same age as Kurse and Monifa. All of them chatted amongst one another about the training grounds, and since Arnin was new and had never been there, he listened in on their conversation.
”I am going to cultivate on the surface for now. It has a lot of Essence, plus it is easier to absorb. What about you guys?” A boy with braided brown hair asked his group of friends.
”You are such a wimp, Nettle. I am going to enter the first floor of the training tower. It is much better than the field.” Another boy with curly black hair mocked.
”You're not even an Essence Manifest cultivator. The tower will be too difficult for you. You should stay on the surface with me.” Nettle, the boy who spoke first, didn't get flustered by the mockery. He didn't ridicule the boy in return, but instead gave him a suggestion with a smile. It seemed like Nettle was not one who would taunt others.
”Who cares! The first floor is still pretty good for Orb Birth cultivators. If I begin to struggle, I will come to the field with you.” The boy helplessly shook his head and spoke with a slight hint of determination. It seemed as though he really wanted to go to the tower.
Arnin listened in on their conversation and was somewhat surprised. When he first heard of the training fields, he assumed that it would just be a large field with an abundance of essence, however it seemed like there was more to it than just that.
Arnin had learned even more from other conversations that were going on around him. The large field that was between the Moth and Butterfly buildings was used by Butterly students for their cultivation. The Butterfly students did not get a private training field like the Moth students, however they still had some opportunities too. Although the private field was intended for the Moth students, the Butterfly students could get access to it if they paid a heap load of academic points, however they would only get access to the first three floors of the place called the Essence Tower.
Arnin began to look forwards to this tower. It seemed as though it was meant for Essence Manifest cultivators, which meant that it probably had something to do with components. Not only that, Arnin found that other than the tower, there were also many different areas in the training fields that were reserved for the Moth students, no matter how much the Butterfly students paid.
'The Moth students really have a lot of benefits. The Academy's way of building loyalty within the Moth group and motivation for the Butterfly group is excellent. Such crafty people.' Arnin smirked when he thought about the system they had in place. He knew that everything had a reason. Although the Moth students were treated extremely well, that didn't mean that the academy would lose out. With such good treatment, most students, if not all, would remain loyal to the academy. Not only that, but the amazing treatment of the Moth students would ignite envy in Butterfly students, making them work harder. This would then lead to better outcomes from the Butterfly group as well.
Arnin didn't know if this was a system that was collectively used by all the academies, but one thing he did know was that the larger and wealthier ones would have much better treatment for both groups. Lepidoptera was not a big academy, rather it was considered to be an average academy when compared to others. This made Arnin look forward to seeing other places in Afloria.
The group walked through a large forest, using a narrow dirt path to cut through it. Soon, they finally left the land of trees and approached a large field. Arnin was astonished by the scene. As a Demon Lord, he had seen far too many sights and sceneries. He had gone to what mortals considered Hell and Heaven. He lived inside a black hole that many didn't even dare to approach. He had walked through the hottest volcanoes and the deepest oceans. However, he was surprised that such a small academy could have a field so large.
In front of his eyes, there were lush green fields that shimmered with abundant life further than the eye could see. Not only was there grass, and groups of trees everywhere, animals roamed in every corner. These weren't hostile animals like Vilis, rather they were calm and docile. Deers with single horns, small brown bunnies with antlers and tiny insects that moved in colonies were everywhere. The environment was extremely peaceful, but this wasn't what astonished Arnin the most.
As a person who was able to seperate essence into components, combined with having the white saber in his body, Arnin had an extremely high sensitivity towards essence. Usually, he could feel the essence around him, however it wasn't visible to him, and it didn't ever seem suffocating. However this time, he essence in front of him was like an ocean, pressurizing him from all sides. He could even see some of the essence in the air. The sight was magnificent and Arnin couldn't help but feel extremely comfortable.
Most of the students didn't have much of a reaction since they had been in the training field before, however there were a couple of students who were new to this place, just like Arnin. They looked at the field with glittering eyes.
Arnin swept through the field with his eyes and saw something in the distance; it was an extremely tall tower. Arnin automatically knew that the structure was most likely the Essence Tower.
The Moth teacher who was leading the group turned around and looked at all of the students. He had a slight smile on his face, but that was it. ”We will be heading towards the Essence Tower from here. Older students can leave now and do what they want, however the new students will follow me towards the tower.” With that, the Moth teacher began to walk towards the tower.
The older students looked at the new Moth students and one of them quietly whispered. ”Try to keep up with him.” Then all of them disappeared, leaving only Arnin, and three other students. Arnin pondered what the boy said and looked at the teacher, who was getting further away. He quickly caught up, while the other three also ran after a pause. Other then Arnin, none of them thought about the words of the older student. They all carried expressions of confusion and idleness, as if the words had no deeper meaning.
Arnin shook his head, however since they were just five years old, they would not be as perceptive as Arnin. They hadn't experienced much.
The Moth teacher turned his head and smiled slightly before increasing his speed. Arnin noticed this and also increased his own. The other students were still oblivious that something was happening, however they were able to keep up thus far.
The Teacher turned around and looked at the few students behind him, before increasing his speed once more. This time, he was jogging. Arnin reacted the quickest, while the rest took a moment before finally speeding up to a jog too. The Essence Tower was kilometers away from the forest they just came from, so it would be a long jog. Only Arnin was higher than Orb Birth - Earth. Almost every new Moth student was at the Earth level for Orb Birth, however there were always a few exceptions. They hadn't started their official cultivation because they had just gotten to the academy, so they were still in the beginning stages.
Arnin carefully watched the teacher, and noticed that he had quickened his pace yet again. This went on until Arnin finally got the pattern. The teacher was changing his speed every one hundred meters. Although it was a slight increase, the students would get tired very soon.