Chapter 8

Education (1)

    By ten o'clock in the morning, Esther initially thought he'd be listening to a lengthy explanation from the director. However, it turned out to be quite a surprise when the old man (in Tartarus' view) came out and spoke only a few words, which everyone could easily summarize in one sentence:

    "Sort it out among yourselves; don't trouble the teachers and instructors."

    The morning orientation left everyone in the hall stunned for three seconds, after which the faculty members let the students go to their respective classes. Esther shook his head at the university's odd approach, essentially leaving room for conflicts that the students must resolve amongst themselves.

    Before dispersing, Grace inquired about the tattoo and Tartarus' disappearance. The young prisoner openly shared the events of the previous day, to which she looked at him with slight envy. Naturally, Esther omitted the details about the key, only mentioning that he encountered Sanctus, a regular spirit testing the newcomers.

    Typically, the War University classes started at nine in the morning, but today, the first class began at ten due to the director's brief orientation. This was essentially a time for students to further acquaint themselves with others before starting the lesson hours.

    Esther entered the building of the major for the history class. The white walls, made of a special material, didn't glare unpleasantly but instead gave the room an air of sophistication. He chose a seat in the middle of the room, designed with a space down the center for walking. Grace and Bryan sat near him- the redhead boy sitting beside him and the vampire girl in front. It seemed like she already got someone to chat with, too.

    "It's almost time..." Esther glanced at the increasing number of students entering, "Let's not start a fight in here, shall we?"

    The lecture tables they used were wider than usual, equipped with a 3D projector at the end. The room's spaciousness allowed for ample movement, though students tended to group the tables together while still facing the front of the room as usual. Esther amused himself with the 3D projector, spinning a model of the sky-blue earth in front of him to pass the time.

    When the instructor entered, Esther's globe projection zipped out of the display area instantly.

    A muscular, short-blond-haired man stepped into the room, his height nearly two meters, almost causing the students in front to scramble out of his way. His old combat boots thudded against the floor, intimidating the students to the point where they feared it might crack. With a stern face, he scanned his new pupils, who blinked in surprise.

    "Today, we'll be learning history, kids."

    Thud!!!

    Several students fell off their chairs in impossible directions as the man continued his lecture as if nothing unusual had happened. "I'm Cammy, nice to meet you all."

    According to the timetable, this person was Command Schneider.

    Many thought of fleeing as the lecture began, but soon they realized that the instructor in front of them was an excellent teacher. Command Schneider's explanations were straightforward and concise, and the supplementary materials summarized the key points effectively. Any further details had to be researched, but not to an overwhelming extent.

    The history of this world stemmed from the collapse of the old world, an epoch of endless war among superpowers leading to famine, drought, and widespread conflict, eventually culminating in a massive biological explosion that eradicated all life on earth.

    In the aftermath, the earth gradually recovered, and a significant change occurred when God decided to recreate life. Gods and demons, long forgotten in the old world, were reintroduced to balance human power. New creatures were created, and extinct species were revived.

    However, peace did not last long, and war broke out once again among gods, demons, and humans. This conflict was known as

    The Century War.

    This led to the indescribable losses. Many gods and demons perished, never to return, and the remains from the battles piled up like mountains, with blood flowing enough to form a large river. Certain areas of the world were left in ruins because of this great conflict.

    In the end, God, along with some ancient deities, vanished in that war.

    The Century War concluded with a ceasefire from all sides. The disappearance of God was too much to bear, but of course, amidst these events, there were many who were dissatisfied and sought to reignite warfare.

    The War University served as one of the variables in this equation. Its exact history, including when it was founded and by whom, remained unclear. However, what's certain was its existence served to ‘prevent a great war’ by bringing representatives of various races together as students or, in another sense, as hostages, while educating them about warfare, its impacts, and indeed, it intervened through the students.

    Underneath this facade of peace, the university was rife with battles among different species, measuring strengths through all possible means. And if one party loses, there was always a chance for redemption, attracting both those who are serious and those who are indifferent.

    'But it also makes them increasingly accustomed to war,' Esther thought to himself.

    Beyond the battles, one of the clear pieces of evidence that our world once had a vast history is the discovery of numerous relics in every area, ranging from various objects, old-time entertainment media, to key technologies. Many aspects of the old world have been developed to be far advanced than the present, even though we have adapted many of them to be on par with the past. However, some advancements did not go as planned due to incomplete data.

    Esther listened to the teacher explain while dodging the affectionate gazes that filled the room. Although it didn't affect women, it made many men inexplicably grab their heads. The half-circle arrangement of tables surrounding the teacher ensured everyone was fully within view.

    "Finally, the class is over," Esther said after two hours. Learning something he already knew was normal, but with such an instructor, he felt he might go mad one day.

    "What's wrong? That teacher was quite good," whispered a voice from the tattoo, causing Esther to imagine Tartarus looking at him with a sympathetic gaze. Esther felt that there wasn't anything that could frighten her, given her resistance to virtually everything.

    "I have no issues with tastes, but sometimes, those persistent looks are just too much," he sighed heavily before standing up to wake up the redhead dozing on the table, "Looking to get a good morning from the teacher or what, Brian?"

    Bryan sprang up almost instantly.

    The atmosphere remained relaxed, with no one anticipating that in the next class, many would face a hellish experience.

    "Pick up the pace over there... Why are you slacking off? Add three more laps."

    The crisp voice came from a small figure, who looked like a ten-year-old girl, with pink hair tied in twin tails, making her appear even younger. However, her commands were anything but childish, as the worn-out students faced a brutal physical and endurance ordeal.

    The combat class, a mandatory subject for all students in the Combat and Tactics Department, saw them running laps around the multipurpose field. Due to the youthful appearance of their instructor, which contrasted starkly with the subject taught, some students mistook her for a junior and even playfully patted her head, suggesting she and Commander Schneider should swap roles for appropriateness. This turned the eagerly anticipated class into a gateway to misfortune, welcoming them unselectively.

    Instructor Serina, or Master Serina, commanded everyone running laps around the multipurpose field with a flick of her small fingers, standing on a large wooden crate. Her bright pink dress fluttered in the wind, stirring dust into the students' eyes. Her fair face flushed with a mix of rosiness and visible anger.

    ‘Saying I’m used to it, she obviously is furious,’ Esther grumbled as he jogged, now lagging at the back of the class. He'd been knocked down several times already because the ever-so-kind chain kept increasing his weight slightly with every lap. From an already heavy start, it became unbearable, leaving him with two and a half laps to go when everyone else had finished.

    Initially, Bryan and Grace looked as though they would come to his aid, baffled because, in reality, Esther should have been stronger. However, after being rejected by the panting man, they sighed and continued running, finishing their laps long before Esther.

    "That one there," a sharp voice called out from the sideline to the lone runner, pointing her tiny finger directly at him, "Add four more laps. Run faster, or I'll keep increasing it."

    The students resting around looked astonished at the instructor's youthful appearance but didn't dare protest, only able to cheer for their classmate in their hearts. Yet, what truly amazed them was the increasing speed of the lone runner on the field.

    "I've removed three-quarters of your weight. It's easier to run now, right?" teased the playful tormentor, now a tattoo, amusing herself with her master.

    "Thanks. It would be better if you removed all the weight," Esther replied with a deadpan expression. At this point, he didn't even have the energy to change his facial expression, let alone keep running forward without collapsing. The words that Tartarus spoke next nearly made him faceplant into the ground.

    "Remove all the weight?... That's definitely not happening."

    Finally, after he finished running, his classmates immediately gathered around to check on him, especially Brian and Grace. Esther's body was entirely red from the relentless sun, and he could hardly stand up, collapsing again after attempting to stand.

    "What's happening here?" The petite instructor made her way through the crowd to the center and stooped to look at Esther. "This class isn't over yet."

    With her small hand, she hoisted Esther by the collar to sit him up like picking up a cat. She tapped his head lightly several times, in a manner Esther couldn’t tell if it was praise or consolation, and then turned to announce,

    “Next, we’ll practice one-on-one combat. Since today is the first day...you may use weapons. I want to see everyone's skills. Make sure your opponent is incapacitated or dead. You may surrender, but I don't recommend doing so frequently."

    After lying down for a while, Esther began to regain some strength, seemingly because Tartarus had shared some of her energy back with him, alleviating the exhaustion considerably, though not completely disappearing. It was still better than immediately after the run.

    Esther intended to pair up with Bryan for convenience, but Brian claimed he was better at magic and not suited for hand-to-hand combat, leaving him with Grace instead. Despite Bryan’s claim, his face betrayed his amusement at the situation.

    One common trait among most in this department was a thirst for battle, especially enjoying one-on-one fights even more. Esther wondered why his no-good friend had set him up against the mafia daughter instead of pairing up themselves... because as soon as he saw Grace, his fate was sealed right in front of him.

    Grace, now in a black long-sleeve shirt and warm-up pants, looked completely different from her usual self, causing Esther to do a double-take. She had once told him that she wore sunscreen outside, so it wasn't too dangerous. It seemed the vampire heiress wasn't pureblooded.

    With daylight and nighttime, her abilities are not different, and she can even transform during the day.

    "Have everyone gotten in pairs?" Master Serina asked in a calm voice.

    Everyone responded with vigor, though one voice was notably quieter. Esther frowned as he saw Grace spinning her gun joyfully before pointing it at his head.

    "Stand a bit apart so you don't get caught in a crossfire. I haven’t determined a limit on the area; you can go anywhere you please but remember to return on time, or I'll mark you absent."

    The killing intent in the classroom gradually increased, not as intense as the director's or the council president's, but enough to unsettle many. Some backed off when they felt they couldn't handle the pressure, but most prepared for a deadly confrontation.

    Because they belonged to the Combat and Tactics Department.

    Even if they fled, they wouldn't be careless.

    "The battle begins."

    At the sound of the first gunshot, both sides immediately attacked each other with their weapons.

    "I'm getting serious now," Grace said as she racked the slide of her gun, sending bullets flying towards Esther with incredible speed. All he could do was run towards cover.

'Her strength is still so formidable...'