NOVEL NEXT Chapter 110: First Lesson
In the open training field of the Starlink Academy, more than fifty students from the Combat Department, Second Year Class could be seen talking to each other.
Unlike what they expected, they were called to the training field, which was basically an open arena, right after the end of their vacation.
None of them could understand the reason why Amber did that, but they had their guesses.
"Is our training finally starting? The devilish training?"
"Yes, I'm afraid it is time for that. Professor Amber was focusing on theory previously, but now it's time."
"I don't know why, but I'm kinda scared. I heard she lives up to her title of demoness."
"Don't scare me too!! I'm brave! I'm brave! I'm brave! I'm not brave! I'm not brave!"
"Quit shivering!!"
The only exception to this chatter was Leon and his friends. They were standing a bit farther from the others, and nobody disturbed them either.
No one had the time to bother Leon when they had Amber's classes.
As for why their group was the exception, it was because Leon was silent and had a solemn look on his face, which was very unlike him. It made his friends suspicious, but they couldn't understand why he was acting this way.
"Why are you brooding so early in the morning, Bro?" Bella asked with a whisper. "Did Miss Amber beat you last night?"
Leon just shook his head and said, "She's not an unreasonable woman, so why would she beat me?"
Others gave him strange looks upon hearing that, wondering if he had gone insane. Not a single person on this planet would say that she wasn't unreasonable.
But they were also surprised by his reaction. Usually, Leon would have played along with her jokes or argued, so why was his reaction different this time?
"Then what happened?" Denver asked. "You don't look good this way. You sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine. I'm just thinking about something," Leon said and turned toward all the students.
He counted them and realized there were only fifty-five, which made him sigh. 'It seems like I'm right. I didn't think she would be this crazy to do this.'
"Do you know anything about why she called us here?" Natasha asked, as she carefully studied his face.
Leon didn't say anything and simply turned around where he found a truck dragging something massive. A giant black cloth was draped over it, hiding its contents from sight.
But Leon could guess it.
The truck came to a stop before all of them, and the students immediately straightened up, gathering closer together in silence.
As they all expected, Amber came out from the driver's seat. Her face was serious and solemn as her eyes swept across the students.
Unlike her usual self, she wore a proper custom-made uniform of black and white. That alone was enough to make the students apprehensive about what was to come.
Amber jumped on top of the truck and asked with a neutral voice, "So, how was the vacation for everyone? Did you get back to normal?"
Everyone nodded at her words, too afraid to even speak. They were also reminded of the Flame Knight Dungeon incident.
"What? Cat got your tongue?" Amber asked with a raised eyebrow.
"We spent our vacation well, Professor."
It was Leon who spoke up, making everyone else gather their courage and reply one by one.
Amber's eyes turned toward Leon, and seeing the look in his eyes, her lips slightly curled up. It didn't even surprise her that he noticed her motives.
"Good. I'm glad you enjoyed your vacation and healed the scars of the past," Amber nodded and said. "But it isn't the end of your journey. The vacation is over, and now you're back in my hands. Are you ready to take a step forward on your path?"
"Yes!!!"
"Good. I like the enthusiasm," Amber nodded again in satisfaction. "I'm sure you're all wondering why I called you here. Well, let's just say our classes will be held here from now on."
No one was surprised at that, since they had already guessed it.
"And the first lesson requires an open field," Amber smiled and said. "So, as you all know, I am preparing you for two things. First is to move around in the Primordial Expanse, and second is to defend humanity. So, our first lesson is on that too."
She climbed onto the truck's roof before reaching for the giant cloth. "The first rule to live in the Primordial is that you can only trust humans and even more than them, yourself, no one else. Remember this!"
Leon frowned slightly as he felt something strange in her wording. But he pushed it to the back of his head for the moment. 'I will think about it later.'
"Tell me, what will you do if you're the leader of an expedition team and you encounter an Abyssal Creature?" Amber asked.
Everyone was confused by the question, wondering why she asked something that sounded so simple. Perhaps there was a hidden meaning they couldn't figure out.
But Leon did and he couldn't help sighing again.
"We will kill it," someone answered.
"We will first check how strong it is and then think of further actions. If we can, then we will kill it."
There were a lot of answers from the students. Most of them came from prominent families, or at least from families of Awakened, so they had been prepared for the Primordial Expanse since their childhood.
Even though Awakening only took place on their 18th birthday, there were other ways to prepare them. And the most important of them was their mentality.
That was why, even though they went through the terrible experience of almost becoming Abyssal Creatures, none of them chose to back away from their path.
Their mentality was different from others, and their thoughts were sharper too. That's why Amber received a variety of answers. Some focused on head-on conflict, while others leaned toward making strategies first.
But there was one thing that was common in all their answers. And even Leon noticed it.
The desire to kill the Abyssal Creature.
Not a single answer left room for sparing the Abyssal Creature unless it was too powerful.
It was a normal question, and the answers were also normal. But none of them guessed Amber's true intentions behind her question.
Except Leon!