As the group continued through the academy corridors, a brief silence settled over them.
Their pace slowed without anyone saying a word. The halls stretched endlessly in every direction, wide and pristine, yet somehow heavy. Lights embedded in the walls pulsed faintly as they passed. Panels shifted on their own, adjusting to foot traffic. Small drones hovered near the ceiling, drifting smoothly as they scanned everything below.
The academy didn't just feel big.
It felt aware.
"Wow…" Liam muttered, eyes wide as he turned in place. "This place is insane. I've never seen anything like it."
Beatrix walked beside him, calm as ever, her gaze sweeping across doors, corners, and blind spots. "Focus on your surroundings," she said. "Knowing this place could save your life someday."
Raze stayed quiet, committing everything to memory. 'This is like a city stuffed inside a building,' he thought, brow furrowing slightly.
Felix, on the other hand, looked like he might burst.
He reached out and tapped a nearby panel. "Yo, check this out! This screen's showing the weapons lab on Level Three. And those drones—look at them! Fully autonomous!"
"Focus, Felix," Beatrix said flatly.
Still, the corner of her mouth twitched.
Liam let out a nervous laugh. "I feel like I'm gonna get yelled at just for breathing too loud."
They turned a corner and stepped into a massive open hall. A holographic map hovered in the center, rotating slowly. Layers of the academy stacked above and below them—training fields, classrooms, restricted zones glowing red. Students moved along distant walkways, some sparring, some running drills, others rushing between classes.
Felix let out a low whistle and glanced at Raze. "Alright. Since we're stuck together—everyone say something about themselves. No dodging."
Raze raised an eyebrow, already suspicious.
Beatrix leaned against the railing, arms crossed. "Fine. I'm Beatrix Emberfall. Emberfall bloodline. I'm competitive." She paused. "That's it."
Felix nodded approvingly. "Straight to the point. Respect." Then he turned. "Liam?"
Liam hesitated, tugging at the straps of his bag. "Uh… I'm Liam. No bloodline. And… I guess I just try to stay alive."
Felix laughed. "Honestly? Fair."
His gaze shifted to Raze. "Your turn."
Raze looked down the corridor, watching a pair of drones drift past. "I'm Raze," he said. "That's all you really need to know."
Felix smirked. "Mysterious. I like it. Makes me wanna dig."
Beatrix tilted her head slightly, studying Raze in silence.
He felt her gaze linger but said nothing, falling back into step as they kept moving.
Each hallway revealed something new—open corridors leading to outdoor training arenas, doors marked for virtual combat simulations, rooms packed with machines he couldn't even name.
"Man," Felix muttered, bouncing lightly on his feet, "I could get lost here for days and still find something new every time."
Raze smirked faintly. 'At least I'm not the only one overwhelmed.'
They entered a massive room lined wall-to-wall with sleek, capsule-shaped pods. Soft lights glowed along their surfaces, a low hum filling the air.
Raze slowed. "Are those… VR pods?"
Felix chuckled, a spark of familiarity in his eyes. "Yeah. Used ones like these back home. They train you. Prep you for what's coming."
Raze scanned the room, impressed despite himself. The tech here wasn't just advanced—it felt generations ahead.
After the war, everything had changed. Even training tech had evolved into something else entirely.
"Guess this is where they separate the weak from the strong," Raze muttered.
Felix's grin widened. "Or where the fun actually starts."
Liam, who'd been quiet, looked between the pods. "So… what exactly do they do?"
Felix leaned back slightly. "There's this game—Awakening Battleground. People play it at home, and they use it here too. Two players enter an arena and fight until one loses. Sounds simple, right?" He shrugged. "It's not."
Raze listened closely.
"The pods record everything," Felix continued. "Strength, speed, endurance. Every movement your body makes. Anything you can do in real life, you can do in there." He paused. "Only thing it can't copy is your awakening. That part's still tied to your real body."
Liam nodded slowly. "So it's basically training disguised as a game."
"Exactly," Felix said. "Fun. Dangerous. Exhausting if you take it seriously."
Raze exhaled quietly, eyes drifting back to the pods. 'Maybe I can use this to test myself… once I'm stronger.'
Felix stepped up to one pod and brushed his fingers across the surface. A small display lit up.
[5 Credits per 30 minutes]
He whistled. "Not cheap."
Without hesitation, he pressed his wristwatch to the screen.
[Transaction Complete — 5 Credits Deducted]
A soft ding followed. The pod opened with a low mechanical hum, steam hissing from the seams.
Raze watched closely. "So that's how it works…"
Felix glanced back with a grin. "Yep. Just like home. Only difference is these ones would probably fry your brain twice as fast."
Beatrix rolled her eyes. "You make everything sound worse than it is."
"Still not wrong," Liam muttered.
Felix laughed it off and stepped closer, climbing into the pod.