When everyone finally processed Jina's words, they nodded their heads. They understood that this academy system was really different.
Then Jina turned to the little girl and said gently, "By the way, let me suggest something. I learned this from my own experience. You should study carefully from now on—it will help you comprehend things later. I directly chose my field, and after going there, I realized I didn't even know most of the basics. I and others in my class had to struggle so much to catch up.
But those same things were taught to the 5-to-10-year-olds as simple basics. You can guess—they'll have an easy time later when they choose their fields. The academy is building your foundation strong from the start, so you have to study carefully.
If you don't study properly, your teacher won't give you good scores—and might even lower them. The teacher scores you based on what you're truly capable of.
For example: If you can do a task easily but skip it because you're lazy, your score will drop. When that happens, you won't be able to move up to the next classroom.
You'll stay in the same class even when you turn 11, 12, or older.
Moving to the upper class requires enough scores, just like graduating later. You won't be demoted or punished in any other way—so don't worry about that.
But if you stay behind in the same classroom, you'll miss out on a lot of important lessons and opportunities.
So study properly, okay?"
The little girl nodded her small head. She thanked Jina quietly for the advice.
"Thank you… I'll study properly."
Jina then continued, addressing the others this time.
"And you four—this same thing applies to you as well. If you can't get good enough scores, you will forever remain in that 11-to-15 age group classroom. You don't want to study with 11-to-15-year-olds after turning 30, right?"
They nodded their heads. They really didn't want to study with children after turning 30.
Then Jina said, "Lastly, the teachers are very powerful. They know everything happening in the academy.
If anyone tries to raise their scores the wrong way—deliberately making a bad impression on a fellow student, sugarcoating words to impress the teacher, cheating, or any other dishonest method—they will be caught immediately.
So don't even try it.
The system is fair, but it is also strict. Honest effort is the only way to succeed here."
Three in the group nodded their heads. They understood.
But only Rudra and Sanya didn't say anything. Jina looked at them. They were staring at her with surprised eyes.
She asked, "Why are you staring like that?"
Rudra replied, "Well, this side of yours was really an eye-opener. We are amazed. A responsible person. A senior."
Sanya also nodded seriously—they were really seeing a new side of her.
But Jina felt something was off. She asked, "Rudra, are you taking revenge on me for that sarcasm? And Sect Leader, even you are bullying me now?"
But Rudra and Sanya didn't say anything—they just laughed.
When Jina heard their laugh, she said in a teasing voice, "Ah… I forget you both are just children. I shouldn't argue with you."
Hearing this, both Rudra and Sanya were stupefied. They looked at Jina in absolute silence.
Jina got scared by their stares.
Just then, Sanya said, "Well, I guess we shouldn't bully Jina until we become adults."
"Yes, Sis. Otherwise she'll just make fun of our age."
When Jina saw that the siblings were normal and weren't really angry, she sighed. She had thought she hurt them. But it wasn't like that.
She then began to lead them to other places.
***
In the meantime, Silas—who had followed the teacher—had chosen his field: the field of science, which he had liked from the moment he studied its mysteries.
After choosing it, he went to his classroom, where only students who had picked the same field gathered.
He also found his teacher quite entertaining. The man laughed and taught at the same time. Currently, the teacher was teaching them basics—but even these basics were more advanced than anything the students had ever seen. They struggled to comprehend them. They could understand every single word the teacher said, but when put together, the words became mysterious and hard to grasp.
But this was only their first class. They understood that the academy isn't normal, their education system is also not normal. So they didn't lose hope. They still tried to learn.
Their teacher countinue teaching them. He also explained how science had changed after Essence Flow arrived.
Silas became even more captivated by the mysteries of science.
He listened carefully, trying to comprehend these unnaturally hard lessons.
After the class ended, he moved to the training ground of the academy.
Cultivation classes were going to be held here.
He saw several other people already there. But all of them were 16 or above—because they had only attended one class. Lower-age group students, like 5 to 10 age group or 11 to 15 age group had more classes, so they will finish later and will arrive later.
Of course, it wasn't like the older students were having an easy time just because they had only one class. Even that single class had left their minds blank. It was too hard. Too long.
On the other hand, the younger children didn't have to worry. They had several classes—but those classes were easy and short.
Of course, for these older students, the classes were easy. But for the little ones, they were hard!
Silas also saw three ladies from Rudra's group.
He ignored them. He wasn't going to go near them.
Then he sat down on the training ground floor. The teacher who taught cultivation hadn't arrived yet. He decided to wait here.
While waiting, he decided to watch the news about the Dark Red Abyss. What was it about? Why was it related to that little girl?
He began watching it.