Ring! Ring! Ring!
The silence of the room shattered as the small alarm clock beside the bed rang—something he had set beforehand in case he got too engrossed in reading.
Mario reached out, tapped it gently, and turned it off. He slowly closed the book and set it aside.
"It's time…" he murmured, stretching his arms upward.
His gaze shifted to the balcony, where the dim morning light crept across the sky, soft and pale. Seeing it, he let out a soft breath.
'Elyndor Academy… a start of a new beginning,' he thought, letting the idea settle briefly before pushing it aside. '...Maybe.'
Pressing the red button on the wall, he ordered the same wilderness beast meat as usual. Then he walked to his long briefcase and tidied up his things for a few moments before heading to the kitchen to wait for the food.
Ten minutes later…
Ding~
The sharp chime of the doorbell announced the AI staff's arrival, smoothly entering while pushing a cart holding his prepared meal.
While the staff arranged the meal on the table, Mario remembered something and returned to the bedroom to retrieve the book from the small table.
He returned to the AI staff, paid for his meal, then extended the book toward it. "Also, return this book to the library and deduct any penalty."
[As you command, Sir,] the AI staff replied after processing the payment, then proceeded to carry out his instruction.
Mario gave it a brief glance before sitting down and beginning his meal.
Half an hour later, he finished eating.
Mario remained seated, allowing his body to process the food while carefully sensing how his refined body reacted to the wilderness beast meat.
Previously, eating such meat would leave his stomach heavy and bloated. Now, however, he noticed that sensation was completely gone.
'Hmm… the same effect my simulated self experienced.'
That thought brought back something his simulated self had once read in a book. Perhaps because of its significance, the information had remained clear in his mind, unburied even after fifty-five years of accumulated memories.
It was said that the concept of "cleansing" did not truly exist. Rather, it was an imitation of the body-refining stage of martial artists. The difference lay in the method—instead of expelling impurities, they were burned away by blood qi, further strengthening the body.
There were also certain clans that had developed their own methods of martial refinement based on this principle. As for how those methods worked, the book did not elaborate—it was considered a closely guarded secret.
After that brief recollection, Mario couldn't help but feel a faint curiosity about the effects of the second and third stages of cleansing.
He knew little about them. The second stage was said to refine the organs—strengthening and healing them—but beyond that, even his simulated self had no clear understanding of its full effects.
As for the third stage, he at least understood why it was far more expensive than the others. It was rumored to extend one's lifespan—something every wealthy non-cultivator desired.
'The world is vast… and I am merely a wandering speck within it...' With a quiet sigh, he set those thoughts aside, picked up his long briefcase and paper bag, and stepped out of the unit.
The AI staff was already waiting outside.
Mario handed over his black key card and received his golden card in return.
[Thank you for staying!] the AI staff said, bowing slightly after receiving the key card.
Mario didn't answer and instead headed toward the elevator.
***
Mario stepped out of the elevator alongside other youths.
Despite the early hour, the ground floor was already crowded. Countless people filled the space—mostly young men and women, each accompanied by a butler or maid. Every attendant held a long briefcase similar to Mario's, though some were longer and others wider, hinting at the different contents inside.
He paid them no further attention and instead headed to the underground floor, where he had his weighted bracelets readjusted, adding another five kilograms—bringing each to fifteen.
The added weight settled onto his limbs, drawing a slight frown from him. 'It's heavier than expected.'
'…but still within acceptable limits,' he concluded, testing his movements with slow, deliberate motions.
Afterward, he returned to the ground floor and made his way toward the terminal, weaving through rows of parked cars until a familiar vehicle caught his eye.
Mario approached and knocked lightly on the closed window.
The window slid down.
"Don't knock on the window," a familiar middle-aged man said with clear irritation. "Just get inside."
"I'm sorry." He offered a brief apology before entering the car.
The driver clicked his tongue softly but let it go. "Destination?"
"Elyndor Academy, sir," Mario replied politely.
The man paused for a fraction of a second, surprised. He had assumed this passenger would be heading to one of the other eight academies, as most people going to Elyndor Academy used private vehicles.
Eventually, he dismissed the thought, turned the steering wheel, and pressed the gas pedal. The car rolled forward.
Along the way, Mario remained silent and stared out the window.
The roads were packed with vehicles, all heading in the same direction. Even the wide main road felt cramped under the sheer volume of traffic.
After half an hour, the road split into three paths. Most cars veered off, leaving the straight road noticeably emptier.
Mario wasn't surprised, as those diverging roads led to the other eight academies.
As traffic thinned, the car he was in and the others around it picked up speed.
Removing his gaze from the road, he leaned back into the passenger seat and closed his eyes, letting the hum of the engine fade into the background.
Two hours later, the car came to a stop.
"I can only take you this far," the driver said. "Cars aren't allowed inside."
"It's fine, sir." Mario opened his eyes, his usual mask in place, and handed over his golden card to pay.
The middle-aged driver scanned it and returned it promptly.
Mario stepped out and walked several minutes until he reached the gate.
Before him stood a massive dark gate, forged from an unknown metallic alloy. Two guards flanked it—not AI, but humans.
One was bulky, his dense muscles straining beneath a crisp white uniform. The other was leaner, his presence sharp, a sword strapped at his waist.
Mario blinked. His simulated self had attended an academy with gates and guards, yes—but theirs had been AI humans, each equipped with specialized weapons.
'Right. This is the unique skill academy.' He noted the difference immediately. '…I suppose it's only natural for it to be protected by cultivators—or even unique skill holders.'
He dismissed the thought. Holding his long briefcase and paper bag, he entered through the small door at the side, leaving behind the youths who were taking their belongings from their attendants.
Mario walked with the crowd for nearly an hour.
Only then did he truly grasp the scale of Elyndor Academy. It wasn't merely large—it was comparable to a small city.
'Are the academies in other nations like this too…?' he wondered, scanning the endless buildings and pathways. 'They probably are.'
Shaking his head, he paused briefly in front of the circular-roofed building he had seen from the Celestine Hotel balcony, then finally stepped inside.
Inside, countless youths stood calmly, waiting.
Mario followed their line of sight and saw a stage at the far end of the hall.
They waited for half an hour as more youths entered from outside, then a massive floating holographic screen appeared, displaying a figure walking onto the stage.
The man wore an immaculate white and blue formal suit trimmed with gold, a red tie resting neatly at his neck. His posture was tall, straight, and dignified.
Mario recognized him immediately—Aurelian Elyndor.
Aurelian Elyndor's face was exactly as depicted in his biography—youthful, handsome, with clear blue eyes and light-golden hair, as if sculpted by a master artist.
Aurelian stopped at the center of the stage, his clear blue eyes sweeping over the gathered youths.
"How are you all?" he asked with a smile, his lively tone strikingly at odds with his age.
The smile instantly provoked a roar of delight from the young ladies.
"WE'RE FINE!!"
Mario flinched, pressing his hands over his ears as the shrill screams echoed violently around him. '…I want this to be over already.'
Aurelian's smile widened, clearly pleased by the reaction. "I know some of you might have recognized me, while others might not, so allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Aurelian Elyndor, and also your headmaster."
After his introduction, a hush fell over the crowd, finally quieting the shrill young ladies and bringing them back to reality.
Mario lowered his hands from his ears and let out a quiet breath of relief.
"I've heard of that name…"
"So… that's why he seems familiar."
"Tsk. What a pity… I thought he was just some random handsome instructor."
Quiet murmurs rippled through the hall.
Aurelian smiled faintly at the murmurs from the crowd and spoke in a calm voice. "Silence."
It was not a command, yet the countless youths immediately fell silent.
He then spoke for fifteen minutes about pleasantries, formalities, and expectations. Afterward, he paused.
"People are naturally stubborn," Aurelian said, a small smile forming slowly on his lips. "But the more stubborn they are, the more human they become."
With that, Aurelian Elyndor descended from the stage, leaving the young men and women behind, confused.
A heavy silence settled over the hall, the students perplexed by his words.
Meanwhile, Mario, hearing Aurelian's words, seemed to grasp something, recalling the conversations his second simulated self had shared with Kevin near the end of his life.
'Stubborn, huh…' Although he and his simulated self were technically different versions of the same person, they were still fundamentally the same in essence.
The same person, with the same beliefs, the same personality, and the same tendency to let the flow of life carry them along, never once pausing to struggle for themselves.
He sighed and glanced back at Aurelian Elyndor. '…Why would he say that?'
Mario shook his head as another person ascended the stage.
"Although I don't believe anyone would be foolish enough to attend here without possessing a unique skill," the woman said coldly, "please line up to be tested."
She gestured to the side.
The youths stirred, snapping out of their reverie, and formed a straight line. Fortunately, the building was spacious enough to accommodate them all.
Perhaps because Aurelian Elyndor was a renowned sword master, even after lining up, the youths continued to ponder his earlier words.
Time passed...
Eventually, it was Mario's turn.
He stepped into a small, square room. Circular patterns were etched into the floor, surrounded by white pillars arranged in a perfect ring. At the center floated an orb.
"Young man, place your hand on the orb," a voice echoed from somewhere.
Mario deliberately hesitated.
"Don't worry," the voice continued gently, noticing his pause. "It can't identify your unique skill. It can only verify whether you possess one—and whether you…"
The voice trailed off, but Mario already grasped its implication.
'So… Elyndor Academy isn't as peaceful as it appears,' he thought, pausing for a moment before complying.
He stepped to the center of the circle and set his long briefcase on the floor before placing his right hand on the orb.
A cool energy washed over his body.
As the chill spread, his proficiency panel appeared automatically.
[Skill: Fish Butchering — 0 Tier (Advanced) … Basic Cooking — 0 Tier (Beginner)]
[Unique Skill: Simulation (?)]
The unique skill glimmered faintly before the panel closed on its own.
'It seems they lied,' Mario assessed calmly, feeling neither disappointment nor betrayal.
A few minutes passed as the voice fell silent.
"…You may remove your hand."
"Now, we'll ask you a few questions. Is that alright?"
Mario frowned inwardly, then put on his usual mask. "I'm fine with it."
"Name?"
"Mario."
"Where do you come from?"
"Outside the Capital."
"You don't need to honestly tell us your unique skill, but can you describe it?"
'Hmm…?' Mario paused, finding something unusual about the question. '…Is this just a formality? Or…'
Eventually, he decided to probe.
"Yes… although I don't know much about it—other than that it made my skills progress faster compared to others." His voice remained respectful and humble.
Another silence stretched for half a minute.
"…Alright. You may go. Follow the person outside; they'll guide you to your temporary dorm."
Mario slowly walked out of the room, lost in thought.