31 Training machine

Now let's go and see miss Orthunia, since I'm technically a cultivator student I'm supposed to register my team with her. But before that let's grab something to eat.

I didn't really care so I bought meat skewers from the nearest stall, and that hit the spot. Since I'm full it's time to finally register that team.

First I went toward the central arena of the Warrior's district, hoping to find at least one professor to extort some info from.

Lucky me Orthunia was actually here.

"Hello beautiful fairy." And I'm not only teasing her here, but she's also really beautiful. She got those large iridescent butterfly wings that surround her petite body, she must be around 60 centimeters tall, and her wingspan is around 1m 50, I think. I'm not that good at guessing sizes though.

She got silver-colored hairs and is as flat as a board even if she has the proportions of a mature and slender woman.

As she turned back with an annoyed glare, she saw me, and it became a furious one.

"What do I owe the pleasure of your visit student?"

Wow I can feel the acid of her voice on my skin.

"Don't worry I'm not here to attend class, I just want to register my team for the upcoming test, old lady."

Did I mention that she had pale skin? forget it anyway, now she's red.

"Out of my sight! NOWWWWWWWW!" She looks a bit mad, well I guess that my future as a cultivator will have to wait till I'm out of this academy: I doubt that she'll teach me anything.

And now off to Richie, I still need to register my team.

I found him in a small training ground near the outer wall. And this one got a strange machinery in the middle it's a wide and short cylinder composed of four rings wo can spin independently. each of the rings got short poles sticking out at random intervals. the whole thing is about 2 meter high and 4 in diameter.

and since there were already four students using it, I got a free demonstration. the four were equally spread around it and the rings were spinning. which means that the students were attacked by the poles sticking out and each time they blocked the recoil would make the ring spin the opposite way, attacking another sudent. I guess that they're enchanted so that there's little to no friction.

Thus, as each student parried the poles the ring attacked the other students using the recoil sometimes students would be engaged in a strength contest with each other with the device as a medium. I think the whole point of the exercise was to move as little as possible, this thought was further confirmed when I saw them standing inside circles slightly larger than their shoulder's width. each student had a different sized one.

I definitely need to try that thing for training, it should do well in training my reflexes, i may have superhuman strength but my reflexes are nowhere near that level, yet.

A quick glance around allowed me to find Richie with a crowd of students that were obviously waiting for their turns. I made my way through the group who made way for me even before i approached, seems that they got nice memories of me and Bog.

"Hey Richie, i need your help."

"You? You of all persons need help?"

"Well, it'll be easier that way so yes."

"What do you need then?"

"Well, I kinda angered Orthunia, so I can't register my team for the event, so can you do it in her stead?"

"Nope, you aren't registered as a defender student so no can do."

"Oh well, I guess that it'll be fine as long as It's you who go to register my team with her."

"I kinda doubt it."

"Don't worry I don't, as a reward I can grant you another duel."

"So, you're trying to pass your fun as my reward?"

"Why of course."

"Just consider that you owe me a favor."

"Kay. My team members are Kutra an offensive magus, Lana a life support magus, Dorion an offensive magus and defender, Lucius a swiftfighter and Gret an all-around magus."

"Should've guessed that you'd get Lucius, you noticed his skills on the first day."

"Well if that's settled can I have a go at training with this?"

"As long as you don't break it that's fine."

"I'll pay for any damage that I cause."

"Fine you're going next."

"Thanks"

As I waited my turn i had plenty of time to observe how they moved and it was indeed impossible to find any kind of patterns in the attacks, it all depended on one's reflexes and speed. the perfect training for me. It took a few minutes before one stepped out of his circle, he looked really tired even more so than the others.

"Now go to that empty spot, and step in the circle whenever you're ready, anyone can steal your spot as long as you're not in the circle."

so that's how he keeps them under pressure? well nothing to do but just rush in then. I didn't even wait for the right timing. I'm here to train, not to win any kind of contest.

I barely blocked a pole coming for my ribs I soon feel a shock in my opposite shoulder, but I held my ground refusing to go out of the circle. It deserves to be noted that it instantly changed its size as soon as I stepped inside becoming a bit larger than my shoulder's width. I shouldn't get sidetracked, there are two coming, one to my head from the left and the other from the right to my legs. i firmly planted my heels in the ground to withstand the impact and lowered my head easily dogging the other.

I carried on like this for several minutes, the three others have been replaced and I'm starting to feel sore. fatigue isn't a problem, but I don't wear any protective gear and the bruises on my forearms and legs keep growing with each hit that I take. I should try to doge from now on.

Switching to doges was indeed the right call, i kept going for a really long time. Just jumping and crouching was way easier than parrying everything, less painful too.

In the end the training machine stopped before me: when the class ended. Well, this afternoon disappeared, at least I managed to get my team registered: I trust Richie.

So next step is back to the dorm, i need to check if Dorion managed to learn a thing or two from Nour, i also need my cuddles. Sooo, i walked back to the dorm. It's strange i feel relaxed and spent, much like after a good workout, the problem being that i didn't do anything like an effort, it was all Bloo. Must be a psychological thingy.

As soon as i opened the door i understood that something was wrong. A heavy black smoke came rushing out of the kitchen and spread into the whole apartment. Did I mess up when sending Dorion to Nour?

I frantically searched every room of the appartement, but I couldn't find Lana anywhere!

Only the kitchen remains then. I dived into the coal-like clouds and inside the kitchen, I bumped into a lot of furniture but I didn't trip on anyone. Do I seem less worried? Because I'm not, what if Lana was caught up in this and got asphyxiated? Well I would just have to find a way to die and join her on her next life but still, it would be a traumatic experience for her and that's no good.

Huh i bumped into something that shouldn't be there. Even i don't really bother with cooking i still visited this room. And i don't remember having seen any rocky furniture in the middle of the kitchen.

So, I knocked.