Endless Horde: Through the Eyes of a Godking

Chapter 113: Sword Path Dojo

The Sword Path classes take place at the Combat Specialization Academic Tower.

Coincidentally, this tower was the tallest out of its kind for there were just too many subjects it covered, and all of those could be found here.

Approaching the tower felt intimidating. Cedric felt it the best since his senses were facing obstacles as it made contact with the tower. Cedric thought that he better get used to this since he'd be here for a while.

There were guards at the entrance, but there sure were formations, Cedric sensed those immediately and somewhat understood their general purpose - anybody who makes contact with the formation leaves an imprint, whether they like it or not. This imprint serves as a record that they went in and would be complied by the academy's network.

Cedric also sensed security protocols installed in the formation but he didn't dare to inspect those deeply because that might count as tampering with the academy's properties and that's against the laws.

Speaking of laws and regulations, Cedric discovered that it is fairly loose. For the most part, the Academy won't interfere with the student's personal matters unless they are asked to or if it's needed. The students could do virtually what they want so long as they're not sullying the Academy's reputation too much or destroying its properties.

Additionally, it is emphasized that the only status that matters here is the 'Educators' and 'Students'. The academy does not care about bloodline or lineage. A king outside will only be a student here, that's an age-old rule. Every student must show some form of respect towards the Educators and Staff when they cross paths.

Continuing inside the tower, Cedric felt overwhelmed for a moment. There was just too much to look at but it also felt illegal to pry too much. He suppressed his desire to memorize every nook and cranny of the tower's interior to move on instead.

'I shouldn't be distracted.' Cedric scolded himself inwardly, 'The classroom is on the 50th floor, I should be able to use the Transportation Circle.'

A few students were roaming around and it wasn't that hard to ask for questions. After getting directions, he made use of the transportation circle to arrive at the 50th floor.

When he got there, he was momentarily surprised by the sudden simplicity of his surroundings. He saw himself standing in the middle of a long hallway.

The floors had clean white tiles, the area was brightly lit and it was surprisingly silent. He saw doors on both sides with a plate label above that stated which room led to what subject.

Walking towards the near end of the hallway, he saw his destination. He blinked and felt as if everything was too smooth until now that he was starting to doubt it. He suppressed that feeling and then knocked on the door before opening it.

Let it be known that, because of his senses, hardly anything could surprise Cedric at this point. Still, he was greatly surprised when, as soon as he twisted the doorknob, he suddenly found himself standing in the middle of a grassy plain with an ancient-looking dojo at a distance.

'I...wasn't able to react to it.' Cedric smacked his lips in astonishment, 'Forget about that, actually. I didn't even see it coming.'

It was clear to him that he arrived at a different place entirely. He guessed that this must be a pocket dimension of some sort, and if he was correct, then ain't this freaky?

'Does every door in that hallway lead to a pocket dimension? If so, then the academy's filthy rich!' Cedric exclaimed inwardly.

Cedric calmed his pounding heart before making his way towards the dojo he saw. Just from a simple glance, he could already tell that he was at the right place.

'The sharpness lingering in the air...it couldn't be mistaken. It's filled with the amalgamation of Sword Intent. It doesn't affect me since I've matured my Sword Intent but for those who don't have one or just had it, this very air becomes dangerous because there's a possibility that it will drive them mad.'

Sword Intent is born from the combined skill and willpower manifestation of a dedicated Swordsman. Essentially, it's their fighting spirit in the form of a sword.

Beginners of the Sword Path or freshly minted Sword Intent possessors could easily be influenced by the environment here. But remember, the Sword Intent here was a mixture of Sword Intents from the students of this class. Getting immersed in it could easily drive beginners mad.

As Cedric approached the dojo, the environment turned even sharper. He could feel a slight prickling on his skin but not to the point where it bothered him just yet.

When he arrived at the doors, they parted automatically for him. Cedric blinked before deciding to enter anyway.

That's when he felt several eyes landing on his body. Mildly surprised, he swept his gaze towards the general vicinity of those who probed him. And even though he suppressed his field of senses, he felt the fluctuation carrying a surprised reaction from those that probed him.

Then, someone appeared before him. Cedric wasn't surprised since he had already seen this person coming.

It was a man who was wearing clothes that closely resembled that of the instructors, but only with a few differences. The man welcomed him with a warm smile and said:

"Welcome to the Sword Path Class. I assume that you're our new student, Cedric Stormrider?"

"Yes, that's me," Cedric replied with a slight bow.

"Awesome! My name is Thirdy, a Teaching Assistant. No need for formalities, I'm not an official Instructor anyway, and I also couldn't be considered as your senior. Just call me Thirdy. Come, I'll give you a tour."

Cedric nodded and dutifully followed Thirdy deeper into the dojo.

They walked on a cobblestone path that led to the central field of the dojo. There, he saw several people practicing their sword stances with a clear-cut focus. None of them paid attention to him at all.

"This is the Central Field. It's open for everybody to use as a training ground, but it's mostly used by students who are trying to prove their eligibility to enroll in this class. Simply put, everybody you see here who isn't wearing a badge like this one..." Thirdy then pointed to a Sword Badge on his right chest, "... isn't your 'classmates' per se."

Cedric nodded in understanding, he swept his glance towards those people and felt the varying levels of Sword Intent in their bodies. They're probably here for a suitable environment to train in while also trying to prove themselves.

"Behind the Central Field is the Main Office." Thirdy continued, "There, you will meet Master - the Instructor of this class. We'll get your badge there and for you to get your initial lesson from Master."

Hearing that he would get to meet the instructor of this class somehow made Cedric feel nervous. He had no idea what kind of person the Instructor was, not even their gender was known to him, and it doesn't look like Thirdy wants to reveal anything either.

With the reputation of the Starlight Royal Academy, he couldn't help but have high expectations. After all, an institution of this caliber wouldn't hire a lackluster Instructor, right?

As they moved past the 'hopefuls' on the central field, he couldn't help but feel gazes of negativity landing on his body. He could already tell that they were feeling jealous or envious of him since he already achieved something like this even though he just arrived here.

He could also tell that Thirdy noticed this but he didn't say a thing, and neither did Cedric. He had no plans of paying attention to unimportant people when his attention and focus were needed elsewhere.

Just like at the entrance, the doors of the Main Office opened when they got close to it. But unlike the former, what Cedric felt inside made him pause in his steps.

It's as if he got hit by a tsunami out of nowhere. The sharp and extremely intimidating momentum greeted him as soon as he stepped inside. Cedric started sweating and grimacing.

This momentum also caused him to unconsciously tap into his Sword Intent. However, his Sword Intent was akin to a pearl competing with the moon's brilliance. There's just no comparing it. However, his Sword Intent allowed him to bear the momentum more easily.

"Damn..." Cedric couldn't help but swear under his breath.

Thirdy chuckled on the side and said: "Damn, indeed. But kudos to you, though. You performed better than most of your classmates did in their first time. Come, Master's waiting for you."

They continued walking deeper into the office. Then, Thirdy paused at the door before stepping aside.

"I'll wait for you here. You can enter. Also, don't forget to ask Master for a badge." Thirdy clutched Cedric's shoulders and emphasized: "Remember, ask for a badge. Understood?"

"Yes."

"Alright, you may enter now."

Without any further ado, Cedric entered the Instructor's office. There, he found a fairly simplistic room and at the center, an old man sat cross-legged on a praying mat with his back turned towards him.

"Sit."

The instructor's voice echoed in his mind, and before he knew it, his body already acted upon the order.