abcnovels
Chapter 228: Train to the Capital
Chapter 228: Train to the Capital
[4PM]
[The train is arriving, please make sure to enter, anyone not inside by 4:05PM will be left behind and expelled!]
The train pulled into the station, looking extremely luxurious as it was dyed in red and had all sort of graffiti representing the academy on it, it also looked to be controlled by magic as there was no driver.
The doors hissed open, inviting the eager students to board, and everyone on the platform (around 300/400 people) went inside at once.
Stark and Lana made their way inside, the bustling crowd of classifiers following closely behind. The interior of the Rift Conqueror Express was nothing short of luxurious, with plush seating and elegant decor.
And yet… there was no chattering.
The atmosphere was as quiet as death itself, everyone's expressions being grim and desolate of any excitement.
Most people would be excited to enter a powerful academy and make their way to the top.
But… with this one… no one could say they were really excited as they knew their lives would be in danger no matter what they did.
"Let's go," even Lana's cheerful attitude disappeared, as if the train and its aura itself had removed all her happy emotions, "There are many seats, let's relax."
"…" Stark just nodded and he sat on one of the dozens of sofa's that were placed all around, Lana sitting beside him as her luggage was still in the air.
All around, people from the same "groups" sat on their respective sofas.
And just like that, people could already have a good view of who was with whom, teams had already been formed after all.
[4 hours 23 minutes until reaching the capital!]
[Get to know each other, it will be greatly needed, teamwork makes the dream work after all, RIGHT?!]
And with these announcements out of the way…
~VROOM, VROOM~
All they could hear was the sound of the train moving, only able to look out of the windows to check the landscape of the city as it quickly passed.
"…"
"…"
"…"
No one spoke, some were playing with their skills, others with their weapons, a few just sleeping and the rest just analyzing the other classifiers to get a head start.
And so… just like that… four hours passed.
[20 minutes until destination!]
[We have entered the capital, by the way!]
They were still in Fellarburg, the landscape of the different cities passing through them as they observed the different buildings, but now… they were in the capital, the biggest and strongest area of them all.
"Hey?" Lana suddenly spoke, breaking the silence, and the people close to them were so bored, and it was so quiet that they actually turned their heads toward them, hoping for anything interesting.
"Hm?" Stark smiled.
"I've just been wondering…" Lana seemed quite nervous, "You… You've been smiling the whole time…"
"Oh? Really =)?" Stark knew that perfectly well: he had been smiling for the entire ride, and some people even pointed at him for that.
No one liked seeing that devilish smile of his, and dozens of people already noted him in their "be cautious around him" list.
"Don't worry," Stark patted Lana's beautiful blonde hair, "I'm just getting ready for whatever's coming."
Stark during these few hours had been part of the "analyze others" group, observing their auras as well as the things they showcased in case it would help, a vortex in his eyes appearing as he continued his observations even beyond his own car, looking at the people on the other ones using [Focus].
And so… after everything was done…
The train came to a screeching halt, signaling their arrival to their destination.
[We have arrived at the center of the capital, the academy is extremely close to here, please do check it out!]
[2 days until the entrance ceremony!]
As the doors slid open, the students emerged cautiously, taking in the grandeur of the city that lay before them. Skyscrapers towered overhead, casting shadows over the bustling streets filled with classifiers.
They called the capital "Classifier City" since only people from that line came to it, anyone else that attempted to live here would just be asking for death.
The soon-to-be students of the academy left in their own directions, heading toward their hotels or apartments as they had prepared themselves to live here, since the academy doesn't provide dorms or anything of the sort.
"Oh?" many groups of classifiers stopped as they saw the students emerge from the train and platform as it was pretty much in the middle of a busy street, only stopping people from getting crushed by a barrier which opened for the students to pass.
"Hey, it's them…"
"Holy shit, those kids have guts…"
"Most of them are going to die anyway, just move on."
Everyone in this city knew about the reputation of the [Rift Conqueror Academy], and the students knew as well, it was just that they held onto the hope and idea that if they ever as much as just PASSED the first year, then their future would be guaranteed, and they would become the powerhouse of their families.
Impossibly high risk, extremely high reward.
Some of these people didn't even value their lives other than for the sake of completing these two years inside that academy, while others truly just wanted to push themselves to their limits and grow stronger.
Everyone had their own desires, but only the strongest would come out on top.
But… what about Stark.
"=)" what was his desire? What was his goal…?
Well… no one knew, and probably not even Stark himself: he just wanted to see what this academy had to offer, maybe he would pass, maybe he would get stronger, who knows…
In the end…
"Hey," Lana tapped Stark's shoulder as he was dozing off, "Let's check out the academy before anything, we can spend the next two days exploring the capital as we'll be spending the next 2 years here!"
"…" Stark looked at her, and his smiled grew, "That is… if we stay alive, isn't it?"
"…" Lana's looked nervous, avoiding Stark's gaze as a drop of sweat appeared on her forehead, "Sure… but I'm sure we can do it!"
"Optimistic, huh…" Stark nodded, "Anyway, let's check out the academy quickly, I need to go look for a hotel room or apartment if they don't have dorms."
"Oh! You don't have to worry about that either…" Lana smiled for the first time since she boarded the train, "My dad already prepared everything…" she sighed while whispering, just loud enough for Stark to hear.
"…?" He was confused, but quickly moved on as they followed the crowd and began to walk toward the academy.
It only took ten minutes to reach it from their current location, and they were able to see the top of it from far because of how high the building was.
As they approached the towering structure of the Rift Conqueror Academy, Stark's expression remained neutral.
But as for the others…
"Wow…"
"Holy shit, that's insane…"
Their reactions only showed shock and admiration.
This was the [Rift Conqueror Academy], the hell that Stark would need to enter.
The hell all these people oh so wanted to pass through.
The hell where everyone would have to fight friends and foes alike, with the sole hopes of surviving.
This was… the [Rift Conqueror Academy].
And now that they saw it… all they could do was observe its beauty, awaiting the day they would have to enter it since the gates were currently locked, only allowing people to see it from afar.
[2 days until 'Entrance Ceremony'!]