I, the All-Class Magus, All My Awakening Skills are LvMax

Chapter 98: Chapter98-Choosing the Academy

Suddenly, John had a thought and asked, "Wasn't Captain Victor at the scene as well? Did he not notice anything either?"

Theodore pinched the bridge of his nose, replying, "It's precisely because Victor also didn't notice anything that we're taking this so seriously."

John was momentarily taken aback but quickly grasped the implication.

His expression turned exceedingly grave.

Victor's talent lies in sensing the presence of others, yet someone managed to act under his watch without detection.

Just how terrifying must this individual's strength be?

The thought that this person might have been silently observing his fight with Rean made John's scalp tingle, and cold sweat covered his forehead.

If the enemy had targeted him during the battle, even Victor's presence might not have saved his life.

Unwittingly, he had brushed shoulders with death!

This belated realization of horror left John feeling profoundly unsettled.

He had thought the matter concluded, but it now seemed likely that further troubles could arise.

John couldn't believe such a powerful individual would act without reason.

Theodore and others must also recognize the severity of the situation.

Hence, even Theodore, the Mayor of Stellarburg, personally took to the field to question and investigate.

Without eliminating this unstable element, they likely couldn't even sleep in peace.

But with the enemy hidden and them exposed, Theodore and the others found themselves utterly without means to counter.

Given Stellarburg's current predicament, it simply cannot endure any further turmoil.

Now, their only option is to trace the adversary's footsteps and intentions as best as they can, prepare preventive measures in advance, or pray that the foe has already left Stellarburg without intending to cause more chaos.

Theodore's eyes reveal a hint of exhaustion as he curses in an uncharacteristically weary tone, "These damned troublemakers really can't stay put."

As the mayor of Stellarburg, Theodore bears the responsibility for the well-being of a million citizens.

From the moment he learned of the Dusk Sect's scheme to the present, he has not had a moment's rest.

His nerves have been on edge every day, and even with the resilience of a transcendental-tier awakener, it's starting to wear him down.

John sighs too, understanding the immense pressure Theodore is under.

However, feeling powerless to assist, he can only offer words of consolation, "I hope the mayor takes care of his health. After all, even to conduct a search, one needs to be in good spirits."

Theodore dismisses the concern with a wave of his hand, "I'm fine. Being in this position, I don't have the luxury of rest."

Then, with a sudden chuckle, Theodore adds, "Speaking of surprises, I didn't expect you to be so well-hidden that even our probes failed to detect anything unusual about you. Alexander, upon his return a few days ago, kept saying you'd make an excellent soldier and insisted on taking you to Northwest Citadel.

If it weren't for Baron vehemently stopping him, you might have already been abducted by that military ruffian."

John laughs awkwardly, knowing he couldn't possibly reveal his actual circumstances.

In the end, he could only use the old cripple, Shadowcloud, as a shield.

Surprisingly, John hadn't anticipated the seemingly eccentric old man to be a legendary-tier awakener.

He knew Shadowcloud was strong but hadn't imagined him to be powerful to such an extent.

Hearing that it was Shadowcloud who had taught John the Stealth Spell, Theodore couldn't help but praise John's extraordinary luck.

Stellarburg harbored only one top-tier master, and John had encountered him and even learned a top-tier arcane spell from him.

Theodore had to admit, John's luck was indeed enviable, even causing him some envy.

John felt somewhat embarrassed by the praise.

The way he acquired the "Stealth Spell" was quite interesting, too.

There was a time when Shadowcloud had drunk too much and couldn't pay the bill, so he offered an arcane spell as payment.

At that moment, John had thought he was dealing with a swindler.

Now, it seemed Shadowcloud might have sensed something and deliberately passed the Stealth Spell to him...

After chatting for a while longer, John and Theodore left Scarlett's office and returned to the second floor, only to be stunned by what they saw.

The entire second floor had been cleared out, not even a bartender in sight.

Now, only Seraphina and Scarlett remained there.

To their surprise, the two women appeared to be engaged in a drinking contest!

Numerous bottles of alcohol were arrayed in front of Scarlett and Seraphina.

Red wine, beer, fruit wine, malt beer, and more – a variety of drinks that had all been emptied.

Scarlett was now passed out on the bar, her cheeks flushed and drool trickling from the corner of her mouth, mumbling, "Drink...keep drinking..."

Surprisingly, Seraphina seemed unfazed.

When John and Theodore spotted her, she had just finished off a bottle of vodka in one go.

She merely frowned slightly but showed no other signs of distress.

Seeing this scene, John couldn't help but swallow hard.

He whispered to Theodore, "Has Seraphina always had such an... astonishing capacity for alcohol?"

This was a genuine inquiry from John.

He was very familiar with Scarlett's tolerance for liquor; throughout their acquaintance, he had never seen her drunk.

Yet now Scarlett had been laid low, while Seraphina seemed as sober as ever.

This level of drinking prowess was somewhat terrifying.

Theodore's expression stiffened slightly.

Even he was unaware of his daughter's formidable talent in this area.

With a wry smile, Theodore admitted, "This is the first time I've seen her drink so much. My apologies for this unusual sight."

Saying so, Theodore hurried over to them.

By then, Seraphina had noticed their presence.

Seeing John looking at her, her cheeks flushed, and she quickly set the bottle she was holding on the table.

Observing the mountainous pile of empty bottles, Theodore couldn't help but ask, "What's the reason for drinking so much?"

Seraphina's cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red as she responded, "Miss Scarlett said she wanted to drink some, so I just accompanied her..."

John internally remarked, so you just accompanied her in drinking the bar's entire stock?

Naturally, Theodore couldn't bring himself to scold his daughter.

He apologetically said to John, "My daughter has been thoughtless. I'll have someone send over the payment for the alcohol later. Please convey my apologies to Miss Scarlett once she wakes up."

"Rest assured, I'll pass on the message," John nodded, then turned to Seraphina with a teasing smile, "I never would've guessed you're actually a goddess of wine."

Seraphina had regained her composure by then.

Hearing John's comment, she chose to ignore it as if she hadn't heard it at all.

Seraphina inquired, "I'm preparing to return to the capital soon. The admission letters for the academies should be sent out in the next few days. Have you decided on which academy you'll attend?"

John shook his head, "I haven't made up my mind yet."

He had indeed pondered over which academy to choose, but a decision had not yet been reached.

After all, for ordinary awakeners, the choice of academy could significantly influence their future paths.

Calculating the time, John realized that it had been over half a month since the trial ended, and with another month or so until the start of the academic year, it was indeed time to seriously consider his options.

Theodore, seemingly struck by a thought, suddenly mentioned, "My daughter told me that you were actually the first to pass the Phantom Ruins trial. It's just that at the time, you didn't register your completion, which is why she's now recognized as the first-place finisher."

Individuals who achieve notable results in the trial typically receive invitations from several top academies.

It seemed somewhat incredible to others that John had voluntarily given up the chance to be recognized as the first-place finisher.

John sighed and offered a wry smile, "At that time, Lucas was hunting me all over the place. How could I dare to register my trial completion?"

Theodore felt it was a pity.

He was well aware of the uproar caused by the Black Cloak incident in the city.

It was unexpected, however, that John had relinquished the first-place position in the trial because of it.

Despite this, John had no regrets about offending Lucas and would make the same decision if given another chance.

Theodore pondered for a moment before saying, "Given your talent, the three top academies in the capital will undoubtedly welcome you. If you have a preference for any academy, let me know. I can help you get in touch with some of the instructors there."

John felt tempted by the offer.

The Federation is home to three elite academies recognized as the pinnacle of education: the War Academy, Imperial Capital Academy, and Star Cluster Academy.

The War Academy is the best military institution in the capital.

Students graduating from there are often assigned as officers to major fortresses and cities, promising a future filled with potential.

However, the War Academy has stringent requirements for the backgrounds of its students.

Ordinary citizens wishing to apply must not only possess B-level talent or above but also meet a series of criteria including a clean criminal record, no criminals within three generations of their family, possession of Federal citizenship, excellent academic achievements in higher education, and at least ten years of consecutive social security payments, among others.

Each requirement alone is enough to disqualify countless applicants.

As for John, his citizenship status, which was purchased, does not meet the criteria.

It might pass unnoticed at first glance, but any thorough investigation would spell trouble for him.