Way of the Knights

Chapter 33 - Muscle

---

As Raven returned to the real world, he felt something amiss on his body.

He was still submerged into the waters, yet he could barely feel the viscosity of the waters. He briefly examined his body and soon found out what happened.

He broke through Muscle Training Realm without realizing it.

Just like the name implies, Muscle Training Realm allows one to infuse their muscles with Essence Energy to make it denser, stronger and tougher. The skin had three layers that needs to be strengthened by energies before it even reaches the muscles. Once they successfully allow the energies to travel to their muscles, it will signify that one had already stepped onto Muscle Training Realm.

Those who had reach this stage could now be considered as strong as a bull. Raven could literally go on a rampage for three hours straight before feeling exhaustion. Of course, there's also variables to that. Another special thing that people who reached this stage had, was the ability to store up Essence Energy on their muscles. Well, Raven and his crew did something more awesome than this but since the muscles had more mass than the skin, it will be more suitable to store energies there. This also gave them this ability to use 'Battle Arts'.

As the name implies, 'Battle Arts' referred to the techniques one could use to deal lethal damage to their enemies. Casting a Battle Art required Essence Energies as fuel, the more practised one is with their battle arts, the more control and the better the execution they have to their techniques.

Aside from Battle Arts, there's also 'Movement Arts' and 'Auxiliary Arts' existed, allowing more space for a cultivator's repetoire.

Raven focused and consolidated his break through. After which, he then rose up from the waters and returned to his room to wait for his crew.

***

"Hot damn! That was quite the experience!" Paul exclaimed as they entered the room. Mark, and the girls agreed to his words right away, in fact they could still feel the warm embrace of those waters even though they already emerged from it.

"Not only that, but our Essence Energies got purified as well! How miraculous." Anne commented as well.

Once they stepped inside the room, they suddenly felt an ominous presence that made their hair stood on ends. The boys immediately came forward and summoned their weapons, the girls were a slower by a heartbeat compared to them, nevertheless it was very commendable that they managed to be this alert right away.

When their vision adjusted, they saw the situation inside the room and became a little dumbfounded. The reason being that they only saw Raven sitting down cross-legged with his back facing them and nothing else. Sensing their presence, Raven turned his head and saw them with their weapons out.

"Oh hey! Welcome back." He said with a plain tone.

"Welcome back my ass!" Paul, Mark and Luna said unison. Seriously, who could blame them for acting this way. Anyone who entered a room and was faced by that kind of aura will be frightened, it was already admirable that they didn't faint on the spot and managed to take out their weapons so that they could defend themselves.

"Can you stop scaring us? What's up with that ominous aura?" Paul exasperatingly asked.

"Hahaha, my bad. Gotta give it to you guys for being alert though." Raven chuckled as he turned around to face them. The crew stashed their weapons away and sat with him. Mark, who had been staring at Raven for quite sometime now, suddenly had an epiphany.

"You broke through?"

Raven nodded, causing the rest to gasp in surprise. If it weren't for Mark pointing this out, they would've completely missed it completely.

"What's going on then? Isn't a breakthrough a celebratory news? Then why are you gloomy?" Ellen asked.

"Oh that? Don't mind it. I was just having some battle simulations in my head. I got a little too immersed." Raven laughed and waved his hand while explaining.

The rest ruefully smiled at his claim. During this short time that they spent with him, they basically developed some sort of immunity to his actions. For some reason, they understood that so long as he's here, then they will constantly experience all sorts of weird stuff. They don't even know what to expect and how to react to some of them anymore.

"So? How do you guys feel?" Raven asked with a smirk.

"Never been better." Luna answered while smiling, "I never expected that something so miraculous exists here. And to think that it became unknown to many people."

"Don't over think." Raven said. "While it might be a shame that not many people knew about this, it won't take long before they do. Because of our knowledge, we have to be even more careful from our movements, we don't want our enemies to be aware of us before we could truly grow, we can't deal with them yet." Everyone nodded solemnly to his words.

"On another note." Paul interrupted, "Do you guys know where are we going next?"

Everyone shrugged aside from Luna. "Grandpa Lee told me that we are going to the Beast Domestication Center."

As she informed them, everyone's eyes shine in anticipation.

Just like the name suggests, this place is where the kingdom raises beasts for their own uses. Because of the sheer size of beasts hordes, some people had an idea to capture and raise their own beasts as companions in battle.

This opinion raised many reactions from the crowd. For one, some thought that this was a good idea, fighting fire with fire, which means that the citizens could also use beasts to fight their own. On the other hand, some people thought that this shouldn't be allowed, since most of the raised beasts could potentially turn over and rampage, bringing destruction to the kingdom from the inside. It's also the Black Curtain Guild's specialty to use beasts as a form of attacking so many people thought that they guild's forces were the one's who built this place.

But so far, nothing proved that the existence of such faculty was dangerous, thus it was allowed to exist.

'Beast Domestication Center huh, if I'm not wrong then...' Raven's eyes revealed a scheming light, no one managed to notice this which made him grateful. There's just some things that should stay hidden even amongst the people he trusted the most.

***

The crew stayed up a bit late before falling asleep. Upon waking up the morning after, they all had a simple breakfast and proceed to their carriage.

Their destination this time is towards the eastern side of the Inner Division.

Upon arriving there, everyone got to see just how bolstered the defences are in the Beast Domestication Center.

The place followed a dome-like shape. It's walls are made out of string steel and even the guards are wearing heavy armor as they patrolled. The metal gates were huge and everyone who entered inside the center were heavily inspected.

"Welcome everyone! Thanks for paying us a visit. I am the Beast Domesticating Center's current Chief Director, Maddock Brave. I'll be personally guiding you to our facility to ensure that you will have the most accurate information and safety throughout your stay."

As they entered, they were greeted by a person who was wearing a lab coat. He was wearing a monocle, had spiky black hair and a messy beard. Raven smiled as he looked at this person.

'Some call you a madman while some call you a genius. Either way, it is very good to see you wild and lively again Professor Brave.'

A hint of melancholy surfaced in Raven's heart. Maddock Brave was one of the people that he had admired the most during his previous life. He wasn't strong in cultivation standards, but his cleverness always give him an edge towards the people who were trying to use him. He also tamed many beasts that would do anything to his beck and call so many people won't try to get on his bad side.

"It is an absolute honor to meet you Chief Director Maddock." Old Lee greeted, "You didn't have to personally do this though, we must be consuming a lot of your time."

"Oh please." Maddock waved his hand and continued: "It's nothing, to be honest I was actually looking forward to this day. I was the one who escorted the previous batch of students that came in, it would be terribly unfair if I don't do so in your class wouldn't it?"

"Well, we'll be in your care then Chief." Old Lee smiled and nodded.

Maddock laughed and beckoned to followed him. The students entered the gate, aside from the Director personally escorting them, Old Lee and the guards that were hired by the institute, there's also some guards who were trailing behind them closely. These guards are the ones who worked and thus very familiar in this place.. It seems that the director really cared for the safety of thd students and won't allow any mistakes to happen.