Chapter 56: Weapon Choice

Training Field A remained mostly silent because everyone was exhausted.

Majority of the students are still recovering from their suffering earlier. Ashton was also included in this, though he's in a much better state since he's used to activities like this.

Mary, Blake and Alice are still looking haggard but since they ate some energy bars, they should be fine for the rest of the class.

Once their fifteen minute break passed, Rycard stood up from his seat and gathered them around. Everybody tensed-up since they were anticipating another round of suffering under him.

"Don't look at me like that. You brats know what you're getting yourselves into by enrolling in this class." Rycard snorted upon seeing their faces.

That caused several students to feel ashamed.

"Everyone who experiences awakening enters this kind of mindset." He stated, "Just because you've awakened some relics and saw the path to glory, you all thought that the rest will be smooth sailing from there."

"Did you honestly think that cultivation is that easy? Kids, there are people who can die just by breakthrough, not to mention seeking out opportunities outside where all manner of danger is present."

"Don't think that just because you became a student of this academy, you're already infallible, that everything will naturally fall into place and according to how you desire it. It doesn't work that way. Wake up to the harsh reality."

"Sure, if you become strong, you'll get access to wealth, fame, and reputation. But don't think that achieving those would be easy. I can tell you right now that at least 70% of the awakened population didn't amount to much in their lives, it isn't because their talent is lacking, it's because they didn't work hard enough."

Ashton listened to this and couldn't help but feel like he's missing some context here.

'His words sounds extremely similar to the light novels I've read in the past. The ones where they say 'I, your grandfather this..' and 'I, your grand daddy that..' could it be that the same rules apply here?'

'Judging from what he said so far, it seems that majority of the students here are aiming to explore the world outside. That's courting death isn't it? Do they even know about the different kinds of soil that's in there? Are people here really that desperate for treasures?'

'I still have many things to learn I guess...' he mused inwardly.

"Learning how to fight is obviously a good thing, especially since most of you here aims to become Licensed Cultivators in the future. But if you're thinking that, that's all you know, then you'd be awfully mistaken."

"If there's one thing the Federation doesn't lack, that would be brutes who could contribute nothing else aside from brawns. In other words, cannon fodders - people who die first the moment shit hits fan."

"I have no qualms if that's what you want for yourself. Quite frankly, I don't care. But right now, none of you are even fit to become a cannon fodder. The worst part is that you brats who hadn't even experienced much, feel like the world is already out to get you, yet you haven's seen shit yet."

'Ooh damn, he's spitting some real fire here.' Ashton exclaimed inwardly.

He wasn't particularly affected by what Rycard said, why? He isn't included in those students who feel entitled to something. He knew where he stood and have the right amount of confidence to back that up.

'Still, I'm getting some vague clues here...' He mused to himself, 'He referred to Licensed Cultivators just now. Does that mean that one has to have a license first before they could go out of Last Bastion?'

'Wait, why does this sound like a public knowledge to begin with? Don't tell me it is, because I don't know it. If it is though, how did I miss it? I could've sworn I gathered as much public knowledge as I could already...'

Although Ashton understands that he still has many things to know about the mystical world of Knights and Mages, he did what he could learn as much as possible before getting here.

He thought that he shouldn't be missing something that's made public. Well, all of this are just speculations for now anyway.

'He also referred to the Federation. I'm assuming here that the Federation rules over cultivators since they seem to be the ones who's deciding where they could and couldn't go.'

'If that's the case, then they hold too much power here. I don't believe that their ranks aren't filled with strong cultivators as well since that's the only way they could bring the population under their rule.'

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'That basically means that, even in this peaceful environment, the strong thrives while the weak are forced to bow their heads. And if there's anything I learned the hard way in my previous world, that'd he the fact that the government will never truly be pure from the inside out.'

'Sufficed to say, I'd be assuming that the Federation is akin to turbulent waters. Man, that's troublesome.' Ashton sighed softly.

"Like I said earlier, I am your Professor but at the same time, I also work as your fitness coach. It should be obvious by now that I am strict and I don't like people who are lazy and complacent."

"The Combat Class isn't required to most of you here yet you enrolled in it. That's practically you telling us that you want to want to know how to fight or defend yourself."

"My class is a pre-requisite for the more sophisticated subject in higher years so if you fail here, those won't be available to you. I for one would judge you according to your performance. If you show me that you're working hard and you're following my orders, you and I won't have problems. If you don't then that's on you, I truly couldn't care less."

"From what I saw based on your performance earlier, I can easily say that majority of you will suffer in this class. Don't think that I will tone down your physical conditioning since I have no plans on doing that. Either you do it or you don't. It's as simple as that."

After saying that, Rycard snapped his fingers and all of a sudden, the environment shifted which shocked all of the students including Ashton.

Behind Rycard, a large wall suddenly appeared.

The wall had several things hanging in them. Most of them are steel weaponry. Beneath the wall are several crates filled with copies of the same weapons that are displayed on the wall.

"If you want to fight, you will need a weapon." Rycard stated, "Fists are good enough but those are your last resort. Most of the times, you will be holding something that could sincerely ruin those who dares to oppose you."

"Today, we will be going through the basics of weapon wielding. All of you, pick a weapon of your choice. Try to for the ones that suited to you the most. When you've chosen, come to me and I will pass down the basic stances and knowledge about your weapon choice."

All students got up and went over to the wall to decide which one to choose. As for Ashton, he stood on his spot thinking to himself:

'I guess fights doesn't always revolve around spells and skills. That makes sense, after all, nobody possess unlimited amounts of Mana. There are times when one would either choose to conserve some or be forced to not rely on them. Which is why knowing how to wield a weapon is must. Yeah, that should be the idea behind it.'

'But...what should I choose? I never worked with weapons before.'

Ashton was already standing in front of the walls, still in deep thought. He could see all kinds of weapon displayed in there. There were all kinds of swords, spears, bows and arrows, there's even the unorthodox weapons like chakrams, scythes and stuff in there.

Looking around him, he saw most of the students making their choices already. He saw Blake going after a shield, Alice going after a sword and Mary picking up a bow and several arrow quivers.

He couldn't make a decision right away so instead of just standing there doing nothing, he went over to the crates and decided to get a feel for each weapon type.

Ashton was somewhat going through instincts here. He's a White Mage first before a combatant so the possibility of him engaging on a one on one fight was low, that's why he never really thought about learning how to wield a weapon.

After trying out everything, Ashton went back to the ones that felt quite alright to him and made a comparison in his mind.

In the end, he made his choice. And it was something that he never thought he would pick, but here we was.

He went up to Rycard and said: "I've decided, Sir."

Rycard looked at the weapon in his hand and nodded: "A staff huh, very well."

The professor then poked his forehead and suddenly, Ashton felt a wave of new information drowning him.

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