Chapter 1: The Grand Irricester Institute

The peak of Irricester Mountain ranges stands at the centre of the continent. The sun shines through the clear blue sky and illuminates everything around it—the beautiful green fields, lush forests, sparkling lakes, and majestic mountains.

This is a place where nature thrives in its purest form.

The Mountain range provides an unrivaled environment where people can live as they wish without being disturbed by others. As such, many different races have settled here over time.

The inhabitant of the mountain range has not contacted the outside world for centuries. Not because this land was closed off but rather because the civilizations that exist outside the mountain range were overrun by mutated beasts.

These beasts are different from animals, with their intelligence and strength surpassing that of normal animals.

"Virah", meaning "monsters" in the local language, became common slang to describe these creatures. There is no way to tell whether or not some civilization still survived outside the natural fortress created by the Mountains' sheer cliffs and steep slopes.

Without any way to truly describes these monsters or how to fight against them, those who lived within the mountain range had no choice but to seal themselves away from the rest of the world out of fear.

This period came to be known as the Dark Age. Those who chose to remain inside the safety of the mountains slowly lost contact with the outside world until finally became completely isolated.

The inhabitants were able to survive thanks to their unique cultivation techniques and skills passed down among each generation. However, even then, the danger posed by the Virah remained constant.

To protect themselves from attack, they fortified the entire surrounding mountain range into one massive castle-like structure called the Aysel Stronghold, after the Commander who led them to victory during the Dark Ages.

They sealed up every entrance except for two main gates which would open only when needed. It took years before the stronghold could withstand attacks from the Virah, but eventually, the walls grew thick enough, and any monster attempting to breach the gate was met with deadly force.

It seemed like nothing could get past the impregnable defences of the Aysel Stronghold. In the middle of all this, a city began to grow near the heart of the mountain range. Its name was Irricester City.

As time went on, more people moved into the area and started cultivating together under the protection of the stronghold. They developed new methods to improve their lives, using resources gathered from nearby areas.

Soon, a large number of talented individuals emerged throughout the region. These skilled practitioners cultivated hard so that they may become stronger to protect the lands within the Irricester Mountain range.

An institute was established to teach centralized training programs based upon ancient arts used to defend against the monstrous threat lurking beyond the wall.

From that point onwards, the Grand Irricester Institute serves as the hope for the future of humanity.

***

The Grand Irricester Institute

"Hah! I did it!"

A girl jumped high in excitement while waving her hand wildly above her head. She wore a white robe embroidered with flowers and carried a wooden staff made of black wood. Her hair fluttered behind her back as she spun about.

"Yes you did, Lark," said another student next to her whose long brown hair swayed gently along his shoulders. He also held a wooden staff, though he didn't look very excited.

All over the classroom students clapped happily, cheering each other on.

"I can't believe we made it." A girl grinned widely.

"That wasn't really what I meant…"

"Hey, don't give me that face. You know your stance needs work."

More than half the class was celebrating their success, while the remaining group looked less enthusiastic. Their expressions were far too serious.

"Now that we've been admitted into Grand Irricester, we'll be set for life!" One boy exclaimed loudly, trying to pump himself up.

"Yeah right. We're just starting our journey now." Another student shook his head dismissively.

"Don't worry. Once we've activated our Core, everyone will respect us regardless of our background."

"Oh? You think you would be set for life?" A mature yet sarcastic voice echoed across the room.

The crowd gasped and turned towards the source. Standing tall at the front of the class stood a woman dressed in a white robe adorned with gold trimming.

On top of her head sat a single braid tied neatly in three sections. Each section represented the amount of time she spent studying at the school, 30 years.

Her eyes were cold and sharp, glaring directly at the boys standing proudly.

"Well… Yes ma'am." The first boy stumbled nervously, unsure if he should say anything else.

"You need to realize that this isn't a game anymore. Your achievements mean absolutely nothing without talent. Without real skill, you won't last a day in the field, let alone the battlefield." The woman walked forward, staring straight ahead.

"We train warriors here, not braggarts. If you want to stand out, prove yourself worthy of joining the ranks of the elite." The young men gulped quietly, watching the older woman walk closer.

She stopped beside the second boy and stared him down.

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"Your stance is weak, and you lack control over your core. You must focus on improving both aspects, otherwise, you won't make it through the trials."

"Yes ma'am," the boy replied softly, bowing his head slightly.

"And stop calling me 'ma'am'. My name is Shurong, Miss Shurong. Understood?"

"Yes, Miss Shurong."

Shurong smiled warmly, patting the frightened boy lightly on the shoulder. "Good. Now go take care of yourself. No matter how much effort you put into this place, you can never achieve greatness unless you have discipline. Even then, not everyone is equal."

"Yes, miss," the boy nodded quickly and returned to his seat.

Shurong watched him seated before turning around again. "Now then, where were we?"

The whole class snapped to attention, ready to hear her lecture.

"I see some of you have already learned my lessons well, while others still struggle with fundamentals. That's why I'm going to start teaching you the basics today." Shurong continued.

"She's so scary," whispered one of the girls.

"But she's nice," added another. "At least compared to the old teachers."

"Yeah, maybe so, but she scares me too," another girl shuddered.

A few students were discussing softly among themselves.

Shurong noticed the commotion and raised her eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Everyone immediately fell silent, their faces pale and stiff.

"Ummm… Nothing ma'am," they stammered awkwardly.

"I can tell when someone doesn't have something good to say," Shurong growled threateningly.

The class quietened down instantly.

Shurong is terrifying, thought the students, but she knows exactly where to strike to bring them to their knees as she was a beautiful woman, with golden hair that reached down to her waist. She had an oval-shaped face with soft skin and full lips. She was slim and petite, but not skinny.

Instead, she possessed curves that were pleasing to the eye. Her body was covered by an elegant, white flowing dress, which was decorated with delicate patterns.

Her arms were bare, revealing toned muscles underneath. On her feet, she wore white boots that extended up to her calves.

The most noticeable feature was her eyes—a bright red colour that seemed to glow from within. They gave off an intimidating aura that sent chills down the spine of anyone who gazed into them for more than a moment.

She was of noble birth, having come from an ancient clan that served the Emperor of an Ancient Kingdom. This was evident by the way she spoke, her bearing, and her presence itself.

"Everyone's rank can be measured by their core. The higher the quality of the core, the greater the potential for the individual. Unfortunately, not all cores are created equally. Some are better and some are worse," explained Shurong, looking around the classroom.

"Some are even weaker than the average person. And some are even stronger. But those are not the only things you have to consider when choosing your path. For example-"

All of a sudden, Shurong froze mid-sentence. Her entire body transforms in a flash. Her hair and clothing disappeared, and her entire form became that of a dark shadow.

"Wh-who's there!? Who are you!?" screamed one of the students, terrified.

"A monster!" another shouted, pointing a trembling finger out.

Shurong laughed wickedly. "A monster, huh? I wonder, do you really think a monster would dare to appear here in Grand Irricester?" she asked, her voice dripping with scorn.

"No, I—"

"Silence! All of you!" Shurong barked, silencing the class once again. Her voice was like thunder.

The room became deathly silent, save for a small whimper from one of the boys.

"You're all cowards. Cowardice is the enemy of progress. As long as you stay afraid, the monsters will continue to hunt us. You need to learn to fight back against the fear."

Shurong stepped out from the shadows and revealed herself.

"Calm down. I am no monster. I was merely revealing my Virah's ability." She smirked.

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