Chapter 117 - 116: Cultivation and Mining

Chapter 117: Chapter 116: Cultivation and Mining

"Excellent. Everyone is here, and no one is late." Seeing that all six new students had arrived, the burly man finally spoke again.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am your enrollment instructor, Sahu.

"Barring any accidents, I’ll be spending quite some time with you all." Sahu chuckled. "Let’s take attendance first so I can match faces to names.

"Luke... Kaplan... Roya... Candice... Gaode... Jelica."

Instructor Sahu called their names one by one. Among them, Luke and Kaplan were Jelica’s nominal older brothers. Gaode had glanced at them from afar when boarding the Airship and remembered their faces, though he hadn’t known their names. Now he finally did. As for Roya’s and Candice’s backgrounds, he was completely clueless.

When the name "Gaode" was called, Jelica turned her head and gave him another deep, meaningful look. Gaode felt a slight twinge of guilt. "Who doesn’t use an alias when traveling away from home?" he convinced himself.

After finishing the roll call, Instructor Sahu continued speaking without pausing.

"You all should know by now that the very first thing all new students must do upon arriving at Cyrus Magic Academy is to complete an enrollment task. Only then can you officially become a student of the academy.

"This is a mandatory task. You cannot refuse it, and you have no other choice.

"And the enrollment task is the same for all new students.

"Using the tools provided by the academy, you must go down into the mines at the bottom of Kuli Cliff, dig up 3,000 kilograms of Water Gold Ore, and hand it over to the Alchemy Department. That will count as completing the task.

"Water Gold Ore is the raw material the Alchemy Department uses to manufacture Trial Puppets.

"As targets used by Academy Mages to test the effects of their magic, Trial Puppets are always in high demand. Hundreds of tons of Water Gold Ore are required every year.

"Mining Water Gold Ore is grueling work, but Trial Puppets are a necessary consumable.

"Therefore, the academy designated mining Water Gold Ore as the enrollment task for new students. It tempers the newcomers while simultaneously meeting the academy’s demand for the ore.

"I know that none of you joining the academy at this time came through the normal examination and enrollment channels. You all came through the back door, meaning you possess extraordinary backgrounds and statuses."

Sahu’s words were so blunt that several people present shifted uncomfortably on their feet. It was far too direct for an instructor!

"But in Cyrus Magic Academy, or at least during this enrollment task, your backgrounds are useless," Instructor Sahu said, baring his teeth in a wide grin. Watching this group of pampered young lords and ladies complain endlessly was one of his greatest pleasures.

"Cyrus Magic Academy is the Holy Land of cultivation that all young mages in the Sean Duchy pursue.

"The phrase ’Holy Land of cultivation’ contains not only ’Holy Land’, but more importantly, ’cultivation’.

"If you don’t endure hardship, how can it be considered cultivation?

"The enrollment task is both a mission and your first lesson at this academy. It is meant to teach you this exact principle!

"Many of you are used to living in luxury at home, having whatever you want, and always taking everything for granted.

"Only after sweating and bleeding for something will you realize that nothing in this world is a given."

Sahu’s voice grew louder, spit flying from his mouth as he spoke. "Even everything you possess right now was bought with the sweat and blood of your ancestors. What you need to do is protect it and make it flourish, not just lie back and leech off it!"

Gaode listened with amusement. At the same time, he felt that Cyrus Magic Academy’s current reputation was definitely well-deserved; there was real substance to it. As far as he was concerned, not a single word of that speech applied to him, allowing him to judge it purely from an observer’s perspective. After all, everything he currently possessed had been earned through his own hard work!

Instructor Sahu continued his speech.

"The mine is at the bottom of Kuli Cliff. What you need to do is enter the mine, dig up Water Gold Ore, and then transport it to the top of the cliff.

"Every day at six o’clock in the evening, personnel from the Alchemy Department will come to weigh and collect the Water Gold Ore you’ve mined for the day.

"The task is simple, but you must follow the rules.

"First, you may not rely on others. Whether it’s mining or transporting the ore, you must do it yourselves.

"If you are caught having someone else help you at any point during this process, all the ore you mined that day will be voided.

"Second, you may not rely on external objects. Magic Scrolls and Alchemy Creations are strictly forbidden. You can only use your own two hands, though you are naturally permitted to use any magic you have mastered yourselves.

"Third, robbing others of their labor is not allowed. If discovered, not only will all your acquired Water Gold Ore for the day be voided, but five hundred kilograms will also be deducted from your total as punishment."

"Finally," Sahu said, his gaze sweeping over the slender, somewhat frail figures of the only two girls among the six newcomers. A gloating smile crept onto his face. "Men and women are treated equally. The amount of Water Gold Ore required to complete the task is 3,000 kilograms for everyone."

"Why is there no preferential treatment?"

Instructor Sahu chuckled darkly, his stubble-covered, scarred face contorting. "Because your enemies won’t go easy on you just because you’re a lady!

"Additionally, there is no time limit for the enrollment task. Whenever you gather 3,000 kilograms of Water Gold Ore is when you complete the task and officially enroll.

"As an extra reminder: although you new students will receive points based on your Mage Level in your first academic year, it won’t be enough to reach the ten required credits.

"Therefore, if you waste too much time on the enrollment task, it will affect your subsequent courses.

"It’s impossible to earn the academy’s course credits without dedicating a certain amount of time and energy."

Hearing these harsh conditions, witnessing the rugged cliff path with their own eyes, and contemplating the headache-inducing mining journey before it even began, the new students winced. Aside from Gaode, the other five—including Jelica—couldn’t help but frown, finding it difficult to accept.

Gaode, however, took it reasonably well. To him, this was essentially the equivalent of the military training for freshmen in his previous life. Although it would undoubtedly be far more grueling, the core purpose was the same: to temper their character and forge their perseverance and spirit of enduring hardship.

Different world, same old tricks.

"Instructor Sahu!" At that moment, Candice, the only other girl among the six new students besides Jelica, suddenly raised her hand.

"What is it?"

"Do we absolutely have to dig up 3,000 kilograms of Water Gold Ore? Is there no room for negotiation?" Candice’s brow furrowed tightly. Out of the six, she was the one who found this enrollment task the most unacceptable.

"It’s not entirely out of the question," Instructor Sahu said mildly.

"What is it?!" Candice immediately beamed with joy. She likely hadn’t realized that any alternative would surely be just as difficult; rather, to someone who had been pampered since childhood, anything sounded easier than mining.

"Do you see the other tool in your woven baskets besides the pickaxe?" Instructor Sahu asked.