Skill Forge: Broken Extra Character

"You\'re looking at it," their guide replied with a hint of pride.

"Are you sure? Because on the way here, I saw a massive building in this vast town. This must be the empire where it\'s located," Asher noted, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"I hate to burst your bubble, young lord, but this entire place is owned by the academy," the guide explained.

"You don\'t have to call us \'lord\' here. Things could get really hectic," Ray interjected, glancing around to ensure no one was eavesdropping.

"As you wish, my prince," the guide said, bowing slightly.

"Damn it, that\'s even worse," Ray sighed, exasperated.

"Shall I proceed with the tour? I\'ve already picked a lodge to accommodate all of you until the entrance ceremony," the guide continued.

"Yes, but why don\'t we wait…" Ray began, only to be cut off.

"Nope, we\'re not waiting for him," Elora interrupted.

"Get out of my head, you witch! How do you even know what I\'m thinking?" Ray exclaimed, both annoyed and surprised.

"It\'s not mind-reading; your simple-minded brain is just too easy to read," Elora replied with a smug smile.

"That\'s not true, right? Guys?" Ray turned to his companions for support, but they were engrossed in discussing the lodging arrangements with the guide. "Traitors," he muttered under his breath.

"If he\'s not here already, he\'s probably a no-show," Freya added. "He never said he was going to attend the academy in the first place."

As the guide finalized the lodging details with the group, he suddenly remembered something important. "Oh, right. We first need to confirm your arrival at the main campus. I hope you all brought your acceptance letters."

"Of course we did," Asher replied confidently. "Who\'d be dumb enough to lose theirs?"

"I can\'t find mine!" Evelina screamed, frantically searching herself.

"I stand corrected." Asher retraced his words while covering his face in disbelief.

"Did you leave it in the carriage? Maybe you were reading it or something," Freya suggested.

"Or maybe it\'s in your storage pouch," Matthew added helpfully.

"No, no, no! It\'s not there. Oh my god, what am I supposed to do now?" Evelina panicked, her eyes wide with worry.

"Check that stupid bunny purse you always carry around, you dummy," Asher said, looking indifferent as if he didn\'t care much.

"Oh, there it is! Hold on," Evelina exclaimed, relief washing over her. Then it hit her. "Who do you think you\'re calling a dummy?"

"More importantly, how did you even know it was there, huh?" Morrigan asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Yeah, the way you said it was like you already knew," Seraphina pointed out, her curiosity piqued.

\'I used my skill [Thieving Sense], but explaining how it works would only put me in a tight spot,\' Asher thought. Before he could say anything, Ray spoke up.

"[Thieving Sense], it\'s a skill exclusive to the rogue class. I used it a lot in WAR BOUND when I played with his specific character. That\'s probably how he knew," Ray smirked at Asher.

\'You moron, you didn\'t even try to clear the air,\' Asher cursed Ray silently, frustration boiling within him.

"So it\'s a skill for perverts to see what\'s in a girl\'s bag?" Elora concluded, cracking her knuckles before throwing a punch at Asher.

Asher dodged with ease, but the punch ended up landing on Ray\'s face. "Ouch! What was that for?" Ray exclaimed, rubbing his cheek.

"Well, that escalated quickly," Matthew said, watching from a safe distance.

"Hey, um, let\'s all go rest. The trip was really exhausting, and you all need to cool off," Cedric interjected, stepping between Ray and Elora to prevent further conflict.

"Yeah, we can do the tour thing tomorrow. I\'m beat," Freya added, stifling a yawn.

"Same here," Finn agreed, stretching his arms.

"Yeah, I\'m tired too," Ray muttered, still glaring at Elora.

"If that\'s what you want, then let\'s be on our way," the guide, who had been silently observing, finally spoke up.

They made their way to a teleportation platform not too far from where they stood.

"I guess we\'ll be able to get home faster if we use this, right?" Finn asked, eyeing the platform curiously.

"Not really. The teleportation platforms here are limited to only Clarendon. The only way to teleport back home would be to venture to one of the closest towns, which are all a day away from here," the guide explained.

"Talk about isolation. They really put in the effort when it comes to independence. Then how do they even trade with other empires?" Asher wondered aloud.

The guide led them onto the teleportation platform. As they all stepped on, they felt a slight hum of energy beneath their feet. The platform glowed with a vibrant blue light, and a tingling sensation enveloped them. In a flash, their surroundings changed.

In an instant, they found themselves standing in the heart of the main campus. The surroundings were not what they had expected. Instead of a grand, imposing structure, they were greeted by a serene, almost mystical landscape.

The buildings were seamlessly integrated into the natural environment, with ivy-covered walls and crystal-clear streams flowing through the grounds. The air was filled with the scent of blooming flowers and the soft chirping of birds.

"Wow, this place is...beautiful," Evelina said, her voice filled with awe.

"Yeah, it\'s like something out of a dream," Freya agreed, her eyes wide with wonder.

"Welcome to the main campus of Clarendon Academy," the guide announced with a smile. "I hope you find it to your liking."

*****

Clarendon Academy, nestled in the heart of Clarendon State, was a prestigious institution known far and wide for its excellence in education and magical prowess.

Though the state wasn\'t large enough to rival the territories of other empires, it commanded respect and admiration across the land. The academy\'s grandeur and reputation made it a beacon of learning and innovation.

Clarendon State prided itself on being an independent land, free from the political entanglements of surrounding empires. Its sole dedication was to the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge.

Scholars, mages, and adventurers from various empires and races flocked to Clarendon Academy, drawn by its inclusive policy. The academy welcomed anyone who met its stringent criteria, though it maintained a strict limit on the number of new admissions each year.

Despite its difference from traditional empire settings, Clarendon Academy had its own hierarchy system to track student rankings, fostering a competitive yet nurturing environment. Additionally, the academy operated its own currency system, ensuring a self-sustained economy within its walls.

*****

As the group passed through the main gate, their acceptance letters began to glow brightly. In an instant, the letters transformed into rings and forcefully attached themselves to each student\'s finger.

"What\'s going on?" they wondered, staring at the glowing rings.

"Don\'t worry, that\'s the confirmation I was talking about," the guide assured them.

"So, we can\'t take it off?" Finn asked, tugging at the ring only to find it wouldn\'t budge.

"When you finally leave, it\'ll come off by itself," the guide explained calmly.

"How do you know so much about the academy?" Freya asked, noticing the guide\'s extensive knowledge about the institution.

"Because I was once a student here and, luckily, I was able to graduate. We should head back now," the guide replied, a nostalgic smile playing on his lips.

"So what was it like here?" Evelina chipped in, her curiosity piqued.

"I\'m not allowed to say much, but I\'ll tell you this: it\'s survival of the fittest the moment you walk through those gates, so be careful." The guide sighed, his tone tinged with regret.

As they passed by a few other students, they began to notice how most of them were staring. The looks they received were unnerving, like daggers poised to strike at any moment.

"Hey, Mr. Guide, why does it feel like they could gobble us up at any moment?" Morrigan asked, feeling uneasy, as if they had just walked into a den of wolves.

"Because of all the empires that send children here to study, Verena is considered the weakest. And I guess word still flies fast in this damn institution," the guide replied with a nervous smile, clearly uncomfortable. \'I sure hope you kids survive,\' he thought silently.

"Weakest? You\'re joking, right?" Elora said, not wanting to believe him.

"That\'s the truth. The only reason we can at least stand a chance against them is because of men like Jerry Grift and your father," the guide explained as they continued walking.

"That brat\'s father? Interesting." Elora blurted out, deep in thought. \'I think I\'ll spar with him one day out of curiosity,\' she mused.

As they walked, a group of students blocked their path.

"Hey, umm, I don\'t know if you noticed, but we really need you to get out of the way," Ray said, trying to sound polite.

"And why should I listen to a brat from a trash empire?" the boy at the center sneered. He seemed to be the leader of the group.

"Because if you don\'t, I might have to write a song about how we beat you so badly that your own mother wouldn\'t recognize you," Aiden said from behind, his tone annoyingly cheerful.

The boy\'s face twisted in anger. "You\'ve got a big mouth for someone so weak," he growled.

"Well, I\'ve always believed in matching my mouth with my strength," Aiden retorted with a smirk.

The tension in the air thickened as the two groups faced off, each waiting to see who would make the first move.

"Who the hell are you? Do you know who this is? You just insulted the third prince of the Goudy Empire, Prince Edmond Von Goud!" one of Edmond\'s lackeys shouted.

\'Oh? You\'re just the third?\' Ray thought, looking at Edmond with a smug smile. "I apologize for any disrespect I may have shown you. I\'ll do well not to repeat it in the future."

Edmond couldn\'t do much at this point since Ray\'s words made it seem like he had fully surrendered. However, the smug look on Ray\'s face during the apology infuriated him even more. The fact that he couldn\'t retaliate made it even worse.

"Tch, let\'s go," Edmond ordered furiously, stomping away.

Ray could sense the resentment in his companions. He gestured for them to calm down to avoid causing a scene.

"What was that about? And why did you apologize? You didn\'t even do anything wrong," Evelina asked, clearly upset.

"As much as I\'d love to drag his face in the mud and utterly humiliate him, I\'m still the prince of an empire. I have to think about the consequences of my actions in times like this," Ray replied.

"So?" Evelina asked, still unconvinced.

"It\'s a classic cliché in most novels: if I take him down, someone stronger will come for me, regardless of whether my reasons were right or wrong. And if I defeat the next person, someone even stronger will take the lead. Plus, they could find a way to start an international incident using it as an excuse," Ray continued.

"That wouldn\'t be good if the thing about our empire being considered the weakest is true," Asher pointed out, before turning to tease Ray. "Plus, it would really suck to get expelled for something as dumb as children\'s banter. I\'m impressed you could think that far ahead; I guess your brain isn\'t completely empty after all."

"You wanna die? Just say so," Ray replied, clenching his fists, rage flashing in his eyes.

"I get it, but do we really need to sit down and take it?" Seraphina said, hopping from side to side, fighting an imaginary foe. "I\'m sure we could take down anyone here who tried to go against us at this point."

"I already feel like blasting him down to the deepest part of hell," Aiden said, his voice dripping with malice.

"Yeah, they really tick me off," Cedric added, his fists tightening.

"We\'re not going to sit down and take it. We\'re going to crush them physically and mentally," Freya said, feeling more motivated by her annoyance.

"Huh?" Marcella muttered, not particularly caring about the altercation.

"Then I guess it\'s settled. I, the princess of Verena Kingdom, order everyone present to crush their competition. No one is allowed to hold back. We\'re going to show them true power," Rosa declared, her voice resolute.

"And they\'ll never have the confidence to provoke us again. They\'ll know to fear us. Let\'s pave the way for all our countrymen at this academy," Matthew added, his eyes burning with determination.

A sudden gust of wind blew through the group, carrying a strange, almost tangible sense of resolve. Ray smirked, feeling the tension in the air shift. "Let\'s make them regret ever looking down on Verena."

With a nod, the group moved forward, their steps echoing determination. The academy grounds hummed with anticipation, promising future challenges.

As they disappeared into the heart of the academy, the guide watched them go, a mixture of worry and hope in his eyes. \'These kids might just change the balance of power around here,\' he thought. \'I sure hope they\'re ready for what\'s coming.\'

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