24: Recruitment

"Right, give your hand to me!" Fred said. Wade stretched his hand out and a larger palm firmly clasped it.

"Abiding by the ritual of ancient times, I will now guide Wade, onto the path of Sage!"

"Now, recite after me!"

"I swear! I will forever be in pursuit of truth and knowledge!" Fred used the Maish language so Wade understood it completely, and he stimulated the same tone for the ritual.

"I swear! I will forever be in pursuit of truth and Knowledge!" As it was the voice of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old youth, there was still a little immaturity in the voice.

"Without the permission of my mentor, I swear that I will not reveal any of the information my mentor passes on to me..."

Fred continued to recite new rules and Wade obeyed, the two voices very soon eerily twisted into one.

In the spirit of the formation, the blaze suddenly grew brighter and flickered strongly...

"Congratulations on formally becoming Apprentice!"

After the ritual, Fred complimented Wade.

Wade looked down at both of his hands. After the mysterious ritual, it seemed like he saw the world in a different glow, yet at the same time, he couldn't identify the difference.

[An abnormality has been uncovered in the brainwaves of the Host!!!] Abby's voice sounded.

"It seems like there is a change in the Spiritual Force, but I don't have any further data regarding this field, so I can only reinforce it in the future!" Wade said helplessly.

"The meditation technique in the crystal ball has already been given to you, right? Take a look at it when you go back!"

"Tomorrow, come here at seven in the morning! You can leave now, but remember! Don't roam around!" Fred warned.

"I'll do as you bid! Mentor!" Wade bowed, and then walked out of the experimental lab.

After coming out of the lab he tried finding his room with the help of the crystal ball or didn't take long for him to get used to working of the crystal ball and its various functions such as if he needs any information it is not necessary for him to go to the library for it as he can find it in the crystal ball but that is only related to the information which needs a magic crystal.

For free information, the apprentice still has to do his own search in the library or with the help of their mentors. Following the route provided by the crystal ball, he reached his room without any problem.

The key that he had been provided looked more like a card, after swiping it in front of the lock of the room automatically opened.

The room more like the modern hotel rooms as he just had to place the key in the socket near the entrance of the room to light up the lamps in the room.

The room was comparable to the modern five-star hotels as it had one bedroom, one bathroom and a space that was provided so that the apprentices can convert it to their workshop according to the fields they choose and to be filled with equipment of that field.

His bags that he had brought with him were already in his room, after checking his room thoroughly to make sure that it was liveable as he had to stay here for a decade at least.

After unpacking, he put his clothes in the closet, his documents in the locker of the closet, the centrifuge and the distillery equipment in the workshop did he have time to sit down.

"The situation isn't as bad as I had expected!" Wade sat on the bed, and took out the things that were given by the academy.

"A set of apprentice robe. Abby has detected that there are several mysterious spells cast on it, and the defence is even comparable to some of the chain armours used in old ages, great stuff!" Wade efficiently changed into the robes, and pinned the apprentice insignia onto his chest.

This look was exactly the same as the black-robed apprentices he had seen on the way, when he went out, the doors of the dorm beside him opened, and a green-haired apprentice walked out,

"Hello! Are you a new apprentice? I am Sam!"

"Hello! I am Wade, and I have just arrived today!" Wade answered, and he just happened to have some questions,

"Excuse me, how do I get to the dining hall?"

Hearing Wade's voice, Sam's expression appeared as if he had expected it, "Even though it's pretty early for lunch but I am hungry as well so I'm about to go there too. Shall we go together?"

"I couldn't ask for more!" Wade laughed gently and closed his door.

"The dining hall is in building no.2 and everything there is free. Of course, you can fork out money and let them make a dish that you want to eat!" Sam led the way as he explained.

"So you have entered the academy through which means, tournament or connection?"

Sam asked a very surprising question right off the bat.

"Why do you ask?" Wade countered as he wanted to find what difference his entry process would bring.

" Well as you know the Sage world is not a peace-loving world from the death matches that some of the apprentices had to go through to enter the Academy," Sam said while looking towards Wade.

Listing to this Wade nodded, " So the ones who enter the academy through this tournament are more likely to survive in the missions that are provided by the Academy.

By doing these missions we can not only earn magic crystals but also Academy points which are necessary for some of the advanced knowledge in the Academy, so people try to recruit such champions of the deathmatches into their teams for their missions, so I wanted to know." Sam explained.

"So the reason you approached me was to recruit me?" Wade questioned

"Yes and No!" Sam said.