As Mrs. Tina guided the students in cultivating their bodies, Cain and his friends found themselves engaged in a hushed meeting. Simultaneously, other groups of students were gathered, their conversations buzzing with anticipation.
The sheer magnitude of what they had learned left Cain unable to contain his excitement. "I can't believe what I'm hearing," he exclaimed, his voice brimming with awe.
Tang Ming shared Cain's enthusiasm. "Me neither," he chimed in, unable to hide his excitement. Wright nodded in agreement, and George wore a self-satisfied smile.
Cain's mind raced as he considered the newfound possibilities. "With these powers, I can finally avoid and resist my mother's wrath," he revealed, a shiver coursing through his body as he recalled the torment he had endured. His friends, having experienced his mother's wrath firsthand, shared in his sentiments and trembled at the memory. Even Wright, the most level-headed of the group, couldn't escape the beatings.
"But what stage do you think we need to reach?" Cain diverted the conversation, seeking their input.
"9th stage," George asserted, his eyes brimming with a fierce determination.
The proclamation caught everyone off guard, and they stared at George, their expressions mixed with surprise and concern. "What?" George retorted, taken aback by their reactions.
Wright, ever the voice of reason, interjected, "It won't be easy, you know."
Cain, aware of the challenges that lay ahead, asserted, "Nevertheless, the higher the stage, the stronger we become. We must train our bodies diligently before the awakening."
Their discussion was interrupted as Mrs. Tina called out to Cain. He obediently approached her, anticipation bubbling within him. Seating himself in a lotus position, Cain prepared his body, his nerves gradually calming. Mrs. Tina gently touched him, circulating her Vint energy and instructing him to master the flow around his body.
Under her guidance, Cain diligently practiced until he achieved mastery over the flow of Vint energy within himself. Satisfied with his progress, Mrs. Tina moved on to attend to the other students, leaving Cain to explore his newfound abilities.
As Mrs. Tina taught the remaining students, exhaustion etched across her face, not from the depletion of Vint energy, but from the repetitive explanations she had given. After a couple of hours, different students began emanating distinct body stage auras.
"Hmm, it appears that E-grade and F-grade are the majority," Mrs. Tina remarked with a less optimistic gaze.
"They are not bad. With further training before the awakening, they can improve," Mrs. Tina added, contemplating the potential of her students.
Amidst the deliberation, Wright's body stage aura burst forth. "Ah, not much surprise there, considering his bloodline. A full-blown B-grade," Mrs. Tina stated with a tinge of envy.
Reflecting on her own journey, starting from a D-grade and painstakingly climbing to a B-grade, she understood the challenges of progressing further. Each step up the ladder became twice as demanding.
Finally, Cain and his remaining friends unleashed their body stage auras, becoming the last to do so.
"Cain has achieved a B-grade. With his lineage, I expected nothing less," Mrs. Tina remarked, a shiver running down her spine as she remembered Cain's mother. Suppressing her fear, she addressed the class, "Congratulations on taking your first step toward the peak. Let me tell you this..."
Interrupting her words, Mrs. Tina paused, her expression turning more serious. "There is no weak Daemon, only weak Ewers. Each Daemon possesses its own unique strengths and weaknesses. Harnessing their abilities effectively is what makes
you strong."
"And now, your awakening ceremony will take place on the school grounds in a month's time. Use this month to advance to the next body stage. I wish you the best of luck."
"When you return home, ask your parents to reveal their Daemons to you. Only then will you have a glimpse of what your Daemons might look like, as they are inherited through bloodlines."
"And don't forget to obtain a bit of their Daemon's essence. It will aid in your awakening, as it requires a portion of your willpower to summon them."
"The Daemon essence from your parents can either mutate, advance or strengthen your own Daemon. So try to acquire it before the awakening."
Gazing at the expectant faces of her students, a student raised a hand, inquiring, "Mrs. Tina, why have we never seen our parents' Daemons?" The other students turned their attention to their teacher, eager for an answer.
"Daemons cannot manifest visibly to those who are not yet Ewers. Now that you are all Ewers, you will be able to see them," Mrs. Tina explained, expecting the question.
"Don't feel threatened when you encounter the Daemons outside their bodies. Some prefer to keep them separate," Mrs. Tina reassured, a faint smile gracing her face as she recalled her own experiences.
"Alright, class dismissed," Mrs. Tina declared, clapping her hands to signal the end of the lesson. She returned to her desk, slightly exhausted from the numerous reteaching.
As the class dispersed, some hurriedly left to see their parents' Daemons, while others gathered to discuss their next steps, their smiles reaching from ear to ear as they left the school grounds.
Cain found himself among the latter group. After all, who could resist smiling when realizing their lives had been forever changed? Even Wright, with his usually stoic expression and four eyes, couldn't help but crack a smile, though it did appear somewhat eerie.
"Hey, enough with that creepy smile. You're ruining the moment," Tang Ming said, his voice tinged with fear.
"Oh, sorry," Wright replied, swiftly adjusting his expression, although a lingering smile remained.
"Now, let's get down to business. What's the plan for our next steps?" George asked, shifting his gaze toward Cain, followed by the others.
"First, since we have only one month before the awakening ceremony, we must make the most of it by advancing to the next body stage," Cain began, his words slightly stuttered.
"Grade," Wright corrected, pushing his glasses up his nose.
The group acknowledged Wright's correction, recognizing his intellectual prowess.
"Good. But before anything else, let's return home and discover our parents' Daemons," Cain declared.
"Agreed."
"Understood."
*Nods* echoed the responses as they disbanded, each taking a different route toward home. Unbeknownst to Cain, his entire world was on the verge of transformation—whether for better or worse, only time would tell.