As Always

Alvin, Linfel, and Felia returned to their room. There, Linfel told them about the new job he got with the Vaxwel Research Company. "So, during the five-week days, I'll get 1000 Academy Credits to help them test the runes in their projects. Only the weekends I won't get anything since they don't work at that time."

Alvin couldn't help but take a deep and cold breath. "1000! I was looking into the missions that usually Rank A Classes take, and they would give an average of 500 Academy Credits each. Some give more, but those ones are usually taken straight away by Rank A Students. The fact a task worth 500 Academy Credits reached Rank C was already a surprise. And yet, not only did you land this job, you even got to be paid double daily. It was supposed to be a one-day task!"

Linfel smiled in response. "Yes, I'm aware of my luck. But then again, this specific task was open for more than just one student. There were a lot of maguses and familiars that appeared for the test. Five of them were selected, me included. It's just that I was the only one to get this special treatment. The others would only work on the scheduled task for today and their tasks would be finished."

"So... you will get 5000 Academy Credits per week, and that doesn't even count the 100 you get every night at Aelua..." Alvin saw some hope in there. "In that case, we have no need for Field Exams anymore, right?"

Linfel narrowed his ethereal eyes. "Are you being paid 1000 Academy Credits per day?"

"Well... no?" Alvin looked away.

"I already gave you some help last week with Academy Credits. You don't really expect me to now pay for your training, right?" Linfel increased the pressure.

"Of course not!" Alvin continued to avoid Linfel's eyes. "I... I can make Academy Credits with the tasks in the Missions Hall. Today, I did another one and got 200 Academy Credits!"

"That's nowhere near enough for your expenditure, and you know that," Linfel rebuked. "Stop the bullshit, and let's start today's training. At the end of this week, we are going back to the Field Exam. Besides, I need as many Academy Credits as possible."

"Why?" Felia asked on the side. Linfel was already doing a lot.

"Why? Isn't that obvious?" Linfel asked back. "5700 Academy Credits per week; that's what I can do without the Field Exams. Now... how much is a single Low-Grade Red Magic Stone? 500 Academy Credits! 500!!! An entire week would give me enough for only eleven stones! That's way too little!"

Felia got confused. "But the energy inside is too powerful for you, no? You can't even use them."

"For now," Linfel spoke. "What about after I become Level Two? Then the Yellow Magic Energy will not be enough anymore. I should try to accumulate as much as I can. Think about the future, not only the present."

Alvin and Felia nodded. "That's true."

"Okay, let's start." Linfel quickly connected with Felia and Alvin, took a bunch of Yellow Magic Stones Alvin bought, and began to clean the energy until it became Low-Grade Red Magic Energy. 

As he sent the Magic Energy to their Cores, he noticed something. "Oh! Look at that! Both of you are already starting to show signs of transformation in your Cores."

Alvin nodded, feeling happy. "I noticed it too today during the task from the Missions Hall. My Magic Energy is a lot more condensed."

"Same for me," Felia agreed. "It made things a lot easier."

Linfel continued to transfer the energy and commented. "From the looks of it, you won't need the ten years you talked back in your Father's home. In at most two months, you two should reach Level Two. Truly, Red Magic Energy makes a huge difference compared to the Yellow Magic Energy you were using before."

Linfel continued his work for the next three to four hours until Felia and Alvin's cores got saturated. Finally, he decided to leave when Alvin suddenly stopped him. "Wait, Linfel."

Linfel looked back. "Hum?"

"Aelua sent me a message today," Alvin explained. "She said that you are absorbing and integration to your Core an extremely impure Yellow Magic Energy. But because you are independent, you can do whatever you want. She was worried that it would affect your future."

"Oh!" Linfel smiled in response. Aelua might have gone to talk to Alvin on his back, but he could tell she did it out of concern for him. "Well, you should know the truth behind this matter."

Alvin nodded, not feeling worried at all. "Yes. I'm just telling you because she will probably inquire about it. It matters little to you how much a source of Magic Energy is contaminated since you can clean it all. In any case, I told her that I was also helpless and couldn't stop you and whatever. So, you know if she asks about it."

"Good! Thanks!" Linfel nodded and left. As for Alvin, he was once again dead tired and went to sleep as Felia deactivated herself.

Back in Aelua's research building, Linfel looked at the Magic Energy Receptors from the pillars. "Another bountiful night ahead. Such a beautiful sight."

"Wait, Linfel!" Aelua quickly came out. "Did Alvin talk to you?"

Linfel nodded. "Yes, but he wasn't able to change my mind, and believe me, he tried." Well, that was a blatant lie. "I will still take this Magic Energy."

"Sigh..." Aelua felt helpless. "Fine. But, if you feel any disconfort, come look for me straight away. We have equipment in the Academy capable of helping Familiars with Magic Energy intoxication issues. They are expensive to use, but you ar worth it."

Linfel knew about those. Even though the Low-Grade Magic Stones were considered usable, they weren't completely safe. One could see that since Linfel got rid of 90% of their Magic Energy during the cleaning process. Once in a while, familiars and maguses get too many impurities and must clean their cores, which is an arduous and expensive process. 'Not my problem, though. Hahaha!'

And with that cheerful thought, Linfel started to separate the Magic Energy before using the remaining energy for his own integration as always.

This kind of process continued during the week. Work at Vaxwel Facility, help Alvin and Felia, go back to Aelua, pass by the Floating Blades Faction, repeat. And so, the end of the week arrived. Naturally, the next Field Exam was there too.

Alvin and Linfel, along with their classmates, gathered at the Academy field. Just like before, several airships arrived to transport the various classes to the next Field Exam. Once inside, they took off and had to endure an hour of anticipation before the instructor finally spoke about the next exam.

This exam was unlike the one Alvin and Linfel had faced before. "Hello, everyone. Some of you might know me already, but to those who don't, I'm Gordi. The Field Exam this time will take place in the Sky Island on the north side of the country."

"Sky Island?" Linfel's brows furrowed in confusion as he turned to Alvin, seeking an explanation.

Noticing Linfel's confusion, Alvin began to explain. "That is an army facility. It uses anti-gravity Magic Runes to keep itself afloat near the border of Volztain Country. You heard how our country isn't really at peace like most normal people think, right?" Linfel nodded and waited for Alvin to continue. "Well, I asked Brother Pamil about it a little more. He said that Volztain Country would most likely be the first one we would go to war against if things took a turn for worse. It's a sobering thought, isn't it?"

Alvin continued. "That's why we have the Sky Island there. In fact, the official name is the Heffal Magus Sky Defense and Research Facility. It's just that the name was too big, so people ended up just calling it Sky Island. We have Maguses and Familiars stationed there in case there is a need for deployment. They act mainly as the support for the normal army located on the ground."

Linfel nodded. "I understand." Having a defense point in the skies seemed like a good idea, in Linfel's opinion. It gave the Maguses and Familiars a vantage point, and they could easily cover any of the surrounding areas. It goes without saying that the army of normal people operating Magic Weapons was many times bigger than the army of Maguses and Familiars in the sky. Usually, the Sky Island doesn't make moves since most of the normal operations could be carried out by the normal army below. In any case, Any big movements attempted by Volztain Country would be easily found through the vantage point in the sky, too.

Gordi noticed Linfel and Alvin's talk and called them. "You two, silence. Pay attention."

"Sorry, sir." The two quickly apologized.

Gordi nodded and turned his attention back to everyone. "Your objective this time is to take part in the Army Training for a day. Do not think it will be easy. The Sky Island knows of your arrival and has prepared a special menu just for this day. Of course, the training will be tailored according to your level as a Magus or Familiar. You will find out more once we land."

"We should arrive there by 8AM, and we are leaving at 6PM. Anyone not in the landing sight by that time will be left behind. Good luck explaining yourself to the officers in Sky Island about your presence there. Understood?"

"Yes!" Everyone answered together.

Not long after, Linfel was able to see the Army Sky Island in the distance. "Wow! That thing is enormous!" The Sky Island was circular, with a ten-kilometer radius. Several buildings could be seen everywhere, making it difficulty to believe such a huge structure could be kept afloat like that.

In the surroundings, it was possible to see many drones coming and going from the island. There were also a few maguses who seemed to be using some kind of equipment to fly as well. Familiars could already float anyway, so as long as they stayed close to the Maguses, they didn't need equipment to continue flying. Of course, if the Magus used the full speed of the equipment, the Familiar would need to hold on to the Magus, or it would be left behind.

The Island was also covered by a very faint green barrier, and any magus, familiar, or drone that approached it had to pass through some small gaps in that barrier. Linfel could feel the energy of the barrier from his seat in the airship. "Green Magic Energy, the fourth level of Magic. They truly don't mind spending a lot to keep it safe."

Felia shook her head. "From what I heard, it is not that expensive to keep this barrier running. Only a few hundred Green Magic Stones per day. Of course, a few hundred Green Magic Stones would cost a fortune for the likes of us that we can only dream about. But, this is a place kept by the country. For the country as a whole, a few hundred Green Magic Stones isn't that much."

Alvin agreed with her. "Besides, the barrier itself is in a dormant state. It will only truly activate if it detects a real attack coming at it. At that time, the expenditure will skyrocket."

Linfel was impressed. "This is truly amazing." At the same time, he thought about the new runes Wosley was working on in the Vaxwel Facility. If he succeeded, a place like this would be within the ones to take the most advantage of the rune's better efficiency features.

For a few minutes, the airships of the academy stopped in the air. The airships of the academy had to wait in queue to enter the barrier. Several types of scans and sensors were used on each of the airships before they were finally allowed to land.

Everyone came out and moved in an orderly fashion according to the instructor's orders. Finally, each group was received by a Private of the Sky Island. Naturally, so did Linfel's group. "I'm Maxtilius. I'll be in charge of your training today. I'll make one thing clear. In the army, following orders and rules is paramount. If anyone goes out of line, they will be immediately disqualified from the Field Exam and sent back to wait in the airships. Now, then, let's move to the first location."

"Sir, what will we be doing there?" Someone couldn't help but ask.

The private glanced behind and spoke with a faint and cold smile. "Magic Endurance Training... with a twist."