Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After being provided with the opportunity to eat breakfast, all of the students within the department were gathered outside the entrance to the Spiritual Tomb: Albion. Most of them had explored the Mining City, Magi's Fair, in the past so they weren't particularly interested in the hustle and bustle surrounding them. Rather, as students of the Department of Unified Thaumaturgical Theory, they were the center of attention, much like rare and exotic beasts that everyone was interested in but too afraid to approach.Everyone had already been assigned their groups at this point so, with Companions included, there ten groups with six individuals, one group with eight, and one group with twelve. The largest group was only so due to the fact that Astrid had brought along her small entourage of Companions as she specialized almost exclusively in support and healing Magecraft. Her seven Companions had grown quite attached to her so, while it was possible for her to leave some behind, they would be restless if she was in danger while they were just idling about in their room.Teams were distributed in a way that allowed power to be spread across each team so, as the most powerful student in the class, Mordred ended up paired together with the three weakest students. This gave her the largest team, sans Companions, but, due to the massive gap in strength, it wasn't an exaggeration to say her team members were anchors. She would have to protect them and make sound judgment calls to keep them out of trouble as, while it was easy to complete the simple tasks and just leave, her pride didn't really allow such things.As could be expected, the three weakest members of the class were all former members of the Clock Tower's Department of General Studies. They consisted of a single male student, David, and two of the more shy and demure female members of the class, Alissandra, and Berenice. Despite the girls' shy nature, however, the boy seemed a lot more nervous than everyone else as, while it was lucky of him to be paired with Mordred, his instinct as a Magus warned him of the coming danger.Mordred knew what must be going through all three of her teammate's minds but she kept her calm and confident smile as she explained, "We'll focus on the D-Rank Objective before moving our way up the list. This will be an opportunity for you to grow so I'll leave the easier objectives to the six of you to complete. If there is any danger, Neko and I will step in to protect you. Once we encounter an enemy beyond your capabilities, I'll deal with it personally. Any questions?"Of the three, Berenice, a girl with light brown hair and grey-blue eyes sheepishly raised her hand and asked, "If we are unable to complete the objectives before the closing of the gate...will we stay inside overnight...?"Hearing the question, Mordred gave a somewhat sly smile before shaking her head and saying, "Not this time. My intuition tells me that we're also being graded on how quickly we complete our given tasks so we'll return to the surface before the gate closes. Don't worry, though, even if we do end up getting stuck inside, I have plenty of supplies to last for upwards of a month."The trio was able to relax a bit when they heard the first part of Mordred's statement but, hearing the second half, they couldn't help but feel she had triggered some event. Berenice and Alissandra gave each other knowing looks while David, despite earning a few laughs from students in the surrounding area, hugged his sheep-like Companion a little tighter. It, in turn, gave him a gentle pat on the arm so he was able to calm down a little bit while internally remarking, ("After today, I'll work harder to become stronger...").David was one of the trio of male students that believed themselves to be ostracized by the rest of the class so he had a lot to reflect upon after learning the value of points. As it was possible to earn bonus points by showing up to non-mandatory training sessions, he suddenly felt that idling about in his room had been a mistake. His Rank was actually the lowest in the entire class so, in the past, Mordred had even offered to help him out after their usual lessons.Believing that Mordred had just wanted to hang out but, David had ignorantly believed his fortune had turned around but, after an hour of hellish training, he was certain she was just bullying him. It was due to this initial incident that he sought the other male students to complain to and, as they had all experienced 'hardships' of their own, it had been easy for them to become friends. It was only now, after a month of classes, that David began to realize that they were quickly being left behind by the rest of the class.This expedition was an opportunity for those with few points to earn a considerable amount due to the fact that they were all assigned to groups with a powerful leader. As for people like David, this was a wake-up call that reminded him that the Empire wasn't looking for people that only did the bare minimum. The rewards of the shop were beyond anything he could have imagined in the past so, in order to secure his future, he needed to obtain a few precious resources to strengthen himself as both a Magus and a Magic Knight...David's sentiments weren't uniquely his own as, after seeing the items listed on the monitor, even the students of the Atlas Temple seemed motivated. They had noticed some items that were almost impossible to obtain in the modern world so, if it was true that they could be purchased, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that the Empire's capabilities already exceeded their Temple and it's near-three-thousand years of history.---At precisely 10:00 AM, it was finally time for the Baseline Expedition to begin so, after another short reminder to stay safe, Da Vinci released the teams into the Spirit Tomb. Each group passed through a large transparent blue portal that, at a glance, looked like a perfectly circular pond. However, while it was active, the portal connected to a large spiraling staircase that led into the Spirit Tomb's highest layer, the Great Magic Circuit known as the Vein Corridor: Od Vena. Here, the mana saturation was a startling 11%, making it more than five times more potent than the mana found on the Surface.All of the students felt the increase in mana but, back in her own group, Sakura turned her eyes toward the rainbow-like aurora winding down the long spiraling path. It was quite beautiful and, though they were supposed to be descending into the earth, the surroundings actually opened up wider as they descended while, outside of the few gaps that were present, an endless void seemed to stretch out into eternity. This was due to the fact that, after passing through the Gate, you would enter into a unique Bounded Field, a sub-dimension created by the True Dragon's will...Upon reaching a landing, each of the groups began to split off in random directions, some choosing to stay together for mutual protection. As for Sakura, she had been designated as the leader of her group so, after glancing at her classmates, two girls named Irene and Kana, she turned to Momo and said, "Momo, please lead us to the area where we can find Crystal Mandrake."Irene and Kana were momentarily confused by Sakura's decision to task Momo with leading the way but, before they could ask, she explained, "Our Companions aren't just adorable. They are extremely intelligent and have access to a larger network of information. That diagram Professor Alpha put on display should be stored within their shared network. So long as the location of an item is known, it should be possible for our Companions to lead us there."Hearing Sakura's explanation, the two girls looked at their own Companions, a dog and fox variation, with glittering eyes. In response, their Companions adopted somewhat silly smiles on their faces that caused the girls' hearts to do backflips as they picked up the adorable creatures to snuggle. Sakura saw this and offered a smile of her own but, rather than idle for too long, she gestured to the duo and said, "Come, we should hurry. If the area is looted by other people, we'll have to wait until the materials respawn or risk having to venture deeper to obtain them."With Sakura's reminder, the girls became more serious as complacency really was the number one cause of death within the Spirit Tomb. They also recognized this as an opportunity to make a good impression on Sakura as, for the first time since they had started attending class, this was the only instance they had seen the Imperial Quintet split up. The only one that seemed to move about on her own was Mordred so this was a rare chance to become friends with someone they believed to be an Imperial Princess...---As the Spirit Tomb was the body of a legendary True Dragon, many parts of it were still full of vitality, despite more than two thousand years having passed since its death. Though most of the 'walls' had solidified into an extremely hard substance, there were areas where fleshy bits could be found. These places served as monster nurseries and, if not purged periodically, a horrifying phenomenon known as a stampede could occur.Fortunately, this was an extremely rare occurrence and, with the increased flow of traffic into and out of the Spirit Tomb, the density of monsters in the upper chambers had reduced significantly. Because of this, Sakura's party had an easy time reaching the location where Crystal Mandrake could usually be found. The downside, however, was that the alchemical material had already been looted so they would have to wait upwards of four hours for another one to be produced.Sakura didn't particularly care about things like points but, considering how important such things were to her classmates, she wanted to support them. With this in mind, she spread her mana out like thin threads and, upon detecting a foreign mana signature, she turned to allies and said, "We'll try and hunt some monsters by wandering the surrounding chambers. We can earn some extra points by killing weaker enemies and periodically check back to see if the mandrake has respawned. Is that okay with the four of you...?"Points were heavily sought after right now so, upon hearing Sakura's words, Irene and Kana were more than willing to go hunting. This wasn't their first time in the Spirit Tomb so the only monsters were things like Giant Rats, Slimes, and other magical creatures. You would have to venture to the upper floors of the 'Ancient Heart', the middle region of the Spirit Tomb, before you started coming across truly dangerous enemies.With her team's consent, Sakura had the two girls take the lead so that she could protect their real and view the entire situation. Since point allocation depended on contribution, the girls would have to kill their own monsters if they wanted the most benefits. Sakura understood this and, knowing it was a lot easier for her to obtain resources compared to other students, she didn't mind letting them benefit.In this manner, Kana and Irene, using single burst [Sagitta Magicka], began to clear out every single monster they encountered. This spell was quickly becoming even more popular than [Gandr] as the flexibility it provided was something only advanced users of [Gandr] would be able to pull off. The students of the True Mage course had been surprised that such a simple and versatile spell existed but, as this was only scratching the surface of the mountain of revelations they had received from their brilliant Professor, it had already become 'normal' for them...Sakura was happy to see her fellow classmates having fun but, as she had trained under both Artoria and Galahad, she never once dropped her guard. She continued to send out threads of mana, one of the unique ways in which she could make use of her overwhelming Od. Using these, she could easily probe ahead to find dangerous monsters and, in some situations, other students. This allowed her to guide the group towards safer pathways but, despite changing course several times, she was also aware of the group of people that had been following them shortly after they split off from the rest of the groups...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'RIP David','Everyone is point hungry~','What is it that people say about those that go seeking trouble...?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

When Mash claimed to be unaware of the class's expedition, she had been telling the truth. Still, this didn't mean she and the other girls were unaware of the dangers they would subject to while attending school at the Clock Tower. They had all received special training and, in many ways, it was this reason that led to girls like Astrid and Zoë being even more cautious than they otherwise would have been.Sakura understood that her status as an Imperial Princess would quickly be discovered by their enemies so she and Mordred had received the strictest and most comprehensive explanation of what to expect and how to determine whether or not they were in danger. There would be no end to the number of people that would want to exploit them for benefits so they needed to be aware of any potential dangers at all times.Currently, though they were unaware of it, Sakura was directing her group toward the area where Astrid's party was located. They had developed a system of silent communication alongside their Companions so all five groups were aware of what was happening. This allowed them to quickly congregate toward each other as the Companions each had a detailed map depicting the layout of every chamber and passage that had been dutifully mapped by Da Vinci's micro-golems over the last month.While the preceding month was to allow the students a chance to familiarize themselves with each other, the primary reason behind the delayed Baseline training was due to the fact that Da Vinci was still collecting information. She understood Vahn's nature well so, even without him telling her to do so, she had been secretly investigating the interior of the Clock Tower and using her flea-sized micro-golems to piggyback onto students venturing into the Spirit Tomb. Once they were inside, they could use the raw materials and magical energy to reproduce so, by the time a month had passed, her golems had mapped most of the Vein Corridor and Great Heart regions of the dungeon-like structure.It was only once a comprehensive network was established, allowing the Companions to easily communicate with each other, that the children were finally allowed access to the interior. After all, there were bound to be a few people seeking trouble and, with 'accidents' happening inside the Spirit Tomb on a near-daily basis, it was easy to cover things up. This meant the students of the Department of Unified Thaumaturgical Theory were in the greatest amount of danger while inside the Spirit Tomb, at least from the perspective of their enemies...By the time a few minutes had passed, most of the teams, many following the direction of their Companions, were actually very close to each other. This was entirely unknown to the group that had been pursuing Sakura so, once the latter had her group stop to take a rest, a young man with stylish clothing and three other students, two males and a female, entered into the chamber.Acting as if he was surprised to encounter the trio, the man raised his brows before smiling as he said, "To think we would have the pleasure of encountering one of the famous groups belonging to the Empire! I believe your name is Miss Sakura, is it not...?"In a casual and disarming fashion, the boy attempted to walk over toward Sakura, Irene, and Kana as the trio behind him fanned out slightly. This seemed to be a natural movement at a glance but, if you were observing them closely and interpreting the meaning behind their actions, it was easy to understand that they were trying to cover the exits.Before the boy could get any closer, Sakura manifested a sword out of thin air, giving the youth pause as she stated in a plain tone, "State your name and purpose. If you've come here seeking trouble, prepare yourself...!"Sakura wasn't the most talkative girl but, when it came to a situation like this, she wasn't going to even try to put on an act. She had learned about how monstrous some of the Magi belonging to the Association were so the boy would need a very good excuse if he wanted to avoid a very long stay in the hospital.Though he put on a mask of shock, complete with an awkward smile, it was obvious that the boy was actually more afraid than he let on. Still, he did his best to keep up the act as he stated in the same disarming manner as before, "Whoa, whoa, there is no need for such hostility! I'll admit that we were following your group but it was primarily due to our curiosity. The students belonging to the Empire's class are a popular topic within the Clock Tower so I just wanted to come and see for myself what kind of people were accepted into the class...!"Despite the boy attempting to deescalate the situation, Sakura noted that he didn't state his name. At the same time, Momo's fur was sticking up a bit and, though it wasn't very intimidating, they were barring their fangs towards the boy performing a gesture of surrender. This was all she needed to understand that the boy was lying as, in order to better protect their partners, even the earlier generation Companions were able to read a person's biometric data to determine if their partners were ill or if their enemies were lying.Without any hesitation, Sakura activated her [Cantus Bellax], forming a shroud of vibrant violet mana around her body. This was enough to get the boy to take a few steps back and, realizing his ploy wasn't having any effect, his demeanor quickly changed as he grimaced and stated, "You do not stand a chance against me. Unless you want this play to be your burial ground, you'll listen to my offer and behave. Don't make me have to hurt that pretty face of yours, little miss Princess...!"Though Sakura was much stronger than even adult Magi, her inexperience put her at the slightest of disadvantages in this situation. She didn't actually want to hurt anyone so she had waited until the boy finished speaking before moving. This allowed his allies to activate some kind of magic circle that quickly spread through the room but, with her speed, their attempt at trying to trap the group was ultimately futile.The boy hadn't even considered for a moment that he wasn't a match for the young brunette so, a testament to his own lack of experience, he was unable to react by the time a hot sensation could be felt from his left leg. He then heard the sound of a barrier shattering before a crashing sound, followed by the croaking of a person gurgling on their blood, reached his ears. This caused him to instinctually turn around to investigate but, the moment he placed weight on his left leg, he tumbled to the ground hard and fast.It was only after he ate a face full of dirt and grime that the boy realized his leg from the knee down had been severed. This caused a rush of adrenaline to course through his body but, by the time a blood-curdling shout of pain escaped his lips, a hard impact scattered his thoughts as his body was sent skidding across the ground. He then felt a weight on his chest and, after emitting a painful cough, he couldn't help but shout, "What the fuck is going on...!?"As if to answer the boy's question, Sakura placed the tip of her sword which, if you looked closer, had neither a blade or a sharp point. It was purely a catalyst for her magic in the shape of a sword so, if not for her skill, strength, and speed, cutting with the dull edge would be nearly impossible. All of this escaped the boy's notice, however, as the loss of a leg made him believe the blade had one of the sharpest edges in the world...Though only a few seconds had passed, there were now four students on the ground with varying levels of injuries. Sakura herself was struggling to prevent her body from shaking but, with more than two years of training, she wasn't completely unaccustomed to blood and gore. This gave her the wherewithal to stay focused on the task at hand so, once again, she stated, "You will tell me your name and the purpose behind your actions. Do not make me cut off your other leg..."Sakura felt nauseous threatening another person in such a manner but she managed to hold the contents of her stomach as the rounded point of her sword touched the boy's collarbone. This seemed to return his senses to him and, realizing he had walked headfirst into a hard wall, he lowered his head in a subservient manner with both arms raised as he stammered, "Please, do not kill me! I was only sent to gather information...!"Even with a leg missing, the boy still kept his identity a secret and, based on Momo's reaction, Sakura knew he was still lying to her. She remained completely silent, watching for even a slight reaction from his body as her [Instinct] told her he was up to something. Then, not fully aware of the foolishness of her actions, Irene muttered, "S-Sakura...is-isn't this going too far...?"At nearly the exact same moment that Irene finished her question, the boy groveling on the floor attempted to tackle Sakura's legs but, never taking her eyes off him, the latter was able to easily evade the desperate action. This didn't seem to deter him, however, as he pulled out a crystalline orb that radiated a pristine white light and shouted, "Fuck you and your shitty Empire...!"Extending his arm back in an obvious wind-up motion, the boy glared back at Sakura with hate-filled eyes tinged with tears and the light of desperation. This quickly morphed into a look of despair, however, when Sakura's body flickered out of existence before another hot pain wracked his body, this time emanating from the stump that now replaced his right arm. At the same time, the crystalline orb he was about to throw was contained with a black cube that Sakura had pulled out of thin air, sealing the unknown object safely inside.After falling to the ground a second time, the boy held the stump of his arm, screaming madly as a chain of heinous curses escaped his lips. He not only tried cursing Sakura but her entire family and the Empire as a whole. This caused the shaking of her body to gradually decrease and, by the time the boy had tired himself out due to screaming and blood loss, a deep chill had begun to spread through her body.Despite her relatively mature and kindly disposition, Sakura's primary affinities were Darkness, Ice, Water, and Space. This made it a lot easier for her to develop negative emotions so, hearing all of the terrible things the boy wished upon her family, the patient and kind smile she usually showed had faded completely. Even her serious and focused battle expression was nowhere to be seen and, though it wasn't visible to the naked eye, a terrifying violet light was glowing at the center of her teal-colored eyes...Fortunately, before Sakura could do something she regretted, Momo came over to her side and began to gently pat her thigh. This brought Sakura back to her senses and, realizing the boy was on the verge of death due to blood loss, she forced a potion into his mouth. These were made by Paracelsus based on his research of various items given to him by Vahn. Though not nearly as potent as the originals, they were capable of even recovering lost limbs. The downside was that they used up a considerable amount of the person's energy so you would feel extreme fatigue after consuming a single dose.Once she had treated all four people, Sakura turned to the pale Irene and Kana, saying, "They did not come after us with good intentions. Help me tie them up. It shouldn't take long for Professor Alpha to send someone down to retrieve them..."Though they were still a little shaken by witnessing how fierce Sakura could be when action was called for, neither Irene or Kana hesitated to help tie up the bodies. They had grown up within the Magus community so they were well aware of the plots and schemes perpetrated by people who thought highly of themselves while looking down on others. If they had been the weaker party, it was all but guaranteed that they wouldn't have had a pleasant experience. Thus, while Sakura had now become a rather scary person to them, they were still grateful to have her on their side...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Imagine thinking you can scheme against Vahn and Da Vinci xD...','Do not piss off the silent and quiet types...','You were not prepared...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Exactly one month had passed since the start of class and, unlike most days, both the True Mage and Magic Knight classes were brought together early in the morning. They hadn't been given any prior notice to the peculiar class so many students were beginning to feel tense. If not for the ever relaxed Mordred and the rest of the girls forming the Imperial Quintet, tensions would have increased even more.Feeling emboldened, a girl named Yvette decided to try and ease her nerves by sheepishly asking Mash, "Excuse me, Miss Kyrielight...do you know why we were all told to come here so early...?"Hearing the girl ask her question, most of the students in the class became more attentive as Mash, with her usual smile, politely stated, "I'm afraid the particulars have not been explained to any of us. We may hail from the Empire but we're not privileged to know about events in advance. I'm just as nervous as everyone else, even if it may not seem like it on the surface..."Yvette gave an awkward smile in response to Mash's words as, looking at the calm and collected girl, it was difficult to believe she was even remotely nervous. This wasn't something that could be said out loud, however, so Yvette just combed her fingers through the fringe of her hair, saying, "Well, I just hope nothing bad happened...I've been enjoying the classes a lot..."Mash found Yvette's words somewhat peculiar but, before she could say anything further, the door to the classroom opened to reveal Da Vinci and Sion. This brought a prompt end to any discussions and, though there was still a lot of tension in the air, the focus of every student shifted to the two inordinately beautiful Professors.Upon taking her place at the lectern, Da Vinci's smile blossomed into a truly breathtaking visage that seemed to help everyone in the room relax as she explained, "I'm certain everyone has questions. I'll do my best to explain everything in detail so please, relax. You aren't wrong to be nervous but what we're here to discuss isn't anything particularly dangerous or disadvantageous~"As Da Vinci spoke, the massive monitor that had replaced the classroom's blackboard came to life. It depicted a very complex structure that looked like two pyramids welded together at their bases. This created a diamond-shaped superstructure that, upon closer observation, formed a complex network of tunnels and rooms, each listing a variety of different materials that could be found.Though the average student had only ventured into the upper layers of the Spirit Tomb, everyone in the class was familiar with the massive dungeon beneath the school. What surprised them was how detailed the infographic provided by Da Vinci was as, unless you traded a large number of materials or points, it was impossible to get a map of the Spirit Tombs interior.Before she could be bombarded with questions, Da Vinci explained, "Today is a very important day for each and every one of you. Today, you will establish a baseline for future growth by completing a task assigned to you based on your ranking and skill level. Each of you will be assigned to a group based on the data we have collected over the last month. There will be several different objectives, each with different ratings based on their difficulty. You may complete multiple objectives but keep in mind that, in many cases, it is wiser to return with lesser accomplishments than forcing yourself forward to your deaths. Judgment is one of the metrics you are evaluated on so consider each of your options as a team before deciding whether or not you'll put yourselves in danger..."Some of the students had actually been wondering whether or not they would be given access to the Spirit Tomb so, hearing they suddenly had to enter and complete challenges, they were both excited and nervous. Most of them had been looking forward to measuring their growth so, while it was productive to spar against each other during training, battling against monsters was infinitely better since you didn't have to hold back.To further excite the class, Da Vinci explained, "Over the last month, each of you has compiled a sizeable number of contribution points. I'm aware that it has been a rather popular topic so allow me to explain a bit of their use. The simplest way in which they can be used is to exchange for various materials and resources. After today, you will all be given a tablet that is synchronized with each of your Companions. Using this will allow you to access one of three different shops based on your class, overall ranking, and personal ranking. We'll go into greater detail about these different things upon the completion of today's exercise but here is a sample of what you can expect~"At Da Vinci's behest, the monitor behind her showed a list of various items, each neatly filed into a series of columns with their picture, use, and exchange value. What surprised the students was that, by exchanging a single contribution point, they could obtain relatively rare alchemical ingredients. It was even possible to exchange for a Philosopher's Stone, something that was heavily regulated by the Mage's Association, for a meager 100 contribution points...With even the cheaper items being of such high value, the students couldn't help but focus on the items at the very top of the list. There, various Mystic Codexes were listed, some of which could be considered a heritage item within an established family. At the very top, there were even seemingly legendary items like the [Golden Fleece] and [Decanter of Perpetuity], a highly sought after item in the Magus community due to its purported effect of restoring a person to their youth without any decrease in physical and magical capabilities...Da Vinci waited for the students to peruse the items for a short while before breaking their idle thoughts as she explained, "This is only a small portion of the items that will be available in the shop. In truth, there is no limit to what you can obtain. So long as you work hard, even purchasing items that increase your Od, unlock your potential, strengthen your body, or grant you a lesser form of immortality can be found within the shop~"As could be expected, Da Vinci's words caused a stir within the class as it was very difficult to believe what she was saying. However, considering what they had already experienced, a few students could be seen shaking slightly in anticipation of the future. One of them, Ophelia, couldn't resist the urge to raise her hand and, upon being recognized by Da Vinci, asked, "Professor, I wonder if even Mystic Eyes can be exchanged and purchased from the shop...?"Ophelia was a girl that already possessed one Mystic Eye and, as a result, her life had been made very difficult. However, while it could be considered the source of her burden, it had also allowed her to establish herself as a capable Magus. Prior to joining the Department of Unified Thaumaturgical Theory, one of the avenues she had been pursuing was increasing her power to the point that it was difficult for her family to control her. If she made a good impression on a higher ranking Noble, she could avoid being married off by becoming a Governess or a bodyguard. It wasn't much better than being exploited by her family but, considering it would be a path of her own choosing, it was still the better option...Meeting Ophelia's expectations, Da Vinci didn't even flinch as she casually answered, "I'd prefer to avoid having to answer too many questions like this but, as you are the first, I'll make an exception, Miss Phamrsolone. To reiterate my earlier statement, there are very few things you cannot purchase from the shop. The only restrictions would be your overall points, your ranking, and the evaluation of your character. We will obviously not allow someone with destructive tendencies to buy a nuclear warhead with the intent of blowing up a classroom~"Da Vinci's words not only met Ophelia's expectations but, while it was an offhanded and casual remark, some of the students couldn't help but internally retort, ("We can buy nuclear warheads!?"). This seemed to convey there was very little they couldn't purchase, cementing Da Vinci's words in their mind, regardless of how ridiculous they seemed. At the very least, she had greatly increased the interest of each student in the shop and, now that they knew what the points were used for, those who had been slacking off over the last month began to lament...---After answering a few more questions and alleviating some concerns, Da Vinci began a long lecture on the various environments, monsters, and materials that could be found in the Spirit Tomb. Since it was on everyone's mind, she discussed how these could all be exchanged for points and, upon being asked how monsters could be counted, Da Vinci reminded them that their Companions were linked to the tablets so, even if they didn't bring back proof of the subjugation, they would get credit for any monsters killed. This wasn't a foolproof system, as hordes of monsters would be hard to count, but Da Vinci simply advised them to run away in such situations.It was only after the much longer than expected lecture that the students understood why they had been asked to come in so early. Had they started at a normal time, they would have to take a break for lunch and, if they were unlucky, getting stuck overnight in the Spirit Tomb was a real possibility. It had an enchantment that made leaving after a certain point in time impossible as the 'gate' would close for a few hours during the evening. Though there were some waypoints inside, allowing those within to teleport back to the Mining City, Magi's Fair, they would be forced to turn over all acquired items as compensation.Vahn's agreement with Solon allowed for relatively unrestricted access to the Spirit Tomb but, in exchange, everything gathered by himself and the students had to be returned to the Clock Tower. It was for this reason that he came up with the idea of a school shop as, with the virtually unlimited resources of the Empire, it wasn't that difficult to acquire the materials and items requested by the students. Though he had to put monthly, weekly, and daily restrictions on some goods, even the laziest students would be able to stockpile a considerable amount of wealth by the time they were preparing to graduate.Unfortunately for these students, the very concept of wealth would ultimately lose its meaning once the Empire came into prominence. Only those that sought to better themselves would be able to rise above others and live comparably luxurious lifestyles as, once the market system collapsed, the only way to obtain materials and resources would be through bartering for them or earning them based on your contributions and capabilities. Through the Empire, it was possible to get resources for free but, rather than stockpile them and treat them as 'accumulated wealth', you had to actually use them for their intended purpose.One of the primary corrupting factors within a society was wealth itself as, when one group began to accumulate and stockpile wealth, they used it to leverage their authority over others. So long as they made sure they had a monopoly on the most important resources, combined with the power to back it up, they could dictate how others lived with borderline impunity. This was only made worse when the children of such individuals, despite never having done anything to establish themselves within a community, believed they were better than others by virtue of birth alone...It was impossible to completely root out corruption but, with a system that primarily rewarded those that put in the effort to obtain their status, Vahn hoped to prevent its spread. This was the primary justification for the existence of the Virtual World they were creating as, with unlimited freedom in the virtual world, they could prevent a lot of problems in the real world from developing. There, so long as they followed the rules of the Virtual World, it was possible for them to be veritable gods in a world of their own design. They could eat the most delicious foods, walk on the surface of stars, or play catch with literal planets...all while affecting nothing in the real world.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Surprise expedition~!','I want access to that shop...','Every human is a god in their own mind. They have absolute power within their own imaginations~')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1299: Vein Corridor: Od Vena