Chapter 77 Chapter77-Roommate, Misunderstanding
The night passed without incident. By the time Howard awoke, the sun was already high in the sky.
Abby, unable to enter the male students' dormitory, had been waiting downstairs. Her radiant beauty instantly drew the attention of many senior students.
It was only when Glyn noticed something amiss that he hurriedly assisted Abby in waking Howard.
This left Howard rather surprised, for he had never overslept like this before.
However, now was not the time to ponder on such oddities. After freshening up, Howard dashed downstairs.
Thankfully, Abby was easily placated.
With just a few words, Howard had her laughing heartily. Soon after, the two of them began exploring the campus together.
The sight of them caused the hearts of those senior students to shatter.
Although Holy Abyss Academy hadn't officially started its term, the basic facilities were open.
In just half a day, Howard and Abby had familiarized themselves with the entire academy.
On their way, they ran into Caitlin, who had recently awakened from her fainting spell.
Caitlin still appeared rather frail. Even upon seeing Howard, she managed only a weak smile before Aisha escorted her back to the dormitory.
When passing the administrative office, Howard hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and gently knocking on the door.
However, when the door swung open, the figure that met Howard's gaze was that of a young girl.
She held a book in her hands, her face framed by a pair of thick glasses. Her demeanor was cool and detached. Without uttering a word, she simply stared at Howard.
"Uh," taken aback by the emotionless gaze of the young girl, Howard felt a tad awkward and hurriedly inquired, "Is Professor Wales not around?"
The girl replied icily, "Wales isn't on duty today."
"I see. Sorry to disturb you then."
Giving a slight nod, Howard sensed the girl's reluctance to engage in further conversation. Without pressing further, he turned to leave.
The girl shook her head slightly, picked up her book, and shut the office door as she resumed her reading.
Unable to find Wales, Howard couldn't help but frown deeply. He was certain that Wales harbored some secrets.
Unfortunately, as Wales was a mentor and Howard a new student, it would be difficult for him to gather any substantial information about the professor.
Time flew by as Howard and Abby familiarized themselves with Adia City.
In the blink of an eye, three days had passed. When Howard next saw Daniel, there were hundreds of students trailing behind him.
A single city could yield around ten students, and it's no surprise given that the Holy Abyss Academy recruited from the entire Alliance.
Owing to the prestigious reputation of the Holy Abyss Academy, many parents from even the core cities of the Alliance sent their children there, pushing the total number of students well into the hundreds.
"Well, well! I was just about to send for you, and here you are," Daniel greeted Howard with a warmth that hinted at his high regard for the young man.
He seemed to mistakenly believe that Howard had received the legacy of some powerful figure.
This amiable reception left the many students behind him exchanging puzzled looks, their faces filled with astonishment.
"Who is this guy? He doesn't look much older than us. Could he be our senior?"
"Shh... This senior must be incredibly talented if he can make Mr. Daniel act so cordially!"
Whispers spread among the new students as they speculated about Howard's identity.
Little did they know that Howard, just like them, was a freshman. Had they known, their jaws would have surely dropped in disbelief!
Howard responded with a gentle smile, walking beside Daniel towards the field. As they passed the girls' dormitory, he also beckoned for Abby to join them.
Unlike Howard and Abby, who had enjoyed their leisure time, the other students were assembled on the field for the freshmen ceremony. They would be allocated supplies and resources, but the amount of gold coins and materials they received were not even half of what Howard and Abby had received.
The special Storage Bag given to Howard was completely empty, further solidifying his suspicion that something was off with mentor Wales.
Unfortunately, Wales had not shown up for duty for several consecutive days, making it impossible for Howard to reach him.
"Ahem!" Just as Howard was deep in thought, Daniel suddenly spoke up from the elevated platform: "I believe you're all aware that the Holy Abyss Academy has a tradition. Freshmen, upon their arrival, are required to participate in a field assessment. Your class placement and all future resources within the academy are determined by your performance in this assessment."
"As with every year, you will all be dispatched to the Valley of Fierce Winds tomorrow for a five-day evaluation. I hope everyone gives their best performance."
"Leading the assessment will be Mr. Wales, Mrs. Tara, and Mr. Jack."
As Daniel finished, three mentors ascended the platform – two men and a woman.
Among them was the very Wales that Howard had been eager to contact, which instantly sharpened Howard's gaze.
"Ha, the three mentors here are among the most senior in our academy, all boasting levels above LV80. If you encounter danger during the assessment, you can call for help. However, once you do, it will mark the end of your assessment and only the points accumulated up to that moment will be considered."
Even with Daniel's light-hearted tone, the information caused a stir among the gathered students, exchanging glances filled with uncertainty.
However, for most of the students, the prevalent feelings were not of fear or dread but excitement and anticipation!
Especially among the scions of prominent families, who had been so well protected that they had no firsthand knowledge of the terror of wild monsters.
They naively believed they could breeze through the assessment with ease.
"From the looks of it, you're all brimming with confidence," Daniel remarked, noting the expressions of many students. "I hope that when you return, you'll still be wearing those smiles."
With a broad gesture, he declared, "You're dismissed for now. I'll give you the evening to prepare. Gather here first thing tomorrow morning, and we'll set off for the Valley of Fierce Winds."
As his words concluded, students converged in groups, discussing the upcoming assessment and interacting with their peers.
By the time Howard escorted Abby back to her dorm and returned to his own, two people were already engrossed in conversation.
Upon seeing Howard's return, the two individuals were taken aback, exclaiming, "Aren't you the senior who was chatting with Mr. Daniel earlier?"
"I'm no senior," Howard replied with a chuckle. "I'm a freshman just like you guys. Let's get acquainted. I'm Howard Hughes, and I'm studying to be a magus."
"What? You're in our year?"
"Oh my God, how can a freshman like you be so familiar with Mr. Daniel? Could you be related to him?"
Hearing Howard's clarification, the two were utterly astonished. They couldn't believe their ears and began to speculate about Howard's identity.
Howard didn't indulge their conjectures but merely responded with a light-hearted shake of his head.
After all, if people misinterpreted his words or actions, that was their issue, not his.
Howard was acutely aware of what mattered most in the world of social relations.
Meanwhile, the two students exchanged glances.
Seeing that Howard didn't refute them, they assumed he was tacitly admitting to their speculations.
First taken aback, they soon approached Howard with smiles, saying, "Howard, from now on, we're dorm mates! We'll share our fortunes and face challenges together!"
"I'm Nick Alden from the Alden family of the Alliance. I've awakened the A-level talent of Gigantism and my class is warrior!"
"And I'm Mike Tracy from the Tracy family of Landon City. I possess the S-level talent of True Damage, and I'm an assassin!"
At their words, Howard raised an eyebrow subtly.
Having an assassin as a roommate was indeed a boon.
Even though Howard hadn't attended Advanced Academy, he had heard from numerous mentors about the nature of relationships within the academy.
Plus, his interactions with Glyn, Caitlin, and Aisha informed him that students in the academy are like comrades-in-arms, making roommates even closer than regular students.
If he had an assassin roommate, future explorations would be much easier with Mike scouting ahead.
"F-level talent, Mana Recovery," Howard shared openly, following his roommates' lead in divulging their talents.
However, upon hearing Howard's words, Nick and Mike exchanged a knowing look and burst into laughter.
Nick teased, "Howard, don't worry. We won't spill the beans about who you are. Using a fake talent to fool us? That's just not cool!"
"Exactly," Mike chimed in. "Once the assessment starts, let's team up. My father studied at Holy Abyss Academy in his time, and he mentioned that the tests here are far from easy, with a considerable level of difficulty. Teaming up would increase our chances of success."
Without hesitation, Howard inquired, "Team up? I have companions too. Can they join?"
From Nick and Mike's introductions, Howard deduced that both hailed from prominent families within the Alliance.
Now that they were roommates, establishing a rapport with them seemed like a golden opportunity not to be missed.
Howard wasn't na?ve. He recognized that in this dog-eat-dog world, lone wolves could never truly rise to power.
Even with Rick Suleiman's prodigious talent, he ultimately had to join the Alliance to gain the influence he needed to exact revenge on his adversaries.
Given this fortuitous chance by fate to bond with roommates from influential families, Howard was determined to seize the opportunity!
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