Chapter 185: Military Rule

As Kaiser and Alex continued toward the academy entrance, Abigail suddenly called out to them.

"Hey, you two! Wait a moment!"

Both boys turned around and saw their class teacher approaching them.

Abigail was a tall, slim, and beautiful woman who appeared to be in her late twenties. She had long black hair and sharp eyes that gave her a calm but intimidating appearance.

Despite her youthful looks, she was already a Rank 5 powerhouse. Her class, Night Shadow, was an extremely powerful assassin-type class specializing in stealth, assassination, and eliminating enemies before they could react.

Moreover, her Soul Bond was an Eclipse Eyes Hawk, a powerful beast with Rank 8 potential. With such a powerful companion, Abigail’s combat abilities were far beyond those of most people at the same rank.

"Where are you two heading?" Abigail asked as she approached them.

Alex smiled.

"We were just leaving the academy, Teacher. Principal Drax finished explaining everything about the Rules and gave us our Rule Crystals."

"Oh? So you’ve already comprehended your Rules?"

Both boys nodded.

Their teacher raised her eyebrows slightly, looking somewhat surprised.

"That was faster than I expected. Which Rules did you choose?"

"I chose the Lesser Supreme Rule of Blood Sap," Alex answered. "And Kaiser chose the Lesser Supreme Rule of Shattered Soul."

Abigail looked at them in surprise.

"You actually obtained Supreme Rules?" she asked, looking as though she couldn’t quite believe it.

Alex nodded again and raised his hand. A faint greenish-red energy appeared around his palm.

"Yes. This is the energy of the Lesser Supreme Rule of Blood Sap."

Abigail examined the energy for a moment before nodding.

"Not bad. You two have been away for a while, and I was starting to think you were slacking off. It seems I underestimated you."

She smiled slightly, looking pleased with their progress.

"Anyway, there’s something I’ve been wondering about. Alex, why did you choose a blood-related Rule when your Soul Bond is a Fire Drake?"

Alex scratched his head.

"Well, my class is more suited to plant-based abilities, so I thought Blood Sap would be a better choice. It can strengthen my plants and help me recover vitality during battle."

Abigail nodded thoughtfully before turning toward Kaiser.

"And you, Kaiser? Your Soul Bond is a Light Gnome King, which is associated with the light element. So why did you choose a soul-related Rule?"

Kaiser answered without hesitation.

"It’s because of our classes. We both have powerful S-Rank classes that offer us considerable combat potential. I thought it would be better to choose Rules that complement our classes rather than focus entirely on our Soul Bonds."

Abigail seemed interested in his answer.

"That’s a reasonable approach. What are your classes, anyway? I know they’re powerful, but I haven’t had the chance to ask you about them in detail."

Kaiser replied first.

"Mine is Necro Lord. It allows me to summon powerful undead and command them in battle."

Abigail’s eyebrows rose slightly.

"A Necro Lord? That’s certainly an interesting class."

She then turned toward Alex.

"And what about you?"

"Mine is Jade Vine Weaver," Alex answered with a grin. "I can connect with different kinds of plants and weave their vines to create all sorts of things. Depending on the plants I use, I can also develop different abilities."

Abigail nodded as she listened to his explanation.

"Now I understand why you chose Blood Sap. It should work well with your class, especially if you can use it to strengthen your plants and drain your enemies’ vitality."

She then looked at Kaiser.

"As for you, Shattered Soul should complement your Necro Lord class quite well. Soul-based attacks can be particularly troublesome for enemies, and combining them with your undead army could give you a considerable advantage."

Kaiser nodded.

"That’s what I was thinking."

Abigail smiled faintly.

"Good. Just remember that comprehending a Supreme Rule is only the beginning. You still need to improve your comprehension and learn how to use its power properly. Don’t become overconfident just because you’ve obtained something powerful."

"We know," Alex replied.

"That’s good." Abigail folded her arms and looked at them. "You have one and a half months before the military examination. Make the most of that time. The training waiting for you will be much more demanding than anything you’ve experienced at the academy."

Alex grinned confidently.

"Don’t worry, Teacher. We’ll make sure we qualify."

Abigail shook her head with an amused smile.

"I hope you can back up that confidence with results. Anyway, come to the classroom tomorrow. I’ll explain a few things that might help you improve your comprehension before the examination."

Both boys nodded.

"Thank you, Teacher," Kaiser said.

"You’re welcome. Now, go home and get some rest. You’ll need it."

With that, Abigail turned and headed back toward the classroom building.

Kaiser and Alex watched her leave before continuing toward the academy entrance. They still had a month and a half to prepare for the military examination, and both intended to use that time wisely.

After leaving the academy, Kaiser and Alex went their separate ways.

When Kaiser arrived home, he found his parents sitting in the living room. The moment he entered, both of them turned toward him.

"How did it go?" Emilia asked curiously.

Kaiser sat down on the sofa opposite them.

"Everything went well. Alex and I have both comprehended our chosen Rules."

Michael and Emilia exchanged glances.

Kaiser looked at them for a moment before speaking again.

"Now I understand why you two were being so secretive about everything."

Michael let out a helpless sigh.

"Can’t be helped. You saw the oath you signed, didn’t you? We couldn’t tell you anything before you took it."

Kaiser nodded. He could understand their situation now that he knew more about the military and the role Rules played in humanity’s fight against the Astralians.

"So, have you two decided to join the military?" Michael asked.

"Yeah, we have. But there’s a problem," Kaiser replied.

Michael raised an eyebrow.

"What problem?"

"We have to increase our Rule comprehension to at least five percent within the next month and a half. Otherwise, we’ll lose our chance to join this year."

Emilia frowned slightly.

"Is that all? I thought something serious had happened."

"Well, it’s not exactly easy," Kaiser explained. "If we fail, we’ll have to wait until next year and reach twenty percent comprehension before we can qualify for the next examination."

Michael nodded thoughtfully.

"That’s a demanding requirement, but it makes sense. The military won’t waste its resources on people who aren’t prepared to meet its standards."

He paused before asking another question.

"Have you comprehended your Rules yet?"

"Yes. I chose the Lesser Supreme Rule of Shattered Soul."

Michael’s expression changed slightly.

"You’ve already obtained a Supreme Rule?"

Kaiser nodded.

"Yeah. Alex chose the Lesser Supreme Rule of Blood Sap."

Michael leaned back against the sofa, looking surprised.

"That’s impressive. However, there’s something you need to understand. Any Rule you obtain through the military must be relinquished before you leave."

Kaiser looked at him.

"Relinquished? You mean we can’t keep the Rules we comprehend?"

"That’s right," Michael replied. "The military provides Rule Crystals and resources to help its members comprehend Rules. In exchange, any Rule obtained through its system must be surrendered if you decide to leave the military."

Emilia nodded in agreement.

"That’s why you need to think carefully before joining. Once you become a member, you can’t simply take the Rules you’ve obtained through the military and leave whenever you want."

Kaiser frowned slightly.

’So that’s how it works.’

He hadn’t considered this possibility before, but it wasn’t entirely unreasonable. The military was investing valuable resources in its members, and it naturally wanted something in return.

Michael continued, "Fortunately, there are potions that can remove the connection between your body and a Rule. You’ll need to take one of those before leaving the military, allowing the Rule’s power to be removed safely."

Kaiser nodded.

"So, if we decide to leave, we’ll have to take those potions to wash the Rules out of our bodies?"

"Exactly," Michael replied.

Kaiser fell silent for a moment as he considered the implications.

He had chosen Shattered Soul because it complemented his Death Genesis class, and he had no intention of giving it up anytime soon. Still, he preferred to understand the conditions before making any long-term commitments.

Emilia noticed his thoughtful expression and smiled.

"Don’t worry too much about it right now. You still have a month and a half to prepare for the examination. Focus on increasing your comprehension first. You can decide what to do afterward."

Kaiser nodded.

"You’re right. There’s no point worrying about something that hasn’t happened yet."

Michael smiled and patted his son’s shoulder.

"That’s the spirit. Just remember to think carefully before making any major decisions. The military offers many opportunities, but it also comes with responsibilities."

"Understood, Dad."

With that, Kaiser settled back into the sofa and continued talking with his parents about what had happened at the academy. For now, he decided to focus on increasing his Rule comprehension before considering anything else.