Chapter 189: Academy Training

At first, they had found it strange that the military wanted to recruit them so quickly, especially when they had only just begun learning how to use their new powers. However, after learning about the war and the situation humanity faced, they finally understood the reason.

The war was brutal, and humanity needed every capable fighter it could get. If they failed to strengthen their forces and push back the Astralians, the future of humanity itself would be at risk.

"Now, let’s head to the training hall. We will begin your practical training for Rule comprehension," Abigail announced.

The students nodded and followed her. Alex and Kaiser walked along with the others, curious about what kind of training awaited them.

Most of their classmates had already been training in this hall for some time. Their lessons were designed to help them understand their Rules through practical experience, and now it was Alex and Kaiser’s turn to take part.

Soon, they arrived at a large training hall. Several training areas had been arranged inside, with different types of equipment placed along the sides. In the center stood several humanoid puppets, each designed to withstand attacks from students who had comprehended Rules.

Abigail led the students into the training hall and turned to face them.

"Alright, since Alex and Kaiser are joining us today, I’ll explain how the training works once more."

She pointed toward the humanoid puppets standing in the training area.

"These puppets were specially designed for Rule training. They were created with the help of people whose classes specialize in Alchemy and Crafting, allowing them to use different Rules during combat."

She paused briefly to make sure everyone was listening before continuing.

"Every minute you fight a puppet, its overall strength and Rule power will increase by 1%. This means you won’t be able to rely on your current abilities for long. As the battle continues, you’ll have to adapt, improve your control over your Rule, and find better ways to use it if you want to keep up."

The students listened carefully.

"This training is designed to push you beyond your current limits and help you improve your Rule comprehension through actual combat. However, that doesn’t mean you can be careless."

Abigail’s expression became serious.

"Although the puppets are designed to prevent you from dying during training, you can still suffer serious injuries. If you underestimate your opponent or fail to defend yourself properly, you’ll pay the price. So stay alert and know when you’ve reached your limit."

After finishing her explanation, Abigail looked toward Kevin.

"Alright, Kevin, you’re up first today."

Kevin stepped forward with a smug smile and glanced at Alex and Kaiser.

"Let me show you what someone with a Rule can do," he said confidently.

He released the power of his Lesser Rule of Fire, and flames flickered around his body. Since he had obtained the Rule at the peak level of the Lesser Rule category, his control over the flames was considerably better than that of other with flame type rule student.

If Kevin knew that Alex and Kaiser had already comprehended Lesser Supreme Rules, he probably wouldn’t be acting so confidently. Unfortunately for him, he had no idea about their actual strength.

Abigail activated one of the training puppets. A blue light flashed across its body as it began operating.

"This puppet uses the Lesser Rule of Water, which directly opposes Kevin’s Rule of Fire. Fighting against an opposing Rule will give him a better opportunity to understand how his own Rule interacts with other energies. This should make the training more rewarding for him."

Kevin nodded and took his position in front of the puppet.

The puppet immediately moved into a combat stance. Blue energy gathered around its body, and a faint mist spread across the floor.

Kevin raised his hands, allowing the flames surrounding him to grow stronger.

"Let’s begin!"

As soon as Abigail gave the signal, the puppet rushed forward.

A wave of water surged toward Kevin, who responded by releasing a burst of flames. The two attacks collided in the middle of the training area, producing a cloud of steam that briefly obscured their figures.

Kevin moved through the steam and launched another attack, concentrating the flames around his fist before striking the puppet.

The puppet raised its arm to block the blow, but the impact forced it backward by several steps.

Kevin grinned when he saw the result.

However, the puppet quickly recovered and counterattacked. Several streams of water shot toward him from different directions, forcing Kevin to move aside while using his flames to intercept the attacks.

Abigail watched the exchange carefully.

"Don’t focus only on overpowering your opponent, Kevin. Pay attention to how your Rule interacts with the opposing energy. Understanding that interaction is just as important as increasing your attack power."

Kevin nodded, although his attention remained focused on the puppet.

He gathered more flames around his arms and launched another series of attacks. The puppet responded with increasingly powerful water techniques, forcing him to adjust his movements and change how he used his Rule.

As the battle continued, the puppet’s strength gradually increased.

Kevin soon realized that he could no longer defeat it using the same attacks he had used at the beginning. He needed to concentrate his flames more efficiently and find ways to overcome the puppet’s water-based defenses.

The training was becoming more difficult, but that was exactly what Abigail wanted.

By forcing Kevin to fight an opponent that grew stronger every minute, she was giving him an opportunity to improve his understanding of the Lesser Rule of Fire through actual combat.

Kaiser and Alex watched the fight from the side.

"He’s pretty good now," Alex commented as he watched Kevin exchange attacks with the training puppet.

"Fighting an opponent that grows stronger every minute must teach you a lot," Kaiser said with a nod.

Abigail glanced at the two of them.

"It’s not just Kevin. The other students have also made considerable progress through this training. I hope you two aren’t too far behind."

Alex and Kaiser exchanged glances.

"I’m pretty good at close combat," Alex said with a confident grin.

Kaiser’s expression stiffened slightly.

’I’m not that great at it,’ he thought.

Even during his class trial, he had relied heavily on his undead to deal with most of his enemies. Although he possessed several powerful skills, his close-combat abilities were nothing special.

He could fight when necessary, but against someone skilled in direct combat, he would be at a disadvantage without his undead.

’Well, there’s no need to force myself to become a close-combat specialist. I can use my undead to cover that weakness while I focus on improving my Rule comprehension.’

With that thought, Kaiser continued watching Kevin’s fight, waiting for his turn to begin.