Chapter 71: The Gates Of Helheim

High above the mountains of Westphalia, an enormous air vessel sailed through the morning clouds, its reinforced hull cutting steadily through the cold mountain winds.

The vessel carried nearly three thousand children who had successfully passed Helheim Academy’s entrance examination, along with the instructors, attendants, and personnel responsible for transporting the newest generation of students.

Three days had passed since the examination concluded, and although most of the candidates had recovered from their injuries, the memories of their seven days in the Grauwald Range remained remarkably fresh.

Some had spent the journey discussing their experiences, while others had remained unusually quiet, perhaps still struggling to believe that they had survived an examination which had eliminated more than seventeen thousand applicants.

Sigurd stood near the railing of the upper observation deck, watching the endless mountain ranges pass beneath the vessel.

He had changed into a comfortable black traveling outfit, and the injuries he sustained during the examination had almost completely healed.

The three days spent at the Grandel residence in Helheim City had provided him with sufficient rest, although he had already begun missing the opportunity to train properly. Beside him stood Emil Rainer, whose excitement had increased considerably since the vessel departed that morning.

Ottilie had accompanied them as well, having received permission to travel with Sigurd as his personal attendant, but she was currently resting in one of the passenger compartments.

"Young Master Sigurd, do you think we’ll be able to see the academy soon?" Emil asked, leaning forward slightly as he tried to peer through the clouds ahead.

Sigurd followed his gaze before answering, "Considering how long we’ve been traveling, we should be approaching it. You might want to stop leaning over the railing before your first day at Helheim ends with you falling off an air vessel."

Emil immediately straightened, looking rather embarrassed as he adjusted his clothing. Sigurd smiled faintly at his reaction before returning his attention to the mountains, where the clouds were beginning to thin.

A deep horn suddenly sounded from the vessel’s forward section, drawing the attention of everyone on the observation deck.

Several children hurried toward the railing, while others emerged from the passenger compartments after hearing the announcement that they were approaching their destination.

The vessel gradually descended through a broad opening between two enormous mountain peaks, and the scenery beyond them began revealing itself.

Sigurd had expected Helheim to be impressive, particularly after hearing about its reputation and enormous student population, but the sight that appeared before him exceeded even his expectations.

An immense fortified complex stretched across the mountains as far as he could see. Rather than occupying a single peak, Helheim extended over numerous mountains, valleys, and gigantic terraces that had been carved directly into the surrounding terrain.

Towering buildings rose from broad stone foundations, while enormous bridges connected neighboring peaks across ravines hundreds of meters deep.

Some bridges were wide enough to accommodate several carriages traveling alongside one another, and Sigurd could distinguish tiny figures moving across them even from the vessel’s considerable altitude.

Massive walls surrounded certain districts, while other areas remained open, allowing the natural mountain landscape to blend with the academy’s architecture.

Farther ahead, several enormous lakes reflected the morning sunlight, their waters bordered by gardens, stone pathways, and clusters of impressive buildings.

Sigurd noticed vast training grounds occupying entire mountain terraces, with numerous arenas arranged around them.

Some were circular structures surrounded by spectator stands, while others consisted of enormous rectangular fields divided into smaller practice areas.

Beyond these facilities stood academic complexes containing dozens of connected buildings, their rooftops extending across the landscape in carefully arranged patterns.

Even the roads appeared extraordinary, forming an extensive network that connected residential districts, administrative centers, training facilities, and the academy’s more distant territories.

Emil stared at the scenery with his mouth slightly open before finally managing to speak.

"That’s Helheim? All of that belongs to the academy?" he asked, his voice carrying genuine disbelief.

Sigurd examined the distant structures before nodding.

"Apparently so. And judging from what I can see, we haven’t even reached the central district yet," he replied.

His attention shifted toward five particularly extensive territories positioned around the academy’s central region.

Each possessed its own concentration of buildings, training grounds, and residential areas, separated from the others by natural terrain and carefully constructed boundaries.

He suspected these were the Five Great Holds, although their precise locations and characteristics had not yet been explained.

"Now that’s something worth looking at," Kong Zhen remarked as he approached from behind, carrying his staff across one shoulder.

The unruly-haired boy joined them at the railing, his expression unusually impressed as he surveyed the landscape.

Odin followed several steps behind him, appearing considerably more composed despite the extraordinary sight.

Kong pointed toward an enormous arena situated on a distant terrace and grinned. "Look at the size of that place! Imagine how many people you could fight in there."

Odin glanced at the arena before responding in his usual measured tone, "An academy with this many students would naturally require extensive combat facilities. I would be more interested in seeing the quality of its instructors."

Kong laughed at the answer, apparently finding Odin’s seriousness entertaining.

As the vessel continued its descent, Sigurd noticed several smaller airships traveling between different sections of the academy. Some carried supplies beneath their hulls, while others appeared designed for passengers.

Far below, groups of students moved along the broad avenues, their dark uniforms displaying different arrangements of insignias.

Sigurd could not distinguish the finer details from such a distance, but he noticed that some groups wore noticeably different uniform designs.

He remembered that Helheim employed an Eight-Star academic system, with each Star representing one year of education.

Somewhere among those distant figures were students who had already spent several years training within the institution, and many of them would undoubtedly possess strength far beyond that of the newly admitted children.

The vessel eventually turned toward a gigantic landing platform extending from the side of a mountain.

Several tall towers surrounded the platform, while reinforced stone pillars supported its enormous weight above the valley below.

Sigurd noticed additional landing platforms positioned at different elevations, some occupied by smaller vessels and others surrounded by workers transporting supplies.

The scale of the transportation facilities alone suggested that Helheim maintained constant movement between its various territories and the outside world.

As their vessel approached, a series of glowing formation markings appeared along the platform’s surface, guiding its descent toward the designated landing area.

A gentle vibration passed through the deck as the vessel settled onto the platform.

Its enormous engines gradually quieted, and the passengers began gathering their belongings while attendants prepared the exits.

Sigurd returned briefly to the passenger compartments to collect Ottilie, who was already waiting with their luggage.

She looked through a nearby window at the academy’s towering structures before turning toward him with a mixture of admiration and concern.

"Young Master, this place is even larger than I imagined. I hope finding your way around won’t become a daily problem," she remarked.

Sigurd glanced toward the enormous complex outside and answered with a small smile, "Considering its size, I wouldn’t be surprised if some students spend their first month getting lost."

When the boarding doors finally opened, the successful candidates descended onto the platform in organized groups.

The mountain air was considerably colder than the air in Helheim City, carrying the faint scent of pine forests and distant snow.

Beyond the landing area stood a magnificent stone gateway decorated with enormous banners bearing Helheim’s insignia.

Several armored guards occupied positions near the entrance, while instructors and administrative personnel waited beneath a covered pavilion.

The newcomers were directed toward a broad assembly square, where numerous stone benches and carefully arranged pathways provided enough space to accommodate the entire incoming generation.

Sigurd recognized Senior Instructor Dietrich Falk standing near the center of the square.

The stern man who had overseen their entrance examination was accompanied by several instructors, including Volker, along with unfamiliar officials wearing more elaborate academy uniforms.

Once the final group of students had assembled, Dietrich stepped forward and surveyed the crowd.

"Welcome to Helheim Academy," he announced, his powerful voice carrying clearly across the square. "You have already proven yourselves capable of meeting our entrance requirements. However, passing that examination does not mean you understand the institution you have entered. What you see around you is only a fraction of Helheim’s territory."

Dietrich allowed the children a moment to absorb his words before continuing. "Helheim accommodates approximately ninety thousand students across eight academic years. You will encounter warriors with vastly different levels of experience, knowledge, and martial ability. Some have spent years mastering techniques and undertaking dangerous missions throughout Westphalia. Your entrance examination rankings will be recorded as part of your achievements, but they do not place you above students who have already established themselves here."

His gaze passed across the assembled candidates, lingering briefly on several familiar faces before moving onward.

"Before your education begins, every one of you must complete academy registration and receive an official Hold assignment," Dietrich explained, gesturing toward the distant territories visible beyond the square. "Helheim is divided into five Great Holds, each possessing its own administration, residential facilities, training grounds, and instructors. Your Hold will serve as your primary home throughout your education, so consider your selection carefully. Further instructions regarding your uniforms, student identification, academic schedules, and residential arrangements will be provided after the selection process."

A murmur of excitement spread through the candidates as they began discussing the five territories.

Sigurd remained silent, observing the instructors preparing several documents near the pavilion.

He had already decided that he would choose according to his own interests rather than follow another student’s preference.

Beside him, Emil appeared eager to ask another question, but the sound of Dietrich clearing his throat brought the gathering back to attention.

"Now, before we begin the general selection process, we must first recognize the ten highest-ranked candidates from the entrance examination," Dietrich declared, turning toward the officials beside him. "These students have earned priority selection among the Five Great Holds, along with additional rewards corresponding to their achievements."

He unfolded a document bearing the academy’s official seal, then raised his head toward the waiting children. "When your name is called, step forward."