CHAPTER 68: AIDEN VS DAKI

Harry saw Gracie, Liam, and Blake training.

As he went in close proximity, he felt pressure on his body. His legs almost bent because of the pressure.

As Harry was about tobtake counter measures it vanished, and Gracie and Liam dropped to the ground, heavily breathing and soaked in sweat.

The only person left standing was Blake, who looked toward Harry.

"Sorry, you just entered without any prior information," Blake apologized.

Harry felt his ego hurt because the three were dealing with the pressure very well.

"It’s your element?" Harry asked.

"I can make you as heavy as a sumo wrestler—more precisely, gravity. I can manipulate gravity," Blake spat out.

It was very strange how much pressure Blake could exert with his element. An elemental master anywhere was superhuman, capable of lifting hundreds of kilograms.

If Blake still made Harry feel pressured, then it was something extraordinary.

But then, what would be the meaning of having an element if it couldn’t even give an advantage against similar-level opponents?

"I hope you didn’t get injured," Blake asked.

"Well, I am okay."

"Join us. This will help you," Gracie invited.

Then Blake started using his element again. The difference was that Harry felt a little less pressure now.

"I will gradually increase the pressure. You two can treat it as rest," Blake said and slowly intensified the gravity.

Both Gracie and Liam were already used to the increased pressure.

Harry was struggling the most because Blake wasn’t giving him much time to adjust.

When the pressure reached a certain level, they started sparring purely based on skill.

Just being idle and actually fighting were very different.

Harry felt his movements were lacking. He was losing against Gracie. The reason was that Gracie already had experience; she had been training this way for the last three days.

As Harry punched, Gracie shifted sideways and punched him under his biceps.

Harry groaned in pain and backed away. She was already stronger than him. Then there was her special technique that allowed her to take advantage of his flaws.

Harry sidestepped, seeing her punch, but it was followed by a kick to his shin.

Harry’s mind was calm, Noticing her movements, he got an idea.

This time, as Gracie attacked, Harry moved out, but the kick followed. He ducked, but then the kick changed direction and hit his shoulder.

Harry failed. He was trying to create false flaws in his movements, but it was hard. His mind was running at double speed.

As he was about to try one more time, the gravity increased. Harry looked sideways, where Blake was giving him a thumbs-up.

"You crazy lunatic!" Harry cursed and tried to dodge sideways, but he tripped and fell on his face.

Their training continued the whole day. Harry tried many things, but he wasn’t able to find any sure way to defend against Gracie.

As they sat down, huffing and panting, they were all out of breath. Even Blake was exhausted since he had been using his element for so long.

"I noticed you were trying something there," Gracie said.

"Nothing, just trying to find a way to counter your technique."

"You think you can? I can sense jealousy in you," Gracie smirked.

"No, I am not jealous," Harry said.

"You sure?" Gracie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You witch," Harry blurted out when he realized she could sense his emotions with her element.

"Okay, I am. So what?" Harry admitted.

"Nothing, I just noticed that you were trying to create fake flaws in your style to lure me. Next time, try with less obvious ones," Gracie advised.

They continued their training in the same way.

After the training Harry bought some weapons and items with the help of money.

At some point, Tyler also joined them. He was on a different beast. His style was competing with Gracie’s—no, it even surpassed hers.

Harry also practiced archery with the new bow and arrows he bought.

Their weapon mastery improved by leaps and bounds after Tyler’s intervention.

The atmosphere in the academy was also turning cold. Many rumors spread after the sudden withdrawal of some young masters, which led to withdrawals by normal students as well.

Yet, the academy seemed indifferent. They hadn’t even issued a single statement about it.

There was no preparation before the exam. No announcement before the exam. As if it didn’t exist. The only thing reminding students that there would be exams were these rumors.

Then, one day, their badges flickered.

A screen appeared in front of everyone. A man spoke through it.

Surprisingly this time It was not Aiden.

The man put his finger on the bridge of his spectacles to adjust them.

"Tomorrow morning, be ready for the test. Your teachers will help you with your travels."

With that, the screen disappeared.

Harry was confused. Why bother? He didn’t announce anything that the teachers couldn’t have said.

Far away, on a planet with hardened soil and cracked ground—

A girl stood wearing clothes similar to a swimsuit.

Her height was around five feet. That wasn’t the strange part. The strange part was that she was the tallest among all the people around her.

Her badge flickered, and a person with glasses appeared.

On another white planet, where every part of the ground was covered in ice—

A male stood near a frozen pond, close to a black, sturdy wall.

He melted the ice with fire and boiled an elemental master level 6 beast inside.

His badge flickered, and a person with glasses appeared.

On another planet, a boy stood on top of the tallest building. There was no sun in the sky, no moon. It was dark. The only thing helping them see was artificial lights—lights everywhere, in every corner.

But beyond the walls, there was nothing. No lights. It was even hard to tell if anything lay beyond them or if it was all void.

His badge flickered, and a person with glasses appeared.

Similar scenes were occurring on all planets, in all outer branches of the Philosopher Academy.

But on another planet, far from any of them—

Aiden was cursing.

"Those old farts, they are too shrewd."

"They knew I wouldn’t let them play their cards. And here I am, meeting these crazy Dakis, who know nothing but eating," Aiden murmured, eyeing a Daki in front of him.

Its teeth were not lacking in comparison to a shark’s. Its height towered above nine feet.

"You have to hold your mercenaries. Don’t you think the number of deserters in your race has been increasing recently? And not only that—why do they always end up in human territory?" Aiden questioned.

"Who knows? Maybe they just lost one of their family members in the last fight, so they wanted to take revenge," the Daki said sarcastically.

Aiden gritted his teeth. He knew this Daki was just mocking him. There was no concept of camaraderie among the Dakis. No families. No bonds.

They didn’t even care about these things. The only thing that kept them in line was food. Not just food, but rich food that could help them power up.