Compared to the other parts of the expanse, the air in the training grounds felt cleaner. The mana density in the air was also richer.
Atticus had noticed it when he arrived at the academy; the mana density in the entirety of the academy was high, but even then, this training ground had almost twice as much mana density. 'It's well worth the point,' Atticus thought, satisfied with his purchase.
Lucas's features also showed mild surprise as he entered the training grounds. After a few seconds roaming, they were able to see the different sections suited for a few combat scenarios.
In the middle of the training grounds, there was a large elevated platform used for sparring. On another corner, there was an archery range and, lastly, training dummies for sword practice and a section consisting of different weights.
All around the training ground, there was also a track for running which circled the large training grounds.
The duo left the training grounds after a few moments, with Atticus asking Lucas to take care of the lodging of the youths.
From what he had seen, the barracks would be able to house exactly 1200 students, enough for every one of them.
After separating, Atticus also met up with Aria and her now 175 youths, intending to erect the watch towers that he had promised.
The wall had two gates, one at the north and the other at the south. They all left the camp through the north gate, and Atticus quickly erected the watch towers at the edges of the expanse.
Atticus had also added an underground bunker-like space below, where the watchmen or women could hide if they spotted the horde of beasts and couldn't outrun them.
They were each to take turns keeping watch, rotating on a two-man shift.
Just like the Raven camp's device, after a few seconds of searching, Atticus had been able to find out their artifact could also serve as a communication device.
They had settled on two warning signs if they spotted anything. The first was firing an explosive arrow in the air to alert everyone, while the second was contacting and directly informing Atticus.
After finalizing and seeing that everything was okay and set, Atticus left them to their devices, and shortly later he met Eric who informed him about the situation of the forest in the immediate vicinity of the expanse.
The situation was almost as he expected it. There were no signs of the beast horde in the forest, not even footprints. Each of their footprints had ended at the entrance to the forest. It was as though they all simply vanished into thin air.
Hearing this, Atticus entered a deep state of contemplation. But he quickly came out of it after hearing what Eric reported next.
Apparently, there were different magical beasts in the forest—many different species, basically like a normal forest.
Learning of this, Atticus was both delighted and surprised at the same time.
Surprised because with the sheer number of the horde, it was odd that they hadn't killed and eaten the other beasts in the forest.
But he was delighted that if there were beasts in the forest, then they found the perfect place to give the other members of the division real-life fighting experience in a controlled environment.
He soon concluded the meeting with Eric and met Aurora, Nate, and the other Ravenstein youths.
They had all formed the 70-man unit he had asked for and were all waiting for his next orders. But Atticus simply asked all of them to go get some food and rest.
Atticus had initially thought that he would have to sponsor the food of many of the youths, but to his delight after speaking with Nate and Aurora, he found out that all of them were given 1000 Academy points, even the ones who didn't kill any beasts. It turned out that the academy wasn't so heartless after all.
They all went to get some food, and everyone retired to their respective rooms.
It had been a very long day.
…
The next day, Atticus woke up early at 5 AM. His room was completely basic with only a bed, table and chair, and a combined toilet and bathroom.
Every part of the room was pristine white. This was the same for every other room in the barracks.
It was already ingrained into his being. He had always followed the same routine every day for years, and despite their current situation, he wasn't going to change that.
But given the lack of equipment and good training facilities, Atticus decided to train lightly.
After a 'short' training session that lasted 2 hours, Atticus left his room, heading straight towards the training grounds.
The distance from both buildings wasn't far, letting him get to the training ground in under a minute.
During his walk, Atticus couldn't help but notice that the entire camp was deserted. He couldn't see anyone around, but on getting to the training grounds he found out why.
It was currently filled with every one of the students, all standing facing the elevated stage which had Aurora standing on top.
Seeing Atticus approaching, they all quieted down their murmuring and swiftly faced their fronts.
Atticus simply walked to the with a neutral expression to the top of the elevated platform. Aurora stepped back as she saw him, approaching, "Hehe, I did good, didn't I?" she remarked, wearing a cheeky grin, her thumb gesturing toward herself with closed eyes.
A faint smile graced Atticus's lips, "Yeah, you did well."
"Huuu, I know, I'm awesome," Aurora proclaimed.
Atticus chuckled, continuing his stride past her to the forefront of the stage facing all the youth.
The initial smile vanished from Atticus's face, replaced by a stern countenance. An intensified hush blanketed the area as every individual stood in attentive silence, anticipating Atticus's words.
"I'll be straightforward with all of you," Atticus began, his voice echoing across the training grounds.
He continued, "You're all remarkably weak," his words completely blunt.
***
A/N: Hey, guys! I extend my apologies for the recent chapters, which might have felt less eventful. I'm currently laying the groundwork for what promises to be adrenaline-packed battles ahead. Rest assured, I'll tie everything together soon. Your continued support is greatly appreciated! Thank you for being a part of this journey!