Spirit Taming

Chapter 218: Splitting Up

"You all heard him correctly, right? They changed the rules for the student tournaments this year! Like, I know they can do that since they are hosting but what is the north thinking? Having so many students for each year?"

"They have to be thinking that it will draw a lot more people. A longer tournament." Clark was very surprised that Isa had not realized the business implications right away.

"I know that, but the tournaments come at a major cost. The rewards are going to outweigh any benefits that come with having more business." This was also true.

"Isa makes a good point. I believe there has to be another reason. What is in the north that might require more students? What could they possibly reward that they wouldn't be at a loss for when it comes to the winners?" Since this was a big change and their group was the first to hear of it, Maria began to theorize right away.

When Ella stopped in her tracks, it was clear she had thought of something big. "The frozen castle. The largest dungeon in the north that has been sealed by the city for generations. It is too hard to maintain it because there are beasts that range from weak to stronger than a city lord's beast in there. It was sealed using special magics to protect the city."

"So you're saying that the seal will be opened because it has been there too long? And I am also guessing that the seal will not be able to be reapplied quickly. That means they need people to explore it while they prepare to seal it again. People can claim prizes." This was what Clark had come to while they walked. The idea that the north wanted to get as much out of the dungeon as possible.

"That would be worth it. Materials that no one else can get in the entire north, maybe even the world. Since it's a unique dungeon from the sound of it, I would say there is a limit to how many people can go inside. That's normal for the rules of unique dungeons.

They all have some strange requirements.' As much as Isa knew that regular dungeons were dangerous, they were not as complicated as unique or giant dungeons that had older and more complicated existences.

"Eight students from four teams will be able to go. That's a total of thirty two students allowed to enter. The north also knows that most academies break things down to eight students to decide from the top single student as well. This is all perfect and will cause big waves." As Maria thought about the people that would try to take advantage of it, Clark stopped everyone again.

"We all have goals to work on. I think we should start immediately. We just returned from a tough dungeon but we need to get stronger. Alexander gave us the goals, we need to find the way. Ella, you already have your plans, and if you need help feel free to ask me before Alexander takes me away to his hidden dungeon. Isa, and Maria, you two have your own unique methods.

I trust that you will be able to get strong by training them."

Ella was the only one that had to focus on growing her beasts in to battle ready beasts. Maira and Isa were already at a level where they could fight. That was why their goals were about their weaknesses more so than Ella's.

"What about you, you have a third beast that isn't even hatched? Will you sell the materials and bodies to achieve that? I have already prepared methods with Isa to gain the materials that I desire." The only worry that Ella had was that she would be missing the hatching of a new beast.

"I will deal with that myself. Alexander is taking me to a dungeon with materials I can't use on my beasts because of their unique traits. But the materials definitely can help bolster his beasts to some degree. I know that has to be the case even if it's a small amount. I will make a deal with him."

"Then we will all make a promise. From today until the day before the tournament, we will train alone. When we get back we will show off our strength. I doubt that any of us have been exempt from the top eight. Ella was already in, so was Clark.

Isa and I have to check if we qualify but I doubt we do not." The current events were enough to make the academy change things if it was not in line with what the group needed.

"Don't forget Ralph, he is going with us. That boar of his might even grow again in to a tougher form. As hard headed as he is, I think he should be on the same page as we are." Clark's words were surprising but Isa and Maria had seen how much Ralph had grown working completely alone.

"I will trust you on this. Until the day before the tournament." Ella didn't turn away to head toward her dormitory. She was going to the lab to begin material preparations.

"Fine, agreed, our class will win regardless. Just be ready for when I have my taming space completely stabilized." Isa wanted to thank them for their help in her taming space. But she couldn't just say it. She had to prove that she could be their support with her strength.

"Clark…I will be better soon. Just don't get too far away from me." Maria no sooner said this and she was running away to train. As much as Clark wanted to stay around all three of them to train more, he was certain that Alexander was correct. The dungeon events proved that.

Not only had Clark been able to make the most rational and best decisions, he had been injured by a surprise attack he did not at all anticipate. He needed more knowledge. He needed more experience in battle.

"The school will still be closed and guarded for a little while but I should be able to make it in to the beast research building. Someone will surely buy the orcs." Clark's mumbling continued until he had made it to the research building. He purposefully went in another entrance to allow Ella more space in the laboratory section.

"And you are here for?" The professor's assistant that sat at the desk by the door was surprised that anyone was here. The door was unused for the last few hours due to the events going on. She didn't even need additional guards because no one would bother this entrance since it had a staff member guarding it at all times, her.

"I want to sell rotting orcs, fallen orcs, and have a lightning orc dissected for the remaining materials." This seemed to bring surprise to the woman's face since she was not expecting this. Instead, she had imagined that the student was coming to say that the building was no longer closed.

But just as that thought came to her she saw a magic device light up blue signaling the state of school security returning to fully open.

"Then That is a good chance. We just returned to normal operation so we will have some students who have been cooped up with nothing to do begin the process." The assistant took Clark to do exactly this. The room he removed the bodies in was large enough to house them and all he had to do was wait until everything was done.

As he waited, he considered the changes that could come in his battle style. He had been given the spear technique he used by Alexander. However, he was now using a spear that stored energy to create lightning attacks. His spear technique would have a chance to mirror this. Something that not many people would try to do since it was a technique that was already considered complete.

"The lightning moon technique?" Clark felt the name was missing something but it was all he could do. A new name was just that, a name. He needed to think of changes and new moves to add to truly change a style.

"Sorry to interrupt your thinking but you can take the relevant materials and the money the sold materials are worth. There happens to a zombie experiment done by a senior professor so the materials earned slightly more than usual." The assistant handed over a bag with coins and allowed Clark to collect some parts of the lightning orc's body.

The bones seemed to be the only real valuable materials left since the skin had been mostly burned by lightning. The organs were similar other than the lightning heart that Crim had consumed.

"Thank you for your help. I will take my leave." Clark left with the next goal being a short rest before he went back to meet Alexander. Before he had to leave for a dungeon that he knew was going to be much tougher than he could fathom at the moment.