Spirit Taming

Chapter 334: Small Talk, Large Implications

The students from both academies were starting to cause an even larger scene as they yelled. It appeared that this was the work of the third and fourth years mainly. The first and second years were either watching the battle as they should be or hanging back so they wouldn't get the attention of a bigger enemy.

"Stop this commotion or else you will all be disqualified. This is not your home nor a battlefield!' the orders of an entire team of guards stopped them in their tracks. Not a single student dared to argue with them and were quickly dispersed.

This gave Clark the chance to casually wander near one of the first year students that had been watching from a nearby food stall. "Pretty dramatic morning for you guys, huh?" This was just a casual comment but the student shook his head with a large sigh.

"You don't even know the half of it. Our third and fourth years have been going wild after some new dungeon was found on the border of our territories. Most of us just want to be done with it since it's a battle every other week already." The first year seemed to have a much better outlook than those older than him.

But with time would come strife and most people often ended up influenced by the older generations in some way. In this way, it was fighting the opposing academy.

"So this place caused them to fight again the materials must be good? I should try and get over there. Both your cities should be pretty amazing, right?" Clark saw that the boy had finally looked over at him and realized he was also a fellow first year. And, that Clark was the first year dragon tamer to boot.

"I would avoid us as much as possible. All people do is fight around us. But that keeps everyone else away. Not worth it. Unless you think you want a vine beast." This tamer knew that if he faced Clark he would lose. He was a first year student and stronger than many others, but he didn't have the confidence that let him go against a dragon.

He needed more time to grow for that.

"Vine beast? I haven't heard of a beast like that. What is it?" Clark became interested and gave the food stall owner a few coins for one of the roasted and stuffed potatoes he was selling. They were the ice chilled potatoes that grew in harsh environments. Their flesh would freeze during the coldest of seasons and defrost leaving a perfect growing area for the young potatoes.

However, it also made them extremely smooth and delicious so they were heavily harvested.

Maria happily took one while the boy they had started to speak with hesitantly grabbed one wondering why Cark was so friendly, was he just after information? "Well, it's a new dungeon that one of our elders found while patrolling. Normally it would be taken by one side or the other depending on who found it, but it has these vine beasts in it.

They are like living vines or whatever." it sounded to Clark that this was a newer beast.

"Then they took back eggs, while that happened solar academy found the dungeons and did the same. Next thing we know, two first years have these beasts hatched and they are mutated to a gold vine beast and a silver vine beast. You can guess what happened from there."

"I see what you're saying. They gave gifts to your first years to help them and it caused trouble. Silver like the moon and gold like the sun. It must be rough. We don't have that near our academy. We have to worry about the snobby rich families trying to get more power from the others." Clark felt that having the constant battle against another city made the corruption within a city and academy less.

Mostly because people lacked the resources to fuel their corruption and instead focused on attacking another city.

"Well, trust me, growing up fighting isn't bad, I learned a lot and can handle myself. But always looking over my shoulder hurts my neck. Well, it sounds like you do that too." The boy laughed while finishing his food and spoke a little more to Clark and Maria.

Both parties didn't feel they were losing any valuable information but instead finding that they had lucked out with a level headed person for once.

"Hey, if you do come to Lunar academy, come looking for the first year elite barracks. That's where I live, I can show you around. You might be able to show off your dragon a little more." The boy had left Clark with a small letter of invitation that had the stamp he was provided as a first year elite student. "Oh, and my name is Ian, see you two later."

The meeting was short but the boy seemed very calm. It was interesting to see what a constant battle created. Ian was clearly a strong student but he had become sick of fighting at such a young age. That was not good for both Lunar and Solar cities. They would have many young people that would feel the same the longer this kind of thing went on.

"So, Lunar academy and Solar academy have new but powerful beasts. One that represents moonlight and nature while the other represents sunlight and nature. I need to see them and guess at what makes them tick. If I can figure that out…maybe I will see what they originate from. A beast that can change to take on light in two forms is very special."

This was more of a curiosity than anything else. Clark had yet to see either the gold or silver vine beasts. If he could he would be able to understand why a vine which would be a plant type multi elemental beast could take on a stronger light affinity typing toward one kind of light than another. It was definitely going to intrigue Ella as well.

Let alone any of the other professors and researchers in the world.

"Hey, Dragon guy. Why did you buy that pale kid food? Huh? Are you and Lunar academy ganging up on the others?" Clark looked over at a slightly more vibrant guy. His hair was a reddish blonde while he wore brighter clothing. He truly showed off that he was from the Solar academy more than some of the others.

"Just chatting about food. Haven't you tried any yet? Your two academies might fight and all that but the food is still good regardless of people fighting." Clark shrugged and saw that the guy had become more annoyed.

"Fine, I will tell my seniors and let them handle this. Your academy will be burned by the sun too." With this, the Solar academy student was gone.

"So just talking to one of the opposing sides starts this? What's with these guys?" Maria felt annoyed seeing that the Solar academy student was deliberately going to make trouble for them.

"Just forget them, you have to worry about our battle tomorrow. I want to see the faces of those healers when you beat a few people so easily." Clark knew it was best for Maria to head back to the inn and meditate on the strength that Lit and her midnight eel had gained.

"I know, but so do you. Aren't you waiting for Devi, Shy, and Crim to absorb more energy too? But you have been babying Shy and carrying her around all day." Maria motioned at Shy who was peacefully watching everything in her hidden doll form. She had been learning as much as possible.

"Shy needs to hide in plain sight. People seeing me holding her makes them think I am some weirdo that carries dolls and helps her hide even more. But it also lets her learn to blend in better. She will be able to fight a little so I can keep Devi hidden even more." Clark had this plan for a while. Devi was going to have to come out if he fought that boy with the purple spirit parasite.

Therefore, he had to beat others with Crim and Shy or his own strength.

"Fine, fine. Let's get something else to eat first though. I want to see what other delicacies the north is hiding." Clark laughed at this and wondered if Maria was going to make him pay for all the food during their trip.

As the pair headed to look around more, the solar academy students had already pointed out Clark. This small talk with a Lunar academy student had created a target on him in particular. However, the Lunar academy student had also gone back to tell the others about Clark.

The information they shared was easily found but the intentions that might exist behind these random conversations proved to make the Lunar academy students more hot blooded. If the Nova academy was going to be friendly with them, why not make a bigger move against Solar academy then ask for some assistance? It could help them quite a bit in the future if Nova academy had a student trade field trip.