Chapter 99: Against the imagined

With a radiant smile, Shane walked around the Academy grounds, with Aimy and Olivia following him, as they didn't know what exactly they should do for now.

Olivia was still talking non-stop, relaxing the atmosphere around them because Aimy seemed to become nervous, the further they walked.

The three of them saw many grand buildings and it seemed like Shane underestimated the sheer number of students that entered the Shirai Academy.

The dorms he saw in front of him were several dozen, if not one hundred, six to ten-floor tall buildings with all kinds of emblems on them, indicating some sort of club or name, Shane wasn't aware of.

Each dorm looked magnificent from their appearance and even the materials they were constructed but Shane didn't really care about any of them, because they didn't release the vigorous aura like the mansion he lived in, indicating a big contrast between the mansion he lived in his childhood to the dorms.

However, if he were to further compare the dorms with the Inns inside the shelter he lived in for the last few weeks, Shane could only chuckle lightly, because the Inn's within the Primordial Dimension was not some magnificent building, at least the ones he was inside.

Scanning everything with his mana gathering technique in order to find mana generators or similar devices, Shane's brightened mood plummeted slightly, because the mana generators he perceived within the dorms, could be counted by one hand and were most likely used to supply everything.

This meant that it was not possible to cultivate inside the dorm without using cultivation resources.

It was extremely disappointing, but when Shane saw three imposing building constructions in the center of the Academy, surrounding a large colosseum, his mood immediately heightened.

His smile returned almost immediately and what he perceived were dense mana fluctuation radiating from the three humongous building constructions, and the colosseum, which would enable someone to cultivate there unhindered, without the mandatory utilization of cultivation resources.

'Perfect!' He shouted inwardly, and the density of mana only intensified, the closer one looked towards the colosseum.

Comparing it to the Primordial Dimension, it was still slightly lacking on the outskirts, but this was only considered a small issue.

The possibility alone was already splendid and Shane was glad to have at least the opportunity to cultivate inside the Shirai Academy, even if he was unsure if he would use it.

This was however solely the case because the Shirai academy was constructed around a Dimensional Portal, which most students used in order to absorb the natural mana inside the Primordial Dimensions.

As such, the mana generators were mostly used by students, who sparred against each other inside the colosseum.

In the end, it would be a hassle to enter the Primordial Dimension every single time, one had to replenish the used up mana, which was prevented thanks to the academy purchasing mana generators.

Shane was not exactly sure how they worked, but he knew that one had to supply them with high-quality mana stones.

Because it was their first day, every student was asked to meet up inside the colosseum, and previously Shane tried to understand why exactly this necessary, only to figure out that it was the largest building and also the only one that could inhabit soo many students.

'Wait?! There are only five big academies, right? Even if there are still smaller academies, they don't have Dimension-spheres and are only used to improve the students' knowledge and combat experience and prowess…But even more important...has Humanity already reached 30 billion?!'

Shane's brain rumbled, trying to estimate how many students would most likely attend the Shirai-academy...

'If our population reached 30 billion...There are most likely around 300 to 400 million children each year, probably more, while nobody can be considered extremely poor, with high hygiene and medical knowledge, deaths during child-birth or at a young age are rare, while diseases are almost eradicated thanks to the Primordial Dimensions potions and healing ingredients…

Even if I can already deduct most children from below average families and the slightly richer families, the big academies will only take hard-working youths, the number will still be in the several dozen of millions who most likely applied...how many students will the Shirai academy have?! '

Finally comprehending the astronomical number of possible students, Shane was astonished as he asked himself if it was really that intelligent for him to go to an Academy in order to receive the opportunity to enter the Dimension-sphere instead of earning funds to purchase these techniques.

However, in the end, Shane told himself, that he also had to socialize, at least slightly in order to achieve something.

Alone, he would never be able to construct a shelter for example, which was also something Shane wanted to witness...building something from scrap and seeing the whole process!

Furthermore, getting to know Aimy and Olivia also didn't feel bad, and he understood that meeting up with youths at his age was important for his progress.

Being with the two girls, even if it had only been a few hours, released his tension which he accumulated over the last month and Shane was now sure of the fact that free time could bring him further than pressuring himself too much!

The closer they walked towards the Academies center, the more shocked the three of them became, because nobody would have expected the building constructions and colosseum to be so gigantic, and when they finally entered the gigantic colosseum, Shane noticed a sign, with all kinds of information about it.

The sign was comparable to a sign because it was a holographic screen which would also explain all floors with the different ways to utilize them.

From what he saw right now, the colosseum seemed to have a few floors on the surface, while the majority of floors was on the underground, causing Shane to frown lightly

'Am I still underestimating the Academies sizes?'

Entering the interior of the Colosseum, they were approached by a woman in her twenties, telling the three of them where to go, to which they only nodded.

Suddenly, Shane heard Olivia next to him silently exclaiming.

"This is sooo big!!! I'll have many opponents to fight YEAH!!"

She was obviously overjoyed and Shane was already aware that Olivia was a battle-maniac and he was conscious about their behavior because he knew two battle-maniacs while he even felt their craziness first-hand.

Being reminded about his Aunt Lory and Uncle Cheng, Shane trembled lightly, before they went to the upper floors.

Arriving at the highest floor, the three of them noticed that it was already crammed with students sitting on chairs, as Aimy mumbled.

"Weren't the seats on the lower floors not also completely filled with students?"

And Shane could only nod, thinking the same, as he sighed.

"Let's just sit down, I think it will still take some time until everyone arrives and sits down.."

There was still more than enough time left for the first-year students to arrive and Shane couldn't help but feel weird, as he sensed everyone's mana fluctuations.

'Is there even someone at the Mortal stage except me?' Thinking that Shane couldn't help but smile arbitrarily.

Sitting down in the back rows that were still relatively free compared to the seats in the front that were completely crammed with students, the three of them waited patiently, until the seats around them were filled.

It was exactly 8:00 am, when a large holographic image emerged in the front, with a young woman seemingly in her late twenties within, smiling foolishly, as a male voice behind her whispered quietly that the video transmission had already started.

Her eyes widened and Shane could clearly see her being overwhelmed with the situation, causing him to smile lightly, because it was Aunt Kia he saw, and gathering her senses, she seemed to turn serious.

Clearing her throat she announced.

"Hello dear students as you may know my name is [Kia Mel] and I'm your cute principal!"

Chuckling lightly, she continued, while Shane could only shake his head

"I hope everyone arrived at the Shirai academy without any disturbances or any other issues.

Some may be confused to see that I appear inside a holographic transmission instead of standing in front of all of you, but this is hardly possible because we have more than 200.000 students this year!

This is a shocking number, don't you all agree and I can imagine why some of you may have chosen one of the big academies as your choice.

Not only have the big academies the best combat instructors, mana mastery classes, knowledgeable teachers, and a beautiful principal aka me, but each of the big academies have 20 grade-1 Dimension-spheres and 3 grade-2 Dimension spheres.

Everyone should be aware that purchasing skills and martial art techniques from the system is an extremely expensive procedure, which is probably why most students from average households applied to the big academies.

However, please bear in mind, that everyone around you is your competitor with the same goal and we won't gift everyone enough time to enter the Dimension-spheres without any contribution!!

Competition is good and ignites one's potential, but only to a certain degree!!

Accidents inside the colosseum may happen, but whoever deliberately hurts someone causing long-term injuries or even permanent injuries, will immediately be expelled from the Academy!!

The same goes for cheaters during theoretical exams...what I hate the most are students trying to receive something that doesn't belong to them or what they don't deserve in the first place.

With enough effort, you will progress and the Shirai academy will not remain silent and only observe everyone, but we shall be your support pillar."