After the echo of the four ranks settled in their minds, the silence did not last long. A boy raised his hand from among the rows and, in a tone filled with ambition laced with ignorance, asked:
"What about the fifth rank, teacher?"
The teacher narrowed his eyes, his gaze seeming to pierce through unseen veils. Then he replied in a dry voice, tinged with subtle reproach:
"You speak of summits when you have yet to learn how to crawl.
Reach the second or third rank first. Only then will your minds be qualified to ask such a question.
There are truths before your eyes now far more worthy of understanding than what lies beyond the walls of the fourth rank."
A heavy silence fell. Everyone understood—the door of curiosity had been shut for today.
The teacher broke the stillness with a firm gesture of his hand.
"Now… enough meditation. Head to the Bamboo Library. It is time to receive the resources allocated for the beginning of your cultivation."
Kairos's eyes gleamed with restrained greed, while one of the boys asked innocently:
"What kind of resources will we receive, teacher?"
At that moment, Kairos and the elite group around him turned toward the speaker, their gazes filled with undisguised contempt.
They said nothing, but their silence spoke clearly:
*Ignorant… how can someone like you even qualify to be a cultivator?*
Although many already understood the value of what awaited them, the presence of those ignorant of even the basics made the class divide painfully clear.
In the Bamboo Academy, ignorance was not merely a lack of knowledge—it was a stain that preceded failure.
The teacher answered without hiding any details:
"Each of you will receive three copper cores for this week, along with cultivation seeds for your farms. You are free to choose the type you prefer—but in limited quantities."
He raised a finger, emphasizing his next words:
"And each of you may also select one ninth-grade Leech. You may choose whichever suits your cultivation path—so long as it is only one."
The same boy who had asked earlier spoke again, ignoring the mockery around him:
"What are cores and cultivation seeds, teacher?"
The teacher studied him for a moment, noticing the confusion on his face—and on the faces of several others. These terms were nothing more than riddles to them.
So he began a more detailed explanation.
"Listen carefully. I will not repeat this.
Spiritual cores are your primary fuel. They directly increase the density of spiritual energy within your farm, accelerating the growth of your seeds and the development of your Spirit Well."
"Understand this—your farms will not remain mere consumers. Over time, they will become sources that produce their own cores.
However, this production depends entirely on quality.
A poor-quality farm produces one copper core per month.
An average one produces two.
An excellent one stands at the top—producing three cores monthly."
He paused briefly, letting the gap sink in, then continued more sharply:
"This may sound sufficient to you—but in truth, it is painfully scarce.
Cores are the only recognized currency among cultivators.
Gold, silver, and worldly treasures are nothing but scraps in our eyes. They neither increase power nor extend life.
Those who possess cores hold influence.
Those who lack them remain at the bottom."
Despite the scarcity of natural production, Kairos did not miss the chance. He puffed his chest with arrogance and cast a disdainful glance at Jumanji, as if reminding him of the vast gap that would soon separate them.
Jumanji, however, looked away—his mind wandering far beyond their reach.
He didn't even notice Kairos's provocation.
Not out of restraint…
But because, to him, Kairos simply didn't exist.
His insight surpassed this noise by far. Thanks to the Leech of Insight, the academy's offerings felt like nothing more than children's toys compared to what he intended to achieve.
His indifference wasn't ignorance—it was understanding.
He knew the value of cores and seeds…
He simply saw further than everyone else.
A boy asked curiously:
"Teacher, you said our farms produce these cores… how does that actually happen?"
The teacher lifted his head and explained:
"It all comes down to the seed at the center of your Spirit Well.
It acts as a condenser—absorbing spiritual energy from the farm's surroundings and refining it with extreme precision.
From this refinement, the copper core is formed… like a drop of dew crystallized under immense pressure.
At the end of each month, depending on your farm's quality, these cores will appear beside the seed—like small celestial bodies ready for use."
He then continued, referring to the seeds:
"As for cultivation seeds, their principle is no different from farming in the mortal world.
The only difference is this—
Your soil is your spiritual farm.
And your water… is spiritual energy.
You have already experienced this within the tribe's grand farm.
Now, you will practice it within your own."
The students nodded in understanding.
The teacher concluded briefly:
"As for the Leech, I assume you all understand its nature and value. I will not waste time explaining the obvious… follow me."
The students followed him through the academy's corridors, filled with the scent of aged wood, until they reached the Bamboo Library.
It was not merely a storage of books—it resembled a hive of activity. Towering shelves stretched toward the ceiling.
When the teacher stopped in a wide hall, he gestured toward neatly arranged metal chests and wooden cabinets.
"This is where your real journey begins.
Step forward one by one to receive your cores and seeds.
After that, you may enter the Leech Wing and choose your second companion."
Inside the metal chests, copper cores glowed faintly with a pale orange hue, emitting subtle pulses that could be felt by anyone nearby.
Kairos stepped forward proudly, as if he owned the entire academy, taking his share with absolute confidence.
While the students crowded eagerly, Jumanji and Mahinor remained at the back, observing quietly.
To them, this line was nothing more than a tedious formality.
Each student chose seeds according to their ambitions.
Jumanji, however, selected his at random.
To him, they held no value—they were merely ninth-grade seeds.
"Ninth-grade seeds… fit only to feed livestock," he muttered inwardly with faint ridicule, stepping back as looks of disdain followed him.
Amid this charged atmosphere, two boys leaned closer, their thoughts turning toward betrayal.
One whispered with malicious intent:
"What do you think about taking those cores and seeds from him once he leaves?"
Another grinned darkly.
"The tribe doesn't interfere in disputes between juniors. This is a perfect opportunity. Those resources would be wasted on trash like him anyway."
"I'm in," a third boy added. He wore a pale yellow robe and was the son of Elder Kiona.
"We each take one copper core. As for the seeds—we split them evenly."
Silently, the three sealed their agreement, determined to ambush Jumanji the moment he left the academy.
They then headed toward the Leech Wing, exchanging knowing glances filled with cunning—as if the prize was already theirs.
Passing through the main hall, they entered a colder, more humid section. The walls were lined with glowing glass containers, each holding different varieties of these strange, slug-like creatures.
The teacher spoke in a warning tone:
"You will find each Leech's type and properties clearly listed before its container. Use your minds. Choose carefully.
This companion will define your path of power."
The students spread out, examining the containers eagerly, reading descriptions and comparing traits.
Each selected the Leech they believed suited their future.
Meanwhile, Jumanji moved calmly and steadily, passing from one container to another with experienced eyes—until he stopped.
Before him was a container holding black, slug-like creatures marked with thin white lines.
His expression tightened slightly as he whispered inwardly:
"The Wild Leech…"
"Even Mahinor ignored it… for now. But the future will reveal its true nature."
"Its hidden eighth rank beneath this humble appearance is truly astonishing."
"And I… am the only one in this tribe who holds the key to evolving it."
Once everyone had chosen their second Leech, the teacher cut through the silence:
"You may return home now and begin cultivating immediately.
There is no place for the lazy among us. This path demands relentless effort."
Then he added, his tone laced with mystery:
"The elders are currently deciding your future.
Tomorrow, you will learn the outcome of that meeting.
For now… today's lesson is over."
At that moment, the three conspirators exchanged dark glances, whispering like hissing serpents:
"Get ready… the moment he steps outside, we strike—and take everything."
End of Chapter