Chapter 43: Is Your Path the “General Takes This Path”?
“Although Starry University is nominally a higher education institution under the Ministry of Education of the Granville Kingdom… in reality, this university is more like a violent agency similar to the military.”
“A violent agency that exists solely for the Night World and the Twilight Catastrophes.”
“And Starry University and the Granville Kingdom are actually more akin to a company and its investors.”
“Although the government, royalty, and a few major nobles hold some seats on the board of trustees, in most cases, Starry University maintains a quite high level of independence and autonomy, not dependent on any particular nation. Even the wars between the various countries on the continent have nothing to do with Starry University.”
“From a certain perspective, you might as well understand Starry University as an independent military organization.”
At this moment, a pleasant notification sound rang from Isda’s arms.
She took out a phone-like device, skillfully unlocked the screen with her fingerprint, and checked the messages sent to her phone.
Immediately, Rast noticed that her golden pigtails clearly swayed.
“Rast, your enrollment approval has been granted.”
“In other words, from now on, we will be classmates at the university.”
Isda scrolled through the screen, confirming the specific time: “There’s a high-speed train back to the academy in exactly half an hour; according to the academy’s arrangements, we will take this train back.”
“Oh, by the way, I almost forgot to introduce this to you.”
Seemingly suddenly remembering Rast’s rather special background, she held up the phone in her hand: “This thing is called a smart terminal. You can think of it as a mini, portable telegraph.”
“I know this might be a bit beyond your imagination, but this little smart terminal can do many incredible things, like make real-time video calls over thousands of miles, check intelligence, play games, and so on.”
“Many of the features and permissions at Starry University can also be accessed through the smart terminal.”
“But you don’t need to worry too much; it’s very easy to get the hang of the smart terminal, and there are simplified versions specifically made for the elderly…”
This girl really thinks of herself as someone who has come out from a remote rural area.
However, aside from her somewhat strange personality, her nature isn’t bad.
Rast followed behind Isda, walking toward the outside of the stronghold.
Soon, the steel buildings and the busy demolition teams disappeared, replaced by an ancient and lush red pine forest.
The quiet platform was situated within the red pine forest, covered by a layer of fine pine needles.
Rast sat on a bench on the platform, looking around the deserted station, only to find that the tracks hidden in the dense forest had long been in disrepair, with mottled deep red rust visible everywhere.
The sleeper ties were cracked, and many rail joints had twisted and deformed, causing gauge deviations.
“Let me confirm something: are you sure these tracks are still in a state to operate?” Rast pointed to the rust-covered track, “And it’s for the high-speed train?”
“This railway has been abandoned for a long time. Originally, after the Night World passage appeared here, the people from the Springwind Institute had planned to renovate this railway to facilitate logistics support to the Night World stronghold… but now that the Night World passage has disappeared, the renovation plan for the railway has naturally been cancelled.”
Isda glanced at the decaying rails, seemingly unfazed.
She proudly puffed out her chest, and the academy uniform adorned with the Starry emblem instantly tightened: “You don’t need to worry, the academy is even more powerful than you imagine. Soon you will discover that choosing to join Starry University will be your most correct decision…”
“We’ve arrived.” Rast interjected, cutting off Isda’s words.
“What do you mean we’ve arrived?” Isda blinked.
“The train has arrived.” Rast looked toward the rarely visited end of the dense forest.
Suddenly, a howling wind swept across the platform, sending the layer of red pine needles flying in all directions.
A few seconds later, accompanied by the sound of a whistle, a silver train entered the platform.
Rast noticed that as the train ran, a layer of rune-like light clearly emerged between the train and the rusty, dilapidated abandoned tracks, as if a path constructed of runes and light was laid out.
Only when the train came to a stop on the platform did that road constructed from runes slowly dissipate.
The conductor, wearing a soft hat, slid open the train door: “Welcome aboard the ‘Silver Gear’ train produced by the Springwind Institute of Starry University.”
“Classmate Rast, and also…”
The conductor glanced at Isda beside Rast, took a couple of steps back, and a strange light flashed in his eyes: “The Seeker.”
Isda was clearly accustomed to this kind of gaze; she surveyed the empty platform besides herself and Rast: “The one who came to pick me up is actually a special train? Has my obelisk ranking increased again?”
“No, this is an application made by Vice President Hiltina under the Twelve Seats of the Round Table. This special train is to pick up Classmate Rast, and you, Seeker, are just along for the ride.”
The soft-hatted conductor evidently had some issues with Isda and didn’t give her much respect.
He extended his hand to Rast: “New students who can be picked up by a special train are rare. Perhaps in a few years, you will also ascend to the Twelve Seats of the Round Table.”
“Let me introduce myself, I’m Rodri, a third-year student from the Springwind Institute. My Night Blade is ‘All Roads Lead to Rome.'”
Immediately, the conductor named Rodri was slightly taken aback, for he noticed that the boy in front of him had somehow put on a sunshine smile that was refreshing and warm.
“‘All Roads Lead to Rome?'” Rast shook hands with Rodri.
The name of this Night Blade made him recall the earlier scene of the Silver Gear train running on the already dilapidated tracks as if treading on solid ground.
“Yes, this Night Blade name seems to originate from an ancient saying called ‘All Roads Lead to Rome,’ meaning that there are many paths to a city-state, and one need not stick to any one of them.”
“This Night Blade allows me to define everything around me as ‘harmless paths,’ so that even steep cliffs or all-consuming swamps can be safely traversed.”
“The reason the Silver Gear can travel here is that I defined the abandoned tracks as a road using my Night Blade.”
Rast looked deeply at Rodri before him.
Since he could define both cliffs and swamps as ‘harmless paths,’ then… what about the weapons swung by enemies? What about the bullets fired at him?
The Night Blade ‘All Roads Lead to Rome’ had immense developmental potential just from hearing the introduction.
Moreover, the so-called Night Blade is a manifestation of a Night Traveler’s inner world.
Then, does Rodri, who possesses such a Night Blade, mean that he also has a powerful spirit that refuses to bend, determined to reach his destination no matter how many failures he endures or how many directions and paths he must change?
“Don’t be fooled by this guy, Rast.”
Isda whispered in his ear: “Do you know why this guy Rodri, when introducing himself, only mentions his academy and year, while completely ignoring the obelisk ranking that Starry University students value the most?”
“This guy is the one and only at Starry University, clearly having reached the Third Tier, yet his obelisk ranking is still in the bottom tier… hardly different from a newly enrolled student.”
“Although he has been forced into the Night World a few times due to cooldown time running out, he always ends up with the lowest rating, contributing nothing to the university’s exploration of the Night World’s echoes.”
“Because every time in the Night World, he just hides and runs, only clearing the stage after depleting the echo’s duration… and that Night Blade capable of defining roads only serves to help this guy run better.”
“Otherwise, why do you think Rodri possesses such a powerful Night Blade, yet is still working as a train attendant in the logistics Springwind Institute?”
Well, that’s something.
Rast’s gaze toward Rodri became subtle.
So your Night Blade, the path you defined, is the “General Takes This Path.”
(End of Chapter)
