“Does the Examination and Forced Awakening need more attention?” William touched on this subject because Mi-Yung sounded like a broken record about it, which was curious.

  “Depends on your needs or expectations. Do you think mine are wrong? That I expect you to be good enough? I always wanted you to get better, and that won't end after this event.”

  “Yeah.” William muttereed, shifting his head towards his hand. “I think I will do well with the upper floors for now. There is a lot to learn. Well, apart from the way this whole Forced feels or does, or why it is so important.”

  Mi-Yung expected his self-answer. “I know I gave you a lot of good goods, and without that card you have, things would have been different, but not out of line, because who do you think I am?”

  “Song Mi-Yung, the youngest Pillar of the Federation and powerhouse of Korea?”

  “That's just secular meaning. In truth, I struggle out there, against some Darks and people. One has to have helpers and know what to do around them, and just because I got my family bonds or blood within me doesn't mean I am meant for greatness. I hope you will keep that in mind. Your time is almost around the corner, and the tension is all over the Federation.”

  “I heard youths are the foundation, but I doubt it,” William added, unsure how to think about it due to how he hadn't seen much of his generation. They were weak, easily killed or pushed to the edge, and how many of them could ever amount to anything? The upper echelon of Walkers was just too important, and from what he had gathered so far, the depth of guidance was rare or brutal.

  “Yes. New generations are a bother to many,” Mi-Yung acknowledged. “Most good folks look for specific ones rather than fish for gold out of thousands. Natural awakening is not a choice here. It is a gruesome reality of this era. Because of this, every new generation has to get it, and every Rank 1 Walker has a different set of expectations. They are either left alone, trained en masse, or come and work with what they can handle, where they can. That sort of thing ends and starts with politics.”

  Once more, William accepted her words. “That doesn't make things easier for me.”

  “I know. On another note, I am involved in foreign powers, which means engaging with Walkers from all over the world, so I know quite a bit more than most. I am pretty good at it, if not the best person to talk about it. A lot of them do some links, business, partnership, or opportunities. It's gains or losses, and that's how people always worked.”

  “Everyone looks for an advantage or reaches deeper into the abyss. A lot of talking is ahead, too. Examinations are less important for some of them. Awakening is a priority for foreigners, so there will be a huge flood of youths in the next week or two.”

  “Be careful about yourself, and do not let your guard down. Many of those people are recruiting from the Federation without a shred of shame. They come and see what's up. Shameless rats. It is a prime time to get their military up or increase their numbers. You can imagine how important it is, don't you?”

  “I can. In your absence, I won't make mistakes and will continue working.”

  “Good. I don't want you to make any promises to anyone. I told you about my proxy proposition, and I don't plan to ignore it. It still comes through me, but this time it will go to different communications, and things should be the same in the library. Heidi promised me something.”

  “Library? Should I be careful there?”

  “Yes, obviously?” Mi-Yung questionably asked because that's what she meant. After all, most other places didn't have such a progressive hub of knowledge. Kaufmans always took advantage of that, while the Assembly realized it way too late. “That place is one of the rarest treasures in this world. Foreigners have them, but not like this, so they visit them and trade what they have to get in or join. You can't even fathom the interest of some people.”

  “And, I don't want to know.” William nodded, feeling apprehensive, and wondered whether seeing new people was what she meant by this lesson. Would any of them be like Celeste, or... himself? He wondered if they would be arrogant like Stark or somewhat normal.

  “Another thing I want to touch on is the process and aftermath. Have you considered the organization you want to join? As your proxy, this is probably the most important thing to ask, so... speak up, alright?” Mi-Yung said, looking and blinking at him.

  “Organisation? I planned to worry about that much later, or after knowing what kind of powers and options I would have with my Emblem, or what offers might come out of it.”

  “That is the usual situation that I expected you to say. Good. There is also a situation where one could seek the organization themselves. With me, it is different. So?”

  William got it. “Organizations seek out recruits, and some Walkers have private disciples and other such methods. A good choice can lead to an incredible future or a lack of methods. I suppose that's how the Walkers do it when the world is so vast. It isn't simple, right?”

  “So you know, how shocking. I guess the situation with Kaufman led to many realizations, and my words did the rest.”

  “A little bit of both. Is it good, though? If I were a leader or a recruiter for the military, I would seek talents much more and better. Outside perspective messes with me a little, but I know what I know from there.” William had a half-baked idea that might touch upon this place alone. After all, he wasn't aware of how other places worked, what people or Walkers had to do to go here or survive, or how the upper echelon of Walkers even viewed this upcoming event. Some might be very negative about it, or angry at the Federation, but what could they do about it?

  This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

  “Do you have time for such worries? What-ifs are proper when they matter. Still, I want the best for you. What are your answers, or... an answer.” Mi-Yung said, raising one of her brows.

  “Well... if anything, there are choices I was considering more than others. Yondu Division.”

  “Because of your father?”

  “A little, but the military is vast, so I realized looking at it like that is not wrong. My father is gone and won't return. So let's disregard those Divisions. The next obvious target is the Academy? The library has little bout it. I think people do instead.”

  “Academy?” Mi-Yung frowned and didn't pretend to know how this topic had begun or how it had shifted their conversation. She was calm and expected this from him. It touched on his mother, and she knew this topic had been looming for days. Mi-Yung didn't hold much interest in her.

  However, the Academy as a whole was a different story.

  William was more than worth it for being curious about it and for having confidence in its rules and procedures. Unbeknownst to her, he had already met with Richards and marks of an unknown Party.

  “Is it bad to ask about it? I know their recruitments and assessments conflict with the Divisions. Forced Awakening is a mere qualification, but the Academy has another, so it must be very important to know what it is about and what they do afterwards. Is it some test? If one fails it, then what?”

  “It is a test, but getting there is rather tricky. Only the top of the younger generations get that chance, and even then, many tend to fail to meet the expectations and keep it going. They can continue looking ahead, make a more challenging attempt, or give up. The Academy is a place where many want to go thanks to its famous processes and results. Walkers simply grow better when they focus on what they do best, rather than in places that touch many other things. Still, it isn't as if the Federation doesn't do it well. We do, but with less focus if it's fair.”

  “I heard about it. How the Academy does its recruitments, and how it swallowed talents that caused many deaths.”

  Mi-Ying blinked and looked away in awkwardness. “Yeah, they are tough sacrifices, and people make choices. Good or bad, it often matters, but most looked out for themselves. Walkers can be greedy and awfully hopeful.”

  “I heard their Principal is the throne, pillar, and epicenter of that place. How come a single Walker did that sort of thing?”

  Mi-Yung shrugged, noticing how excited William sounded. “Old history, I guess.”

  “Hm. What do I need to do to get in?”

  “Achieve 70 Affinity in the Forced Awakening. If you want to have a chance to get there, that is the bare minimum. I also heard it could go up to 80, but it depends on the assessment or the current Judge. I think it is going to be 70 this time.”

  “I see...” William said, gazing at the plate for too long. Then, he grasped his courage and looked at Mi-Yung. “Can you tell me more about the Academy itself? You must know a lot as a Walker of your caliber.”

  Mi-Yung laughed and omitted any food. “Sure. A little wouldn't hurt.” A bit of flattery worked quite well on her. William didn't say it out of emptiness or fake news, or because he wanted her to do what her proxy position promised. No. That wasn't everything; he believed she was an incredible person.

  Her Lower Pillar status was big for a Rank 6 Walker, and her real prowess should be well within the reach of Rank 7 boundaries. William had no idea what that meant for her, but her accomplishments were there. He never asked a lot about it because he thought they were unlikely to be meaningful, or because he thought she wouldn't like discussing them.

  However, the standing of the low-ranking Walkers was different. They weren't as complicated, and the library had a ton of research about them. From terms, vague explanations, weapons, styles of combat, to economics, and most of all, knowledge about the Darks, every young Walker had to know them at some level. Alas, the reasonable choices weren't always the best, and William learned many valuable lessons, even if six weeks wasn't much.

  Mi-Yung cleared her throat, straightened her back, and decided to shake him.

  “Honestly, I used to be an instructor in the Academy. Although it was only for a single year due to the death of one of the instructors, I did end up seeing its worth. That was once, two years ago. Their styles and teachings are curious and worth quite a lot of effort.”

  “You were an instructor?!” William gaped at her. “So you must know a lot.” Clenching his fists, he looked at her with an obnoxious amount of expectation.

  Mi-Yung couldn't help but chuckle when she noticed his face. It was great that he was honest about this, unlike how he was with Ellie. That wouldn't hurt him, in her opinion, but she wouldn't force anything. It was their life, and if they liked each other, they would get to know it over time or realize it wasn't workable. Between people and Walkers, there were boundaries, and Mi-Yung knew things might get difficult later down the line.

  “I will tell. I resolve this, alright? The Academy is an institution and an archipelago of fake islands hundreds of miles away from the Federation. It is further east in the ocean. While barren like this place, it's a one-of-a-kind dwelling for training the Walkers. First look at it is enough to shock most Walkers. I did take it for something crazier, but I won't go into why since it involves secrets that I am not willing to say.”

  “Again...”

  “... it is the same with everything, William.” Mi-Yung jumped into his words and slapped the table. “Seeking it is different. Leaders think it's better to keep things confidential, so that's it. We will comply, even if we don't like it, or we will forget it if it's worth it. That doesn't mean I can't speak of anything. Walkers have their hierarchy. A high rank is important for one's self-esteem, and the accomplishments they have achieved are part of their record. Rank 1 is a start, and unless you reach Rank 5, one is still a toy compared to the rest. Having the strength to slaughter Rank 6 Darks is the first step to confidence and speaking to those in power.”

  At last, Mi-Yung's words made rough sense to him because William believed that power came with strength, and Walkers and Darks had strange similarities. It was the same shit over and over again.

  The people. The camps. Everyone worked on something they could gain, or couldn't, while overseen by those better than them, while even those might have someone beyond them. Like stars having others behind them, William found it reasonable and straightforward.

  For the sake of fighting, or for what they believed was right, or for a better life, it might lead to something brutal and unknown, and William couldn't refute it in the slightest. Mi-Yung should prove it and say what she always knew.

  “How hard is this 70 Affinity?” He asked.

  “Ask your hand. I can't possibly guess it.”