Hunters Academy (1)

That time of year had arrived once more. All teens who had awakened their abilities and wished to become hunters, provided they had met the threshold, were accepted.

Across the empire, all Hunters Academies were poised to commence the new academic year. The air was charged with excited teens eager to become formidable hunters and establish their names in the world.

...

Planet Mars, Hunters Academy

Alex, Ross, and Julia sat together in the front row of a massive auditorium, facing a large display before them. 

Year One alone boasted numerous auditoria to accommodate the millions of students arriving from both Earth and Mars, with each auditorium holding a maximum capacity of 300,000 students.

Moreover, every seating arrangement was designated for a specific class group.

All Class 1A students sat in the first row, Class 1B in the second row, and so on. Each auditorium had a Class 1A, differentiated by another number following the 'A', with Alex and his friends being in Class 1A1.

The students were dressed in the official academy uniform: a black zip-up jacket with a single red stripe running from the left shoulder to the hem, paired with a white shirt underneath. 

Both males and females wore this uniform, which included black trousers for ease of movement and modesty for females during combat exercises.

A portion of the material used to create the uniforms was derived from the bodies of void creatures. They were durable, resistant to wear and tear, provided protection to the students against cuts, and remained comfortable in all weather conditions.

As the students awaited the welcome message from the principal, Alex and his friends participated in small talk. They had arrived at the academy the day prior. 

Fortunately for Alex and Ross, they found themselves in the same dormitory and on the same floor. Moreover, their dormitory was designated for students with the highest stats recorded during their awakening.

Julia was among the top female students and was the leading student in the female category; almost no other girl came close.

Suddenly, the holographic display sprang to life. The students quickly composed themselves and focused on what was about to unfold.

Displayed was a woman with dark sclera. She appeared to be in her thirties, with brown hair. While she may appear to be thirty, as a Class A hunter herself, she was hundreds of years old and had been the principal for many years.

[Welcome, new students, to the Hunters Academy. I am your principal, Seraph Yiny, and I am thrilled to stand before you today.

[I do apologise for not being able to stand face-to-face with all of you; as you can tell, your numbers make that difficult.]

At this point, the students listening to her all nodded in understanding. The size of the student body was no joke. The first years alone numbered in the millions, not to mention the other years.

[I want to express how delighted we are to have you join our community. As you step through our doors, you become part of a tradition of excellence, a legacy of hunters who have shaped the empire into what it is today.]

[Our academy is founded on the values of self-improvement, resilience, and courage. To our new students, I offer these words of wisdom:

[Be bold in your pursuit of strength]

[Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth]

[Build meaningful relationships with your peers] …

As the students listened to their principal's words, they resolved to commit themselves to her message and work hard to become the hunters they dreamed of: hunters who stood as a shield for humanity against the vicious void creatures.

A few minutes later, the principal brought her welcome message to an end.

[Beside each class is a robot designated to guide you through your orientation of the many facilities made available for you.]

[All questions you have would be addressed by them, and at the end of your orientation, you'd be guided to your classrooms where your homeroom instructors await. Do enjoy your stay.]

Once she brought her message to an end, the students turned to their guides. Alex, Ross, Julia and their soon-to-be classmates gathered before their robotic guide.

Operated by the empire's primary AI systems, these robots exhibited flawless fluidity in their communication with people.

[Hello, students of Class 1A1.] The bot greeted. [From here on out, we'll be touring the various facilities made available to you. We will begin our tour with the teleportation hubs spread across the academy.]

Providing a brief introduction, it directed them to the various facilities. Just as it stated, the teleportation hub was the first destination on their list.

These hubs were spread throughout the academy, connecting to the administration block, classrooms, cafeteria, gyms, and all necessary facilities.

Due to the size of the academy, which could be likened to a large city, the teleportation hubs eliminated the distance issue.

Different classes would visit other areas, and they would rotate once one class was done. With this rotation cycle, the tour of the first-year facilities came to an end.

Their final destination was their classroom, where Alexander and his mates met with their homeroom instructor.

The classroom allotted to them was equally large and impressive. It came equipped with all the necessary materials. In front of the classroom was a spacious area that the teacher would use for instruction.

The desks were arranged in an auditorium-style setting to ensure that every student had space to see their instructor and what they taught; this also allowed the instructor to see their students.

To the left side of the classroom, from the students' perspective, there was a magnificent view of the academy grounds. Being one of the classes on the top floor of their building provided them with such a splendid view. 

The classroom had a capacity of 120 students, arranged in 3 columns and 10 rows, with each desk accommodating a total of 4 students.

Although the class size was large, everyone present knew what they were there for and would not give any of their instructors trouble.

Additionally, the academy system meant that if a student performed poorly in their class, they risked being demoted to a lower class, as the higher the class, the greater the allocation of resources and benefits.