Chapter 46 PREPARATIONS

"You don't know about the Pacesetters Rookie battle!?" Sofia quickly asked with a stunned look on her face. But the response Kaelen gave her was a wry and awkward smile while he thought. 'Why isn't Morris here with me?' It seems like Sofia already knew that Kaelen didn't have a clue about what she is saying at this point as she began to explain. "The Pacesetters Rookie Tournament is held annually at the prestigious Pace Setter Academy which is a grand event that captivates the entire student body and faculty. It is a vibrant showcase of talent, strategy, and raw power, designed to identify and celebrate the greatest rookie of the year. The tournament is an elaborate affair, filled with the excitement and tension of competition, where the newest students prove their mettle." "Must be grand huh?" Kaelen suddenly asked with a nonchalant expression on his face. Kaelen is someone who doesn't and will never fancy grand competitions or events so this tournament didn't move him one bit. "I still can't believe you don't know about the rookie tournament whereas you are a rookie yourself" Sofia replied with an incredulous expression on her face. "Point of correction, rogue rookie now" Kaelen said with an indifferent look on his face. But realisation dawned on Sofia when she heard what he said before she replied in wry tone. "Oh, I actually forgot about your social problem back in the academy..." But Kaelen didn't give her any response as he began to dust himself from the dirt that is on his uniform. "Hey, how about we train together? We have five days before the tournament begins and you need some serious training if you wanna shine in the tournament" Sofia suddenly said with an encouraging tone in her voice. But when Kaelen heard her, he immediately had a perplexed expression on his face as he asked in a weird tone "You want to train me? No thank you" "Oh come on, have you forgotten who just beat you up in a duel? I might be of help" Sofia insisted with a smug look on her face. But Kaelen didn't seem interested as he answered while walking out of that area. "Sorry but I like training alone and there is nothing you can do that will change that" "Well suit yourself then" When Sofia heard his answer, she immediately pouted as she replied before she began to walk the opposite direction, but she didn't know that Kaelen was currently speaking in his mind. 'And don't get cocky, I have a life hack within me' ... "Damn, I can't believe I left Kaelen in this place for three whole days" right above the Veilwood forest, General Cao could be seen flying accross the forest with a worried look on his face. "It's those old bags fault, they just had to keep the meeting much longer" General Cao muttered with a furious look now on his face. But right at that moment, he suddenly sensed a familiar aura not too far from him. 'Kaelen' he instantly thought right after he sensed that aura before he speed off towards that direction. Not long after, he finally saw Kaelen walking through a narrow pathway in the forest. "It seems like I did a good thing to leave you here for three days" but right before the chest could materialized, he suddenly heard a familiar voice which he hasn't heard for some time now. 'General Cao' He thought as he quickly cancelled the transfer he about to do in his storage ring. Right after that, he saw General Cao landing right in front of him. "So do you still want to continue your days here or you want to go back and rest for the upcoming tournament?" General Cao eventually asked with a light smile on his face. "Umm... I think a good rest should be for the best" Kaelen later replied with a tired look on his face. "Well then, let's go" General Cao said as he tried to put his hands on Kaelen's shoulder. But before he could do that, Kaelen hurriedly said. "Wait, wait, I don't want to be teleported. Can't you fly me to my dorms?" "You want to go back to your dorms?" General Cao asked with a surprised look on his face. When Kaelen heard him, he suddenly smiled wryly as he answered. "Yes" "Well if you say so, let's go" General Cao said as he now took hold of Kaelen's hand. In the next moment, Kaelen suddenly felt an unfamiliar mana surrounding him before he began to leave the ground slowly. As for General Cao, he is already off the ground. 'Woah....' Kaelen thought with a fascinated expression on his face. As they soared above the Veilwood Forest, Kaelen felt a rush of wind against his face. The forest below shrank into a sea of green, and the academy's sprawling grounds came into view. General Cao's control over their flight was masterful; he maneuvered with precision, avoiding treetops and other obstacles effortlessly. The journey, though brief, gave Kaelen a moment to reflect on the events of the day. The battles, the dangers, and his own resilience played out in his mind. Soon, they descended, the familiar buildings of the Pacesetter Academy growing larger as they approached. General Cao landed smoothly in front of Kaelen's dormitory, the impact barely noticeable. He set Kaelen down gently, his intense gaze meeting the boy's. "Rest and recover," General Cao said, his voice a deep rumble. "You've proven your strength today, but there are greater challenges ahead." Kaelen nodded, gratitude and determination mingling in his eyes. "Thank you, General." With a final nod, General Cao turned and strode away, leaving Kaelen standing before his dorm. Exhausted but resolute, Kaelen entered the building, ready to recuperate and prepare for whatever lay ahead. "You are finally back!" As soon as Kaelen walked into his dorm, he suddenly saw Morris who was wearing the usual academy's uniform yelling in surprise and relief as he walked up to him. "Yeah, I just went to train a bit" Kaelen replied with a wry smile on his face. "You weren't here for four days and you are saying you weren't training a bit? Throughout these four days!?" Morris quickly asked with a dumbfounded look on his face. But the response he got from Kaelen was an awkward laugh. "Hehehehe"