Nightmare Mythos

Another morning came yet the academy didn't stop receiving students entering its premises. Hence all the instructors busily prepared those students for their upcoming class. Of course, these applicants had already been accepted, evaluated, and tested and became officially the new first years for the Resisting Academy.

The first years will be heavily introduced to the basics. Literally everything that one has to know will have to be learned less they get confused in their upcoming years. No one's an exception but even so, they had to learn it.

The second years were currently adjusting to the new curriculum since this year is mostly involved in the theoretical field of Nightmares with a tight balance between training and learning basic fighting.

The third years have also been introduced to their new curriculum which involves a lot of fighting fellow students, mostly one versus one official fights. This year is highly concentrated on practical learning where it's about training and building up battle skills.

For the fourth year, the harrowing event that had doomed some of the students ever since had come.

Yes, their curriculum involves being transferred to bases to do tasks, working outside of the academy where it posed danger, and basically more field trips than one can ever hope for.

There will be a lot of traveling and venturing outside the academy's premises.

Still, today was a very important day for some.

Facet Selection

An event where every fourth-year student got to choose whatever Nightmare Facet they were willing to take that spanned around a month. An occasion where even choosing something poses a danger. Some might be even unlucky because they didn't have enough contribution points to spare to their liked Facet and had no choice but to choose a lower class one.

Even so, the selection is both a rare opportunity and a looming doom that became real.

"Pheww…"

Letting out a nervous breath, Cesar steeled his resolve, knowing this day was the time he had been hoping for. An opportunity that would not just come all the time; something he needed to grasp no matter what.

Thinking about the plans he had thought for himself, it was time to face another new day.

…

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The moment he discovered that this kind of selection existed, Cesar researched everything one has to know. For example, as always, Class 1-A always took priority about everything knowing the class is the star section of each year.

Hence Cesar slowly made his way to the top. Steadily and ardently, he climbed up, disregarding everyone on his way and destroying them by the most possible means.

Now, he belonged to the dream class he always sought to achieve and enjoy the benefits he had worked hard for.

This is one of those benefits.

"Ranked 23rd, Cesar Sparrow,"

Right in the middle of a very unfamiliar hall where corridors led to different kinds of rooms, Cesar got called out very fast after a few minutes of waiting for his turn. He stood up, went to the person in charge, and waited for further instructions.

The person in charge looked at him with scrutiny before assessing him.

"Mr. Sparrow. Are you sure this is your choice? There's no coming back after this. You have enough contribution points to buy the Raven Nightmare Facet,"

Before coming to this Unfamiliar Room, Cesar, alongside Class 1-A, answered a survey given by Arnold which pointed out what Nightmares facets are their willing to take the risk of drinking in. Mostly choose Raven Nightmare as their first choice and second to the Nightmare related to fish since it mostly involved attacking and battling in front.

Cesar chose neither.

Even though the person in charge didn't mean any provocation, knowing how exemplary Cesar had been throughout the time at his academy, settling for less would be such a waste of talent.

Hence, with a reserved stature, Cesar flatly answered, "Choosing this Nightmare isn't very risky. Whatever facet I land, it will not hinder my capabilities a bit. Although honestly, if there's a better alternative to Facets, I might've chosen another but this year is just very unlucky for some, including me. Still, I think this is the right choice for now,"

The person in charge contemplated for a moment before sighing, "Understandable. Proceed to the right hallway and enter Room 304. They will know what to do,"

"Thank you,"

Proceeding with the next step, Cesar made his way through the thick corridor of the Unfamiliar Room and went exactly to the place that the person in charge had ordered him. Eventually, he reached his destination.

Knocking once, Cesar immediately entered inside. What soon dawned upon him made him frown.

In the middle of the room stood a black cauldron filled with bubbling green liquid inside. Surrounded the pot was an encircled table filled with ingredients one needed to make a potion and utensils needed to accomplish the task.

On the side, there was a man in formal academy attire, studying him. Right beside the instructor was another man, only this time, he was wearing a black classical robe with an insignia of a sword-piercing skull right in the middle of his chest.

Cesar's face cracked.

He recognizes that insignia.

The teacher who saw his face breaking down couldn't help but be amused as he chuckled, "Hello, Mr. Sparrow. My name is Instructor Rizz. I'll be handling your potion affair. I'll be the one monitoring you as well,"

He introduced the guy beside him, "This guy right here will be the one assisting us in case something bad happens along the way. He's Baron, a Member of the Nightmare Corps,"

"Good afternoon Sir Rizz. Good afternoon as well, sir Baron,"

The reserved man wearing the classical robe nodded once before he became one with the shadows. Only his eyes remained seen as his presence appeared to have disappeared.

'Cool,'

"Aigoo, what a showoff," Rizz couldn't help but shake his head as he walked towards Sparrow with a playful smile, "Student, by the looks of it, I don't need to remind you every single reminder that should've been known. I'm glad I landed on a very smart person,"

"Sir, you flatter me,"

Rizz let out a small chuckle before strolling near the cauldron. With a contemplative look, he gestured for Cesar to come nearer.

"Now, the academy had given the right to let the students see how Nightmare potion making is done. How about we start now?"

As if compelled to answer, Cesar could only nod in response. He felt assured that he was able to see how the potion was being created face to face instead of learning materials through vods and tapes.

Rizz washed his hands first, drying them down before picking up a pair of thick gloves placed neatly on the table. Right after, he watched the boiling green water of the cauldron with dark glee before he began potion-making.

Rizz encircled the table before picking up a wooden box. Opening it with dark fascination, he grabbed a huge metal pincer from the side and used his two hands to raise the flesh of a dead abomination as he demonstrated while speaking.

It was grotesque to look at with an insurmountable foul of stench.

"The potion-making always starts with putting the flesh of the Nightmare first in the cauldron within the Green Water. To achieve a great outcome of the potion while receiving its most potency once drinking, this type of ingredient must be heavily guarded and safely stored. Additionally, the better the quality, the better the results!

Luckily for you, this is part of the Nightmare's flesh near its heart"

'Near its heart…'

Cesar palpitated when he realized he'd be drinking part of a Nightmare's flesh very soon but he remained vigilant and watching.

Sizzle—!

After carefully putting the flesh in the Green Water, there were subtle chemical changes as the color was shifting. Upon seeing this, Rizz encircled around the table and picked up a black leaf filled with tiny cracks.

"This leaf is named Dark Leaf, one of the ingredients that reduced the potency of corruption of an ingredient,"

Throwing it onto the cauldron, Rizz drew nearer and picked up the cauldron's ladle before shaking it to mix the first two types of ingredients. Soon, the same process happened as he picked up ingredients one after another while he demonstrated.

"Powder of Dusk to increase the rate of potency… Inkwood Branch to strengthen the two main ingredients of the potion… Stony Mountains Cream to smoothen the process of mixture… Lemon Powder… Fermented Fish Eyes… Northern Jelly Extract… Tree's Wart…"

Hearing those ingredients plunge into the cauldron nonstop made Cesar's stomach churn.

Those ingredients aren't unfamiliar to him, knowing every single word Rizz had said was studied mostly in his first and second years. He also knew its uses and couldn't help but take a mental note of which ingredient was suitable for the potion-making based on the Nightmare's given ingredient.

'Seeing it differently in real life is… something else. I'll have to adjust it since I'll be doing the same potion-making in the future,'

Removing the fact that he was about to drink a portion of it made from the cauldron, Cesar remained focused.

After a long while which was mostly done in just a minimum of three minutes, Rizz seemed to appear almost done.

"Lastly, Green Lily's Flower removes the entirety of the potion's smell while still maintaining all of its potency without encountering a problem." Rizz smiled cheekily while glancing sideways, "Don't worry, Cesar. This will be like drinking a juice. All you have to do is close your eyes in the process,"

Staring at Rizz blankly, Cesar could only shake his head in defeat.

Soon, his potion was finally made.