Dawn Of Twilight

"Woah." And for the first time Tobi wasn't just pretending to be amazed especially after knowing the person was a close friend, he knows.

Out of the various topics, the only ones that could be said to have really interested him were the free books and specialization. With an endless supply of peerless knowledge, he could try to search for various means to bring back the dead or revive the souls if need be.

But for now, that was still something that was out of his reach, which would require enough time and experience. Instead, becoming a Warlock would be a priceless treasure for him

Tobi had no knowledge about bloodline arts, hence he could never grasp even the basics without external help.

But once he had uncovered the underlying principles of bloodlines, coupling them with his hybrid awakened physique and the academy's library knowledge, he would be able to unlock infinite possibilities especially if he could get Monarch to explain how the Ancient bloodline Egos worked.

Just the ideas about knowing a violent and cunning sentient being, living within his body on the spot were enough to give him chills coupled with the sudden thought he just had.

"Before getting my hopes up, can you explain to me how does getting points work like? There is no such a thing about students challenging themselves right?"

Horus could almost burst into laughter, but his middle-aged face poker face gave him away out.

"Though the academy accepts violence, not to the point of causing a ruckus at the pretense of learning, since there are fierce competition going around the schools.

"As it is, if any Headmaster started to reward students for a violent behavior, only a dozen would send their children to academy, and no one would make their children enroll."

Tobi could finally sigh with relief, one of his biggest worries had just been relieved halfway.

"Points are earned mostly through how students perform in class sections and during practical exercises. Any feat that benefits the academy, like sharing personal knowledge, earning the academy fame gives additional points too.

"But the real motherlodes are the quarterly exams and the finals tournament. All points can be converted anytime, even after graduating successfully, that's why there is so much competition for the top spots.

"Beware, Young Master. Even if keeping discipline won't give you any extra points, it can easily make you lose a lot of them. Aside from failing tests repeatedly, is the only way to lower your score.

"If it goes to negative side, you'll be forced to compensate by giving back everything you might have already bought and even more." Horus sighed, trying to make sure Tobi understood his point.

Before he continued explaining his reason to hide such things from him.

"I didn't tell you any of this before, to not put you under too much emotional stress and to raise your expectations about your future, in order to avoid cases of failure.

"Most of the applicants get rejected. In the past, when such knowledge was publicly available, there have been countless suicides among the youths that either couldn't bear the pressure or handle the failure.

"Especially for those of humble origin, being admitted in a great academy is the only way to escape their destiny. To a lesser extent, the same could be said for nobles' and wealthy aristocrat sons that are not in the line of their families succession."

"I can understand what you are saying. But honestly, I don't see the point in telling me all this. Is not like I previously said I wasn't going to attend an academy completely." He said.

The dragon-lion shook his head.

"I don't expect you to do anything but your best, Young master. You have spent years trying to dissuade me to not send you to the academy, and don't think that I didn't notice your total lack of enthusiasm every time I brought any issue relating to the academy.

"Young Master, you acted the whole time like it was all about someone else, someone you bȧrėly cared about."

That long conversation had been pretty exhausting for Tobi especially emotionally, adding new weight to his already burden self. Though not entirely for the information he acquired, all in all, he felt his opportunity were still pretty good with or without an academy except the part of meeting his old friends.

The only adjustment to his plans was that after joining one of the four power circles as a de facto core member, as Pride Dracula he would definitely lose his freedom and would be dragged into political issues and the frequent inner circle's fight that would bȧrėly live him some fresh air, though, unlike a rogue Ancient vampire, Lycanthrope, Holy human(Saint) and Witches that would need to constantly rack up merits points as soon as he/she could, and most importantly to get into contact with an apprenticeship with a good Warlock, but he would be given at the expense of losing his personal right and freedom.

Even if he chooses to leave he would need, an extraordinary amount of merits points to contribute to his name and position, and gathering merits at a normal pace might take years which he suffered from the idea of how many years it might take him, the only way he could as their core member, was serving their Association as much as he could.

The reason why Tobi felt so down emotionally, was fact that he had finally realized how much Horus his friend had invested in him, not only in terms of knowledge and emotion but also time, passion, and hopes.

It wasn't the failure bothering him, but the fact that with his brash and uncaring attitude, he had hurt his feelings, treating the whole thing as nothing more than just a joke. Tobi had to admit that in his shoes, he would feel like having thrown two million dollar bills to burn like firewoods.

Sure, Horus wasn't as judgmental as him and caredless about things unrelated to him, but Tobi could see how deeply he cared for him as a father would, and how wounded he was with every one of his rebukes.

It was the first time that Tobi felt that by having won an argument he had actually lost the war.

But aside from overthinking, there wasn't much he could do at that point.. So, he promised himself to reconsider everything when he attends the academy with a fresh set of enthusiasm as opportunity arose, after thinking for a while he decided to move to a more pressing problem within his mind.