Perspective!

The Church Affairs complex of the Dinge Region was immense. Comprising seven high-rises encircling a private sector, it was situated in Saint Antis, a tropical port city. In many works of literature and art, the majority of beautiful romance stories were set in Saint Antis. Murders, espionage cases, and royal court dramas, on the other hand, were mostly set against the backdrop of Wien. Though both regions bordered the sea, their climates were complete opposites. If Karen hadn't known full well he was here for training, he would have loved to find a hotel right away, lie back on a beach lounge chair in the private resort area, watch the ocean, and soak up the sun. However, just as they stepped out of the Church Affairs Building, a group of staff in Order robes approached them: "Hello. I am from the Reception Office, and these are my work credentials. Please hand over your identification for registration, and I will arrange your check-in at the training base." Karen and the others handed over their documents. Once everything was verified, the group boarded a VIP shuttle waiting nearby. Karen still hadn't taken off his mask. He hadn't removed it simply because he'd forgotten; wearing masks had long since become second nature to him. Seeing that their captain hadn't removed his, his teammates naturally kept theirs on as well. This unintentionally gave the reception staff a sense of oppression. Naturally, they didn't think a team capable of passing the final selection consisted of bored performance artists. The training base looked more like a hotel, bounded by the ocean to the south and mountain forests to the east. The VIP vehicle drove onto the hotel grounds and pulled right up to the entrance. After Karen and the others got out, the Reception Office staff guided them through a swift check-in. The six of them took the elevator up to the twenty-third floor. With three keycards in hand, Karen assigned Bart and Mars to one room, Aisli and Blanche to another, and Ventura to room with himself. "Everyone get some rest first. I expect an assembly notice will come soon, but if not, we'll rest until morning." "Yes, Captain." "Yes, Captain." Karen opened the door to their room, and Ventura wheeled both his luggage and Karen's inside. The suite was spacious. Though billed as a standard room, it was actually a duplex with two interior levels, featuring a bedroom and bathroom on each floor. "Captain, where would you like to sleep?" "I'll take the lower level." "All right." Ventura carried his suitcase upstairs. When he came back down, he saw Karen sitting on the sofa, browsing the hotel's food and beverage menu. The menu listed no prices, which meant this room was reserved exclusively for personnel traveling on official business, operating under an expense allowance. Karen picked up the phone, dialed the front desk, and requested cigarettes, alcohol, and snacks to be sent up. Having completed the basic routine of checking into a hotel, Karen walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window, stretched his arms, and gazed out at the azure ocean. The hotel was very efficient. The order arrived shortly—a service cart laden with drinks and refreshments, half of which typically required point coupons to purchase. In addition, there were four cartons of cigarettes in sleek black packaging without price tags. Karen opened a carton, pulled out a pack, and held a cigarette to his nose to take a whiff. Yes, they were indeed rolled from special tobacco leaves. Food was inconvenient to store, but cigarettes and liquor could be sold directly on the black market. "Captain, how many point coupons does all this cost?" "It's complimentary for guests here. We can get this every day." "Complimentary?" A grin spread across Ventura's face. "Go ahead and eat." "Thank you, Captain! Heh, at the celebration banquet last time, I saw so much delicious food, but I never got the chance to eat much." "You didn't order food when you stayed at the Ankara Hotel?" "No. Could we order for free at the Ankara Hotel too?" "Yes, though the allowance wasn't as high as here. They gave us four whole cartons of cigarettes right off the bat. The Holy See's own region truly is more generous." Of course, that might not be the only reason; it ultimately depended on one's "protocol tier." Previously, Karen had stayed at the hotel as personal security detail, so his treatment and allowance were naturally modest. This time, he was an officially hosted guest, so the protocol and perks were naturally upgraded. "Captain, what would you like to drink?" "Ice water." "Right away." Ventura poured Karen a glass of ice water, then grabbed a plate to fetch food from the cart. Seeing how excited he was, Karen couldn't help but find it amusing. After emerging from the final selection last time, this fellow had actually starved in his room at the Ankara Hotel all the way until the evening banquet. Yet as one of the guests of honor at the banquet, how could anyone find the time to eat and drink their fill? "So after the banquet ended, you went home on an empty stomach?" "Yeah. When I got home, Grandma boiled some macaroni. Grandpa and Grandma hadn't eaten their fill either—they were too shy to let loose at the banquet. But we were all very happy that night, hehe." Karen took a sip of ice water and nodded. "Oh, right, Captain, should I let the others know they can order food and drinks for free?" "They already know, and they wouldn't care whether it's free or not." Ventura scratched his head at that. "Right, of course." Aisli had a research institute background, while Bart, Blanche, and Mars hailed from knight orders with high family status. They lacked for nothing of the sort and wouldn't even bother taking advantage of such petty perks. Take Richard, for instance—just scrounging a bit here and there from family members easily netted him tens of thousands in pocket money. Ventura, by contrast, had grandparents who had always been grassroots personnel in the Church. Although both were God's Servants, a God's Servant's monthly stipend was only a hundred Order coupons, and work allowances didn't add much more. Meanwhile, the carton of cigarettes in Karen's hand was conservatively worth over five hundred Order coupons. Four cartons were roughly equivalent to a whole year of Ventura's grandparents' combined stipends. Yet Ventura never seemed insecure about his background. Even when interacting with his teammates, he never avoided the subject, nor did he show envy or attempt to curry favor. Karen felt it would be presumptuous to say Ventura was like him, since Karen himself could hardly be considered from an "ordinary family." "Go let them know anyway. Tell them to order food, cigarettes, and alcohol. They can use the cigarettes and alcohol themselves, and we'll pool whatever is left at the end to sell on the black market for our squad fund." "Yes, Captain!" Ventura immediately set down his food and went out to knock on their doors. Before long, he returned. "Captain, they're all ordering food now." "Mm. Go on and keep eating." "Aren't you eating, Captain?" "I'm not hungry yet. I'll lie down for a while. Call me if anything comes up." "Understood, Captain. Rest well." Karen walked into the bedroom, lay down on the bed, closed his eyes, and rested. After resting for about two hours, he heard the doorbell ring. A moment later, Ventura knocked on the bedroom door. "Captain, someone is here to see you. It's the captain of the other squad." "Let him in." "Yes, Captain." Karen got out of bed, stepped into the ensuite bathroom, and splashed water on his face. Seeing a row of bottles and jars on the counter, he picked one up—mouthwash—and used it while he was at it. Then it struck him. Why did these toiletries on the sink look rather valuable too? Did housekeeping restock them every day? Would packing them all up and taking them away be going too far? Karen lightly tapped his forehead. Ever since he'd become a captain, why was he acting more and more like the Captain? When Karen walked out into the small sitting room, he saw Muri standing there—and then Karen froze. Stacked on the coffee table were twelve cartons of cigarettes and nine bottles of liquor! Those guys in the other two rooms had completely misunderstood. He hadn't told them to haul everything to his room right now! And who had piled them up like that—did they think these were battle trophies? Muri glanced at the coffee table and asked, "Karen, are you very fond of smoking and drinking?" Karen shook his head and replied, "Gathering them up so we can trade them on the black market for point coupons after training ends." Ventura looked at his captain in sheer admiration. While he himself didn't avoid such topics, his captain faced them with total candor. The captain was on an entirely different level. Muri chuckled. "Haha, why didn't I think of earning pocket money like that? No, I need to call my squad right now and tell them to do the same." With that, Muri actually picked up the phone, dialed the rooms of his squad members, and gave the instructions. Hanging up the receiver, Muri stated the purpose of his visit: "I'd like to treat you to a meal—just the two of us. As squad captains, I think we should talk in private first." "Sure, I agree. But there's still food here, so let's chat right here and save it from going to waste." "Oh, that works too." Ventura stood up, cleared the coffee table, and fetched several plates to serve dishes from the cart that tasted fine cold. He then set two glasses of ice water on the table. "Captain, I'll go hang out with Bart and the others." "Mm." Once Ventura left, Karen and Muri sat opposite each other on the sofa. Karen picked up a fork and began eating. It was around lunchtime now, and he was indeed hungry. Muri also took up a fork and said, "This training won't last very long. Starting tonight is the first session, followed by three more over the next three days. The exact schedule isn't out yet because the instructors are very busy figures who need to coordinate their own availability. "Generally speaking, though, it's divided into four categories: arrays, close combat, team combat, and finally specific preparations for the Gate of Samsara. "The syllabus will be delivered to us later; I just happened to find out in advance." "What's the rationale behind the first three?" Karen asked. "Standard training. Do you feel the first three categories don't quite match our objective this time?" "Mm, somewhat." "It actually shows that the higher-ups value our cohort greatly. Our mission isn't as simple as just going to the Gate of Samsara. Going forward, we will all be groomed as key prospects. And since it's grooming, they won't be overly short-sighted." "Yes, that makes sense." Karen nodded, picked up his glass, and took a sip of water. "Will we be taking classes together?" "Yes. A major reason I came to see you is that since the final selection split us into six-person squads, we will likely remain divided into two groups inside the Gate of Samsara, each with our own objectives. The exact objectives and procedures should be explained during the final day's lecture; they're still unknown for now. "However, the interior of the Gate of Samsara carries tremendous danger. Every time the Gate of Samsara opens, even the Church of Samsara itself suffers considerable losses inside. "So my suggestion is that starting now, we let both squads get to know each other better and build some rapport. Once inside the Gate of Samsara, within the limits of our own squad's risk tolerance, we lend each other a hand. What do you think?" "Sounds good. I agree." "Great. With this consensus reached, the rest is just details." "You didn't really need to make a special trip for this, let alone make it so formal. We're on the same side to begin with. Once inside the Gate of Samsara, it's not like we'd ally with the Church of Samsara or any other denomination." "I didn't think you would refuse, but I still needed to come and make my stance clear." "Mm, I understand." The two began to eat. Just then, the doorbell rang. Karen and Muri stood up at the same time. Karen smiled at Muri, motioning for him to stay seated, while he walked over and opened the door. Standing outside was a young man with somewhat long, flowing hair. "Hello, I'm Pasio." "Hello." "Captain!" Pasio raised a wine glass and waved toward Muri. "I'm discussing matters with Captain Karen." "Oh, got it." Pasio turned and left. Karen closed the door and returned to sit on the sofa. Muri sighed helplessly. "My team members aren't easy to manage." "You'll get used to each other with time." Muri shook his head. "Our problem is that we've been together for too long." "Mm, that can be an issue as well." After finishing their simple meal, Muri stood up. "I won't disturb your rest any longer. See you tonight in class." "All right, see you." …… Dinner was likewise taken care of in their rooms. Clearly, their hosts had no intention of holding any welcome banquet or opening ceremony. For one, the instructors were all very busy; for another, nearly half of the twelve were locals from the Dinge Region to begin with. Knowing there was a class in the evening, everyone rested thoroughly in their rooms. Being exceptional youths in both body and spirit, none suffered from jet lag or insomnia. The first class was held in a conference hall on the third floor of the hotel. As squad captains, Karen and Muri were notified to collect the syllabus first and sign off on it. After picking up the schedules, the two took the elevator to the third floor together. Outside the conference hall, Muri's squad members were lounging lazily against the wall, whereas opposite them, the five from Karen's squad stood in a rigid, straight line—the contrast was stark. Karen noticed the corner of Muri's mouth twitch. Stepping inside the hall, the podium was empty; the instructor had not yet arrived. Karen and Muri took seats in the front row, while the rest sat behind them. After a short while, an old man with a white beard walked into the hall and made his way to the lectern. He tapped the microphone on the lectern with his hand, then spoke into it: "Testing, testing!" In an instant, a terrifying sonic wave blasted straight toward them. Karen shut his eyes, his muscles tightening in a flash. Beside him, Muri did the same. Several people seated behind them cried out, mostly caught completely off guard. "Heh heh, sorry, sorry," the white-bearded old man chuckled. "I am your array instructor. You may address me directly by my name—Piro." The people sitting below rose to their feet, preparing to salute the instructor. Piro clapped his hands. *Clap! Clap!* The next moment, everyone who had been sitting in the conference hall found themselves on a sandy beach. A surging wave crashed over them, soaking them all. "Ahem, sorry. My sense of distance was slightly off; your teacher didn't mean to wet your clothes." Piro was drenched himself, grabbing his white beard to squeeze out the water. "Our class only lasts for the first half of tonight. You need to head back to rest for the second half, since you have classes tomorrow after all. So I don't plan on starting with the basics of arrays. "That's because I know some of you are surely well-versed in arrays, so listening to basic theory would be pointless for you. As for those who aren't so well-versed, even if you learned the basics, it wouldn't be of much use—if your opponent is just a mediocre array master, I trust you can deal with him through other means. "Therefore, I've decided: tonight, I'll just take you out to see the sights. "Does anyone know when I laid down the array?" Karen thought to himself: *When you said 'testing, testing.'* Pasio, Digat, and Mars all raised their hands. "You tell me," Piro pointed at Pasio. "Teacher, you laid the array using sound waves." "Correct answer. When truly top-tier array masters employ arrays, they can reduce complex formations into the simplest wind and rain, bringing you under their control before you even realize it." Piro spread his hands, and an air bubble appeared around him. Seeing this, Karen immediately raised his hand and shouted, "Rally to me!" Muri also shouted instantly, "Rally to me!" The members of both squads rushed toward their respective captains. An Order Cage immediately sprang from beneath Karen's feet, enclosing himself and his teammates within. Muri, meanwhile, drew a scroll that unleashed a black radiance, forming a light barrier that enveloped his own group. The next moment, their surroundings shifted abruptly, and everyone found themselves submerged in the sea. Piro laughed. "Looks like you react quickly. Testing, testing." The two utterances of "testing, testing" morphed into crashing water surges, slamming directly against the barriers of both squads. Karen immediately cast a second, third, and fourth Order Cage to reinforce his defense. Beside him, Muri continued channeling spiritual power into his scroll to strengthen his ward. Piro spread his hands wide and pulled downward. *Hum!* The seawater beneath them froze at high speed, turning into a massive, solid column. The blast of frigid air instantly shattered Karen's Order Cages and breached the defensive array of Muri's scroll. All twelve youths landed atop the icy column. The column continued to rise, shooting above the surface of the sea and ascending higher and higher. When it finally came to a halt, Karen looked toward the nearby hotel; it now lay far below, appearing remarkably small. Mars exclaimed in astonishment, "Just casually laying down elementary arrays like distance shortening, water manipulation, and freezing condensation produces such immense effects. Is this the power of a true grand array master?" "Yes, and no." Piro smiled as he looked at them. "Let me ask you: what do you think is the essence of arrays?" Mars spoke up, "Transformation!" Pasio spoke up, "Borrowing!" Digat spoke up, "Circulation!" In his heart, Karen thought: *Perspective.* —From *Hoffen's Array Notes*. Piro stroked his white beard and said: "It is perspective. "I once had an intimate yet unfamiliar friend who wrote a letter to guide me. He told me I had always been doing addition, and that it was time I learned to do subtraction. "I asked him, what is subtraction? "He gave an analogy: subtraction is like standing before a mountain. When you look up at it, you cannot see its full panorama. But as you continuously step back, the mountain presents itself more and more completely before your eyes. "He also said that with my high realm and comprehension of arrays far surpassing ordinary men, forcibly amplifying arrays—no matter how remarkable the effect—amounted to nothing. "He said I viewed arrays as a martial artist views his physique, a blacksmith his hammer, a swordsman his greatsword, or a knight his falcon. It seemed correct on the surface, yet had already strayed further and further from the true path. "A true array is not meant to enable a Bishop to seal away a ferocious beast. "Rather, "It is to enable a God's Servant to seal away a deity!"