We were met outside of our ship by another android who guided us to what looked like a classroom inside the station.

Guess this was where our lessons will take place since it looked like the stereotypical classroom with all the tables and chairs facing towards a large board on the wall.

My assumption is that we’ll most likely be given some theory lesson on these Exo-Knights first before we get tested on our knowledge. And once we pass that, we’ll be given practical lessons before we would also get tested on that in order to get our license.

At least... That’s how I think this would work.

My girls and I found our own corner of the class and sat down, watching as the rest of the room was filled up with the others that had passed the test.

Remembering what happened yesterday after the test, I’m not sure if everyone here were the original people who had managed to pass or there were people who bought, stole or robbed the original owners to get here.

Either way, it’s none of our business as long as they don’t screw with us.

Disregarding that, it looks like we were the biggest group here.

Aside from us, I think the largest group was a group of three people who came together and everyone else were either pairs or solos.

Since all the tables were filled, everybody should be accounted for and we were just waiting for the instructor to show up.

We didn’t have to wait long as the door slid open and the same guy with the full face helmet strode in.

I guess expecting him to conduct his lesson while revealing his face was a little too much to expect.

He stopped in the centre before turning towards us and giving us a nod.

"Welcome. All of you are people that have been deemed skilled enough to learn from me. There is only one rule here and that is ’the strongest is always right’. Understand?"

So it’s that kind of place... I should have expected something like that after knowing that they don’t care about people dying after the test...

One of the Mercs in the far corner raised his hand, "Hey. So does that mean if we can beat you, you’ll have to listen to us?"

The instructor shifted his gaze to the guy who spoke up, "If you are able to defeat me in a one on one duel, I will give you your license straight away, no questions asked. And guess what? You will have that opportunity in three days. I will arrange a small test to see how far you have gotten in three days and if you can beat me, I will issue your license straightaway, no questions asked."

Oh? That’s a surprise...

Well... I don’t really care about getting it earlier or not as long as we manage to get it anyway. It’s not like we’re in a hurry to go somewhere to begin with.

The instructor straightened himself, "Now, back on topic. I also have a very simple belief... That experience is the most effective teacher. If you think that we will be sitting around in this classroom talking about the theory of the machine and stuff, you would be completely wrong. I will be throwing you out into combat scenarios and you will have to figure out how to use whatever tools you have at your disposal to get yourself out of those situations."

Once again... I think I need to remind everyone that this is basically trying to get a driver’s license... Why the hell does he have to make this so complicated and hardcore?

Just give us a simple multiple choice quiz or something and then hand the license over if we pass...

Then again... I suppose if we really wanted that, we could just go to one of those cheaper academies that don’t really care about teaching and obtain our license from them instead...

I guess since we all decided that we really wanted a school that will teach us how to pilot the Exo-Knight properly... We should also expect the instructors to take this more seriously than normal.

Guess we get what we pay for.

The instructor then took a moment to scan his gaze over the rest of the room before nodding, "If it isn’t clear yet, my job here is to make sure that all the pilots that obtain their license from my school are legitimate and are the best of the bunch that I am dealt with. I will not babysit any of you and if you fall short of the expected grade to pass, there will be no second chances."

One of the Mercs beside me leaned to his friend, "Shit man... You’re right... This guy’s really trying to roleplay this as one of the Noble Pilot Academies... Maybe this guy’s a former noble..."

"Quiet... I told you that he’s at least legitimate and we would be able to get a higher grade license here instead of the lowest grade one in the other schools. Just put up with it."

Oh? That’s some new information... There’s different grades to the pilot’s license?

I guess that would explain why people would still come here to get their license instead of the other academies where it’s arguably easier to do so.

Still... I wonder if this guy was also a former noble like Mara? I should ask her if her telepathy picked up on his thoughts that would reveal that was the case.

The instructor continued, "Before we start, I will need all of you to sign a waiver here. As I have said, I believe that experience is the most effective teacher and my job here is to give you the best experience to learn as possible, even if it means that the experience is something that might be life threatening. I cannot guarantee your life, but I can guarantee that if you are able to survive through everything I throw at you, you will be one of the top few pilots in this side of the universe."

Another Merc scoffed, "That’s a pretty bold claim. You’re saying that we could beat every other pilot we come across that didn’t graduate from this academy?"

"If all the new graduates were to fight each other using Exo-Knights in a free for all, I can guarantee that you will stand at least within the top ten to five percent if you were to graduate from here. That is the very least of what I can assure you of. Anything else, it’s up to your talent and skill but I’m not here to waste your time with stupid lessons that don’t prepare you for what’s out there."

He raised his arm to his chest level and tapped on a holographic screen that popped out from it, prompting more screens to be projected in front of each of us showing a window that I assumed was the waiver.

I read through it quickly and it seemed to be pretty standard. It’s just telling us that the academy will not be responsible for any death, dismemberment or psychological and emotional trauma that we might experience during our time here.

I went ahead to sign it and everyone else also did the same.

I honestly thought that there might be one or two people who would refuse and storm out...

The instructor nodded, "Excellent. Then we shall begin your first lesson. I might be strict, but I am not cruel. Most, if not all, of you are complete newbies in piloting the Exo-Knight so you don’t even know its capabilities and controls."

He stepped to the side and a large screen appeared on the wall behind him, showing a figure of an Exo-Knight.

"What all of you experienced yesterday with the simulation is a very watered down version of the Exo-Knight, comparable to the second or third generation models. Right now we are in the ninth generation and, if you haven’t been living under a rock, you would have at least heard that the tenth generation Exo-Knights are about to hit the market."

The image changed to show ten different Exo-Knights of different designs, each looking more impressive than the other and I assume the most impressive looking one is the tenth generation model.

"To be frank, no one knows how the tenth generation model will operate and while most other academies will focus more on getting the best out of the ninth generation models as an assumption that it will help the pilots prepare for the tenth generation models, I will be drilling the very basics into all of you so no matter how these new Exo-Knights are used, you cannot go wrong."

"How do you intend to do that?" Another Merc asked from the front of the class.

The instructor paused for a moment before looking at us from behind his helmet.

"I will give you the instincts to survive in an Exo-Knight. To the point that the machine feels like an extension of your body. So be prepared."

Damn... This guy is really serious huh?