"No need to rush. You are the offspring of Spire and Thomas; no one would dare say you are incapable of maritime command training."
The man took a data-slate from the Commodore's desk and handed it to Horatio.
Horatio nervously fixed his gaze upon it.
'+ Officer qualification obtained with 10,000 academic credits + Promotion privilege with no service age limit obtained with over 15,000 academic credits +'
—
Loyalist Nurturing School —
'+ 0 Novice Childer of Loyalty Marine + Stormtrooper Recruit + Commissar Aide + Adeptus Arbites Apprentice Arbitrator + Ministry of Internal Affairs Aide +'
'+ 1000 Trained Childer of Loyalty Marine + Stormtrooper Second Class + Adeptus Arbites Arbitrator +'
'+ 2000 Elite Childer of Loyalty Marine + Stormtrooper First Class +'
'+ 3000 Naval Apprentice Sergeant + Stormtrooper Lance Corporal + Commissariat Apprentice Judge Advocate +'
—
Sergeant Training School —
'+ 4000 Naval Corporal + Stormtrooper Corporal + Commissariat Judge Advocate + Adeptus Arbites Trained Arbitrator + Ministry of Internal Affairs Trained Aide +'
'+ 5000 Naval Sergeant + Stormtrooper Sergeant + Commissariat Trained Judge Advocate + Adeptus Arbites Arbitrator Sergeant +'
'+ 6000 Naval Sergeant Major + Stormtrooper Sergeant + Commissariat Inspector +'
'+ 7000 Naval Junior Sergeant Major + Standard Bearer Voidsmen-at-Arms Officer + Adeptus Arbites Trained Arbitrator Sergeant + Ministry of Internal Affairs Senior Aide +'
'+ 8000 Naval Trained Sergeant Major + Storm Sergeant Major + Commissariat Trained Inspector +'
'+ 9000 Naval Principal Sergeant Major + Trained Voidsmen-at-Arms Officer + Adeptus Arbites Assistant Security Inspector +'
—
Officer Preparatory School —
'+ 10000 Naval Childer of Loyalty Midshipman + Acting Lieutenant + Acting Commissar + Arbitrator Patrol Officer + Ministry of Internal Affairs Chief Aide +'
'+ 12000 Naval Trained Midshipman + Apprentice Lieutenant + Apprentice Commissar + Acting Security Inspector +'
'+ 15000 Naval Duty Midshipman + Commissioned Lieutenant + Company-level Commissar + Adeptus Arbites Security Officer + Ministry of Internal Affairs Aide-de-camp +'
—
Military University —
A dazzling array of academic credits and corresponding ranks appeared before Horatio. He quickly analyzed the 'rules of the game' within this system, drawing upon his experiences from his previous life.
"Saint Abridal Successor Academy has a relatively scientific and reasonable academic credit training system, which fully allows the Loyalists to make the best use of their talents and capitalize on their strengths while minimizing their weaknesses.
The Loyalist Nurturing School typically screens children under twelve, scoring them based on their innate talents and aptitudes, and then assigning them to departments. Most of them will go to the Stormtroopers, while the remaining intelligent children who mature early will be cultivated by the other three departments.
Although your academic credits are 0, the Navy Department has decided to make you a probationary Sergeant. Therefore, you will not be directly sent to the Stormtroopers, but will bypass the Loyalist Nurturing School and be trained as a Fleet Maritime Department cadet in the Sergeant Training School."
"Thank you." Horatio felt relieved.
For a full minute, Horatio held his breath, as if fearing the judge in a courtroom would pronounce a death sentence upon him. Only when the man spoke his last sentence did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.
The reason Horatio was relieved to hear he was entering the Loyalist Academy was precisely because he absolutely, absolutely did not want to become a glorious Stormtrooper Loyalist.
Indeed, in this wretched, grimdark world, becoming a Stormtrooper was akin to having one foot in the grave.
As the most elite armed force among mortals, they were almost like the 'strongest mortal soldier kings on the surface' in the Warhammer world, even capable of using the 'Emperor's Super Flashlight' Hellgun to kill genetically modified and Warp-empowered Space Marines.
But precisely because of their formidable combat power, the missions they were sent on were either the most intense battlefields, serving as storm assault teams to break stalemates or conduct decapitation strikes, or following an Inquisitor to various parts of the galaxy to combat all sorts of abominations.
This isolated and unsupported Kill-teams mission mode could truly be described as a one-way trip to certain death.
"Please thank Edward Peru, Sir. Before your identity as Spire's offspring was confirmed, he was the one who argued strongly on behalf of the Navy Department to give you this opportunity.
Present at the time, besides the Navy Department representatives, were also representatives from the Commissariat, the Adeptus Arbites, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Stormtroopers. They evaluated your practical combat level and age, and all believed that the Stormtrooper Loyalist forces were most suitable for a warrior like you, who possesses rich urban combat experience."
"Well, what they said wasn't entirely unreasonable," Horatio said, spreading his hands.
The original owner had already honed himself into an elite warrior among mortals in the Lower Hive, and he himself was considered to have a 'checkered past.' People seeing these credentials would indeed tend to vote for him to be a Stormtrooper.
"When the in-depth laboratory results came out, an urgent telegram from the Obscurus Sector Navy Department was dispatched, ordering that you must be cultivated as a maritime command talent. When everyone learned that you were the offspring of the legendary hero Admiral Spire, their expressions were truly amusing to me." At this point, Lieutenant Stirling and the Principal Officer both laughed out loud.
But at least there was some good news, wasn't there? At least he didn't have to be a Stormtrooper.
Lieutenant Stirling, seeing Horatio relax, changed the subject: "However, the Star Realm Navy Department's assessment criteria for you are also very strict. If you fail to earn the specified academic credits within the designated period, according to the Saint Abridal Successor Academy's student assignment and management regulations, you will still be transferred to the Stormtrooper Loyalist sequence. Please do not take it lightly."
"Then, what is my first deadline after enrollment?"
The Principal Officer of the Loyal Succession Department spoke up:
"Three months. Within this academic quarter, you must complete the assessment and achieve a score of 4000, which is the admission threshold for a Voidsmen-at-Arms Officer candidate. If any requirement is not met, you will be transferred to the corresponding Stormtrooper Loyalist sequence based on the academic credits you have obtained.
This is an ironclad rule applied equally to all. Even the second son of the Ravenberg Family is studying at the Loyalist Academy, competing with all other Childer of Loyalty students of his cohort."
[Ravensberg? That Lord Navy Admiral, the Commander-in-Chief of the Gothic Sector Navy, the Gothic War hero whose name is inscribed first on the Terra Monument, the leader of his Naval God of War ancestor.]
As a transmigrator, Horatio not only knew that Ravensberg was a great hero, but also knew about his numerous illegitimate children and romantic escapades. He was practically a Wei Xiaobao, a benchmark for our beloved Commissar Cain.
"So, what are the rules for earning academic credits?" Horatio asked, suppressing a smile.
"Exams, completing missions, and special commendations can all earn academic credits. When you first enter the Loyalist Academy, credits are relatively easy to get, but it will become increasingly difficult later on. Especially after you complete your subjects, if you want to climb higher, you'll have to undertake a large number of practical combat missions to accumulate academic credits." As he spoke, the Principal Officer turned the page of the data-slate.
Guard patrol missions, depending on regional danger, 10-100 academic credits per mission.
Security Department suddenmissions, depending on mission risk assessment, 50-250 academic credits per mission.
Frontline combat missions, depending on mission risk assessment, 100-450 academic credits per mission.
Kill-teams missions, depending on danger assessment, 150-500 academic credits per mission.
Special commendations will have their credit quotas determined by committee discussion.
Failing an exam costs 1000 academic credits for a retake, with one chance per subject. Those who fail again will be directly transferred to the Stormtrooper Loyalist sequence.
Passing an exam awards 250 points per subject, with 60 points being a pass.
Achieving excellent exam results awards 350 points per subject, with 85 points being excellent.
Seeing so many ways to accumulate academic credits, Horatio felt a slight sense of relief.
But the Principal Officer immediately added:
"The Academy employs an elimination system. Students who fail to achieve the corresponding academic credits within the stipulated academic year will lose the opportunity to obtain an officer commission. You can imagine it as a continuously broken corridor bridge; you must keep running forward, otherwise you will fall. Only those excellent students who ultimately cross the 'corridor bridge' can become a Naval Midshipman."
"Of course, to get a Naval Officer commission, there's also a Star Zone-level Naval Lieutenant exam six months after boarding a ship. This is a hurdle all Midshipmen must pass," Lieutenant Stirling added.
"What if I get a perfect score on the academy exams?" Horatio discovered a 'loophole'.
Lieutenant Stirling, the Commodore Principal, and the Captain who brought Horatio, exchanged glances, then burst into laughter, only Farida looked puzzled.
"Don't try to run before you've learned to walk, child," the Commodore said, tears welling up from laughter, quickly wiping them away.
"I think the Naval exams are quite difficult. I barely passed every subject back then, so I won't interject," the Captain said, spreading his hands.
"My grades were already quite good, but I've never seen a genius with exam scores above 95 points," Lieutenant Stirling said patiently, maintaining the utmost respect for his friend's child, with an attitude of blissful ignorance.
Horatio, facing the mockery, did not get discouraged; instead, he maintained a smile.
But since he dared to ask, he naturally had confidence.
This confidence stemmed not only from his background as a highly educated talent with a master's degree from the Coast Guard, but also from the passive skill of the machine soul's favor—his extraordinary knowledge acquisition efficiency, which further enhanced his abilities.
"Alright, you are the first student to ask that. As an Imperial Navy Commodore and the Principal Officer of the Naval Loyal Succession Department, I will set a precedent for you today."
The Principal Officer turned around, tapping the table with his finger, and said:
"If you can get a perfect score in one subject, I will give you the maximum points for a Kill-teams mission, 500 points per subject, as a bonus!"
"Thank you, General!" Horatio stood up and saluted solemnly.
"Oh, sit down, I'm not a General yet. *Cough cough*, what I say is final, and everyone here is a witness! But… what if you can't even score 85?"
Everyone looked at Horatio in unison.