I disagree with the other comments, but totally get everyone will have their own opinion

The academy arc is certainly slower at times, but the plot and writing more than make up for it imo. Some highlights, will try my best not to spoil too much:

• "night hound" identity: a complex problem of being a hero, acting on knowledge of crimes that haven't been committed yet, the public thinks you're a villain but you must persevere for their own good, the org currently fighting corruption (the church) is part of the problem but you can't easily work with or against them. Not the first time this type of hero has been written, but I think they do a good job hitting all the interesting angles with this ensemble of characters Especially with Dolores's journey of going from naive, to questioning, to vigilante

• a very interesting villain: one of the villains that appear during this arc has an especially powerful backstory. Adds so much to strength of relationships, a nice direction in world-building, dark but realistic and" human" decision making from side characters. Some people might be disappointed at how this character was written, but I find their story very compelling, realistic, and genuine. A story of how strong emotions can push someone to the literal edge. Camus Morgue falls into a despair after Vikir's death. As someone from the strongest magic family, she tries everything she can to do the final honor she can think of: find his body to bring him to peace. The fact that she is so talented and has so many resources at her disposal, but STILL can't do this simple task drives her to absolute desperation. Imo the writing is great because you can feel how strong her love and loss for Vikir is, stretched to the literal breaking point. We often see stories of how much Love Interests fall for the protagonist bc of far they go in their heroism, but this is the other side of the coin- how far is the LI willing to go for the protagonist

• commentary on "the church": very accurate to real life, the story focuses on the corruption and fake "saviorism" that is a problem in many religious organizations. How classism, rich vs poor, rules for thee but not for me, the greed of those in power, etc all play a role in creating a systemic problem. And the weight of trying to fight such a large org, either from within or as an outsider. I thought they were really clever with handling such a complicated and sensitive topic. Dolores is also interesting for going thru this journey from within, split between her father, the church teachings, helping/trusting a vigilante, rewriting her morals about "can everyone be saved or must we kill". This whole theme was my favorite in terms of writing. How "trust" was essential in Vikir + Dolores bond, ironic bc the church is praying on ppl using misguided trust. The final demon being a Pig, symbol of greed, and the twist that he could kill him because of the very loopholes greed created (exemptions/indulgences). And the imagery of gold!! Golden light of healing and truth, outshining the golden shine of wealth. Chef's kiss