Today was the real thing.
The other classmates seemed excited that the boring theory classes were over.
"Finally, the first battle class."
"I was dying in my seat just sitting all morning."
The huge training ground is divided in half, one for close combat troops and the other for shooters.
In this training, the magicians were part of the shooters.
"Using me as the midpoint, the combat team on the left and shooters on the right. The magicians come stand behind me."
I headed towards the back of professor Jin Hyuk Kim.
But on my way, I was stopped.
"The close combat troops will be divided according to the weapon used here, so wait a little... Um, cadet Ho-Yeon Lee? I guess you didn't listen to me. Out of the ranged shooters, only the wizard comes behind me. You should go to the left."
"Excuse me? But I am a magician."
"What are you talking about? It said on your application that you are a sword fighter. You provided supplemental material that you were training in swordsmanship even up til the application."
What the hell was he talking about?
In the game, your skill set was determined based on how you applied to the academy.
My default is a sword? I mean, then why would you give me [Mana empathy] as a special skill set? They should have given me something like [Swordsmanship skills] or something like that.
Well, I had no choice. I had already made up my mind not to fight the villains up close, and since it seemed like I had innate skills in magic, I needed to change my major.
"Well, to be honest, after thinking really hard, I figured out that I should be a magician."
"What deep analysis did you do when you just submitted the application last month and had orientation just a few days ago?"
"..."
"Phew, well anyways. Try talking with your advisor. I won't say anything if he's okay with it."
"Thank you."
I was finally allowed to stand behind him.
"Who is that kid? I thought he was smart, but he's a little cuckoo."
"Well, maybe he was able to transform his specialty?"
"Does that make sense for a newbie? He's not even an active hunter."
"I would rather believe that he just wants to go see professor Sol Lim."
There was a lot of talk behind my back.
For reference, specialty transformation was an effect that the pro hunters experienced, which was a significant improvement of skill set from the many hours of practice.
Usually, the transformation happens as a result of countless training, real life battles or an intense battle.
In exceptional cases, there are situations where it happens with just pure skill.
For example, the professor Lim that they were talking about. She was able to transform without any real life experience solely through studies in her lab.
And it won't happen anytime soon, but Surin Moon will transform and flip out the entire school for setting a record.
Then that record will again be broken by the current first-years...but that story didn't matter right now.
Anyways, we headed to the training center separated by category.
"Finally a magician class. I have been counting down for this day."
"I really wanted to learn from professor Lim. I am so excited to see her."
The professor of magicians, Sol Lim.
She accepted the position as professor with the offer that she will receive unlimited equipment and research support, being the greatest magician of her time.
There was a rumor that 30% of the school's budget was spent on her, but her worth was beyond more.
Her face was pretty even in the game, and she was popular for her charming character. Unfortunately, she was not one of the heroines.
When all the students gathered, the professor moved her eyes from the books and lifted her head.
"Hmm? When did you all get here?"
Pat. Pat.
Sol Lim got up from her seat and brushed off her butt and approached us.
"One, two, three...hm.. The number of students mismatches the records. Why is that so?"
"Actually, I was added. I was thinking deeply about my career and...."
"Okay, welcome."
I had prepared a speech, but she just let me pass. She was this kind of a person.
She wasn't here because she was passionate about teaching, but rather here for research. Still, she didn't overlook her classes, but when tedious things that didn't make much trouble got in the way, she just let it go.
"Shall we begin?"
*
The magician training center looked similar to the shooting range. It is a system that implements and fires magic in a straight line, and Sol Lim walks around and checks one person at a time.
"Your movements are too slow. I think you are focusing too much on activating magic. You would have died 3 times by now. You have to get rid of a perfectionist tendency in the shape of the activation."
"Your precision is too low. It's good to think that you should attack fast, but it will only matter if you can actually damage your target."
"It's best to use whatever suits you, but this form is too inefficient compared to its power. If you want to use it in real life, use an ordinary shape like that of an arrow."
Being a professor was not easy.
Looking at over half of the students, Sol had this thogut.
I don't think she saw me yet, should I run?
No. I need to man up and apologize. That will be best.
"Why aren't you answering? Heh? You..."
"Hey there. I am Hoyeon Lee from the same class."
"You are the rapist from the orientation!"
"No I'm not!"
"What do you mean? Do you want to take it to the police?"
"Phew, I'm sorry. I really am. At the orientation, I fell asleep because I was too excited the night before, and in the training center I made a mistake because I was training till exhaustion."
I almost bowed 90 degrees to apologize.
From my own experience, it was best to sincerely apologize in these types of situations.
"Hmm."
"I'm sorry!"
I was a bit nervous. Lucy wouldn't be the type to reject my apology, but if things were to go wrong, my life would become difficult from here.
"Well, then. It wasn't that big of a deal. It was also an emergency situation."
"Thank you."
Phew. I let out a sigh of relief inside and looked at Lucy after standing up straight.
"Still, I won't take your apology."
"Hmm?"
"Apologize again tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"Yes. I will accept your apology tomorrow."
Lucy left after leaving those words.
What the.
*
After sending off Lucy, who left some weird words, I headed towards the training center.
The place was filled, probably because it was still near the beginning of the semester. Usually, libraries and gyms are crowded early in the year. How long will these guys last?
Ring~
[Confirmed entrance of Hoyeon Lee from the A class.]
I visited the meditation room this time.
There was nothing better than meditation to increase mana. I didn't want to do it, but I still had to try, as the saying goes 'For every drop of sweat you shed, you save a drop of blood.'
I sat comfortably in the middle of the meditation room.
I felt the mana stone emitting energy from the ceiling.
Shhhhp- Haa-
I took a deep breath and let out a slow breath.
When I focused, I felt the dispersed mana in the air. I had to draw in as much mana as I could nearby.
I had to hold the mana from the stone from escaping my body. This was no easy task, as shown in the original game.
I could not lose focus. I had to draw in all of my attention and erase all other thoughts...
[Your mana went up 1 level.]
Hmm?
*
I meditated one hour after, but the mana did not increase any further.
I guess they will not let me off so easily.
Still, I could expect faster growth than most people. Usually, one had to meditate regularly for a whole month to see results, but I saw it on the first day.
Was this due to [Mana empathy]?
I returned to the dorm and opened up a book.
[Humanity After the First Gate and Dungeon]
Just from the book, it was going to be an immensely boring book of 1500 pages.
There was every little detail, more like an archive over an informational book.
I had to ace the classes.
In the trashy game 'Sex Academy,' there was a version of an ending where you can get expelled. The student was strong and had seduced the heroines, but he had bad grades.
This really made no sense.
Report cards in a sex game?
Still, they said to enjoy it if you cannot avoid it. Even if I can't enjoy it, the least I can do is try my best.
With the [Memory Enhancement Skill], I could memorize everything I wanted to by just looking at it once.
So, I chose this comprehensive book that covered every little detail that would suffice all other pieces of information. I will only add on references after this.
[It was 1xx years ago, when the first gate appeared on an island in the Philippines...]
Ah...I really don't want to read this.