I woke up early the next morning, completing my usual exercise routine before taking a quick bath. Afterward, I slipped into my uniform: a black shirt, white pants, black shoes, a white blazer with blue lining, and the academy's symbol on the left. I felt a strange sense of pride as I looked at myself in the mirror. It wasn't the best uniform, but it represented the place I was training in, and that meant something.
When I arrived at the classroom, most students were already seated. I made my way to an empty seat at the back. Scarlett waved at me, and I returned her greeting with a small wave of my own. I could feel someone glaring daggers at me from the front, but I ignored the gaze and focused on what was coming next.
The door opened, and Miss Elsa walked in, exuding authority as always.
"Good morning, students," she said, her voice steady. "Before we begin, let me inform you all that there will be an assessment at the end of the week. Your final rankings will be determined by two tests: a written exam and a practical one. Best of luck to everyone."
After delivering the news, she dove straight into teaching about mana and its basic manipulation. The class was interesting, but it felt like the calm before the storm. Afterward, we had a history class. It was incredibly boring—partly because the teacher was so uninspiring. He was a rotund man, so plump that his voice seemed to struggle for attention as much as he did.
The real excitement came after lunch during our Combat class.
-----
The teacher for this class was a tall, muscular man with brown hair and dull eyes. His voice was sharp and commanding, immediately setting the tone for the lesson.
"You can call me Mr. Sam," he began. "And I'll be taking your combat class. My goal is to turn you pathetic excuses for warriors into reliable heroes. Let's start with a warm-up. Everyone, run 20 laps."
I didn't waste a second. As soon as he finished his words, I was already sprinting, Scarlett following me soon after. The rest of the students stood around, looking at us like we were fools. They didn't get it.
"Those still standing, get moving. Thirty laps!" Mr. Sam barked.
Anyone who dared to argue was punished with forty laps. By the time the first few had finished, no one dared to slack off. Scarlett thanked me afterward for getting her to join in.
Once the warm-up was over, Mr. Sam told us to pair up and attack him together. Scarlett drew her daggers, and I unsheathed my sword. We signaled to each other, then lunged at him in tandem.
But we were both utterly demolished within two minutes.
"Girls," Mr. Sam said coldly, "your dagger arts are passable, but your movements are sloppy. You need to work on your coordination. Boy," he turned to me, "you may have basic sword skills, but your lack of battle experience shows. It's as if you've only just started learning."
After the brief critique, he moved on to the next group. Scarlett and I sat down, our adrenaline still high as we discussed the experience.
"It was tough, but I learned a lot," I said, my mind already working. "I've realized what I need to improve—battle experience. And I think I know how to get it."
Dungeons were the key. Not only would they give me practical experience, but they also offered rewards, and if I was lucky, I could even get monster cores. Plus, it would be a great opportunity to level up. I decided I would take Scarlett along with me when the time was right.
Dungeon Run
The next morning, after completing my daily routine, I headed straight for one of the F-rank dungeons. I'd already been to this particular dungeon before and knew it well: Goblin's Lair. It wasn't very dangerous, but it held a Hidden Boss, a goblin shaman that would appear only if I killed every goblin first. If I went straight for the boss, it would never show up.
After entering through the portal and flashing my ID, I made my way deeper into the dungeon. To my surprise, I didn't feel any nausea—contrary to what I had read about in novels. The atmosphere was tense, but I felt a strange calmness.
I quickly spotted a group of five goblins approaching me. Without hesitation, I unsheathed my sword and dashed toward them.
"Slash!"
The sound of metal meeting flesh filled the air as I cut through the three goblins in front of me in one swift motion, using one of them as a shield to block a strike from my left. Swinging my sword again, I finished off the goblins to my right.
The last goblin lunged at me, but I blocked its vertical strike and kicked it in the chest, sending it flying back. It struggled to get up, but I wasn't about to let it recover. I dashed forward and pierced my sword through its neck, ending its life in an instant.
I quickly hid in a safe area, hearing the footsteps of more goblins rushing toward me. It seemed they had smelled the blood.
[You have leveled up.]
[You gained 10 SP.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You gained 10 SP.]
Two level-ups. That was fast. I decided to make use of my new SP.
"System, use Skill Weaver."
[What kind of skill does the host wish to create?]
"Hmm, let's see... a skill that lets me use every element," I said.
[Skill is being created based on description.]
[Skill is too strong for host body to handle.]
"Huh?" I thought. "What do you mean?"
[Managing the skill for host to handle... Skill has been created.]
[Elemental Mastery (S)]
(Allows the host to master every element present in nature.)
Host body can only handle two elements as of now.
[Choose two elements from below:]
Fire
Water
Earth
Wind
Nature
I stared at the options, thinking carefully. "System, will I be able to use more elements as I level up?"
[Yes, the host will gain new elements after every two levels.]
"Got it," I said. "I choose Fire and Nature."
With that, I selected my other slot to create a skill for speed.
"System, create 'Flash Step.'"
[Skill: Flash Step (C)]
(The host can move in a straight line within a range of 15 meters.)
[ No. of uses: 3. Cooldown : 6 sec ]
"Great!" I said, grinning. "Now, let's test out my new fireball."
I saw three goblins nearby and raised my hand, focusing my mana. A warm sensation spread across my palm. I could feel the fire gathering as I visualized a ball of fire. It was hard, but I kept my focus. Finally, I felt a surge of power, and the fireball formed in my hand. I threw it with all my might, and the explosion of flames instantly burned the three goblins to a crisp.
My excitement was tempered by how much concentration it took to pull off such a move. Sweat trickled down my face, but I didn't have much time to rest. More goblins appeared, and I braced myself.
"Mind Acceleration!"
Time slowed as I took advantage of the effect. I raised both arms, channeling mana into them, and created two massive fireballs. With a flick of my wrists, I sent them flying toward the goblins. Six were immediately killed, and the others were badly injured. I finished them off with my sword.
For the next two hours, I continued to fight using a combination of fireballs and sword strikes, steadily thinning their numbers. I only stopped when my Flash Step skill recharged, preparing for the boss.
Standing before the boss room, I readied myself. But when I entered, I froze.
"What the hell?"