"That... That's a Geomancer's ability?" Simon muttered, glancing at the field of destroyed targets. "I thought they were weak?"
"How did she control so many rocks at once?" Meri mumbled, her elegant eyebrows furrowed in thought.
"How did she cast [Throw Rock] without touching them?" Mint muttered, pressing her thumb to her lips.
"I've seen that spell used before, but it never looked so impressive... I always assumed it was more of a beginner's spell." Asim shook his head.
Kira, fading in and out of consciousness, managed to open the window describing [Throw Rock] in detail and made it visible, turning the screen so her classmates could see.
-----
[Throw Rock Lv.20/20]
Earth Element
Base Cost: 1MP per 10kg
Reagent: Mineral
Coat reagent in mana then speak the spell name to throw it, increasing its flight speed (versus flight speed from being thrown without the spell), and increases damage caused by the projectile upon impact based on its mass combined with its acceleration.
Physically throwing the projectile while casting the spell adds extra damage and speed to the projectile based on Caster's STR and DEX stats respectively.
Maximum size, flight speed, and damage of projectile both determined by mana used when casting. Using twice the required mana will double speed and damage, triple the mana will triple speed and damage, etc.
Flight path cannot be altered once projectile is launched.
-----
"Spell says throwing the rock myself adds extra speed and damage," Kira yawned, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. She leaned back against the wall with a sigh - she spent the whole night playing with spells and working things out, so she could be considered an expert on the topic of [Throw Rock]. "The first line of a description always sets the basics of the spell, [Throw Rock]'s description implies I don't need to actually touch the rock to throw the rock. Otherwise it would take those stats into account by default, and it would be included in the first line.
"Also it doesn't set a limit on maximum number of rocks I can throw at once, just mana cost per weight affected. So I can throw something really big, or a bunch of little things. I used [Earthshape] to make them float up a bit so I could aim better."
Hawkins suddenly seemed very enthusiastic, jumping up from his chair and clapping his hands together with surprising force. Kira's sleepily mumbled words sparked a fire of enlightenment in his heart.
Growing up, struggling to increase his level and understanding of magic, he always wondered how higher level casters could use the same spells as lower level ones but with greater effect and efficiency. In the past he contributed the difference to discrepancy in Rank, or level, talent or even luck, a sense of resigned jealousy settling into his heart.
But was that really the case?
Or was it his own understanding that was flawed?
"[Throw Rock] itself is a common spell and easy to learn even for non-caster Classes, but to be used in such a way, I've never seen nor heard of... The spell itself didn't state those limits, we only assumed the limits based on context?!" Hawkins muttered, sinking into his own thoughts.
Meanwhile Mint pointed out an obvious issue, her elegant brows furrowed. "You're only Level 1-F, how is your [Throw Rock] maxed out in mastery?"
Kira rolled her head back against the wall, closing her eyes. She was so tired, why did she have to be in the middle of everything? The teacher wanted to see what she could do, but maybe she should have held back...
Too little, too late.
"Obviously it's because I practiced a lot," she finally grumbled. Two hundred thousand years worth of practice apparently, but she left that tidbit out. "I told you last night. If you're worried about being weak, just get stronger. Practice is the best way to get good at anything. Persistent hard work triumphs over lazy talent."
"Fine, but how did you do that much damage? Even with your mastery of the spell, Level 1-F is just..." Meri sighed, a complicated emotion in her neon blue eyes.
"Oh my good gracious golly gosh," Kira snapped in a voice dripping with sarcasm, covering her face with her hands. Frustration and exhaustion piled up to snap her last thread of patience in half. "You're a Mage, you should know how to read spell descriptions yourself!"
And with that Kira stubbornly pulled a hoodie out of her Inventory, covered her head, curled up against the wall, and started snoring in seconds.
Meri's face flushed with embarrassment while Mint indignantly stomped her foot. "What a brat!"
Hawkins cleared his throat. "Miss Mint, Miss Meri, the spell description stated damage was based on the projectile's mass and speed, increased by the mana used."
The teacher's gentle words made the twins even more embarrassed. They could see that for themselves, on the screen! What Meri wanted to know was how a Level 1-F had enough mana to do what they witnessed. How much mana did she coat the rocks in to make them able to dent and even puncture metal? Hundreds of them at once?!
Mint and Meri exchanged dubious glances.
Hawkins ordered the training zone to reset the targets. Several hours were spent advising his students about the handling of spells, while Kira snored softly in the corner.
Even Classes who didn't specialize in magic had to use one or two spells in order to be considered effective. For example, Brigit was a Squire who used mainly close combat techniques centered around a sword, but she still knew the [Refresh] and [Vigor] spells. The former increased her HP regeneration for a short amount of time, while the latter gave a temporary boost to STR and AGI. A Squire with her exact same skills and stats would lose to her in battle every time if they didn't also know those spells.
Depending on the situation, a single spell could be the difference between victory and defeat.
Brigit nudged Kira awake a few hours later after the rest of the class dispersed. The Human yawned and stretched, rubbing sleep out of her eyes. "What'd I miss?"
"I took notes, I'll send them to you later," Brigit answered with a smile. "Course is over for the day, let's go back."
"Okay..."
Kira stumbled to her feet and clung to Brigit's hand out of habit, eyes half-lidded and unfocused. Brigit grabbed the hoodie from the ground, draped it around the thin girl's shoulders, and led her back to the dorm where Kira promptly fell back asleep in the comfort of her own welcoming bed.
She awoke later in the night, completely disoriented and confused. Her surroundings were dark and unfamiliar, and oh so unbearably quiet. Kira scowled, focusing her senses to check for danger, and only relaxed when she couldn't find anyone else nearby.
Kira's muddled mind cleared. She groped in the dark until her hands came into contact with a lamp on the nightstand that lit up at her touch, casting a gentle warm glow over her room. The Human breathed a sigh of relief and laid back on the bed, opening a message from Brigit that was sent a couple hours before.
[Brigit: Let me know when you're awake, I saved dinner for you. Want me to bring it over?]
[Kira: Yes please!]
[Kira: Oh]
[Kira: Hold on, it's late isn't it?]
[Brigit: Yes, but I'm awake still so I can bring it. Did you sleep well?]
[Kira: Why are you awake?!]
[Brigit: Doing research.]
[Kira: About what?]
Brigit didn't respond to the message and brought dinner over to explain personally. She heated the food up in Kira's kitchen and served it to a small table while chatting away. "The Academia has many Gates of its own but entry to them is monitored and restricted. So I was looking for Gates and low-level Dungeons open to the public."
Kira chewed her food thoughtfully, watching Brigit's excited face as the Drakke puttered around the little kitchen. "Brigit, is the world very dangerous?"
Brigit paused. "What do you mean?"
"This place is a school, but all the students are my age or older from the looks of it. Yesterday they mentioned Trials and how First Years don't do direct combat due to inexperience which implies Second Year and up does but I could be wrong about that, it's just a guess. That could be why there's no kids here. But Mister Karl emphasized coming here would keep us safe and help us learn to stay safe in the future." Kira took a long drink from a mug of juice before continuing. "It's not only because I'm in danger for some reason, is it? The school's usual courses include self-defense stuff normally, not for my sake. Right?"
Sighing, the Drakke took a seat across from Kira at the table and folded her hands together. "You don't get access to the System and leveling in general until your body reaches a certain maturity, which means you can't obtain a Class or learn skills and spells through the System until then. The Academia teaches combat and survival skills and spells, many of which require higher levels, so of course the other students wouldn't be younger than you. You're already close to the minimum acceptable age for Humans.
"You're correct in thinking the world is very dangerous. Massive beasts roam the wilds, along with hordes of monsters who breach through Dungeons or get assimilated here through closed Gates. Mana accumulating over time in the atmosphere changed much of the terrain, the weather, and even the animals into forms that I'm sure will be unrecognizable to you. The world changes year to year with different dangers every time, I can only imagine how big the difference will be for you, with your gap of time... And worst of all, there's no such thing as a truly safe haven."
Brigit's expression twisted into one of sorrow and deep bitterness. Kira stared at her mug of juice, watching her own reflection in the liquid with a frown. "But the city seems pretty safe? There's so many people here, would they settle if it wasn't?"
"That's because of Sir Karl and the other members of the Council. They rule over this area and so they protect it. But if a beast tide were to rise, thousands upon thousands of creatures pouring out of a Dungeon thirsting for blood? Creatures with high Ranks and spells of their own? Perhaps an angry Boss-level monster who just happened to wander into the area, or was fleeing something even scarier.
"Defensive arrays can only hold for so long, and once the barriers fall the common folk would be the first casualties. Of course the powerful would intervene where possible to protect their own interests, but they can't be everywhere at once. Magic makes us powerful, Kira, but no one's all-powerful. There's always someone, or something, stronger. If you're weak and hide inside a city like an ignorant child, there'll come a day when everything burns around you."
The sheer amount of venom in Brigit's words caught Kira by surprise, contrasting how she seemed to be on the verge of tears, clenching her hands into shaking fists as her golden reptilian eyes stared deep into a sea of memories. Kira scooted her chair over until she could reach one of Brigit's hands, gripping it firmly with her own and bringing the Drakke back to her senses. "You gonna be okay?"
Brigit exhaled a shaky breath. "Sorry... I'll be fine. I just... Want to be stronger. Strong enough, at least, to protect people close to me, without having to pray for intervention from strangers. But I keep getting reminded of how weak I really am."
"Everyone starts out weak."
"And if I'm bothered by being weak, I should just get stronger, right?" Brigit laughed, chasing away a bit of the gloom darkening her pretty face. "That's why I was doing research. With the money Sir Karl gave us, we can certainly purchase entrance to those public Gates and Dungeons!"
"What about our scholarships?" Kira asked, propping her chin in her hand.
Brigit blinked, confused, while Kira sent a quick message to Karl.
[Kira: Does a full scholarship include access to the school's Gates and Dungeon?]
[Karl: Firstly, it's the Atmont Academia. It's not a mere school. Secondly, yes of course it does what kind of cheap scholarship did you think I'd give you? Don't insult me. Finally, why are you awake this late again?]
[Kira: Thanks Mister Karl! Get some rest yourself, okay~ Goodnight~]
"Mister Karl said our scholarship includes access to the Gates and Dungeon." Kira snapped the Chat closed before Karl could start nagging about bedtime. "But, uh. I kinda... Wanna wait before going into one, if that's okay."
Brigit, whose eyes had just started sparkling with excitement, started to frown instead. "You do?"
A pretty pink blush spread across Kira's face. She avoided Brigit's gaze, squirming in place for a second before finally admitting: "My Gate was a Training Gate for kids. The monsters in there were super weak and few in number, they didn't roam in packs or anything. Once I learned [Throw Rock] I could kill them easily or chase them off, and after I got [Trifling Presence] they wouldn't notice me even if I walked past their face, so... I don't really... I mean, experience-wise, I just... I... Have never, uh. Held a weapon. I don't know how to fight."
.....
The next day's course was academic in nature, in a small classroom with plain desks and uncomfortable chairs. Everyone learned about various parts of the world from a little old lady named Mrs. Dole, who had sharp eyes contrasting a friendly smile. Academic courses lasted longer than combat courses, so they weren't freed from the monotonous lecture until late in the afternoon.
Upon being released, Brigit didn't hesitate to drag Kira away at top speed toward the Combat Pavilion, chattering about the aptitude test and mentor puppets and fighting styles with such excitement Kira's head felt like it was spinning.
The Human was practically thrown into a room Brigit called a dojo. "I'm gonna go train in a Gate!" Brigit said. She seemed oblivious to the pleading expression on Kira's face, and was instead more excited about getting to visit a Gate herself. "I already informed Sir Karl, combat training has been added to your required courses and he will be receiving reports from the Pavilion about your progress. If you don't come here for a few hours every day, your grades will drop no matter how well you do in the other courses! Don't make that face, this is for your own good. Do your best!"
Brigit left just like that, the dojo door sliding shut with a faint click. A padlock-shaped hologram appeared in front of the door with a digital clock counting down from four hours, signifying it was locked so she couldn't escape until the timer ran out. Kira laid on the floor and resisted the urge to sob, until a very strong humanoid puppet lifted her bodily from the ground by the back of her coat.
The dojo was an open space, styled with tatami mat flooring and delicately painted shoji screen walls. Dark wooden racks held weapons of every variety, and the puppet informed her in a robotic voice that a mentor would only be assigned after she tried all of them. She was to hit one of the target dummies in the back of the room ten times, with each weapon. If she did not follow instructions, her grades would be deducted.
And there were dozens of weapons.
Kira groaned and dragged her feet, approaching the nearest weapon rack and grabbing a mace. It felt weird and heavy in her hands. "Alright... Let's get this over with."