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The Rushing Shadows Art relies much on the explosive power of one's muscles...
...It is a dagger art that aims for the heart, and only the heart...
...Only people with complete confidence in their abilities should practice this art...
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I read through the introduction page of the skill book.
Advice, physical and mana requirements, temperament recommendations, and supplementary training regimes were written in great detail in the following pages.
There were a lot of details to take in. This wasn't something that I originally wrote, so I was currently going in blind.
I decided to follow the book step-by-step.
Posture, stance, the basic swings, the movements of the hands and feet, my breathing, and finally the movements of my mana. My [ Physique ] talent was High, thus allowing these different parts of the dagger art to assimilate themselves with my body.
I was making progress that was visible to the naked eye.
I thus practised for the entire day until I was more or less familiar with the fourteen different strikes.
When night came, I had dinner in the rather empty cafeteria. I had a plate of lasagna that helped with my hunger. I then returned to my room, showered, and fell asleep.
...
The next day came, and this time, the cafeteria was empty. I thus ate in calm silence. Those examinees were skipping out on their meals just trying to solve the tests they were given.
How hardworking.
Well, it only made sense for them to be cramming since today was the last day that Deuzetai had allotted for us.
I sighed with exhilaration. The entrance exams were almost over. I couldn't help but recall the time when I had gone through college entrance exams for the first time. I was giddy, excited, and nervous.
Now, everything related to my scores and my placement was within my calculations.
I would be surprised if I was not ranked first among the first years.
Alas, being first among a measly set of first years was not the end of my aspirations. I dreamed of much, much more.
So I continued my training.
"Ha!"
I yelled as I sent my dagger piercing straight into the mana dummy I was fighting. It pierced into its heart, and the dummy dissipated into particles.
I had emerged from the shadows to strike at my foe when it was at its weakest. It was a satisfying strike.
Breathing hard, I wiped the sweat off my brow. That was the tenth consecutive success for the first strike. I was on the path to making it a reflex. A habit.
"Now I just need to remember to stay quiet when I do perform assassinations..." I reminded myself as I drank out of the water flask I brought with me.
I then switched off the mana flow to the room. Instantly, the spell-made landscape disappeared. It vanished into a spray of mana particles that tickled my nose.
I exited the room and made my way to the cafeteria.
On my way there, I spotted students who were coming from Deuzetai's Wizard Tower. Their shoulders were drooping and bags were under their eyes. They walked sluggishly through the halls, sleep-deprived and mentally exhausted.
I arrived at the cafeteria, and the same sight greeted me. Tired examinees and wilting expressions.
Even Lily and Virion looked worse for wear.
I set my tray down beside them and wordlessly ate my food. They gave me a glance, and that was it. It seemed like they weren't open to any conversation.
...Which was the same every day. Lily had yet to even reply to anything I said.
Anyways, ignoring the exhausted teens, I finished my food and left. I then collapsed on my bed once more as sleep swiftly caught me within its lovely grasp.
...
I slept well. Really well.
I woke up rejuvenated and fresh. The morning sun that shone on my face felt like the gentle caress of a mother that I never knew.
I sighed at this thought. In this manner, Caelum felt similar to me. He was orphaned at a young age and forced to fend for himself.
Although I was not orphaned, I grew up missing one parent. I had a father, but he was distant and strict. He only cared for me when I was young, and when he saw what career path I was taking, he abandoned me.
For most of my high school and college life, I grew up alone.
It turned out that my father had a different family that I was not a part of. I wondered why, but I could not get an answer from him. Then the world changed, and it was likely that he disappeared.
Slap—!
No... Those were unnecessary thoughts to have.
My path to immortality did not involve such sentiments. I was my own person. An author of worlds.
I had no time to bathe in such sorrows.
I shook my head and headed out. The exam results would be posted at exactly 15:00. I repeated the routine I had in the past week. Breakfast with the ever-silent Lily and Virion.
Sylfie had finally appeared this time, though. It seemed like she had been focusing hard in her room and ate at different times than we did.
She arrived with Virion, waving at me and Lily with a cheeky smile on her face.
"Hi~!" She sang her words. "I'm Sylfie, from the kingdom of Paura. I uh, don't have a last name. It's a pleasure to meet you!"
"Hello, Sylfie." I greeted her as I pulled my hood lower. Only the faint smile on my lips could be seen through the shadow of my hood. "The pleasure is all mine. As we're both commoners, I hope we can get along splendidly."
I watched as Sylfie's eyes sparkled.
"Okay!" She giggled as she placed her tray down.
And then, the two of us began to chat. The two nobles at the table stayed silent, slightly irked by our noise.