Alex summoned his status screen to assess his progress.
----------------------------------------------------
[Status]
[Host: Alex Blanc]
[Race: Human]
[Age: 16]
[Rank: G → G+]
[Magic Affinity: Dark(SS)]
[MP: 50/50]
[HP: 100/100]
[Experience: 0/1000]
[System Points: 0]
----------------------------------------------------
Evidently, Alex had experienced substantial growth, with his strength surging by over half, nearing the F rank threshold.
Moreover, his mana and health stats had undergone remarkable increments.
He shared this information with Aurora, who nodded as if she had anticipated the outcome.
"The Foundation Building Potion is typically consumed by knights or warriors who want to strengthen their physical bodies past the limits. It purifies your body's pores, enhancing both its strength and purity. Normally, it's ingested while soaking in a specialized bath containing elixirs and medicinal herbs. Given your circumstances, you likely couldn't afford such luxuries. Ordinarily, the effects aren't as dramatic as what you experienced, but the combination of your weakened state and the potion's purity contributed to this outcome."
Aurora's explanation finally shed light on the nature of the slimy fluid that had coated Alex.
"So, it was essentially a detox, and that gooey substance was the toxins my body was expelling?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes."
He nodded in comprehension but, "You didn't have to rub in the fact that I'm weak."
"All I did was state the facts, nothing more."
"..."
"Isn't it getting late for your class?" Aurora changed the topic.
He glanced at the clock and realized it was almost time for his classes.
Today they had combat class first thing in the morning.
Anticipation bubbled within him as he readied himself for the combat class, filled with eagerness and excitement.
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
He was consumed by a ravenous hunger, as if he hadn't eaten for ages.
Racing to the cafeteria, Alex piled his plate high with food and eagerly began devouring it.
"Calm down and eat slowly. You're already late; a few more minutes won't matter." Aurora's voice attempted to guide him, but her efforts were hindered as she struggled to offer him a glass of water, which she simply passed through.
All she could do was provide verbal consolation.
Though he appreciated her intentions, time was of the essence.
At last, Alex arrived at the spacious training grounds designated for their combat classes.
Surprisingly, his journey there took less time than he anticipated, and his body was less strained than expected.
The training area was expansive, many times the size of a football field.
Fortunately, it appeared that the teachers themselves were running behind schedule, aligning his arrival with the right moment.
Upon joining the class, the customary routine involved completing three laps around the grounds before delving into their weapon training sessions.
After engaging in a few stretching exercises, he readied himself for the long run.
Initially, he felt invigorated, relishing the freedom to run – a luxury he hadn't experienced in his previous life, when physical exertion was absent.
However, his enthusiasm dwindled rapidly as he pushed himself through the first lap, and the subsequent rounds became increasingly torturous.
By the second lap, he struggled to maintain a steady gait, and the third lap felt like a journey through hell itself.
He somehow persevered, managing to complete all ten rounds, but the elation of the accomplishment was eclipsed by the exhaustion that gripped his body.
"Congratulations, you've completed three full rounds of the training ground."
His face was flushed crimson, and he gasped for air, utterly drained.
The moment had finally arrived for one of the activities he had been most eagerly anticipating – swordplay.
In his previous world, he used to play a lot of RPG games. In all the fantasy games, he would choose a sword as his primary weapon and a bow or spear as his secondary.
Swordsmanship had been one of his major fascinations, second only to magic.
Now, the chance to wield a sword had become a reality.
Within their knight training classes, they were provided the opportunity to choose and specialize in various weapons that aligned with their preferences.
Luckily, the previous Alex had chosen swordsmanship, perfectly aligning with his own interests.
He selected a training sword from the academy's collection and joined fellow students who were engrossed in practicing their swordsmanship.
Though the sword felt heavy, it was still much lighter than the one granted by the system.
"Swing it until it becomes difficult for you to swing." was the directive provided by the swordsmanship instructor.
Following the teacher's guidance, he initiated his sword swings.
However, maintaining a consistent trajectory proved to be challenging. His hands grew sore, and he lost track after around a hundred swings.
Despite the discomfort, he was determined to push through, driven by the desire to grow stronger. The adrenaline coursing through him fueled his perseverance.
He only ceased his efforts once the class concluded.
"Great job, Alex, especially for your first day."
Aurora's beaming smile and sincere compliment made the experience all the more rewarding.
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
As the day's classes wrapped up, Alex returned to his room, eager for the most anticipated event of the day: his first magic lesson with Aurora.
"Aurora, please don't keep me waiting any longer. Let's start with teaching me my very first magic spell."
"Alright, alright, let's calm down a bit. Before we dive in, tell me what you already know about magic."
After a moment of consideration, he responded, "Well, to be honest, I don't really know much."
"..."
Aurora's quizzical expression made him feel the need to clarify, "Hey, don't give me that look! Remember, I'm not from this world."
"Hmm, let's start from the very beginning then." Aurora let out a slight sigh, as if resigning herself to providing a thorough explanation.
And so, she began to educate him about the fundamentals of magic.