I remained seated, unable to bring myself to move.
Everyone except Ryder lingered in the classroom.
Leaning back, I silently cried.
Covering my eyes with my hand, I replayed the lessons in my mind.
Except I did not remember anything. Except for something called Mana Amalgamation.
And I still don't know what the hell is that.
In the game, classes are just skipped since it didn't provide anything useful. The skills and weaknesses of other monsters were just learned through basic encounters. Yet we never even touched upon the inner workings of magic.
…Thinking about it, there's a high likelihood that I am doomed for the rest of the year. Even the writing exam seems easier since the exam was mostly based on combat-related things. Demon's weakness, psychology, and many others were easy for me.
…fuck
Not only do I not understand anything that the Professor has said, but I barely have the basic mana knowledge gotten down.
"Haaa."
I let out an exhausting sigh, not only because I don't know anything, but I also have to study. Not just a minuscule amount, but I have to catch up to my peers, who probably studied when they were five.
'Training and studying… I can't wait. Oh right, there's Ryder now.'
I let out another sigh, lowering my hand from my head, only to find Ryder's eyes locked on mine.
…
"Right, Ryder. We have different classes after this mandatory one?"
"Correct."
"You can head off to your next class now."
"Okay."
Like a puppy, he headed off to his next class and it should be the Swordsmanship class.
'Seems like a lot of people chose that class. Then again, mages are quite rare.'
While I tapped on my bracelet to check my next class, I remembered it being [Strategic Combat Training], a class taught by Mira. One of the youngest professors and is revered for being one of the most talented people in her generation.
'... But she was also one of the professors who would've died during Darius' rampage.'
When the player successfully managed to save her, she would've been an immense asset later on in the game.
But then again, I heavily relied on Professor Verron to successfully break through. If he had failed… I wouldn't dare to think of it.
"Heh…"
I scratched my head as I laughed it off and made my way to my next class.
***
Lyra has been peeking at Alyssa the whole time Professor Verron was teaching.
She noticed multiple instances of Alyssa looking confused as the Professor talked. Mostly, shocked and baffled at what was being taught.
'This is weird.'
The Alyssa she remembered from a week ago was much different. She used to keep her emotions hidden, but this past week brought a significant shift in her personality.
While this change is a refreshing contrast to the cold-hearted Alyssa, it has only increased the number of students who scorn her.
'...is she even aware of how many enemies she's made over the year?'
Lyra thought to herself as she observed Alyssa more and more.
Eventually, she came to a conclusion.
'...she doesn't care.'
"Hmm."
She tilted her head to the side, puzzled by something she couldn't quite grasp.
The girl beside her noticed and expressed her concern.
"Hey Lyra, what are you doing?"
"Nothing."
"But you were just staring at Alyssa so closely!"
"…okay, you caught me."
"But did you notice how Alyssa seems different?"
Lyra expressed her worries about Alyssa while Amelia considered it.
After taking a careful look at Alyssa, she replied.
"I'm not sure! But she does seem a bit clearer now."
"Right…"
Having settled her thoughts, both girls returned their attention to the class, forgetting about Alyssa.
***
I walked down the hallway, only to find myself lost in the sprawling building.
The swarm of kids blocked everything, making it impossible to see the classroom signs.
Ugh.
Being this short is such a hassle.
As moments passed, the bell for the next class period drew near. Only then did the waves of students begin to thin out as most reached their destinations.
I hurried toward my next class.
'It should be a large room on the first floor.'
I sprinted down the hall, passing by countless classrooms, once again marveling at the sheer size of the institute.
'And this is just the freshman section…'
After taking a deep breath, I finally arrived at a double door with a sign above it reading [Strategic Combat Training].
"Phew, I made it."
As I stepped inside, I was greeted by a massive room, large enough to fit three football fields.
Strategic Combat Training focuses on preparing students to face monsters, which are essentially unintelligent demons that haven't yet evolved into low-tier demons.
Half of the room was filled with students battling simulated monsters, each in their own isolated space, protected by a mana barrier to keep them separated.
The other half was dedicated to groups of four to six students, working together to take down a single monster. The goal was to teach teamwork and collaboration in combat.
Teacher's assistants, mostly third-year students, moved around the room, offering tips and calling out advice.
The main professor, Mira Isodle, was also present, casually walking around and providing guidance as needed.
The course was designed to teach students how to handle various types of monsters, hence the name Strategic Combat Training.
Scanning the room, I noticed that only one space remained open while the rest were occupied.
'...Looks like I'm the last one to show up.'
I made my way to the far left end of the room, acutely aware of the shocked stares following me. I'd expected some reaction, but this felt excessive.
What sort of life did the original Alyssa lead?
Through the murmurs around me, I caught snippets of their conversations:
"Why is she here?"
"Is she finally working on her terrible skills?"
"Wait, isn't she a mage? Why is she heading to the swordsmanship area?"
"Didn't even know she was in this class..."
Right, professions don't matter here. Once you commit to a role, you stick with it—unless, of course, you're young enough to make a change.
Despite my efforts to focus and ignore the jeers, I noticed Professor Isodle's gaze fixed on me. A shiver ran down my spine.
'...Why is she looking this way?'
I hurried into my designated room and activated the dummies. As I entered, a voice greeted me.
[Alyssa Valenheart, absent for 133 days, Welcome Back.]
"..."
"...I get it now."
So the original Alyssa only took the mandatory Mana Fundamentals class and nothing else?
…
It's eerie how closely she mirrors my past self. Quite unsettling.
In any case, a holographic interface appeared, displaying options such as beginner dummies, beginner monsters, and more.
I chose the simplest option: Static dummies.
These are literally unmoving dummies.
Perfect for me.
A dummy composed entirely of mana, created from Mana cores, materialized in front of me. The school's immense wealth is evident; their advanced mana techniques enable them to fabricate anything with Mana cores.
It's remarkable how advanced their technology is.
It never fails to impress me as I witness it firsthand.
"Phew."
I drew my sword from the subspace, not the one Professor Verron gifted me, but the training sword I had burrowed.
And most importantly, I needed to sharpen my fundamentals in [Shinra Style].
Every move felt awkward and sloppy. Gradually, though, memories from [Sovereign's Path] began to resurface, albeit slowly.
The techniques I used back then were far superior to what I was executing now.
Now, picking up my sword after a long break, I felt stiff all over.
I had been tempted to choose the advanced dummies, but given how rigid I felt, I didn't dare.
These dummies are designed with thousands of combat styles, exploiting your weaknesses until you correct them and then finding new ones.
They're excellent for teaching, but they can be brutal. They generally match or slightly exceed the skill of the person using them, making the experience a one-sided ordeal.
'My goal here is to reach the 2nd Realm of Shinra Style.'
I could feel myself getting closer to it.
I prepared my sword and practiced [Distant Slash] repeatedly.
In the end, I spent an hour and a half doing it over and over again.
Clap—!
A wave of shockwaves surged through the room, bringing complete silence to both students and mana-generated beings alike.
"Class is dismissed!" Mira announced, her voice cutting through the quiet. "I've been watching, and I'm pleased to see that many of you have made significant progress. However, not all of you. The incident last week seems to have pushed you all to work harder."
She smiled and cast a brief glance in my direction.
"..."
…
After class ended, I hurried toward my dorm room, but along the way, I was continuously harassed.
"What's up with that one move you keep repeating on the dummy?"
A boy jostled my shoulder roughly.
Another boy chimed in from my left.
"Did you feel so helpless during the incident that you finally decided to train?"
His mockery only elicited pity from me. He seemed like an extra character, a filler with no real significance.
I ignored their taunts for nearly ten minutes until Ivan and Roland walked by.
'The notorious duo,'
I thought, observing Roland's beast-like demeanor and Ivan's scholarly appearance, though he too was a force to be reckoned with. Their presence silenced the crowd.
As Roland passed me, he suddenly stopped.
'Not again,' I thought with dread.
He looked down at me, a smirk spreading across his face. "Decided to work on those weak skills of yours, huh?"
His manic laughter caused everyone nearby to scatter. He grabbed my collar and slammed me against the wall.
"Ugh."
Usually, I would want to fight back, but I am utterly exhausted from training just moments ago. I gritted my teeth and tried to act calm.
If I knew, I would've rested before this.
"If you're so pathetic, you don't even deserve to be near me. Do you understand?"
I nodded.
But his anger seemed to escalate further.
'.. what the heck did I even do wrong just now?'
In a flash, a punch hurtled toward my face.
'..shit'
But it was halted by a sudden, commanding female voice.
"Stop, Roland. You know the trouble you'll be in if you hit her, right?"
He looked back and saw a red-haired girl. It was Lyra.
"..."
He snorted, a harsh sound of disdain.
He then released me from his grip and, with a final, scornful look, walked away with Ivan.
"...huff."
I barely survived that encounter, but why was Lyra here?
She glanced at me with an unreadable expression as I dusted off my uniform and adjusted my collar, then simply walked away. I was left alone in the hallway, feeling a mix of relief and confusion.
I took a sip of my water and headed to my dorm.
I was again reminded how weak I truly was. Crippled with the curses as well, I could barely last a proper fight.
Sweat-soaked, I changed out of my uniform. Unlike typical uniforms that restrict movement, Lumi's offered flexibility and protection, though removing it was only allowed in emergencies under school grounds.
I wanted to remove it but I didn't want to get into any more trouble.
But I again was disappointed in myself.
During the training, I felt closer and closer to reaching the 2nd realm.
'...but in the end, I couldn't grasp that feeling and achieve the breakthrough I desperately needed.'
"Haaa."
I sighed and prepared to head to the cafeteria. It was free time, and while theoretically, I could explore and find food elsewhere, I had no clue where to go. Thus, the cafeteria remained my only option.