The instructor came to a halt outside the door, and when I and that kid entered, we saw the principal with two people dressed in white cloaks, which gave me déjà vu from the desert. They felt the same way as those who had accompanied me on my journey from Yami no Kuni State to Faunara State via the Aridune Desert.
"You two, again. I am sure you were the same person." I said to them, pointing my finger.
Then everyone kneeled down, including the child, continuing the déjà vu. And they said the same thing.
"We greet the chosen one."
They're doing it again, but I doubt they'll explain why.
"Yes, yes, greetings to you, principle Astoria, as well, and continue your play."
The principal stood up and continued, "We would like to assist you in your development by providing you with the best resources, including an A-grade skill scroll. But in return, could you show or tell us about your status window for the cosmic abyss?"
I don't have a usable skill yet; not even my cosmic abyss ability has been awakened, and they've been extremely helpful as I move through the Aridune Desert.
"I have 9/10 souls and 2/10 keys, but I don't have any abilities as that star is still level 0."
The principal and the people in white cloaks looked shocked, as they might have seen something unexpected.
"What! Are you certain?
I nodded and said, "What's wrong about it?"
Principal Astoria took a deep breath, and she replied, "Like in the dungeon, how many monsters did you see?"
"like 9?"
The shock on their faces increased, so I asked them myself, "Least tell me something such that I am on the same page as you are."
"Great one, according to the information I have received, there should have been 8 monsters and 10 souls, and by this time, you should have only obtained one key. So we're not sure why you have two keys when we only gave you one. In general, every chosen one has unlocked their ability after the trial, so this is a unique case."
I feel like I shouldn't tell them I already had nine souls before entering the dungeon.
"You have not provided me with any information about my own abilities. I would also like to know." Now I've just revealed a lot of information. Now I have already revealed a lot of information for us to have an equal footing.
"I apologise for not being able to assist you in this matter, but we have been instructed by higher-ups that we can only reveal information once you have activated the cosmic abyss. Acquiring knowledge without extensive practice is futile, so in order to demonstrate potential, we will provide you with additional resources even though you haven't unlocked that star, after which we will be a lot more helpful."
They do the same thing again. The academic teacher said the same thing in a previous life, and the no-name organisation does the same now they are losing credibility little by little.
Before I could say anything, they interrupted, "I know you were dissatisfied with our response and that we were pushing you towards something you did not want. We understand your frustration, but we can help you grow as you see fit. We want you to decide what kinds of skills and fighting abilities you want to learn, and we will financially support you and provide the best teachers."
Principal Astoria continued, "In return, we will protect your family. The only condition is that once your second star is unlocked, you assist us in obtaining all the keys, as only the chosen one can absorb them."
This is kind of a deal that even if I want to deny it, I can't as I have already lost my second ever mentor due to the Kurokage family, and I am not strong enough to oppose them or protect my family. If they are ready to spend thousands of gold on me for my development, as they own this big commoners school and rich merchants and ins.
"I will accept it if you keep your part of the deal if you sign a blood pact with me, as I can feel it you are someone really strong, and I want to learn close combat and katana, whereas I would like to learn both of them without the scrolls through a professional."
From my own observations and knowledge of students' learning paces at the academy, I've discovered that scrolls provide a distinct advantage for mages.
Mages, unlike warriors and other combatants, can rely on scrolls instead of spending countless hours honing their physical techniques and reflexes. Their primary focus is on accuracy and unlocking the latent power within their core.
For a mage, the intricate and arcane knowledge contained within a scroll accounts for more than half of their skill, with the remainder spent on developing their inner core to improve precision.
The concentrated knowledge in the scrolls hastens their learning process, allowing them to master complex spells much faster than if they had started from scratch.
In contrast, those who pursue physical combat must rigorously train both their bodies and minds even after absorbing the scroll, making the mage's path to mastery intriguingly distinct and frequently faster.
However, for an advanced weapon wielder, the learning process is nearly identical, as their bodies and minds are already developed in a manner similar to a mage's core and precision.
"I will, but it will take about a week to find a katana master for your training. Meanwhile, from tomorrow, we'll have a beastman specialising in close combat training. We already have him under contract, and he will be available to start working with you soon. Rest assured that we will provide you with the best resources and instructors to help you develop your skills to their full potential."
"Okay, so for that time I will continue to be in the class for before that tell about this kid you have brought here and allowed him to listen to everything."
"He will be your shadow from now on; he will live, eat, and die with you. As for his skill, he is a swordsman and assassin; his name is Erebus.".
Oh, one more problem added to the already exciting situation: I have to deal with one of their spies as well. We first sang a blood tract in which if one side breaks it, they die, and it is sang under the system itself so it can never be falsified, and then I left the room without introducing myself to the kid, but the kid followed us back to our classroom with the instructor.