Due to the assassination attempt on Sera, the entrance exams were postponed. It's been a few days since then. Today, I've just been lazing around on the couch, surfing the Internet and reading news articles to broaden my knowledge of the world. While these past few days would've been a good opportunity to prepare myself for when the practicals exams began again, I was too exhausted from the fight against the haginn that I've been justifying my laziness with the rewards I reaped from that day.
[You have fought an opponent much stronger than you and survived. In the face of danger, your passion burned gallantly. 'Arbiter's Ardor' is reacting to your passion.]
[ARC has increased by 0.3.]
[DEX has increased by 0.1.]
[PRJ has increased by 0.1.]
[VSL has increased by 0.2.]
At the time, I had totally forgotten about 'Arbiter's Ardor'. Until then, it hadn't activated before. I decided to pull open my status window to check my progress.
[Status Window]
Name: Ilyin Gray
Titles: [Arbiter of Passion], [Adherent of Hela]
▷ Primary Stats // [VSL: 4.4] [DEX: 6.1] [PRJ: 4.3] [PSY: 5.1] [PE: 4.8] [ARC: 5.4]
▷ List of Skills
▲ Synchronization (Incomplete) [LV. N/A]
▲ Hela's Authority (Weakened) [LV. N/A]
▲ Voice of Nihility [LV. N/A]
▲ Arbiter's Ardor [LV. N/A]
—
Combined with the training I've been doing in the past month, my stats are noticeably higher than what they were when I first unlocked my status window. Considering that the average Nineheart freshman is expected to have at least 5.5 in three or more categories, I'm not doing all too bad for someone who was just a scrawny college student a little over a month ago. 'Synchronization' can't help with my stats except for dexterity, which affects mastery of skills and techniques. Since I can recover some of my previous selves' techniques through the skill, my dexterity stat is somewhat inflated, though a good chunk of it is attributed to my actual agility.
To be fair, I have been doing a lot of training to increase it normally as well. Then there's my psyche stat, which used to be my lowest. I'm fairly certain that it's also being inflated by the Voice of Nihility, which has a "calming effect" in a sense.
I've been focusing on my arcane stat despite my mana reversion because of the versatility of magic. Even if I can't externalize it, I can use physical enhancement arts to make up for my lacking physique. It wasn't as though I haven't been putting on muscle, but there's only so much you can accomplish in a month. Then there's 'Hela's Authority', which allows me to expose the weaknesses of any target.
Originally, I didn't think I would be able to use it because of mana reversion, but Hela gave me a hint. She told me to look into the 'Blade of Chivalry', a unique fighting style that originated from a prestigious arbiter family known as the hal-Byrnes. That family is under a special oath that prevents them from externalizing magic, but in turn gain a special constitution that significantly bolsters their physical capabilities. While I don't have that constitution, it's not needed to utilize the 'Blade of Chivalry', only a body that can't release magic.
Because it was something I learned in a previous life, the fighting style is shown under 'Synchronization' instead of the main list.
[Synchronization] ▶
Showing currently synchronized skills:
▲ Basic Swordsmanship [LV. 9]
▲ Basic Martial Arts [LV. 4]
▲ Blade of Chivalry [LV. 2]
—
[Blade of Chivalry] ▲
A martial arts school developed by the hal-Byrne family. It requires a constitution that is unable to externalize magic to use. Through 'Blade of Chivalry', the user can touch a living target's spirit veins, which they can utilize as a medium for channeling magic.
—
In essence, it was a skill that let me externalize magic by internalizing it in another living being. It was the same technique I used to wield 'Hela's Authority' against the haginn. Of course, the technique could be several times more devastating if I had some other powerful magic, but I don't, not to mention my skill level being too low to do something like that. Because 'Basic Swordsmanship' was, you know, basic, the skill level quickly increased as I trained, but 'Blade of Chivalry' had only went up by one level ever since I learned it. I was a bit annoyed, because after Hela told me about it, she's been on total radio silence since then. I would appreciate some more help with it.
At the very least, through it I've been able to recover 'Basic Martial Arts'. I think the reason 'Blade of Chivalry' is so difficult to learn is because my understanding of martial arts is too low. The general mastery skills like 'Swordsmanship' or 'Martial Arts' affect an arbiter's capability to learn advanced techniques and reflect their basic fundamentals.
Basic training is the least optimal way to grow, but I didn't have many other options. Heflin was reluctant to send me into dungeons, which were pocket dimensions that randomly appeared here and there. As centers of monster activity, they're great to gain experience from, but they're also very dangerous. There's also the matter of ownership, since many guilds fight to claim them for their own gains.
Another option is re-entering the Ark of Passion, but because I would be subject to the real trials of the tower, it was far too dangerous.
Arbiters need real experience for their growth to occur by leaps and bounds. Unfortunately, I had to be satisfied with what I could do now. At the very least, compared to others, I had an edge because of 'Synchronization'.
The ringing of the doorbell interrupted my thoughts. I wasn't sure who it was, considering the only person I really knew was Heflin, and he's busy today. I waved away my screen and put down my tablet before making my way to the front door. Peering into the peephole, there wasn't anyone on the other side. I swung the door open and was greeted by a small package sitting on my doorstep.
I picked it up and went back to the couch, curious about what was within. It was addressed to me, and the sender... Nineheart Institute of Arcana?
I tore the box open, and inside was a small envelope sitting on top of a neatly folded uniform. I quickly popped the seal on the envelope and skimmed the letter inside.
My eyes widened. It was an acceptance letter to the school.
Was this a mistake? I failed my first two practicals, and I didn't even get to attempt the third.
I read the letter again, this time more thoroughly.
For your part in neutralizing the haginn, your admittance to the school has been approved.
I felt a chill down my spine. How did they know about that? Even if Sera talked about receiving help, she wouldn't have known it was from me. Maybe Galliard told them about it? But does that mean Sera heard about my identity? I continued reading the letter.
Your ability to keep calm against an overwhelming threat and even exploit an unseen weakness was captured by the underground facility's cameras. Your lack of hesitation in putting your life on the line to help a fellow examinee has also been duly noted. Proctor Kaldwin's testimony allowed us to determine your identity, but for your privacy, we have withheld this information from Sera Adelmann, her guild, and the other examinees.
I was more grateful to see that last line than the one mentioning my enrollment. I shuddered at the thought of Sera learning about my true identity. And what do they mean by "lack of hesitation"? As if.
Freshman move-in day is on the 7th. You have been assigned to the Argent Hall, room 316, where you will be staying with another freshman.
I scowled. I forgot that I would have to share a room with someone in my first-year. Just the idea of talking to people made me uncomfortable. Hopefully, my roommate was someone anti-social.
Freshman orientation will begin on the 8th, and you will have the opportunity to sign up for your classes at that time. Please arrive at the Mistiln Amphitheater at 9:30AM in uniform.
Classes will officially begin the following week on the 15th. We officially welcome you to the Nineheart Institute of Arcana, young Lionheart.
I set aside the letter and pulled my new uniform out of the box. It consisted of a thin navy blue blazer, a white button-up, and ordinary-looking slacks, but I could tell they were anything but normal. There was golden embroidery symbolizing Lionheart's logo on the front of the blazer, but that was hardly anything special. I ran my fingers along the cloth, which was made from a special fabric that was breathable, easy to move around in, and incredibly durable. I could feel a thin flow of magic through my fingertips running through the fabric.
The uniform of the Lionheart sub-school may look like an ordinary school uniform, but in terms of functionality, it's no different from what soldiers wear. As a combat-oriented sub-school, this was to be expected.
A small object slipped from the uniform, which I barely caught in time before it hit the floor. It was a small wristband with a tiny screen embedded in it. It's a little familiar...
Oh. It's the PDA that we got during the practicals, except it's the real-deal this time. I pressed it against my wrist and it immediately locked itself into place. It feels lighter than a normal watch. I tapped on the screen, causing a small hologram to appear. However—
[This PDA's functions have been locked. All functions will be unlocked during check-in on the 7th.]
A security measure, perhaps. Maybe there was an issue with people stealing them off doorsteps, who knows?
Move-in day was on the 7th, which is ten days from now. I assume that at some point, the practicals will begin again, but that's no longer my concern. As for moving in, I own nothing but clothes and the tablet that Heflin gave me, so that won't be a problem. I wasn't particularly sentimental about my current apartment since I spent most of my time at the Arbiter's Association.
It's already been over a month since I came here. My schedule for the past several weeks has been completely packed, so I haven't had much time to myself. Even during downtime, my mind was occupied with thoughts of studying or figuring out what I need to improve on. I've become a bit of a workaholic, but it was certainly better than allowing my mind to wander.
I paused. I closed my eyes, feeling around for the abyss swirling around inside of me. I still knew little about the Voice of Nihility, but it was more terrifying than anything I've ever seen. The idea that there were parts of me being devoured by it and I couldn't even sense it most of the time was unsettling. I've felt more machine than human in the past month because of it, but I couldn't bring myself to unearth the dark emotions within.
I just have to keep going until tomorrow, and then tomorrow I'll also keep going. And the day after that, and the day after that, and the day after that, and—
—I can't remember what I'm doing all this for.