As Shin was slowly drifting to sleep, a faint shadow appeared behind the door. Two knocks echoed through the quiet room, snapping Shin out of his half-asleep state. Groggily, he opened his eyes and muttered, "Who's there?"
No response came. Hesitantly, Shin got out of bed, walked to the door, and slowly reached for the handle. Opening it slightly, he was startled to see Mr. Bajar standing in front of him. Confused and surprised, Shin thought, "What could Mr. Bajar possibly need at this hour?"
"Hello, Mr. Bajar. Is there something you need?" Shin asked formally.
"What do you mean, 'need something'? Your training isn't finished yet," Bajar replied in a serious tone.
"Huh?" Shin tilted his head, confused.
"You'll be receiving special training from me starting tonight. We only have four months left," Bajar explained.
"Four months? That's such a short time!" Shin exclaimed.
"We already told you this at the church, Shin. Did you forget?" Bajar asked, his tone sharp.
"Sir Bajar seems more serious than usual tonight," Shin thought. "Of course not! I was just surprised we're starting this late," he quickly replied.
"If you have no more questions, follow me," Bajar said sternly. He pulled a small cube-like object from his pocket and tossed it to the ground.
The cube emitted a faint glow before opening a swirling portal in mid-air.
"WHAT THE—!" Shin shouted in shock.
"It's called a Cube Drift," Bajar said nonchalantly.
Shin stared at the portal, awe and curiosity mixing in his expression. "It looks similar to the portals in my world..."
"Follow me inside," Bajar instructed before stepping through the portal.
Cube Drift Explanation:
The Cube Drift is a small cube-shaped item capable of opening portals to preset locations when thrown or subjected to pressure. More advanced Cube Drifts can open portals to any location the owner desires.
---
Shin hesitantly stepped through the portal and was immediately struck by a strange sensation. His mind and body felt rejuvenated, as if he were in peak condition. Looking around, he saw a variety of unusual training equipment scattered across a dense forest clearing.
"Woah, looks like I'll be training in a forest this time," Shin thought to himself.
"This place is important to me, so don't destroy anything. Everything here was built by my own hands," Bajar warned.
"I see… but why are we in the middle of a forest?" Shin asked, curiosity piqued.
"I found this place years ago during a mission. Since then, it's been my personal training ground. Don't worry—there are barriers to keep out wild animals and monsters," Bajar explained.
"M-monsters?" Shin stammered nervously.
Bajar smiled. "Of course, there are monsters in this world. They're far more dangerous than anything you've seen in yours."
---
"All right, let's begin. Have you been able to sense your mana circle yet?" Bajar asked.
"Yeah, I've managed to awaken it. I even have one mana circle," Shin replied proudly.
"That's impressive for someone from another world. Most people here can't even awaken their mana circle," Bajar said.
"But isn't that cheating? Maybe the goddess's blessing gave me the ability to awaken it so easily," Shin suggested.
"It might be, but there's no shortcut for the effort required to increase the strength of that circle," Bajar said, poking Shin's chest.
---
"Before we start, have you gained a Trait Holder yet?" Bajar asked curiously.
"Huh? What's that?" Shin tilted his head in confusion.
"That's strange. The goddess should have already granted you one. Try focusing and saying the words 'Trait Holder.' That should activate it."
Shin furrowed his brow, veins popping on his forehead as he yelled, "TRAIT HOLDER!"
Nothing happened.
Bajar frowned. "Did anything appear in front of you?"
Shin looked down, embarrassed. "No… there's nothing."
"What?! That's impossible! The goddess's blessing should have included a Trait Holder!" Bajar exclaimed, frustration evident in his voice.
"He seems really disappointed in me…" Shin thought sadly.
"Let me show you," Bajar said. He closed his eyes and uttered, 'Viewer's Unseal.'
Suddenly, a floating crystalline monolith appeared in front of Shin, displaying the words: [TRAIT HOLDER].
"WOW! It's like the window systems we had in my world!" Shin exclaimed excitedly.
"Window systems?" Bajar asked curiously.
"Yeah, in my world, hunters used something similar. We developed it to track experience and more."
"I see… Let me explain what a Trait Holder is, then," Bajar said, his tone softening.
---
Trait Holder Explanation
Trait Holder: A blessing granted by the gods, present in every individual from birth.
Three Types of Traits:
1. Innate Trait: Traits a person is born with, reflecting their natural abilities.
2. Personal Trait: Traits earned and evolved through actions, desires, and experiences.
3. Special Trait: Traits obtained by enduring significant hardships or triggering specific conditions.
---
After explaining, Bajar added, "Some traits can be passed down or stolen, but this requires certain conditions. Also, it's normally impossible to view another person's Trait Holder, so fighting someone skilled with their traits can be dangerous."
Shin's eyes sparkled with excitement as he listened. "This sounds amazing! I'll make sure to remember all of this!"
---
"Now, let's get started. I'll teach you my own style—a complete one, from breathing techniques to advanced swordsmanship," Bajar said.
"Actually, my friend Jack already taught me his family's dual-wielding style, though it doesn't include breathing techniques," Shin mentioned.
"Doesn't matter. Learning multiple styles will help you face a variety of enemies. Combine them however you like!" Bajar said, ruffling Shin's hair.
"I'll do my best!" Shin clenched his fists, determination burning in his eyes.
"This is going to kill me…" Shin thought nervously.
---
They spent six grueling hours training, focusing first on breathing techniques and then on mastering basic swordsmanship. By the end, Shin was lying on the ground, exhausted and drenched in sweat.
"Don't worry. Time here moves slower. We only spent three hours outside," Bajar said with a grin.
"Really? That's amazing!" Shin exclaimed, though his muscles throbbed in pain.
"Here, eat this." Bajar handed him a small candy.
"What is it?" Shin asked before popping it into his mouth.
"A healing candy. Don't ask questions—I'll explain later."
As they stepped back through the portal, Bajar glanced around cautiously. "Get some rest. We start again early tomorrow."
"Thank you, sir, for guiding me," Shin said, bowing deeply.
Bajar quickly left, and Shin stumbled into his room, collapsing onto his bed. Sleep took him immediately as he snored softly, utterly drained.
Thus, Shin's first day at the academy came to an end.