I focused on the systematic screen in my mind as I stood up from the bed, noticing the odd ellipsis placed at the end of the message. It was possibly useless, but believing it was only for aesthetics didn't sit well with me.
I thought of a way to understand my abilities and skills and to achieve that, I had to grasp their meanings. Noticing the ellipsis was a path to glory as an idea surfaced in my mind.
'What if that isn't the full stats panel?' I questioned myself as I circled the room. I pointed at the air in excitement, a sly smirk forming on my face.
'How didn't I notice? I hope that'll work,' I muttered as I ceased motion, trying to replicate my dominant tone of speech. 'Expand!' I stated in a low but clear tone.
The panel then, conveniently, became longer. Its neon blue outlines stretched further downwards as it floated in my mind. My eyes widened, a slight chuckle escaping my lungs. I stretched my hands, trying to interact with it further, but that didn't work.
I looked closer as a few more lines of text appeared as though they were being typed. It read,
——————
[Tutorial]
**Welcome Master Noah to this tutorial. You are highly commended for being able to explore me and your abilities further. Now then, I shall explain how this system and your abilities and skills work.**
Name: This is your assigned name, or in other words, the name that is most commonly used by you and your peers.
Beast: ???? You need Rank D+ to unlock this part of the tutorial.
Mana: Magical stamina is also associated with physical prowess. It boosts physical abilities once fully recharged and, therefore, causes a lack of consciousness when depleted.
Abilities: These are your capabilities, allowing you to wield and utilize skills. They serve as the foundation for skills and can neither be activated nor deactivated. They are always used.
Skills: This is the utilization of Mana to create mind-blowing effects that boost defense, offense, and even stamina.
Overall Ranking: Refers to how strong you are.
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It was quite long and rather boring to read, but I was so overwhelmed by excitement that I couldn't possibly disregard it. I had fully grasped the meaning of the concepts and it was time to execute them.
I grabbed a pair of shoes, trousers, and a shirt and dressed up. The panel in my mind gradually faded away. While I dressed up, I took a glance at the phone and only 30 minutes had elapsed.
I sighed heavily, grabbing it and exiting the room. As I closed the door, I was completely surprised at what I had seen. I looked around, seeing a large crowd of mostly teenagers who stood around conversing.
'Where's Carl?' I twisted my head around, in search of the white-haired vengeful fellow as I concluded. 'I'll leave him. Besides, he may try to kill me again,' I said jokingly.
As I walked down the hallway to the elevator, I saw Noelle who happened to be heading to the same destination alongside a few other people. She didn't stand out, dressed in her usual casual clothes while effortlessly shielding herself behind other girls who walked along the hallway.
I immediately diverted my gaze, shifting it to the boy with the immense Aura Shield. He looked quite tall, although a little bit shorter than me. His hair took the color of his Aura Shield, mostly white, with a few strands of black hair.
'How does that even happen? He must have dyed it.' I tried approaching him in his isolated area but I quickly changed my mind. I took a moment glaring at the entirety that stood idle in the hallway as I tried looking for a few to socialize with.
I sighed, knowing fully well that no one except Noelle had spoken to me, but she wouldn't suffice as she looked much weaker than me.
I reached out to the elevator, its doors slowly opened, and I stepped in, enjoying a lonely ride. Not having anyone else in the elevator was satisfying and calm, unlike my previous experience with it.
As the elevator shook and began moving, a thought struck me, making me wonder.
'Where am I going?' It was an obvious question that I should have asked myself long before now. I had set the destination to the ground floor, so perhaps my journey would be outside.
The major reason behind my exit from my room was to train but, where I was to train was still a mystery. Soon, a chime echoed in the elevator and its doors opened. It was a quick and smooth ride, and frankly, I would have loved to experience it longer.
I stepped out of the elevator and was greeted by the receptionist, who sat idle as ever, although putting on her usual grin. She permitted me to leave the dormitory and I soon found myself in the tight grip of adventure
Everything was extremely captivating as if I hadn't seen the scenery before. From the greenery to the architectural wonders, all left me in awe. I wandered down the desolate path to an isolated area that seemed quiet enough to train.
I turned my head and looked into a window of a room on a higher floor, trying to take a slight peek. I couldn't see anyone, confirming the absence of other students in the academy. Their absence was odd and I couldn't simply shake off the nagging feeling in my head.
Did I trust the academy? I wasn't sure, but it was a question that I often asked myself. Perhaps, my love for Dragons had overwhelmed me although I hadn't even set my eyes on one. Their existence felt more like a fairytale the more days passed.
The only thing that would answer my questions was seeing a Dragon, even if it was a portion of it. I drowned myself in my questions as I strolled down the isolated path, occasionally staring at a few rundown shops situated at different parts of the path.