Leaving the cafeteria with a lighter and a slightly fuller stomach, I set off to find the training room.
A quick look at a nearby map guided me through the academy streets until I arrived at my destination: a towering dome-like structure that dwarfed the surrounding buildings.
"It's as round as I thought it would be," I muttered.
Massive double doors stood tall at the entrance, each bearing the academy's crest. As I approached the doors slid open ever-so-slightly, revealing a vast brightly lit atrium. In front of me were several training facilities, each catering to a different aspect of combat and magic. Despite only recently becoming available to us first-years, it was already full of students.
To my left was a series of rooms. A sign above read "Gravity Rooms."
'So those are the gravity rooms I wrote about,' I thought, looking at them.
Students needed to use their funds to use them, meaning the higher your class, the better facilities you had access to.
On my right was a big arena reserved for sparring where several students were already engaged in mock battles. Straight ahead was an open area where students were allowed to practice various forms of magic. Some were casting fire spells, some water,…
A separate section of the courtyard was dedicated to weapon training, where rows of targets stood ready to be struck by swords, axes, spears,… Any weapon you could think of would pretty much be available.
Since I was here, I figured I could take my shot at weapons training since I didn't know any magic, and I'd have no luck using the gravity rooms since I wouldn't have enough money. It costs 5,000 zelis to book the gravity room for 15 minutes.
'The rich really had things easier in life,' I thought, despite being the creator of this place.
…
As I approached the courtyard, I walked to a small kiosk manned by a pair of attendants. A sign above the counter read "Equipment Rental".
'Just what I needed,' I thought as I approached.
I figured it wouldn't hurt to borrow a sword for practice, even if my swordsmanship was nonexistent, it wouldn't hurt to try.
One of the attendants, a young woman with a friendly smile, nodded. "Of course, do you have a preference for type of weight?"
"Uhhh…. Something basic?"
The attendant chuckled. "Follow me, please."
'Did I say something weird?'
She led me to a rack filled with an assortment of sword of various shapes and sizes. She picked out a simple, one-handed sword with a plain leather grip and handed it to me.
I took the training sword from her and my arm dropped instantly.
'HEAVY!' I thought as I tried lifting it up with one arm. Even just trying to hold it up was a struggle.
'Uh… do you have anything a bit light? Don't think this will work for me,' I said, my cheeks going slightly red.
"No problem, we have other options besides the basic training sword. How about a dagger as a start?"
I nodded.
She picked out a small dagger and handed it to me.
"Thank you," I said holding the dagger up.
I then tapped my watch against the terminal and made my way towards the weapon training section of the courtyard, albeit with my pride a little hurt.
I decided to start with a basic dummy.
Raising the dagger above my head, I then swung down with all my might.
Thwack!
The dagger sliced into the dummy but nearly as deeply as I had hoped so I kept going.
Thwack! Thwack!
[Skill with daggers has increased!]
I blinked. A system message? Did this mean the more I practiced things on my own, it would track my progress? Great. It was kind of like having the benefits of one of those electronic watches back on earth without having to wear one.
Putting the system message thoughts to the side, I focused on training myself even if kind of sucked.
Thwack!
Thwack! Thwack!
Another system message popped up.
[Skill with daggers has increased!]
After another hour of continuous swinging, I was starting to feel the burn in my arm.
[You have increased your strength!]
[You have successfully acquired a new skill: Dagger Affinity Lv. 1 (★)]
'Status!'
[Status]
- Name: Caspian Grey
- Age: 16
- Race: Human
- Mana: 6 (F)
- Physical Abilities:
- Strength: F
- Agility: F
- Endurance: F
- Dexterity: F
- Charm: F
- Skills:
- Basic Manage Absorption Lv. 1 (★)
- Dagger Affinity Lv. 1 (★)
Overall class: F
"Not bad for an hour's work."
I wiped the sweat off my brow. This was just the start, my stats may be going up, but I still had a long way to go.
I raised my dagger once again, focusing my attention on the dumy. As began striking, something seemed to click in my head: it was the Dagger Affinity skill.
This time, my slash was a bit diffrent: faster, more precise, and it bit deeper into the dummy, leaving a clean, satisfying gash.
"Huh," I huffed, surprised by the sudden improvement. It seemed the skill I had gained wasn't just for show.
[Continue training to increase your Dagger Affinity skill!]
The system message was pretty much self-explanatory. My hand gripped my chin…
"Hmm… If I can increase the skill levels through training, then just how much could I—"
Just as I was about to finish my line of though, a loud crash echoed through the training room followed by a few shouts and gasps. The commotion seemed to be coming from the sparring arena.
Knowing myself I shouldn't care, but for some reason, I was interested.
I turned towards the sound and saw a crowd gathering near the arena. Students were pushing and shoving to get a better view.
"Get out the way, I've gotta see this!" One of them pushed and shoved as they made their way to the front of the crowd.
I decided to investigate. Sheathing my dagger, I made my way through the crowd. As I reached the front, I finally realised what all the fuss was about.
In the center of the arena were two students locked in a spar: Lucas and a girl with icy-blue hair, Amelia clutching her rib while on one knee on the floor. My mind raced back to the pages of my book 'Realm of Shadows'.
Lucas wasn't facing just any random mob; he was facing Aaron Frostvale, Amelia's older brother and heir to the Frostvale family.
The pieces of the scene clicked into place, I clenched my fist.
'Good, this meant the story was progressing like I had written.'
Clang!
Lucas was holding his own against Aaron, but it was clear he was holding back. Despite his efforts, Aaron barely broke out into a sweat. A thin line of blood trickled down Lucas's arm, he clutched it.
"That's enough you first year fool!" Aaron said, his voice full of disdain. "You're embarassing yourself."
I watched, mildly amused, as Lucas stuggled. I had to give him credit for his stubbornness, that's my protagonist for ya. Secretly, I was rooting for him even though I know how this would play out.
Lucas, in a burst of speed, saw an opening and went for it. A straight thrust aimed at Aaron's chest. Predictable.
Aaron, being the more experienced one, naturally, was ready. A quick flick of the wrist and a small ice shield materialised blocking Lucas's attack. Then, a quick jab with the hilt of his sword to Lucas's gut. Efficient, brutal, just what I had expected from the Frostvale heir.
Lucas stumbled back, clutching his stomach. He coughed, a small splatter of blood hitting the arena floor. Meanwhile Aaron stood tall with not a single hair out of place.
"Know your place, commoner," Aaron sneered, sheathing his sword. "Stay away from my sister."
He then turned to Amelia.
"And you," Aaron said, his voice shifting from aggressive to a chilling controlled tone as he addressed his sister, "remember your place, Amelia. You are a Frostvale. One of the elite. We do not associate with.. His kind." He spat out the last words like poison while eyeing Lucas up and down.
"He was just being friendly, Aaron," she mumbled while cradling her ribs. "He helped me—"
Aaron cut her off with a finger. "Quiet. Your naivety is unbecoming of our lineage. Kindness to those beneath you is a weakness, not a virtue. It invites disrespect and breeds familiarity where none should exist. Father would be deeply disappointed in you."
"That's enough," a voice cut through the crowd.
The man approaching was an instructor with dark skin and a white blindfold covering his eyes. He had two swords in the shape of katanas sheathed at his hips.
"Samuel Draganov," I told myself, recognising the legendary swordsman from my novel.
…