2 days later...
[Eldoria, rcenary Cooperation Headquarters]
Jaxon Cain hunched over his desk, a photograph clutched in his weathered hand. Three smiling faces stared back, a stark contrast to the grimness now etched on his own.
"What is it, Avery?" His voice was a low rasp, the weight of years clinging to each syllable.
The masked figure in the doorway inclined their head. "A formal ssage from the Miracles Guild, sir."
Jaxon scoffed. "Gerrard, and so soon? He couldn't possibly have chosen already, unless…" A flicker of suspicion narrowed his eyes. "Let see it."
Avery placed the letter before him.
It ripped open not by hand, but a thread of wind, precise and deadly.
Jaxon scanned the contents, lips thinning into a frown.
[Evening Jaxon Cain,
This letter is to formally confirm the transfer of a prospect from the Miracles Guild... The following student is currently attending Pinnacle Academy and is still in their first year. However, they have agreed to beco a mber of the rcenaries corps under the condition that they are still allowed to attend Pinnacle Academy.
The provided full na of the applicant must be approved and a formal letter MUST be sent to Gerrard Freya.
Applicant: Rel Laurence
*Weapon: Bow / Archery? *
Rank: 994
Comndation (Gerrard Freya): This student will surpass your expectations... and if not, I'll have Fredrick beco a permanent mber of your Cooperation.
From: Guildmaster Of The Miracles Guild, Gerrard Freya.]
He scoffed. "The sly bastard. Thinks he can palm off a rank 994 and expect miracles?"
A bitter laugh escaped him. "But then, is there ever a reason to doubt Gerrard's suggestions?"
Tossing the letter aside, he fixed Avery with a steely gaze.
"When are the next internship offers, for the end of the sester?"
Avery blinked. "But sir, why?…"
Jaxon's smile held a predatory edge. "Consider it a… special offer for my new 'prospect'."
***
{Rel's POV}
[Pinnacle Academy, Dorm Rooms 4-A]
[Wednesday, 7:30 AM]
FWANG!
[The Following Abilities Have Been Created...]
[Luck has been struck!]
[The following ability grades have been upgraded!]
[Monster Hunter [Grade 5] -> [Grade 4]
[Trickster At Arms [Grade 6] -> [Grade 5]
[Mana Control [Grade 7] -> [Grade 6]
[Special Passive: Monster Hunter [Grade 4] grants the ability to sense and exploit the weaknesses of monsters within the Grades of E Class to B Class. This passive ability enhances your combat prowess, allowing them to deal 150% increased damage specifically against these creatures.-4,500 BP]
[Ability: Trickster at Arms [Grade 5] This ability grants a degree of mastery over weaponry for 5 minutes, granting them the uncanny ability to wield any weapon with utmost proficiency (Limited to the grade). Even when faced with unfamiliar arms, the connection to this ability makes the handling of such weapons feel as natural as an extension of their own body. -2,500 BP]
[Passive Ability: Mana Control [Grade 6] This passive grants proficiency over the control of mana, the fundantal energy of magic. With this ability, the user gains control over the flow and utilization of their mana reserves. One significant aspect unlocked by this ability is the capability of mana healing, enabling the user to harness their mana to heal their injuries to a certain extent.
-3,335 BP]
[QP: 205, BP: 0, PPP: 1005]
haah... finally done.
A sigh rattled in my chest as I stared at the empty BP counter.
Sacrificed, all of it, for a handful of upgraded skills.
Useful, sure. Necessary, even, if I wanted to survive the rcenary world.
Especially if I was in a chosen team with Vanessa and Christian given my circumstances I'm sure it was likely to happen at least once or twice.
I was saddened that I wasn't able to create an ability for Elental Zone or Aura… those abilities were just way out of reach, irresistible and impossibly expensive.
I'd tried, of course.
But so things weren't for the likes of .
A practical man makes do with what he's got.
But now that it's all said and done It's ti to head to class.
...
...
...
[Pinnacle Academy, Classroom 1-A]
Kolek's gruff voice echoed across the room.
"Morning, 1-A. As you know, we're partnering with 1-B for today's practical, spanning the entire day. Gear up, ti for roll call, then I'll bring their teacher over."
Another practical today... They were really drilling it into us before the sester's final exam, weren't they?
The exercise was obvious: Island clearing.
A direct competition – who could eliminate more monsters, 1-A or 1-B?
Under normal circumstances, our class held all the advantages.
But 1-B had a few heavy hitters of their own.
Could they keep up? Might even… surprise us?
This wasn't part of the original novel, so the outco was genuinely up in the air.
Everyone geared up grabbed their weapons, and headed for the Team IDS Room.
Jan and the main cast were buzzing about their team-ups –, I was just waiting for the clock to run down.
Might as well have so fun while stuck here.
Now that I have new abilities to play with, I finally have a chance to cut loose on so monsters.
SWANG!
...
...
...
[Location: Island Of The East: Monster Infested]
The transporter flashed us to the island... and yep, the beach. Grains of sand were under my foot and I looked towards the forest that probably had countless monsters waiting to be discovered.
At least there was an advisor by the transport, so we weren't truly stranded.
And as we waited a few minutes later class 1-B arrived.
***
1-B arrived in a burst of noise and laughter, the platform suddenly swarming with students.
Thiago, Sergio, and Carlos, the usual pack of Louise lackeys, fell into step behind him.
Louise barely spared him a glance.
"Teamwork, monsters… the usual." His eyes narrowed, focusing on the distant treeline.
"Probably a good guess, yeah," Carlos mumbled, but Louise wasn't listening.
"...Mana signatures," he murmured, a hint of surprise in his voice.
"Multiple, deep in the forest. hmph... I knew it."
Bazz retched by the ocean, face a sickly shade of green. "I swear," he moaned, "IDS stations are the worst."
Lyra and Camila exchanged amused glances. "Can't handle the pressure, Bazz?" Camila teased. "Maybe lay off the midnight snacks."
"Shut it!" Bazz groaned, wiping his mouth.
Jan clapped him on the back, a sympathetic grin on his face.
"Hang tough, man. At least it's our last practical for the week."
Bazz grumbled a reply, barely coherent.
"what...blehhh...ever..."
As Bazz struggled to find his sea legs, Valencia slipped next to Jan.
"Hey," she whispered, "can I ask you sothing?"
Jan blinked. "Sure, what's up?"
Valencia glanced around nervously. "Did… did you receive an early offer contract?"
Jan's brow furrowed. "What contract?"
Her shoulders slumped with a near-inaudible, "Never mind."
A flash of panic crossed her face.
Did she drop it during that ti? there was no way she could tell, but if Jan didn't receive it... she failed her first mission of becoming a guild leader.
Valencia walked off toward Camila and Lyra but stole a glance back at soone.
With his sa usual ssy bed hair. Rel, as usual, was the picture of composure – calm, reserved.
It grated on her, this facade of his.
She found it annoying why he acted like that but every ti she looked at him.
But it was like every ti she looked at him, she rembered the events with Morwen and her.
An unwelcod thought crept in: what if this was the real him? The one from before...
"haah... no way." she faced pald and shook her head at the thought.
It was a bizarre thought. Why would he care about her after everything she'd done?
As she made her way back to her group a loud sound could be heard from a distance and as she looked she saw Kolek standing in front of the crowd of students.
Kolek's voice crackled through the microphone, a stern undercurrent beneath the usual gruffness.
"Attention, students. This practice exam isn't just another routine. It's your chance to prove yourself after watching all the other classes. Now it's your turn, so give it your all."
He paused, "Today, it's a competition. Class 1-A versus 1-B. Most monster eliminations win. There are a thousand targets on this island, nothing above C-Class."
A ripple of excitent ran through the assembled students.
But there was a nervous edge as well.
Kolek continued, "Standard rules apply – play rough with each other but don't overdo it. Those health-point trackers are there for a reason. Hit zero, you're teleported back here. Understood?"
As everyone nodded almost in unison Kolek then pointed to their teacher.
"Mr. Maverick, take 1-B off to their starting point. 1-A, follow . Let the gas begin!"
___________
Authors Notes:
Rel's official passive abilities: [Tenacity], [Evasiveness], [Special Passive: Monster Hunter [Grade 4] - ], [Passive Ability: Mana Control [Grade 6] - ]
- so passive abilities have a fixed effect so the reason for their non-grading cannot change for that reason.
- Thiago elental attributes: Water
- Vanessa Evangeline Stats: [Stats: Strength: 113, Speed: 34, Mana: B, Durability: 6/10]
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