Chapter 12 – Chapter 2. Academy.
“There is no going back to the dorm for two weeks. So, take a close look at it one last time.”
Instructor Andrei urged the trainees to check their belongings right before departure. They checked the contents of the luggage one last time and slung it over their shoulders.
Under the guidance of the instructor, the trainees headed to the nearby Demon View. He said that he would explore the Devil’s Nest in the 5th week, and the dungeons in the Devil’s Nest in the 6th week.
It’s a place where monsters frequently appear, but the level isn’t that great. In a word, it means that it is appropriate to accumulate experience.
Immediately after leaving the academy, the instructor refrained from giving instructions as much as possible. Instead, Rolshar, who became the team leader, gave these and other instructions. Still, because of the experience, I was quite good at imitating the general.
Humans and other races entered the Demonic Realm by walking all day long. The atmosphere was a little spooky, probably because it was a place where monsters frequently appeared.
Still, thanks to learning how to survive in the tutorial, they steadily prepared for this and that. The instructor only watched them in a contemplative position. For the most part, they didn’t interfere.
Even if a monster appeared, the trainees had to deal with it on their own. Of course, the instructors would step in if their lives were in danger, but there were very occasional deaths due to sudden attacks. What can I do though? Blame it on your dead bastard’s lack of skills.
“The purpose of this practice is to foster organic cooperation among team members. You don’t know when something will happen in a demon or dungeon. Therefore, it is important for the team leader to make appropriate judgments according to various situations and for the team members to faithfully follow them.”
The instructor even added the words, “Everyone should do their best in their roles, as the score for this practice is high.”
Rorschach seemed to have decided to show an example of a very good team leader this time, so he put more energy into his actions and words than usual.
Of course, they didn’t enter the Devil’s Land just to survive. Their goal was to quickly track down and rescue the missing person in the Demon Realm. Instructors planted such imaginary characters and clues here and there in advance.
So they started searching in earnest from the early morning of the second day. And in the late afternoon, I finally found a clue. It was a sign that someone had stayed.
On the second day, the search ended there. And the monster appeared that night. Fortunately, thanks to the quick confirmation of the night watch, they killed him safely.
The third day was in vain. And on the fourth day, they found another clue. They explored their surroundings more meticulously.
The team members’ faces became more and more scruffy. In the first place, I had to throw away the thought that I would look pretty after entering the Magic Realm.
Anyway, on the afternoon of the sixth day, they finally found the supposed target doll. The search operation ended there.
“It was very clumsy, but I found it in time, so it worked.”
In the first place, the expectation of professionalism was too high. It’s just to build up experiences like this.
No matter how many times I practiced for 100 days or 1,000 days, when I went to the real field, the newbies had no choice but to be parents. Because you have to experience in the field what you can’t learn through practice. … If I exaggerate a bit, I would say that the air is completely different right away.
First of all, the trainees successfully completed the 5th week of practice. They rested in peace on the last seventh day.
And the 6th week that started.
All the academy trainees gathered in front of the demonic dungeon. Having already spent a week in the Devil’s Nest, all of them have become unattractive. Most of the trainees were devils and dungeons, and they seemed desperate to beat them all and go back to their dorms.
Of course, such an earnest wish was mercilessly ignored. After Instructor Aslan’s speech, one team entered the dungeon.
Soon it was the turn of the human team to enter. Rolskhar took a torch and went inside. After that, the other four members of the team followed. And at the very end, the instructor followed.
This goal was exploration. In other words, to grasp brief information about the dungeon.
Excluding the instructor and Jihyeok, the other four looked quite nervous. Well, it must have been the first time I’d been to a place called a dungeon.
Outside the reach of the torches, it was completely pitch black. The team leader, Rorschach, seemed unsure of what to do. So he just walked forward aimlessly.
The dungeon was very humid. Drops of water dripping from the ceiling continued to hit the heads of the team members. There were also many puddles of water on the floor. So the floor was slippery.
“Watch your step.”
Rolskhar thought it was an opportunity, so he said something like a team leader after a while. Of course, he soon lost his words again like a mute.
Jihyeok was a little uncomfortable walking down the street with only a torch. So he asked Anna, who was walking beside him.
“You don’t use magic? A level 2 mage. Then can’t you make something shiny?”
Anna snorted at her with a puzzled expression.
“That’s a 4th level magic. Not even close to my level.”
“… Okay?”
In the past, his fellow mages made light spheres so well that they thought it was a very easy magic. Level 4 is still a pretty high level magic…
They ventured deeper into the dungeon, risking an uncomfortable view. The deeper we went, the colder the air became.
The first day in the dungeon passed like that. It wasn’t a very wide dungeon in the first place, so other teams came into sight.
Still, it seemed that there were no monsters in the dungeon. It seemed that he came in with the purpose of telling us what the dungeon was like in the first place.
The problem faced by the trainees entering the dungeon was drinking water and food. Fortunately, however, they found clean-looking water and solved drinking water.
However, food was nowhere to be found, so I saved it as much as possible. In fact, that was the main reason I entered this dungeon. Unlike the forest, it was an education to make them realize that it is very difficult to find food in a dungeon. Added to that is the importance of securing sight.
Anyway, the team members felt it desperately for a week and came out of the dungeon. Everyone was almost starving and their faces were sunken. If it wasn’t for the emergency rations he had brought in advance, it wouldn’t have been strange if one of them really died. I never thought a dungeon would be such a terrible place. Everyone thought it was a relief that there were no monsters.
“Yes, now you know what a dungeon is like, right? This place is not a place to enter Huturu. You have to be fully prepared.”
Instructor Andrei gave such advice to the exhausted trainees.
Anyway, after the two weeks of practice, they were able to safely return to the academy. The trainees fell asleep as soon as they lay down on the soft bed.
After resting for a day, the trainees finally entered the 7th week training course.
It was an education that synthesized the training so far. They took the time to maximize their strengths and compensate for their weaknesses. The instructor, who had been shouting fiercely every time, changed a little softer from this time on.
“Now, you guys will soon become members of the continent. Of course, it’s still not enough. So, do your best until the end.”
Jihyeok also realized that a lot of changes had happened to him during the 7 weeks.
The constantly trained stamina was now able to withstand long runs, the muscles became quite hard, and the amount of mana increased much more than the first time.
Now, no matter where you drop it, you won’t die easily.
It’s a bit better now.
Of course, it was still only useful enough. He still had a long way to go to reach his passing point. Still, he has changed noticeably from the tutorial, when he was just struggling with a single orc cub.
… That’s how the 7th week was almost over.
Instructor Andrei suddenly came to Jihyeok. Of course, he assumed that the instructor would come someday.
“I have something to tell you. Follow me.”
Jihyeok carefully followed the instructor. They arrived at the training ground. It was late in the afternoon, so there was no one around.
The instructor stared blankly at Jihyeok for a moment, then slowly opened his mouth.
“I used to think that all earthlings were weaklings, but thanks to you, my thoughts have changed a lot.”
“Is that so.”
“I don’t think you know either.”
Jihyeok did not deny it.
“Honestly, I have seen many geniuses while serving as an instructor for a long time. There were a lot of people like me who couldn’t compare.”
He just listened to the instructor’s words.
“However, seeing you changed my mind.”
Andrei’s eyes stared at Jihyeok intensely.
“They weren’t geniuses. A true genius is a word for someone like you. … It was a very fresh shock. And I wonder if I will see a genius like you again in the future.”
“It’s overrated.”
“No, it’s not an exaggeration. To be honest, genius is the limit of my expression. It is to the point of regret that I can only express it that way because of my shallow learning.”
Jihyeok nodded his head lightly.
“I bet you don’t even know what your level is.”
“… Well, I kind of know.”
“Are you really an Earthling? Is it a different place from the Earth I know? … How can you be so different from other earthlings?”
“Earthlings are right.”
“… Really, it’s something to live for a long time to see.”
The instructor laughed dejectedly.
“Then what are you going to do next? As long as I can, I’ll give you anything you want. You can also get a letter of recommendation from the person in charge.”
“No letters of recommendation required.”
“… Do you have any intention of joining a guild?”
“Yes.”
That was a bit surprising. Andrei thought that Ji-hyeok would enter a prestigious guild and make his way to success.
“Then?”
“I am still thinking about the future.”
“Then it’s better to think after joining the guild. You have to live anyway. … I’ll arrange a suitable place for you. To a place without a contract.”
“No, the guild is done.”
“Okay? … I’m just sorry That talented people like you have to worry about money.”
It was sincere. The instructor only wanted him to devote himself to the path of the sword.
“I can’t think of anything to ask right now. I’ll tell you next time I need it.”
“Yes, feel free to talk anytime. Because I’m fine.”
“Yes.”
So the two broke up.
Finally, the trainees reached their 8th week.
As soon as the 8th week started, numerous guilds flocked to the academy as if they had been waiting. At the same time, the trainees also entered into a fierce competition.
A week later, when they graduate, they have no choice but to face the problem of life. In other words, it meant that the academy had to take care of the food and livelihoods that the academy had been in charge of until now.
In fact, there were few things that the newbies who had just graduated from the academy could do right away. At best, a clerk or manual laborer. If you’re lucky, you might be hired as a porter for the mercenaries, but it was rare for rookies to be hired.
In the end, the best option they could do was join a guild. That’s why I’m frantic to go to a better guild.
… But in fact, really great guilds didn’t even come here to advertise. I only recruit after receiving a recommendation from the instructors or supervisor Ralop.
Anyway-.
It may have been an exciting time for other trainees, but it was a series of boring hours for Ji-hyeok, who had no intention of joining the guild.
The 2nd and 3rd guilds spared no effort to act like guilds of a slightly higher level. Some were seduced by the unconventional conditions and signed up for membership.
Jihyeok endured this boredom with the taste of watching such things. However, 7 days was too long.
The third day of the 8th week that was greeted like that.
For some reason, the guild promotion ended quickly. Jihyeok sighed in delight.
“I have someone to introduce to you guys.”
Orc Rallop clapped his hands clapped for a round of applause. Through the sound of pouring applause, someone climbed onto the podium.
… Uh… ?
Seeing the figure on the podium, Jihyeok’s eyes widened slightly.
“I am the warrior Elaim.”
… Has she ever been here?
Jihyeok traced her old memories. When I thought about it for a long time, it seemed that she had been like that. … It had been so long that her memory was fuzzy.
Other races may not know, but at least humans were half-stunned by her appearance. She was so beautiful that her eyes rolled back.
“I was passing by and she stopped by for a second,” She says. Well, I didn’t come here to preach, I was just curious about what the jockey was like. … Well, it’s a bit obvious to see.”
Warrior, Elim.
A year just like a specimen of an unlucky fairy.
