Chapter 9

### Chapter 9: Practical Class (2)

On Thursday morning, it was another practical class.

Among various curricula, today's class is virtual monster training.

This training involves facing monsters created by magic, either one-on-one or in teams, with the appropriate level of opponent determined based on the student's ability.

"Everyone probably knows, but I'll explain it one last time."

Professor Kim Jin-hyuk pointed with a pointer and began his explanation.

"First, go up to the measurement magic circle over there and follow the instructions of the assistant. Once the measurement is complete, enter the appropriate training ground based on your level. Those who have already formed teams should go to the left training ground, and those who want to do one-on-one training should go to the right."

I don't know how they managed to form teams in just three days since the semester started, but the popular kids managed to form teams on their own.

Lumi, who I know, is teamed up with Lucy, and Kim Young-han, who already had a team, naturally headed to the one-on-one training ground.

When I entered the training ground, I saw a large measurement magic circle in front of me.

I followed the instructions of the person guiding me and stepped onto it.

"Is this Lee Ho-yeon from Class A? Place your hand there."

In the center of the magic circle was a spherical magical device emitting a blue light.

As I placed my hand on the sphere, a humming sound began, and mana swept through my body.

After a few sweeps, the mana gathered and returned to the magical device.

Then, the number 5 appeared above my head.

"… 5 points? You're in Class A, right?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"Hmm, well. Go to that corner."

The average score for the first-year students in Class A was 7 points. The lowest score, excluding mine, was 6 points, so I set a new record for the lowest score. My pride is hurt.

Kreeee!

Looking at the other training grounds, everyone is fighting bizarre-looking monsters.

"Dieee!"

Kuung!

It's quite interesting to see a small girl's punch send a dragon flying into the wall with a huge noise.

This reminds me that I'm in a novel.

Among the Class A students, I was the only one in the difficulty level 5 training ground.

Let's think positively. It's great that I don't have to wait. The students at level 7 have a queue of over 10 people.

When I stepped into the training ground, the number 5 appeared above my head again.

"Difficulty level 5? Is this the lowest record for Class A?"

"Wow, I could tell from the moment you switched to a mage and started making fun of it."

Students who finished the test early gathered and started whispering.

The extras who are evaluating me don't matter. But it's still strange.

The protagonist of the original story scored 5 points when he was measured upon entering the academy. That score is based solely on his unique ability, [Combat Sense].

However, I have a special ability on top of Combat Sense, yet I scored 5 points. It seems the special ability isn't being recognized.

Ice Platter. A flat, ice-formed monster.

Its primary attack is an ice beam emitted from a crystal in the center of its body.

Fortunately, I got a monster with a favorable attribute.

Beeep!

As soon as the mana barrier between the monster and me disappeared, the Ice Platters emitted ice beams with a cute sound.

But I already had a plan.

The ice beam from the Ice Platter is wide and spreads out. This makes it quite challenging for close-range fighters, but I'm a mage.

I emitted fire in the form of thin waves. Luckily, I had practiced this form of magic during the training ground's level test.

The wave of fire expanded, engulfing the ice beams and reaching the Ice Platters.

Startled by the intense heat, the Ice Platters ran around, shooting ice beams in all directions. If the three Ice Platters had concentrated their ice beams, they might have withstood the heat, but it's unrealistic to expect that level of intelligence from C-grade monsters.

The stage is set; now it's just a matter of action.

I burned each Ice Platter one by one with fire, starting with the one that was making a beeping sound and scattering.

Knowing that the crystal in the center, which emits the ice beam, is the weak point, I just needed to cast fire spells at the crystals. It was an easy task.

Beeep!

If this is level 5, I should be able to handle more difficult levels, right?

"What? You won. Oh, the measurement must have been off."

"Still, a difficulty level 5 for Class A doesn't make sense."

The magical device used to measure abilities isn't perfect. It can only roughly gauge skills and characteristics, so it might not account for other factors, leading to a lower score.

However, the difference is usually only one level.

"Actually, isn't a difficulty level 6 embarrassing for Class A?"

"You'll see."

According to the rules, with the professor's permission, students can challenge up to two levels higher.

"I will challenge level 6."

"Lee Ho-yeon, level 6 challenge. Approved."

*

"Congratulations, you passed level 9."

Huh.

Elise sighed, brushing her blonde hair, which fell to her collarbone.

Again, 9 points. Despite consistent practice at a talent development institution before entering the academy, she couldn't break the 9-point barrier.

In contrast, Nam Da-eun was different.

"Did you hear? Nam Da-eun cleared level 10 in 30 seconds and disappeared."

"Wow, she may lack charisma, but her skills are top-notch."

Crunch.

No matter how hard she tried, the gap between her and Nam Da-eun never closed. What made it even more frustrating was that Elise considered herself Nam Da-eun's rival, but Nam Da-eun didn't.

Nam Da-eun always stood one step ahead of Elise, as if mocking her efforts.

"It's okay. I'll do better next time."

She shouldn't let these feelings consume her. She consoled herself and headed out of the training ground.

"Hey, Lee Ho-yeon is challenging level 7?"

"Who's Lee Ho-yeon?"

"He's the handsome guy who switched to a mage."

"Oh, him? But didn't he score 5 and is now challenging level 7?"

The test was almost over, yet people were gathering at the level 7 training ground.

She would have ignored it and continued on her way, but today she felt uneasy.

Pushing through the crowd, she saw a handsome male student standing in the training ground.

'Lee Ho-yeon...?'

Honestly, she wasn't very interested. He had switched from a swordsman to a mage as soon as he entered the academy, but the students here had worked for over 10 years to get into the academy.

To switch specialties right after entering the academy was incomprehensible.

'Is he trying to graduate as a mage and get a management position?'

Graduating as a mage from Victoria Academy usually leads to administrative roles in guilds or associations.

Of course, if that was his goal, there would be more efficient ways to prepare, but who knows what people think.

"Lee Ho-yeon, level 7 challenge. Approved."

On the other side of the training ground, mana began to surge, and mechanical parts started to combine.

"Ah, a scrap giant. It's over."

"What a lack of luck."

Creak, creak, creak.

The terrifying sound of gears and scrap metal combined to form a giant figure. The 3-meter-tall giant was rusted in many places and emitted a grating noise with every movement.

"It's over."

The scrap giant is considered the worst opponent at level 7, almost on par with level 8.

He came here for nothing. What's the value of 5 minutes?

Creak!

Thud! Thud!

As soon as the test began, the scrap giant started moving its heavy body.

The body of the scrap giant is made of scrap metal. The scrap metal is special; it can be broken and reformed by a strange force.

The weak point is to attack the joints to prevent the body from forming.

However, the joints are so strong that they absorb most external impacts.

Ultimately, it requires excellent mana control to insert mana into the gaps between the scrap metal, which is difficult for a student.

Therefore, some argue that the scrap giant should be moved to level 8. However, it remains at level 7 due to its clear weak point.

The weak point is water or ice, which can easily exploit the gaps between the joints.

If Lee Ho-yeon were a water or ice mage, the scrap giant would have been an easier opponent, but he is a fire mage.

Crunch!

The scrap giant raised both hands high. This is a pattern where it slams both hands into the ground. Given the large movement, quick evasion is necessary, but he cast a spell.

A thin wave of fire extended from his hand to the giant.

'It's over.'

He must have intended to exploit the gaps with thin fire, but the idea is good, but the output is insufficient.

It would have been better to use a powerful high-level spell as a gamble.

Just as she was about to turn and walk away, losing interest in Lee Ho-yeon,

Kuung!

A sound different from the expected squish of being crushed by the giant's fist hit her ears.

Turning around, she saw an unexpected scene.

The scrap giant, which had been about to slam its fist down, was lying on the ground in a ridiculous position, with its left leg cut off at the knee.

"What? What spell did he use to cut the leg?"

"It looks like only the knee joint melted instantly... I don't know what it was."

'What...?'

Did he melt the scrap giant with that spell? To melt a scrap giant with fire, it would need at least 1000 degrees of heat, which can't be achieved with such a thin emission of mana.

Creak, creak, creak.

The scrap giant tried to stand up using its remaining arms and right leg.

Moving awkwardly, it approached Lee Ho-yeon, but its speed was significantly slower.

Lee Ho-yeon slowly retreated and cast another spell.

'The same form again.'

His spell slowly expanded and then suddenly converged.

"What is that?"

Some people looked at her as she muttered in surprise, but Elise was too focused to notice.

He spread the fire thinly and widely, a spell designed that way from the start.

But this man is forcibly twisting and condensing the spell.

The fire waves overlapped and condensed into a thin, concentrated flame.

The thin flame penetrated the gaps in the giant's right leg, which was maintaining its balance with two arms and one leg.

Poooom!

As the right leg was cut off, the giant's precarious stance collapsed, and dust rose.

Finally, the light in the giant's eyes slowly faded.

The result was unexpected.

A man who was considered level 5 defeated the scrap giant with that spell? Everyone was stunned, and the professors were shocked.

'Is this the level of mana control for a student?'

'What nonsense...?'

The spell Lee Ho-yeon used was originally designed to spread fire like a wave. Each flame is small, so he used the gaps to penetrate and gathered the flames to create the necessary heat.

The idea was good, but the precise mana control he demonstrated was almost miraculous to the professors.

Elise, who had passed level 9, also noticed the mana control.

She could hear the chatter around her, but it didn't register.

The idea of using small fire particles to exploit the scrap giant's weaknesses wasn't important to her.

What mattered was the mana control.

The way he extracted the fire into thin threads and inserted them into the gaps was beyond a student's capabilities.

Elise might be able to do it if she concentrated, but using it in combination was a different story.

Elise realized his talent and found herself paying attention to Lee Ho-yeon without realizing it.

*

"It's a shame we can only challenge up to two levels higher. I could have handled level 8."

"Hehe, no, you couldn't."

After finishing the test, I left the training ground.

I have no mana left, so level 8 is out of the question.

"Wow, that was tough. Really."

Today's virtual monster training was really challenging. I hadn't learned a high-level spell to exploit the gaps in the scrap giant's body.

Not knowing a suitable spell, I used the same spell I used against the Ice Platters.

I forced the mana to change the nature of the spell, but I used too much mana.

"Stupid mind, suffering body. I made it harder for myself."

I need to learn many more spells to use in the future. Still, the result was good, so I'm relieved. Phew.

"Hey, what's for lunch today?"

"It was steak, I think. Should we go out and eat?"

"There's a new burger place near the main gate. How about it?"

After the morning class, it was lunchtime.

I headed to the student cafeteria.

Many students eat outside, but I need to save money since my income is limited.

Fortunately, Victoria Academy provides free meals at the "student cafeteria" to promote student welfare.

"One steak, please."

I received the ordered lunch steak and was about to sit down when I saw Moon Su-rin.

She was cutting her steak alone in a corner behind a pillar.

Staring at her, she noticed my gaze and looked up.

Our eyes met, and her pupils dilated slightly. She tapped the seat in front of her with her finger.

"Huh?"

Is she inviting me to sit there?

I pointed to myself, and Moon Su-rin nodded.

Nod, nod.

Sure. Eating with a beautiful person is better than eating alone, and the food tastes better.

"Ho-yeon? You're here too?"

Turning to the voice, I saw Kim Young-han waving at me.

"Oh, yeah."

"If you're eating alone, let's eat together. I'm alone today too."

"Sorry, but I was actually going to eat with someone..."

As I tried to reject and head to Moon Su-rin's seat, she was already gone.

"Where? There's no one there."

"... She invited me to eat here, yeah."

I understand his position, given his popularity as the student council president.

Feeling a bit disappointed, I sat down with Kim Young-han and took a bite of the steak. It was surprisingly delicious.

'Why do people go out to eat when they have such a good student cafeteria?'

Well, no matter how good the cafeteria food is, the taste of eating outside is hard to resist.

"Looking forward to the one-on-one training this afternoon? I was in the training ground all day yesterday because of it."

"Um, it's okay?"

The afternoon class is one-on-one combat training.

It's a training session in a safe training ground. I'm a bit excited to try it out.

Well, nothing major should happen, right?

"..."

"Ho-yeon, what's wrong?"

"I don't know, I'm getting chills. Why am I feeling this way all of a sudden?"

Suddenly, I get goosebumps on my arms. Did I miss something...?

Hmm... It's probably nothing.