Chapter 9. Practical Class (2)
Thursday morning. Another practical class today.
Today's class is virtual monster training, one of the many curriculum activities.
Students fight monsters created from mana, either one-on-one or in teams, with opponents chosen to match their skill level.
"I know you all know this, but I'll explain one last time."
Professor Kim Jinhyuk gestured with his teaching stick and began the explanation.
"First, step onto the measurement magic circle over there and follow the assistant's instructions. Once the measurement is complete, you'll enter the training ground that matches your skill level. If you've already formed teams, head to the left training area. If you're doing a one-on-one duel, go right."
It's only the third day of the semester, so I have no idea how these social butterflies already formed teams, but they did.
The only person I knew, Lumi, teamed up with Lucy, and Kim Younghan said he already had a team, so I naturally headed toward the one-on-one training area.
Upon entering the training ground, I saw a large measurement magic circle in front of me.
I followed the assistant's instructions and stepped onto it.
"You're Lee Hoyun from Class A, right? Place your hand there."
In the center of the circle was a glowing blue orb.
I placed my hand on the orb, and a low humming sound accompanied a wave of mana that scanned me from head to toe.
The sensation of mana sweeping through my body repeated a few times before returning to the orb.
[Measuring combat ability. Please wait.]
Then, a number appeared above my head: 5.
"...5 points? You're from Class A, right?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"Hmm. Well, go to that corner over there."
The first-year Class A students I'd seen earlier had an average score of 7. The lowest, aside from me, was 6. I set a new record for the worst score. How embarrassing.
Kreeeeek—!
I looked over and saw other cadets battling grotesque monsters in the adjacent training grounds.
"Dieee!"
Boom—!
I watched with mild interest as a massive serpent was sent flying into a wall by a tiny girl's single punch.
Moments like this remind me that I'm in a novel.
Among the Class A cadets, I was the only one assigned to the Level 5 training ground.
Let's stay positive. No waiting time. Those poor kids in Level 7 have a queue of ten people.
As I stepped into the training ground, the number 5 reappeared above my head.
"Level 5? Isn't that a record low for Class A?"
"I knew something was off when he switched to mage. What a joke."
The early finishers had gathered and were whispering among themselves.
They were just extras anyway, so I didn't care. But something felt off.
In the original story, the protagonist scored 5 right after entering the academy—thanks solely to his unique power, [Combat Sense].
But I also have a special perk. So why did I get a 5? Maybe the measurement system doesn't recognize the perk.
[Summoning an opponent suitable for Level 5: Three C-rank monsters, Ice Platters.]
Ice Platters. Flat, disc-shaped monsters made of ice.
Their primary attack is an icy beam fired from the crystal at their center.
Lucky me. A favorable matchup.
[The trial will now begin.]
Beep—!
As the mana barrier separating us vanished, the Ice Platters let out cute noises and fired their ice beams.
I'd already planned my counter.
Ice Platters spread their beams thin and wide, making them troublesome for close-range fighters—but I'm a mage.
I conjured fire in a thin wave. Luckily, I'd practiced that form during the training center's aptitude test.
The wave of fire spread outward, devouring the ice beams and reaching the monsters.
The Ice Platters panicked, scattering and spraying ice beams wildly. If they'd combined their attacks, they might've overpowered my flames. But C-rank monsters aren't that smart.
The trap was set; now I just had to execute.
I chased the fleeing Ice Platters and burned them one by one.
Their weak spot was the crystal at their core. All it took was accurately directing my fire magic at the crystals.
Beep—!
If that's Level 5 difficulty, I can handle tougher stuff.
[Trial complete.]
"What? He won? Must've been a fluke."
"Yeah, even if he's Class A, Level 5 is just ridiculous."
The measuring device wasn't perfect. It assessed skills and attributes but missed context and synergy, sometimes resulting in underestimated scores.
Still, the discrepancy was rarely more than a single level.
"Even Level 6 is embarrassing for a Class A student."
"Let's see how far he gets."
By academy rules, students could challenge up to two levels higher with a professor's permission.
"I want to challenge Level 6."
"Cadet Lee Hoyun, Level 6 challenge approved."
*
"Pass. You cleared Level 9. Well done."
Whew.
Elise exhaled in disappointment as she tucked her long, golden hair behind her ears.
Another 9. She'd been training at ability-development institutes for years before entering the academy, yet the Level 9 barrier remained unbroken.
Nam Daeun was different.
"Did you hear? Nam Daeun cleared Level 10 in just 30 seconds."
"Yeah. She's rude, but her skill is legendary."
Creak.
No matter how hard Elise tried, she couldn't close the gap. Worse still, she was the only one who saw Nam Daeun as a rival.
No matter what she did, Nam Daeun was always one step ahead, mocking her efforts.
"It's fine. I'll do better next time."
She took a deep breath and walked toward the exit.
"Hey, Lee Hoyun is challenging Level 7."
"Who?"
"The good-looking kid who switched to mage."
"Oh, him? Didn't he score 5? And now he's trying Level 7?"
Most trials were wrapping up, yet students were gathering at the Level 7 arena.
Normally, Elise would've ignored it. But today, for some reason, she felt compelled to look.
She pushed through the crowd and saw a handsome boy standing in the arena.
'Lee Hoyun?'
She hadn't paid much attention to the rumors. Switching from swordsman to mage right after admission was baffling.
Most cadets had spent over a decade preparing for this academy. Switching specialties like that seemed reckless.
'Is he just trying to graduate as a mage and get a desk job?'
Graduating as a mage from Victoria Academy often opened doors to guild or association administration.
If that was his plan, there were more efficient paths, but who knows what goes on in people's heads?
"Cadet Lee Hoyun, Level 7 challenge approved."
[Summoning a suitable opponent. A-rank monster: Scrap Golem!]
Across the training ground, mana swirled and metal parts began assembling themselves.
"Ugh. A Scrap Golem? He's screwed."
"Yeah, what awful luck."
Screeech—screeeech—
Gears ground together as the rusty metal formed a three-meter-tall humanoid shape. Every motion sent an eerie screech through the arena.
"He's toast."
The Scrap Golem was notoriously difficult—a borderline Level 8 opponent.
Elise groaned. What a waste of her time.
[The trial will now begin.]
Screeeech—!
Thud! Thud!
As soon as the trial began, the Scrap Golem started moving its massive body.
Its body was formed from fused scraps of metal. Scrap Golem metal was special—no matter how many times you broke it, an unseen force would pull it back together.
The weak point was the joints—attacking those joints prevented the body from reassembling.
But the cohesion was so strong that external impacts were mostly absorbed.
The only way to destroy it was to insert mana into the tiny gaps between the metal. But that level of mana control was difficult even for professionals, let alone cadets.
That's why some argued it should be ranked at Level 8 instead of 7. But its clear weakness kept it at Level 7.
Water or ice attributes work best for targeting its joints.
If Lee Hoyun were a water or ice mage, the Scrap Golem would've been an easy opponent—but he was a fire mage.
Creak, crack—!
The Scrap Golem raised both arms high above its head. That was the pattern for its two-handed slam attack. Most people would dodge, but he cast a spell instead.
Thin waves of fire extended from his hands toward the golem.
'That's it? He's done.'
He must be trying to force the flames into the joints. A clever idea, but it wouldn't generate enough heat.
A more powerful spell would've been a better gamble.
Elise lost interest, turned away, and started to leave.
Boom!
The sound that hit her ears was completely different from what she expected when someone gets turned into paste.
She turned back to see a sight she never imagined.
The Scrap Golem was sprawled on the ground in a ridiculous pose, its left leg severed at the knee.
"What the hell? What spell cuts a leg off like that?"
"It didn't get cut. The joint looks like it melted."
'What the…?'
That flimsy spell melted the Scrap Golem? It takes over 1000°C to melt that metal, and spreading the flames that thin should've made it impossible.
Creeeeak—
The golem used its arms and remaining leg to stand up.
It hobbled toward Lee Hoyun, much slower than before.
He slowly stepped back and cast another spell.
'Same shape again.'
His fire spread like before but then abruptly funneled into a single stream.
"What the hell…?"
Elise muttered in shock. People around her glanced her way, but she didn't care.
He was using the same wide, shallow fire spell. He'd designed it that way.
But now he was *twisting* it—forcing it to condense unnaturally.
The flames overlapped again and again. The result was a thin thread of fire with devastating heat.
That fiery thread slithered into the joint of the golem's right leg.
Bang!
The right leg gave out, sending the hulking figure crashing into the ground.
The glow in its eyes slowly faded.
[Trial complete.]
The result stunned everyone.
The guy they'd mocked for scoring a 5 had just downed a Scrap Golem.
'Is that really cadet-level mana control?'
'That's… impossible.'
He had taken a wide-area spell and compressed it into a focused weapon.
The concept was clever, but that precision was nearly supernatural.
Elise, who'd cleared Level 9 herself, noticed it immediately.
The crowd around her buzzed, but she didn't hear them.
The trick of using tiny fire threads didn't matter.
What mattered was his mana manipulation.
Thin threads of flame, inserted into joints with surgical precision—*and* layered on top of each other.
Elise might be able to make a single fire thread with intense focus, but combining them like that was a whole different game.
Without realizing it, she'd begun seeing him differently.
*
"Too bad the rules only allow two levels higher. I bet I could handle Level 8."
"Haha, no way."
I stepped down from the arena.
I was completely drained of mana—no way could I handle Level 8.
"God, that was exhausting."
The virtual monster training today was brutal. I didn't know any advanced spells to target the Scrap Golem's joints.
So I reused the technique I'd tried against the Ice Platters.
Reshaping the spell mid-cast had burned through too much mana.
"Guess if I'm stupid, my body pays the price. Gotta expand my spell repertoire."
At least it worked out. Good result. Whew.
"What's for lunch today?"
"I think steak? Want to grab food outside instead?"
"Heard there's a new burger joint near the main gate. Let's go."
Morning classes were over. It was lunchtime.
I headed to the cafeteria.
Plenty of cadets ate out, but my stipend was my only income. Gotta save money.
Luckily, Victoria Academy runs its cafeteria for free.
"One steak, please."
I took my tray and looked for a seat—then spotted Moon Surin.
She was alone, sitting behind a pillar, cutting her steak.
I stared, spellbound, until she looked up and met my gaze.
Her eyes widened slightly before she tapped the seat in front of her.
"Huh?"
Was she inviting me?
I pointed at myself. She nodded.
Nod, nod.
Well, eating with a beauty beats eating alone.
"Hoyun? You're here too?"
I turned to see Kim Younghan waving at me.
"Oh, yeah."
"I'm alone today. Wanna eat together?"
"Sorry, but I already have someone to eat with…"
I started walking toward Moon Surin's table—only to find it empty.
"What? There's no one there."
"...Yeah, guess I was mistaken."
She's the student council president. Guess she changed her mind.
I sat with Kim Younghan and took a bite of steak. It was shockingly good.
'Why do people even eat out with steak like this?'
Then again, unhealthy food outside does have its appeal.
"Looking forward to the afternoon duels? I spent all day yesterday at the training center for it."
"Eh, kinda."
This afternoon's training was one-on-one combat.
A safe, supervised duel—but still a chance to test myself.
What could go wrong?
"…"
"Hoyun? What's wrong?"
"I don't know. I just got chills."
My arms broke out in goosebumps. Did I overlook something…?
Hmm… nah. I'm sure it's nothing.