"Same as before?" Gary asked me as I strolled to the training ground. It had become a habit to come here every morning for swordsmanship training.

"Yep, maybe I'll practice all day from tomorrow," I replied, feeling particularly upbeat after acquiring the [ Mana Manipulation ] skill.

Gary raised an eyebrow, then chuckled. "You got some increase in your mana capacity? Obsidians sure grow fast."

"Yeah, something like that," I said, continuing our light conversation before heading off.

Walking around with a sword hanging from my hip had been novel on the first day, a tangible artifact that confirmed I was truly in a world of magic and monsters. By the second day, it had become an annoyance. After hearing the shattering sound, it had become my personal hell on the third. Forcing myself to unsheathe the glass sword had become a dreaded routine, especially when using it on the wooden construct.

I had started to call it Mr. Log after repeated abuse. I was certain Mr. Log was gloating at my miserable practice.

After a little scratch of my arms, I came in front of Mr. Log and saw the painted area to target to practice on. I still struggled to draw my sword, so attacking without the blades breaking was a daunting task. Instead, I placed the sheath aside, for now, only focusing on the attack.

I made my first swing, a downward slash across Mr. Log's chest, only for the blade to snap and get stuck in the wood. Around me, there was no one to see my failures.

The broken shards stuck in the wood, soft enough to catch any attack and prevent a ricochet. I retrieved and repaired my blade and went at it again. Crack! The blades were once more broken.

This went on for the morning, swinging from the eight directions and trying desperately to get the angle right.

The sound of glass breaking was constant, but blades would sporadically get buried in the wood without breaking. A perfect swing, just one of the infinite I had managed to produce.

Midway in my training, the partitions beside me got occupied. The same auburn hair girl I had three days ago in front of the Lecture Hall board, with a sword on her hips. That I was sure was a glass sword. And she's obsidian.

She wore a snug, dark crimson tunic with intricate silver embroidery that caught the light as she moved, paired with black, fitted trousers and knee-high leather boots. Her auburn hair was tied back in a tight braid, and the contrast between her vibrant hair and her intense, fiery orange eyes was striking.

She paused, her gaze shifting to me and my sword. Her eyes scanned my clothes, and she let out a derisive snort.

And my desire to say hello died just like that. I looked down at my clothes and checked my outfit. It was not training friendly, but it was good enough.

I shrugged and turned to Mr. Log. The girl started her training and I heard the snap of the blades.

I adjusted my grip and focused on my sword. I swung with focus, and this time, the blade sliced through the air with a fluid motion, embedding itself in the wood without breaking. A small victory.

A smug smile formed when I noticed that she was looking at my result.

And the little competition started with resounding sounds of glass breaking. I was at least gloating as I managed more clean strikes than her by the end of my training.

❖ ❖ ❖

I entered the mess hall, immediately noticing the influx of students compared to the last time. The year was starting soon, and the academy buzzed with anticipation. I couldn't help but sigh in relief; at least the vampire was absent this time too.

The dreams had continued but the intensity was lessened considerably. I wasn't sure if it was good or bad, but it helped me enjoy my new life.

Navigating through the crowded space, I made my way to the food stalls. The aroma of various dishes wafted through the air, making my stomach growl. I paused at each stall, eyeing the offerings. A large pot of stew bubbled invitingly at one, while another featured a platter of roasted meats glistening under the lights. I opted for a generous helping of the stew, some bread, and a side of steamed vegetables. The warmth of the bowl in my hands was comforting as I carried it to the usual seat.

Lucian was already seated, waving me over with a cheerful grin. I slid into the same seat they had occupied last time, setting my tray down with a contented sigh.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

"It's busier than before," Lucian remarked, glancing around at the bustling students. "I guess everyone's gearing up for the new year."

I nodded, my eyes sparkling with excitement. "Yeah, it feels like the whole academy is coming to life." Seeing all these people, I could barely wait for drama unfolding in the future. Hopefully I could enjoy it from the sidelines. The repository was too stingy about its book. Instead of tension and tragedies, I only was able to locate books on dungeons and treasures.

Lucian picked up his spoon, stirring the stew absently. "By the way, there's a contribution points competition happening in a few days. Have you heard about it?"

I tilted my head, curiosity piqued. "Contribution points? What's that about?"

"It's a competition held in an artificial dungeon," Lucian explained between bites. "The students are tasked with fighting or searching for something within the dungeon. It's designed to train us for real-life treasure expeditions."

Nova's eyes widened in interest. "That sounds intense. I guess the rewards would be contribution points?"

Lucian shook his head. "Yes, it's quite the challenge. And the joining fees are not cheap. At least a hundred for the second grade competition. They try to make it as realistic as possible, with all kinds of traps and creatures to deal with or maybe some other tasks. You would only be given a last-minute goal without any idea."

"Wait? You want me to participate in a second grade competition?" That was not in my plan. It had not even been a week before I came here.

Lucian gave me a peculiar smile as he said slowly, "I don't, but the Vice Chancellor had given two options."

Already I could understand where this was going.

"First, you could get a mana skill permission slip to borrow a skill with your contribution points. Or …" Lucian said with expectation.

"The first one sounds good." I interrupted Lucian. There was no need for the second point. Who would be crazy enough to get a beating from the second year students?

"You're not fun at all," Lucian said mercilessly. "Or you could get the skill selected by the Vice Chancellor for your participation in the competition."

"Nope, I think it's alright to spend two hundred and fifty to get the mana skills from the Repository." There was no way I was going to fight in this competition. What if the other five monster also send their sponsored student? The meeting in the morning was still fresh in my mind. I already made a rivalry...

Lucian looked at me with a look that said that I was being stupid. "Those are only basic skills that would not help you at all." Suddenly a book appeared on his hands that he placed on the table with a thud.

I looked at the first application of what I was sure was a storage artifact with an awestruck look. But then my eyes snapped to the book, which was suddenly attracting my attention.

Lucian tapped the book, as he gave me a smile. "While this monstrosity is a high level skill selected by Vice Chancellor, which would be perfectly suitable with two of your attuned mana."

My eyes flashed with intensity as I could feel my mana shifting as it looked at the book. Even though I was looking at the book the first time, something in it was attracting the attention of my attuned mana.

But with great reluctance, I feigned a regretful expression. "But it's not enough…"

Lucian's eyes flashed with surprise, then understanding dawned on his eyes as his lips twitched, "The Vice Chancellor also gifted you these 10 gold coins with the skill book to help you tide over any misgivings."

Now we are talking… but the Nova you are seeing is not the same. "Ah, the Vice Chancellor sure understands me, but I think my problems will be solved with another five."

Lucian simply shook his head as he deposited five more into the pouch, "Aren't you afraid that the Vice Chancellor would remove you from Obsidian?"

I pocketed the gold pouch and the book, "These are small changes to the Vice Chancellor, how could he fight over these little things?" I smiled innocently in response.

After seeing the book, it was not like I was going to say no, but there was no reason to not take advantage. At least I got some advantage from his library…

Before I could check out the book, Lucian stopped me. "Don't open it here. Keep your skills secret. Even I don't know what attunements you got."

As they continued their meal, the conversation shifted to lighter topics, my mind drifted to the concept of treasure expeditions. It was something I had become increasingly fascinated by, especially after spending so much time in the library following my training sessions. The lure of discovering hidden treasures, the thrill of exploring ancient ruins, and the challenges posed by dungeons captured my imagination after the absence of any biographies.

There was the Archmage Vault on my first reading, and even though the first floor lacked books of real life stories of powerful people, there were a lot of books detailing the treasure expeditions across the years. It was something that was common in the world.

Though I was not sure why. It's not like the people would leave behind their treasure for anyone to reclaim. Why not give it to your descendants?

The most interesting one was when my fingers brushed against the spine of a thick, dusty tome titled Bonesea Dungeon. The book's cover depicted a haunting sea full of bones! When standing above, regardless of the location, only bones were in sight. They piled into mountains, creating an astounding spectacle. Because of these piles, this sea seemed to be divided. It was difficult to see the whole ocean due to these bony protrusions. The visible water looked like narrow rivers, allowing the little ships to pass through the ghastly hills.

The legends spoke of unparalleled treasures buried within, relics of immense power waiting to be claimed when the Dungeon opened every ten years.

There was an abundance of similarly detailed accounts about various treasure expeditions—groups of adventurers who had ventured into newly appeared dungeons, their trials and triumphs meticulously recorded. Yet, there was scant information about the lives of these adventurers outside their quests. It was as if their existence revolved solely around these perilous journeys.

The world of dungeons was not limited to monsters; it also encompassed ancient ruins brimming with treasures. However, despite my extensive reading, I hadn't come across any underlying theories explaining why these dungeons appeared or how they operated. It remained a mystery, one that intrigued me deeply.