“I have no reason to embarrass myself on my first day in the Academy. In fact, I refuse to.”

As an aspiring Artist, these words made complete sense. Unlike Evolvers and Dictators, Artists like myself needed a bit more preparation before we battled. We were the wizards of this world, requiring due scholarly diligence in everything that we do.

My upperclassmen knew this well, hence their lighthearted laughter.

‘My characters should be making their appearance right about now,’ I thought to myself while I filled out my application to be a part-time librarian.

The Freshmen Duels were interesting because it was a chance for the newly-accepted students to advertise themselves to the school, their upperclassmen, and their peers. It was an opportunity to display their strengths and talents, as well as a pitfall to appear weak and unsuitable.

It all depended on one’s performance.

So, it was quite obvious that I would avoid that place at all costs.

Me? With these abysmal stats?

[Name: Athelei]

[Identity: Lewis Kava (Enforced)]

[Title: Ambrosia, □□□□□□ □□ □□□ □□□□□□]

[Age: 16

[Level: 0]

[Class: N/A]

[Rank: N/A]

[Traits: , , , ]

No level, no class, no rank.

Just knowledge.

What the hell would you expect me to do? It was no wonder that and did not seem to care about my proactive registration to be a librarian. By avoiding the Freshmen Duels, I was cementing my position at the bottom of the barrel. Unknown and weak.

However, I had to change those things soon.

A [Tragedy] would soon arrive, after all.

***

I was now in my dorm room, lying on my bed while awaiting midnight. The freshmen who were battered, bruised, and wounded had also returned to their respective rooms right before curfew.

Lost in thought, I looked around.

My room was small and thin, a clear indication of my lowly status. All I had was a desk, a bed, and a closet. I didn’t even have my own bathroom.

To have to bathe and defecate in a public installation… I still dreaded it no matter the day.

‘One day,’

In the future, I would be blessed by higher technology and their sanitary systems. I just had to wait patiently for that day.

[]

[Rune Knowledge » Purchasing Beautiful Robes: 2/100]

[Meditation » Rearranging Bookshelves: 12/100]

I was able to do quite a lot with the time I had. More than what I could do with my financial capabilities. The librarian who had hired me seemed satisfied with my work. To the point where he allowed me one opportunity to borrow a book of my choosing.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

Of course, the book I was allowed to borrow would come from only the lowest level of the library; I had no right nor the capabilities to look into the books recorded in the higher levels.

If I did, then there was a chance that I would spontaneously combust.

Thus, the book I now held in my hands was a manual. A manual of mystic patterns.

The manual supplied me with the mystic patterns that would allow me to advance all the way to Artist [Rank 3].

It was a good set, although quite difficult to study. Just looking at the equations, as well as the measurements for each mystic pattern made my mind buzz. Unfortunately, for high-ranked Artists, these mystic patterns were akin to elementary mathematics.

I had a long way to go, in spite of the fact that I had written most of these mystic patterns into existence.

Looking at the three four chapters, I recalled the setting I had made for the ranks of Artists.

[Rank 0 — Patterns]

[Rank 1 — Sequences]

[Rank 2 — Circles]

[Rank 3 — Concentric Circles]

Any rank higher than that would allow one to venture out into space, fully becoming a participant in the competition that burned throughout the universe. The manual clearly did not allow me to advance that far, but I would have ways to advance by myself by then.

This little issue did not worry me.

Instead, I was more pressed by the situation at hand: I had to achieve Rank 0 before two in the morning. Otherwise, I would be in for a world of pain.

***

was a self-explanatory set of patterns. It gave one the ability to be silent in all things, and tranquil in everything.

“A calm mind and silent footsteps,” I muttered, committing the first and most important mystic pattern to memory.

[Quiet]

Many people despised the proliferation of noise when they wished to focus. Many assassins wished for silenced footsteps.

The mystic pattern for [Quiet] was simple, yet intricate. Thankfully, with in play, I was able to understand it in just around an hour.

Pouring mana into my finger, I then began to draw. My first attempt at the full pattern.

[Quiet] was invoked.

The crickets outside… Suddenly I couldn’t hear them. I walked forward, and my footsteps made no sound.

“A good piece of magic,” I told myself and hid under my blanket.

At the same time,

[Your abilities have reached a certain threshold.]

[You have gained a Level.]

[You are now Level 1.]

Unfortunately, I could not focus on that. The monster directly involved in tonight’s [Tragedy] was about to appear. A monster who mainly used its sense of hearing to locate its targets — from heartbeats to one’s very breath. It was sensitive to the sounds of its prey.

….And just as the clock struck two,

—AHHHH—!

A scream cut short. A life that had been snuffed out.

In a bout of anxiety, I redrew the only mystic pattern I knew. Invoking [Quiet], once again. I had to be sure that it couldn’t hear me. Otherwise, I would face a sure death.

—Step, step, step.

I heard footsteps outside. Murmurs and whispers.

Some of the more curious ones, as well as the ones who had courage, all snuck out of their rooms. Seeking information on why someone had screamed so deep into the night. An eerie sense of dread permeated the hallways.

Until,

—Ssuk!

A head went flying, and blood began to splurt.

—Thud.

I could hear someone’s head rolling just outside my door.

‘Damn it,’ A shiver crept through my spine when I felt my mystic pattern waver.

My mana fluctuated, affecting the formation of the pattern that I held in the air. I forcefully stabilized my mana, and the world went silent once more.

Shadows were dancing just outside, flitting past like owls in the night. I could not hear anything, but I could feel the foul energy that bled through the seams.

Such was the fate of the weak.

I could not do anything except cower... For now.

A gleam flashed in my eyes. I would have the opportunity to claim the slaying of an {Evil}. I just had to wait.

Survive.

Until the opportune moment once again arrives.