“Can I sit here?” the nervous Jasmine asked politely, making Luke chuckle as he said teasingly, “You don’t ask that after sitting first.”
Jasmine seemed embarrassed as her body visibly fidgeted before her head slumped.
“Don’t sweat it,” Luke said in a kind tone. She reminded him of his friend’s sister, and his brotherly instincts couldn’t help but make him tease her. Now seeing her embarrassed, he felt a bit bad, “So, why are you sitting here? Did you not make any friends yet?”
“I don’t see anyone sitting with you,” Jasmine said meekly in an attempt to protest, “How can I even make friends in such a situation?”
The corner of her eyes visibly filled with tears as she said, “How can you remain so calm in this situation? We have suddenly been thrown away from our world, our family, our life into this world,” It felt like she had a lot of complaints swelled up within her and wanted an outlet to let it all go.
But she immediately composed herself as she realized they were sitting in the canteen. People were passing by them and could hear her, “I’m sorry, I’ll just find another seat,” she picked up her food tray and was about to leave as Luke’s warm voice rang out, “It’s fine, stay seated here.”
Jasmine’s beautiful brown eyes shook for a moment as she decided to sit down again. For minutes, none of them said a word as both ate their lunch in silence. As Luke’s hands kept moving from his plate to his mouth, he said without looking up, “I’m not calm or anything. I’m just as baffled and anxious as you are about this whole situation,” his head finally moved up, and his crystalline blue eyes locked with Jasmine’s, making her almost lose track of her thoughts at his somber face that looked as out of this world as this whole situation, “I just don’t want to make myself seem weak in front of anyone here.”
As Luke kept staring right into her eyes sincerely, her heart fluttered as she ignored his gaze, a bit embarrassed. After a while, her hands naturally reached towards the hair that was coming to her eyes, making her tuck it behind her ears.
After a momentary silence, her lips moved again, “Still, don’t you miss anyone? I can’t help but keep thinking about my mother and sister. They must be so worried,” her eyebrows creased.
After a momentary wait, Luke started eating again as he flatly said, “I don’t have anyone like that. I’m an orphan.”
“Oh dear, I’m so sorry,” Jasmine’s eyes widened in surprise as her hands reached her agape mouth. Her heart felt conflicted as her eyes stared down at Luke.
“Don’t worry about it,” Luke said as he put his fork down, “Then let’s go back to the class. Lunchtime should be over soon.”
Jasmine immediately looked at the wristband instinctually and realized Luke was right. She didn’t know when time passed by so quickly so she immediately stood up. Her plate still had food remaining. She felt bad about not finishing up her food, but there was not much time left so she went ahead and put the plate on the counter and walked back to Luke.
Luke looked at her momentarily before he chuckled inwardly, walking back towards the classroom.
——
As Luke and Jasmine re-entered the classroom and took their seats, the atmosphere shifted almost immediately. The door creaked open to reveal a man who was the antithesis of Professor Elric Voss. This new figure was gaunt, his face etched with lines that suggested he rarely, if ever, smiled. His eyes were like shards of ice, and the aura he exuded was one of stern, unyielding severity.
"Good afternoon, students," he began, his voice devoid of warmth. "I am Professor Yorth Vale, and I will be your guide in the Study of Practical Combat."
The room fell into a hushed silence, each student absorbing the weight of his words. The atmosphere grew dense as if the air itself had thickened.
"Your theory classes," Professor Vale continued, "are but stepping stones. The true essence of your education here will be practical in nature. Prepare yourselves. We will proceed to the academy training grounds for an immediate mock test. The test will be to subdue a wild beast."
A ripple of shock spread through the room. Jasmine looked toward Luke, her eyes wide and filled with a mix of disbelief and apprehension. Luke, ever the picture of calm, kept his gaze fixed on Professor Vale, his face betraying no emotion. Inside, however, his mind was a whirlpool of thoughts. A mock test? Now? The announcement was abrupt, but it was also a vivid reminder that this academy wasn’t a literature haven like the colleges on Earth.
The Earth-dwellers in the room, who had never so much as thrown a punch in a regulated setting, were visibly shaken. Their faces were canvases of dread, each one contemplating the gravity of being thrust into combat with wild beasts.
Even the Eldorian nobles, who had been groomed in combat arts from a young age, were not immune to the tension. Their hands twitched nervously, some fumbling with their wristbands, others gripping the edges of their desks. The training was one thing; facing a live, potentially lethal creature was entirely another.
In stark contrast, the orcs in the room seemed to come alive. Their eyes sparkled with a ferocious kind of joy, and their knuckles cracked audibly as they clenched and unclenched their fists. For them, this was not a test but a long-awaited opportunity, a chance to demonstrate their prowess.
As the students began to rise from their seats and follow the professor out of the class, Jasmine naturally made her way towards Luke as she started walking beside him.
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Her voice was barely above a whisper as she leaned slightly toward Luke. "Is this really happening?"
Luke's eyes finally shifted to meet Jasmine's. "It appears so," he replied, his voice as steady as ever. "Seems we're in for a rather... unconventional education."
He sneakily glanced at her, bringing up her status window.
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[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/852793029303468083/1148366482267451463/931903cf-696b-4c30-9d05-5c5c9c2f3f96.png]
Jasmine Lakeshore
Alignment: Good (Extreme)
Class: Holy Maiden
Title: None
Specialty: Divine Halo (Passive)
Skills: Heal | To the Hurt (Passive) | Holy Blessing
Strength- 8 (Normal) | Agility- 11 (Normal) | Intelligence- 16 (Epic) | Divinity- 25 (Legendary) | Luck- 2 (Epic) | Wisdom- 7 (Normal)
Overall rating: Absolute Genius
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What in the world?! Luke couldn’t help but be taken aback. It hasn’t even been that long, and she already had so much improvement in her stats. She even gained a new skill in that time frame.
Talent huh. He clicked his tongue as he looked at the nervous girl walking beside him.
The students made their way to the training grounds. The area was expansive, a sprawling facility situated away from the main academy building designated for first-year students. It was equipped with an array of training apparatuses, from archery targets to combat dummies, and an assortment of weapons neatly arranged on racks. The grounds were a testament to the academy's commitment to practical education.
Professor Yorth Vale stood at the center of the facility, his stern gaze sweeping over the students as they gathered around him. "This mock test is designed to assess your survivability skills against beasts," he announced, pointing to a section of the grounds partitioned by large transparent glass rooms. "You will pick your weapons from that section," he gestured toward an area laden with various types of weapons, "and enter one of these rooms."
His next words sent a chill down everyone's spine. "Don't worry excessively about injuries. We have healers on standby capable of restoring even severed limbs."
The tension was palpable. Students exchanged uneasy glances, the gravity of the test settling in. Even the usually stoic Luke felt a twinge of anticipation, though he masked it well. His eyes briefly met Jasmine's, who looked like a deer caught in headlights.
Five students were the first to be called to pick their weapons. They entered one of the glass rooms, their hearts pounding in their chests.
The first group of five students nervously stepped into the glass room, their hands clutching their chosen weapons with visible trepidation. Among them was Grukthar, the orc who had caused a commotion on the first day. He wielded a massive, double-headed axe, its blade gleaming ominously. The other four students held an assortment of weapons—swords, daggers, and staves—but their hands shook, betraying their anxiety.
The cage at the other end of the room opened and out slithered a creature that looked like it had been pulled from the depths of a nightmare. The Thornback Wyrm was a grotesque amalgamation of scales, spikes, and muscle. Its body was covered in chitinous blue armor, with spikes protruding like miniature spears. Its eyes were blood-red orbs that seemed to glow with an inner fire, and its fangs were long, curved, and venomous. Despite its fearsome appearance, the creature was wounded, and magical belts encircled its body, glowing with a subdued light.
Image [https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1090176937688825956/1148365564771827832/zenferox_an_ugly_wyrm_monster_adb5d6c2-290c-4024-82c5-7fc85632bd81.png?width=823&height=823]
Professor Vale began to speak, his voice amplified so all could hear. "This is a Thornback Wyrm. Normally, it's a creature you wouldn't want to encounter in the wild. However, this one is wounded and restrained by magical shackles that can be activated to subdue it. Its primary weakness is the underbelly, less protected by its armor. Your task is to subdue it using any means you see fit."
As the cage door lifted completely, the Thornback Wyrm let out a guttural, ear-piercing screech that reverberated through the glass room. The four nervous students froze, their eyes wide with terror. Two of them fell on their butts, paralyzed by fear. Another dropped his sword, the clattering sound echoing loudly.
Grukthar, however, was unfazed. With a snarl that rivaled the Wyrm's, he lunged forward, his massive axe raised high above his head. The creature hissed and lunged at him, its fangs aimed straight at his throat. But Grukthar was quicker. With a swift sidestep, he dodged the attack and swung his axe down with incredible force, aiming for the creature's less-protected underbelly.
The axe made contact, tearing through scales and flesh with a sickening squelch. The Wyrm let out a screech of agony, its body writhing in pain. But Grukthar wasn't done. With a roar, he yanked the axe free and swung again, this time aiming for the creature's head.
The axe blade sank into the Wyrm's skull with a crunch, silencing its agonized cries once and for all. As the creature's body went limp, the magical belts activated, glowing brighter as they tightened, ensuring that the beast was truly subdued.
Grukthar turned to look at his trembling classmates, who were now picking themselves up from the ground. A smirk spread across his face. "Weaklings," he snorted, before striding out of the glass room, his axe slung casually over his shoulder.
Outside the room, Jasmine flinched at the Wyrm's final screech, her body shaking involuntarily. Luke, ever the picture of calm, watched as Grukthar exited the room. The orc's raw power and skill were undeniable, and it was a stark reminder of the varying levels of combat experience among the students.
Hah! How unfair. Luke complained inwardly but knew there was no use doing so.
After the spectacle of Grukthar's combat prowess, several more groups were sent into the glass rooms to face their own wounded beasts. Each encounter was a mix of triumph and failure, setting a clear standard with the skill levels of different individuals. After the orc, only one other person stood out, and it was a female Elf who used a sword.
Finally, it was Luke's turn. He glanced at his teammates and couldn't help but scowl inwardly. Among them was the guy who had called him "trash" during lunch. The guy caught Luke's eye and smirked, clearly pleased with the opportunity to embarrass him in front of everyone.
Luke walked over to the weapons section, his eyes scanning the array of swords, daggers, and staves. There were only a handful of guns. They were flintlock pistols, reminiscent of 17th-century firearms.
Flintlock pistols were muzzle-loaded, single-shot firearms that required a lengthy reloading process. After firing, the user would have to manually pour gunpowder into the muzzle, followed by wadding and then the bullet. The hammer, which held a piece of flint, would then be pulled back. Upon pulling the trigger, the flint would strike a steel plate, creating a spark that ignited the gunpowder. It was a cumbersome and time-consuming process, which probably explained their unpopularity.
As Luke picked up one of the flintlock pistols, examining its weight and balance, a notification popped up in his field of vision, making him widen his eyes.