*Knock*

*Knock*

*Knock*

I looked at the door of the room; it seemed there was a visitor.

I entered the academy last night and slept immediately in the dormitory, so I didn’t get a chance to explore the place. Apart from the bathroom, everything was new to me.

The light here is perfect for the eyes, the bed is comfortable, and a soothing fragrance comes from the ventilation. There is a kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom.

In the bedroom, there was a place to seat guests and a table to serve them anything.

The room’s decor screamed the amount of money spent here, with white and brown used predominantly for everything. Within the academy's boundaries, there is everything I could think of, not quite.

Well, I don't feel like I need anything at least.

The distance between the student dormitory and the education center is about 2 kilometers; students can either walk there or use the moving sidewalk. The education center is almost opposite the dormitory.

To the right of the dormitory, there is the guard center and then the barrier wall, nothing that interests the students.

To the left, there is the commercial and recreational center about four kilometers away; you can get there by a bus that passes every quarter hour or the moving sidewalk, and of course, by walking.

Opposite the commercial center, two kilometers away, there is the teachers’ center, nothing that concerns the students.

In the many open spaces, there are gardens and ponds… natural and beautiful places where students can spend their time.

In The Fortress, everything that can benefit an individual is present, no matter the field.

There are three main specializations that students can apply for in this academy, each requiring talent in a slightly different direction.

Those with quick thinking skills can go to the Leader specialization or enter the most distinguished class, General.

Geniuses can go to the Support specialization, working either on developing current technology or medicine in general. There are several degrees in this specialization, and the advanced degree is Hero.

The last and most desired by most people is the Soldier specialization, the individuals at the forefront of war, the distinguished class being Demon Slayer.

The specialization I aimed for was the last one…

Despite the significant differences between the three specializations, there are some common lessons among them.

I still have a few days before the official start of education; students are given two weeks to enter the academy's boundaries after being accepted. If they are late by even a second, they can try again the following year.

Discipline in The Fortress is fundamental, and students' excuses don’t matter. If they can’t solve simple problems and avoid being late, their place isn’t here.

I thought about my ability and felt some tension; I was already accepted, so there was no need to fear now, but there are several things to consider now.

The current academy director, Lucius Varro, the person who created the best educational system, which is so secretive that only students and teachers know about it. And what I know now is how harsh his methods are…

The survival rate in the first academy lesson does not exceed 10%, that’s right…

90% of students will either die or suffer irreversible injuries!

Of course, this information is unknown to citizens; Director Lucius used countless tricks to cover up the educational system. And if I somehow survive the first lesson, the teachers can expel me at any time for any reason.

Teachers have complete freedom in teaching, and the academy will accept their methods as long as they have positive effects on the students.

For this reason, I must put in an indescribable amount of effort at least to avoid falling below the minimum. But now, my goal is to be equal to the main characters, a goal preceded by many impossibilities…

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

I thought about my ability again, will I be able to do it?

If a description of my ability were written on a paper, it would be:

[Manipulating both the target's and the user's perspective simultaneously.]

For example, instead of seeing me normally, I can make my opponent think they are a bit closer to me or further away, or even make them blind.

I can make them see the battlefield from above instead of through their eyes… I can manipulate the target’s perspective as I want, but with two penalties:

1. Higher-than-average Zen consumption.

2. My perspective becomes distorted as well.

It’s an ability that is mostly useless except in the presence of an enemy, and this is why I entered the Soldier specialization among all specializations. And although it has countless uses and I can manipulate the target as I wish, it has many weaknesses, very many!

If I want to rise to the distinguished class, I must cover these weaknesses as much as I can… It will be difficult…

I can do anything I want, but that makes me more lost.

I went to an outdoor training field, as the general and private academy facilities are still closed at the moment. I can only practice my skill here.

My first and most obvious weakness:

When I manipulate my opponent's perspective, I can only see what they see.

So, if they are ten meters away from me, and I make them see me right below them, I will see exactly what they see.

Seeing what my opponent sees may seem like a useful ability, but I completely lose my sense of movement when doing so, as well as my balance.

I become as if I am blind or as if I am moving a body that is not mine. After many years of having this skill, I can move normally in some perspectives, but I cannot fight.

Due to my lazy nature, I only trained when my father forced me to, and now I am starting to regret it. This will be the problem that is easiest to fix, but it will take the longest time.

The second weakness: opponents who do not rely primarily on vision.

There is no shortage of people who can fight without looking. Although I will weaken them a lot with my skill, it is not enough. So I need to find a suitable fighting style... I will combine this problem with the first one for now.

The third weakness: defense against projectiles.

If someone throws something at me before I activate the skill, due to my weak body, it is difficult to avoid or defend against it.

So, I need to strengthen my body and find a way to defend...

There are also good things that I can improve.

For example, I can support my companions against enemies, make their perspectives wider, and give them the ability to see more things.

But for this to be truly beneficial, I need to practice applying this ability to more than one target. Just thinking about seeing two different perspectives makes me feel nauseous.

I need to strengthen my mind...

I sighed as I used my skill randomly, I can use it on myself, of course.

Currently, I can only use it on one person; I might somewhat solve the first problem if I increase the number of my targets. But this requires strengthening my mind...

I am drowning in a whirlpool right now...

I need to focus on my movement now and leave those obstacles for later. Is there really no cheat I can use? Finding a tool using the memories or something...

Most of the items in the game are tools or means to perform certain moves.

These tools are mostly weapons or entire sets of armor, and the latter does not have the expected magical protection. Since there is no magical solution to my defense problem, I need to start addressing the other problems at least.

In the game, the player can assemble a set of moves in a specific slot, and then use them one after the other.

For example:

First move: a sword slash from above infused with Zen.

Second move: an energy explosion as soon as the sword reaches the target or the ground.

Third move: a side kick before the target retreats.

By combining a set of unrelated moves into one set, a complete fighting art can be created instantly.

Of course, with proper training, everyone can perform these moves after a certain period, but these moves speed up the learning process by almost ten times.

All this to prevent players from suffering unnecessary complexity, in addition to being a new and interesting style of play. If I held a sword now and tried to infuse it with Zen, I would likely fail.

First: I do not have great control over Zen outside my body.

Second: Preventing the Zen from spreading everywhere is difficult in itself, and keeping it surrounding the sword in a sharp form is even more difficult.

As for the energy explosion in the second move, the problem is much simpler. My energy level is simply not enough, so I need to raise my level.

Humans successfully developed a way to determine a person's Zen level, on scales from 1-100. I looked at the watch tied around my left wrist, it has many more features than just showing the time.

I tapped on it a bit, and a different screen was displayed inside it; the technology in this era is very different.

[

Name: Perrin Thorn

Age: 18

ID Number: XXXX876

Consciousness Level: 9

]

How pathetic, I was barely at the minimum level accepted by the academy. It’s ironic that I am starting to regret my previous laziness now.

To create an energy explosion from the sword blade, I need to reach at least level 10, but then I would lose all my reserves in one go.

If I want to use it effectively in combat, I need to reach at least level 15. As for how to develop the energy, it is somewhat similar to muscle growth in the body.

Muscles grow when they are strained, then heal themselves to become stronger. Zen grows in a similar way.

The more Zen I spend, it will come back again but in slightly larger quantities, but the strain each time is excessive.

That strain is the reason for my low level to this degree; some of the top students are at least at level 20, the average students are at level 15.

Being below average, I need to do something immediately; my current goal is to reach level 15 as quickly as possible. And since there is no benefit in reaching that level if I do not have a use for the energy, I need to find one of those strange moves.

I do not know if a game character like me can use those moves, but there is no harm in trying.

I sighed; I still have about a week before the education starts here, and I will be prevented from going out for some time afterward.

And by some time, I mean months!

So if I want to move, I need to do it as soon as possible.