Lilith, who had been overseeing the entire process, showed clear signs of weariness. She let out a sigh and finally addressed the students, "Now, finally, it's time for weapon selection!"
Her voice carried a hint of relief as she descended the stairs, her steps slow but purposeful. The other teachers quickly fell in line behind her, and the students, curious and eager, followed closely.
Within a minute, they arrived at the academy garden. But unlike earlier in the day, the garden was now filled with an array of weapons, each gleaming under the sunlight. Scythes, broadswords, daggers, various types of wands, pistols, bows, gauntlets, and more lay before them, like an arsenal prepared for a great battle.
The students' eyes lit up at the sight. It was as if the sheer number of weapons had ignited something within them—a sense of excitement and anticipation.
Lilith turned to face the students, her expression serious. "Now, all of you, go and choose your weapons. But I'm warning you, think carefully before making your choice,You can't change it for next six months."
Without hesitation, the students began to move. Without a doubt Ethan walked towards a long sword, his hand closing around its hilt with a determined grip. Corin, noticing Ethan's choice, followed suit and picked up a broadsword, his competitive spirit clearly driving his decision.
Violet, with her usual composed demeanor, selected a heavy sword, feeling the weight of it in her hands. Sylvania, on the other hand, opted for a wand, its intricate design catching her eye as she imagined the spells it could cast.
Calista Seraphine, with her healing nature, naturally gravitated towards a wand designed specifically for priests. The soft glow emanating from it resonated with her, promising to amplify her abilities. The princess with pink hair, exuding elegance, chose a whip, its slender length a reflection of her poised yet dangerous nature.
Valeria Olyndra, the elfen girl with her affinity for wind magic, picked up a bow. The sleek design of the weapon, combined with her natural talent, made it the perfect choice for her.
Lilith observed the students as they made their choices, her eyes sharp despite her weariness. Each selection told her something about the student—who they were, what they aspired to be, and how they viewed the challenges ahead. She nodded slightly, acknowledging the significance of this moment, knowing that these choices could shape their futures in the academy.
But Lilith's face turned uneasy as she saw Esdeath walking straight toward the pistols and picking one up. Her usually calm demeanor shifted into concern, and she wasn't the only one who felt it.
"Wait a minute, are you sure you want to take that?" Caelum Nyvaris, a C-rank teacher with a worried expression, spoke up. His voice was filled with genuine concern as he approached Esdeath.
"I know pistols have fast attacks," he continued, "but you shouldn't choose it. It only gives you an advantage in the beginning. As students learn more and become stronger, pistols will become useless. There's a limit to how much power you can pack into a bullet."
Caelum wasn’t wrong. At first, pistols seemed like a good choice—quick, easy to use, and effective against weaker opponents. But as students grew stronger and more skilled, the drawbacks of a pistol would start to show. Unlike other weapons, where the power increased with the wielder's mana and spellcasting ability, guns had a hard cap. Mana bullets could only hold so much power, and no matter how much your mana increased, the gun wouldn't enhance your range, power, or penetration. If you tried to force more power into it, the gun would simply explode, injuring the user instead of the enemy.
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But there was another reason why pistols were looked down upon. That is called "Society".
Do you ever hear of a fantasy hero who used a gun as their main weapon?
Of course not. No one ever imagined a hero wielding a gun in a world of magic and swords. Guns were originally created for non-awakened people, those who couldn't use magic, so they could defend themselves by using normal bullets instead of mana bullets. It was a tool for those without other options, not for someone with the potential to wield more powerful weapons.
The other students watched this interaction closely, some whispering among themselves. They understood the reasoning behind Caelum's words, and some even nodded in agreement. Choosing a pistol felt like settling for less, like throwing away the potential for true power.
"Here, I can even give you a demo!" Caelum Nyvaris declared confidently, grabbing a gun and pointing it directly at his own forehead.
"Bang!"
He pulled the trigger. The sound of the gunshot echoed through the air, and many students gasped in shock, their hearts pounding in their chests. But what happened next left everyone speechless. The bullet, despite being fired at such close range, couldn’t penetrate Caelum’s forehead. It didn’t even leave a scratch.
"See?" Caelum said, lowering the gun. "Even with wind magic, you can only increase your bullet's range by 10%, and with fire magic, you might boost the power by 15%. But beyond that, there's no real growth. No matter what you do, you won’t get stronger with this weapon. I highly advise you to choose a bow, like student Valeria Olyndra," he added, pointing towards the elven girl who had just selected her weapon.
But Esdeath's response was far from grateful. "Thanks, but did I ever tell you to give me this one hell of an explanation?" she replied, her voice sharp and full of attitude. There was no sign of gratitude, only fierce defiance.
Lilith, observing the exchange, sighed deeply. "She's as arrogant and stubborn as Lortell," she thought to herself as she turned and left the academy hall without another word. It was clear to her that Esdeath wasn’t going to listen to reason.
The other students and teachers couldn’t help but sigh as well. To them, Esdeath seemed like a complete fool, someone who was throwing away her future by making such a reckless decision.
But just as the tension began to settle, another voice rang out. "I'm taking a gun too!"
It was Eldon Karthanis, one of the most disliked characters in Free Life Fantasy, known for his poor decisions. He would later join Ethan’s party, also wielding a gun.
This time, no one even bothered to explain anything to him. The teachers and students knew it was pointless.
With that, after about half an hour, all of the students finally selected their weapons. As they made their choices, the teachers watched closely, already beginning to predict the paths these young talents might take.
Ethan, with his confident grip on a long sword, seemed destined for the Sword Saint path. Violet, who had chosen a heavy sword, might walk the path of a Berserker, her strength and determination guiding her. Calista Seraphine, with her gentle demeanor and healing wand, would likely follow the path of a Healer. Sylvain, clutching a wand meant for powerful magic, seemed on track to become an Arch-mage. The teachers could almost see the future unfolding before their eyes, each student's journey starting to take shape.
As the selection came to an end, many students began to make their way back to their classes. It was only the first day, so there had only been one lecture. The rest of the time had been taken up by the affinity test and weapon selection.
Calista Seraphine, a standout among her peers, was also heading back to Class A. As the only one not wearing the school uniform, she was impossible to miss. A bright smile lit up her face as she walked, her footsteps light and full of purpose.
But suddenly, she felt the weight of someone’s head resting on her shoulder. Startled, she turned to see a girl with jet-black hair and deep, blood-red eyes—Esdeath Crimson. The chill in Esdeath's voice was unmistakable as she whispered, "I know everything that’s going on in your Church Kingdom."
The words hit Calista like a bolt of lightning. Her eyes widened in shock, fear, and frustration. It was as if the ground beneath her had shifted, leaving her unsteady and vulnerable. How could Esdeath know? The fear of her secrets being exposed caught her completely off guard, and she struggled to maintain her composure.
As Esdeath watched Calista’s reaction, a series of notifications appeared in her mind, each one fueling her dark satisfaction.
<1000 SP rewarded>
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Hmm.... Can anyone tell me, Why every author gives their discord link? what exactly happens there?
well whatever, I can finally start the back story of lortell.