It was the first time since I had awoken that I hadn't spent any time in the spirit world. I knew that I wouldn't be able to do that again any time soon.

Waking up early the next morning, I went immediately back to the spirit world.

I couldn't be sure if anything had happened while I was gone.

Arriving back in the safe room. I was glad to hear that there were no screams of terror or sounds of destruction.

After ensuring that there was no imminent doom. I turned to my tablet. I had not started a second year over the past two days. I now had enough to do my first full year. I wasn't going to be waiting around. But first I had to test out the dark cores.

It had been on my mind since I had received them.

Selecting deposit. All seemed well.

I only chose to use one to test it out. One of the former Warrior cores. While it was slightly bigger than a normal Rank 5 core. The energy emanating from it seemed slightly less dense.

[ + 550 AP]

That was a great find. The dark cores were worth more than the equivalent cores. While it was only a ten per cent difference. I was more than sure that it would add up over time.

I immediately put the other in as well. Which gave me more AP than I had ever had before.

The addition of the points I had gotten from graduating students put me in a very good position with AP.

I could afford to buy the most expensive item in the store as well as two Elite teachers.

I had been simply too intrigued by the Mission Hall since I had first seen it.

With the knowledge that I wouldn't be running out of dark cores any time soon. I couldn't resist purchasing it.

After buying it, I was immediately brought to a new page.

There were currently only three missions available.

[Hunt Goblins][1★]

[Destroy Bandit Camp][2★]

[Collect Wyvern Samples][3★]

Clicking on the first option brought me to the mission info screen.

[Hunt Goblins][1★]

[A nearby goblin tribe has been harassing a local village. Hunt some of their warriors.]

[0/5][Select Students]

[Rewards: 150 AP, Bloody Blade Skill Book.]

Looking at the information made me more than happy with my purchase.

The completion of a single 1-star mission earned me back a tenth of what I spent.

That as well as a skill book made completing the mission look very attractive.

Selecting the students also brought up another list.

All current graduates were listed there. Selecting them would change the mission success percentage at the bottom of the screen.

It would also change how long it would take to complete the mission.

With any combination of five students, the chance of success was a hundred per cent. But some got the mission done far quicker.

Choosing all second-year Aura students would have the mission done in a few hours. While a group filled with healers took closer to a week.

I wasn't sure if there was a benefit other than the rewards but I was keen to find out.

The rewards for the second mission were even more attractive.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

[Rewards: 750 AP, Common Teacher, Golden Shield Skill Book.]

The two-star mission did require a full set of second years to have a guaranteed completion rate.

It required the best of the best first years to even get a seventy per cent chance.

The three-star mission was out of reach for the current academy. As even the best second years only had a ten per cent chance of completing the mission.

[Rewards: 2500 AP, Elite Teacher, Grand Wyvern Summon, Wyvern Claw Skill Book.]

Those rewards almost made me want to try.

While I couldn't be completely sure about the grand wyvern summoning. If it was what I thought it was, then I wanted to complete the mission as soon as possible.

I started two of the missions. Both would be finished in a few hours. I did make sure that I still had enough first years to start a full second year.

I wanted to get a profound teacher soon.

After buying the mission hall, I still had enough to buy the time skips I needed as well as two other elite teachers.

I decided that the Teachers would come first. After all, If I could start a third year immediately then that would be great news. Any higher quality students would surely be a boon.

I was close to having a full second year, with only one elite healing teacher missing.

[Elite Teacher Hester,

Speciality: Mana(Skill, Power),

Secondary Skills: Cantrips,

Teaching Ability: Adequate]

That left only one more mana teacher before I had a full academy of Elite teachers. Which would put my mage production for Eddie far higher.

[Elite Teacher Juarez,

Speciality: Crafting(Forging),

Secondary Skills: Mass Production,

Teaching Ability: Adequate]

Elite Teacher Juarez put me one away in another academy. With his only focus on forging, I was sure that he would be a competent teacher for the second year. But the mass production skill did make me a little tempted to choose him to summon.

There was no more time to mess around. It was the moment of truth.

With a time skip in hand. I filled up the academy's second year for the first time.

All eighty slots were filled up by students.

As soon as I started the class I hoped for the best. But there was no change even after using the time skip.

[Congratulations. Thirty-three students have passed the year and graduated from their second year.]

It wasn't even as many as I was expecting.

There was no change to the screen for a moment so I was getting worried.

[Congratulations on having Sixty Second Year Graduates. You may now create a third-year class.]

While it wasn't what I had hoped, having access to the third-year class was more than enough for now.

Without any profound teachers, I couldn't start the year. But it did allow me to summon one more teacher as well as gave me a new option in the store.

[Profund Teacher: 2500 AP]

While a profound teacher was insanely expensive. With the dark cores and the mission hall, I now had some hope about getting it done.

While the school was pumping out High Mages and High Knights at a good pace. I was looking forward to the third-year graduates. With them, I would be able to imbue myself with the power of a Grand being.

While a little disappointed, I began my career as a full-time spirit dweller with some success.

Without having to worry about reaching the maximum amount of students in the second year. I could be far more liberal about imbuing the trustworthy people Eddie chose.

"Are you telling me the truth? You aren't limited to mages. You can even give people the power of a High Mage?"

Eddie looked like he wanted to do a little jig after I told him about my newfound ability.

It seemed that for the first time, he saw some hope.

There were thirty essential positions that needed to be filled on the walls.

Putting adepts in place wouldn't be able to block much. With mages, you had some chance against the dread beasts for a time.

With High Mages, the walls would be able to last against the weaker forces of the Dread beasts indefinitely.

As long as there were still water and green mages around. Then there would be no problems living out your life in the city, with the war raging around you all the while.

I was sure that visions of that were running through his head.

I certainly didn't want to burst his bubble that even with a full legion of Grand Mages. The city wouldn't survive for long.

I had summoned Douglas back to tell him that I would be going with him to one of the forward bases of the Dread Beasts. To see exactly what we would be facing shortly.

Now that I had two free slots to summon Teachers. I decided to finally get a healer and crafter around.

I would also find out how much of a difference it would be to permanently summon them both.

With Elite Teacher Juarez only having adequate teaching ability. I decided to summon him first. The thought of mass production was simply too appealing to pass up.

That and working with a six-star Crafter was exciting.

The mountain of a man appeared in the ether in front of me. His form made even Harold look small.

His bowing put his head at about the same level as mine.

"Greetings Headmaster. I am pleased to be of service."

I wasn't too sure exactly where he would be the most helpful. So I told both him and the healer I summoned. One of the Common teachers I had to look around the city and see where they could make the most difference. Teacher Wilson seemed to have taken control of the logistics. Thus I led them to her to sort out.

With that done, for the first time in what felt like years, I left the city.