The weather is pleasant, the sun rising slowly and casting a warm, golden hue across the dark corner street. People awake from their well-rested slumber, their voices a soft murmur as they prepare to start their day. The crowd has yet to gather around the entrance of the dungeon, giving it a ring of pleasant silence. Breaking this silence are a set of footsteps. Emerging from the seemingly empty dungeon is a young man with jet-black hair, tousled and unkempt, and dark brown irises that hold a hint of weariness. Below his eyes are noticeable dark circles, as if he had just spent countless nights revising his research paper without taking a nap.
"As expected, navigating from the eleventh to the first floor without preparation and relying only on experience as your saving grace is too much."
Eis spoke his last words before passing out from exhaustion. Lying down in the middle of the street with no one around, Eis was too tired to even bother to think of how he needs to get up. As Eis' eyelids grew heavier, Eis could barely see someone approaching him, The figure wore heels made of glass, catching the light in a way that refracted it into a prism of colors.
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What happened? Am I in heaven? This warm feeling of a cozy blanket envelops me; the bed sheet is so soft, it feels as if it were tailored to make me comfortable. The bed and pillow make it seem like I'm floating.
Filled with blissful thoughts, the sudden realization that a concrete shouldn't be this comfortable woke Eis up.
"HUH!" Screamed Eis as he burst forth from his slumber.
Awaiting him from the waking world, wearing a blank expression, was a young girl who seemed to be his age. She wore a simple yet elegant dress; her light blonde, almost platinum-colored hair was braided and rested on her shoulder, giving her an air of quiet elegance.
That's twice in a row, I've woken up to someone watching me sleep.
"You were passed out in the middle of the street, so I thought I should make you owe me a favour by helping." Said by the young girl in a monotonous tone.
"Didn't your parents teach you not to bring strangers home?"
"Didn't your parents teach you not to sleep in the open streets like a bum?"
Huh? What is up with this girl?
"That aside, may I ask your name?"
"Anneliese." As the young girl uttered her name, a gust of wind blew through the window. Looking at her expression, which had always been blank from the start, one could see it assume a solemn look as she stared at the open window.
"How would you like me to thank you, Anneliese?"
"I will ask you when I want to collect your due."
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"As for today's activity, you shall use your raw geist to reduce the orb's geist resistance. The faster you reduce it, the higher the credits you get."
[Hochmut Debil, 24 seconds.]
[Anneliese Furstin, 27 seconds.]
Eitel spread his geist across the room affecting other students' resistance orb.
[Eitel Damlich, 35 seconds.]
"Speed isn't all there is to combat. At the upcoming annual Academy Ehre's student festival also known as Geist Protzen, I shall triumph over anyone else."
[Schatten Vertraut, 40 seconds.]
"Clearing within a minute, as expected they are a class of their own."
"Eitel is seriously getting way too overly cocky."
The students murmured at the great accomplishments of the top four. With some displeased at Eitel's antics.
"On the other hand look at that."
[Eis Drache, 5 minutes and 27 seconds.]
Eis paid no heed to the students whispering and mocking him from behind, and as soon as the class was dismissed, he headed to the training rooms of the academy, where the practice golems were stationed. Ever since Letz's lesson, Eis had been practicing what he had been taught diligently every day.
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It had been three weeks since Letz's lesson, and Eis had shown significant improvement through the practice golems. Anneliese, who had been observing him ever since she found his unconscious body on the street, approached Eis as he was taking a break in the training center.
"It has come to my notice that, for someone regarded as talentless, your growth is quite exponential, especially whenever you tackle the dungeon." Anneliese pointing out her observation with casualness.
"Wait, have you been stalking me?"
"I have come to collect your due."
Anneliese insisted on having a sparring match with the intent of assessing his true skills. Feeling pressured by her persistent approach and the weight of her expectant gaze, Eis gave in, a mix of reluctance and determination swirling in his chest as they positioned themselves. Before they started, Eis asked what class she possessed, but to his disappointment, he was met with silence.
Anneliese took the first strike. With a cluster of white geist in her palms, she raised her hands and shot it into the air.
[Herrscher.]
As it reached the top, the geist exploded, splashing in Eis's direction. Wary of his opponent's abilities, Eis evaded the geist that might have hit him otherwise. Seeing an opening, he charged straight toward Anneliese, running past the splattered geists on the ground. As he closed the distance and was about to reach her, the geists sparkled, manipulating the ground to rise and envelop his body.
[Auslosen Herrscher.]
Before he could process what had happened, a golem emerged from the ground where the geist had settled, punching Eis and sending him flying.
"So you're a regulator." Despite being hurt from the attack, Eis still identified Anneliese's class.
"Aren't you quick on the uptake."
Letz's task for me is a bit too much to tackle right away, so to start at my level, I will continuously circulate my geist in a circular motion, moving it throughout my body when entering combat. So far, it has proven effective, gradually increasing the circumference as my endurance improves until it circulates throughout my body.
Recomposing himself, Eis took a deep breath, grounding himself in the present. He felt the energy of his geist pulsing within him, a familiar force that he now needed to harness. As he began to circulate his geist throughout his body, a sense of focus enveloped him. His dark brown eyes gradually transformed, subtle sparks of azure flickering within, hinting at the power that was awakening. He could feel the intensity of the moment, the air thick with anticipation, as he prepared.
This time, Eis took the initiative, charging forward with a significant increase in speed, shocking Anneliese. The sound of his footsteps echoed against the stone floor. Gathering the geist scattered across the floor, she felt its energy crackle at her fingertips as she formed it into a spiral shape. The air hummed with tension, and a faint glow surrounded the spiraling energy.
[Saule Herrscher]
Transforming the ground into a massive pillar, she aimed to capture Eis. The pillar erupted upward, sending a cloud of dust into the air, but as she opened it, she was met with nothing but emptiness. The sudden silence hung heavy in the air, amplifying her disbelief. Shocked, Anneliese turned around, and the dust settled to reveal Eis behind her, his wooden sword pointed at her.
"How did you beat me?" In disbelief, Anneliese inquired, her eyes sparkling as she moved her face closer to Eis'.
"Ah, get out of my face... All I did was charge at you while considering how you utilized your skills."
"In that instance, you figured out my technique?"
"Well, not exactly, I just speculated your technique base on what I've seen. Experience is my only saving grace against powerful opponents."
I further elaborated to Anneliese that, because of how she showcased her technique early on, I was able to guess how her geistkraft works. By simply observing the enemy, she had unlocked one of the prerequisites for the winning condition. A wise man once said, "If you know your enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the results of a hundred battles."
"What's your geistkraft anyways?" Eis inquired.
Anneliese explained that her technique, Herrscher, is a form of geist, and everything it touches bends to her will. Time continued to pass by as the two of us engage in discussion. We went from one topic to another, lost in the warmth of our conversation.
"As expected, you truly are different. Participate in the student fest, Geist Protzen, with me!" Uttered by Anneliese in a monotonous yet enthusiastic manner.
Huh?