After returning to the dormitory, Rohan finished his shower and stuffed his clothes into the laundry basket.
He then lay on the bed and opened the shop interface.
< Shop ─ Lv.1 >
◇ Random Skill Book – 500P (1-time purchase available)
◇ High-Protein Jerky – 3P
◇ Cloud Bread – 2P
◇ Coral Jelly – 2P
◇ Energy Drink – 2P
◇ Bottled Water – 2P
··
··
[Remaining Points – 722P]
Just looking at the points made him feel secure.
Even after spending 3P on jerky, he had amassed a solid amount of points.
Plenty to go around!
The 50P he earned from facing the instructor and the 300P he received for completing the quest had added up nicely.
Rohan already knew what he was going to purchase.
The Random Skill Book, of course.
No matter what anyone said, this choice was a no-brainer.
However, there was one lingering question he couldn’t shake, one that might not even be resolved after he bought it.
“……”
Rohan stared intently at the words “Random Skill Book” and went into deep thought.
Does it only offer skills I can learn?
Just how broad was the scope of this so-called randomness?
The question of whether the Skill Book would appear as a physical book or if he would simply acquire the skill the moment he purchased it was impossible to predict.
Rohan had no idea how the shop’s skill system would work.
In the worst-case scenario, he could end up drawing a Skill Book that contained an ability tied to a completely different attribute, one he couldn’t even learn. This would effectively mean a waste of his points.
I need to draw a physical or fire attribute skill…
In moments like this, attributes felt like such a bothersome restriction.
Just because one had a common physical attribute didn’t mean they could shoot shockwaves, and simply possessing the fire attribute didn’t mean they could emit flames from their body.
Perhaps it would be possible when his level increased, but for now, attributes were simply a factor that revealed their true value when learning skills.
Let’s trust my luck.
Before he could dwell on it any longer, Rohan extended his hand.
After all, not buying it wasn’t an option.
[You have bought the Random Skill Book.]
As his points were deducted, the space around him rippled slightly.
Just as Rohan recalled the experience of buying jerky, something unexpected occurred with the shop system.
[Updating the shop list.]
[You may still buy items from the current list during the update.]
[Estimated time remaining — 46:01:56]
Although the update timer was ridiculously long, this was definitely the same notification window he had seen on the day of the placement test.
Perhaps it was rearranging the items because he had already purchased all the one-time-only goods.
While he was piecing this together…
“!”
A skill suddenly settled deep into his consciousness.
It was vividly clear.
[Blazing Blade — Rank: D]
◇ Heats the blade using magical power.
Huh?
When Rohan learned the skill, he blinked. The emotions he felt at that moment weren’t clear disappointment or joy.
Instead, they were like a fog of confusion.
Whose skill is this?
Rohan prided himself on knowing all the skills that could be learned in Abyss City, which was why he found this so puzzling.
Even for characters he hadn’t raised, he could still identify their skills.
But this one was entirely new to him.
While a D-rank skill wasn’t extraordinary, the existence of a skill he didn’t recognize at all left him speechless.
It was, in truth, a shocking revelation.
What on earth…?
Rohan once again pondered just how far the domain of “random” extended.
Eventually, he came up with a plausible theory.
Does it include not just playable characters but also skills used by enemies or NPCs… all of them?
Rohan jumped out of bed and grabbed the blade he had left on the table.
He decided to test the skill on the knife he had taken as loot.
Tszzzzzt!
A sound like dry wood splitting filled the air.
Instead of bursting into flames, the blade itself heated up and turned a deep red.
Rohan observed the unnatural heat created by his magical power.
Will the knife melt though?
Concerned the blade might melt, Rohan quickly withdrew his magical power.
As the magical power evaporated, the knife instantly returned to its cold metallic state. It was clearly different from an ordinary flame.
Rather than being a skill suitable for killing…
It was definitely a skill designed to kill monsters that were vulnerable to fire rather than humans.
When it came to killing humans, there was nothing more effective than inflicting the status condition of bleeding.
Additionally, a practical use for the skill came to mind.
If I burn wounds with this, it should stop the bleeding quickly.
It was a method commonly referred to as cauterization.
Compared to other methods, it was highly accessible and frequently used for stopping bleeding during urgent battles.
If I were to use this on a longsword…
Bzzzzzzt––!
Rohan’s thoughts were interrupted by the vibration of his smartphone.
It was time to sleep if he wanted to head out for his morning workout.
***
“Hmmm.”
Joo-yeon sat in the consultation room reviewing evaluation sheets and documents once again while waiting for Rohan, who had requested a meeting.
Rohan. A swordsman from the southern region… Judging by the timing, he must’ve been left alone when the Void Whale appeared.
The Void Whale.
A monster currently considered the largest and most massive ever observed, as well as one of the highest-ranked.
It was a disaster creature that, upon surfacing, opened its massive maw to endlessly spew out monsters. It had annihilated the southern land that was once one of the major powers in an instant.
It was also the decisive event that caused the Three Nations Alliance, Tigrova, and the Sepia Archipelago to set aside political conflicts and unite.
From the southern region…
Joo-yeon looked at Rohan’s photo.
She was aware of the existence of a small village that survivors had built amidst the ruins of the southern region.
Only the people living there were officially recognized as residents of the South, just like Rohan.
But in reality, what had the South become?
It had turned into a refuge for criminals from various nations. That small village too had reportedly been attacked by criminals, leaving only a handful of survivors.
What a headache.
She found it unsettling to consider surviving such a calamity as just him being lucky.
This wasn’t something Joo-yeon could judge.
For all she knew, Rohan might consider his survival an unfortunate twist of fate.
Be cautious with word choices during the talk.
Joo-yeon scribbled Rohan’s name in her notebook and added more details as the soft scratch of her pen filled the quiet room.
She had no intention of using words that might stir up a student’s nightmares.
“Haaah…”
What reason could he have for requesting this meeting?
Feeling the dryness in her throat, Joo-yeon opened her tumbler and took a sip of tea.
He’s here.
She sensed someone’s presence outside.
Joo-yeon tidied the documents she had laid out and organized her desk into a neat and orderly state.
Knock, knock, knock.
A polite knock sounded, quickly followed by a voice.
– This is Rohan, who requested the meeting.
“Come in.”
Rohan entered the room with a soft creak of the door and bowed his head politely.
“I apologize for bothering you when you must be busy.”
“There’s no need for such formality. Sit down.”
“Excuse me, then.”
Joo-yeon checked the time one last time before starting the consultation.
It was a relief that there was still enough time before the morning assembly.
“So, what brings you to request this meeting?”
Joo-yeon met Rohan’s gaze directly as he sat across from her.
Rohan wasted no time and got straight to the point.
“I’m here to request permission to take on a part-time job.”
“A part-time job?”
“Yes. I haven’t found one yet, but I understand I need to get approval before I can start looking.”
Joo-yeon was aware of this. Indeed, the academy’s guidelines clearly stated as much.
However, it was rare for a student of Orion Academy to take on a part-time job in the first place.
“A part-time job… Is it for financial reasons?”
“Yes. I need to cover living expenses and hopefully save up for a weapon.”
Every time Joo-yeon encountered this darker cycle of society through moments like these, it left a bitter taste in her mouth.
The stiff, formal tone that didn’t suit someone wearing a first-year badge only deepened her unease. His way of speaking… like he was already accustomed to structure and order made the bitterness even sharper.
“……”
The vast majority of Orion Academy students enjoyed financial freedom. In other words, they didn’t have to worry about making ends meet.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that this freedom was a major reason many of them were able to enter Orion Academy in the first place.
An elite path laid out from an early age.
The academy was filled with students who had undergone systematic training without wasting time. That’s why the Orion Academy students were overwhelmingly skilled compared to their peers of the same age.
And because of that—
It’s a vicious cycle.
She was well aware of it.
She knew that the rest of academy life would likely follow a similar pattern.
Students like Rohan would have no choice but to invest their time in part-time jobs, while others could devote all their time and energy to training without such worries.
The same was true for scholarships.
Students who used their time efficiently were more likely to achieve outstanding grades. However, with his struggles in theory evaluations, Rohan wouldn’t qualify for a scholarship anytime soon.
“I see… Have you decided what kind of part-time job you’ll be doing?”
“I haven’t settled on anything specific yet. I think I’ll have to choose based on what positions are available.”
From Joo-yeon’s perspective, it seemed clear that he wasn’t in a position to be picky about the work.
“Of course, you know this already, but illegal jobs are absolutely out of the question.”
“Yes!”
Joo-yeon felt both ashamed and resentful of her position, which required her to end the conversation with formalities.
However, seeing Rohan respond so decisively brought a faint smile to her lips.
How admirable.
The fact that he had the ability to enter Orion Academy and yet hadn’t fallen into crimes born of desperation.
The fact that he had managed to enroll in this academy despite his harsh circumstances.
Truly remarkable.
It was only regrettable that she couldn’t offer him direct support due to issues of fairness.
“When you decide on a part-time job, organize the details and send me a message. I’ll take care of the rest.”
“Thank you.”
When she saw Rohan grow happy at her approval, Joo-yeon rose from her seat.
Almost instinctively, she reached out and gently patted his head as if to soothe him.
“…Stay strong.”
Then, she said that it was time for the morning assembly and led the way to their class.
Rohan followed her. Though he was puzzled by her gentle touch.
Has she always been like this?
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