Ichinose easily shared her number.
Thanks to that, Rohan found himself humming a tune in the training facility’s shower room.
Ichinose’s profile picture was that of a small puppy. It seemed to be taken on the street, and just looking at it made all his accumulated fatigue melt away in an instant.
From then on, it was back to the Academy’s routine.
While Rohan didn’t know the teaching styles of other instructors, from his perspective, Joo-yeon’s practical classes were thorough and easy to understand.
Starting today, the lessons focused on achieving physical enhancement without any magical power leakage, though Noah and Ichinose had already mastered this aspect completely.
As a result, the two of them spent their time practicing even more advanced techniques.
However, Rohan and the rest of Class 1 weren’t able to join that training.
Rohan was still struggling to control magical power. It was a power similar to hunter abilities but somewhat different. While he managed to keep it in check, it was far from refined.
After all, he’d never been properly taught.
But that gloomy situation was quickly becoming a thing of the past.
“Rohan, magical power isn’t a force you suppress and dominate.”
“Yes!”
“Don’t try to force it into your body as if pushing it against its will. You need to embrace it, accept it gently, and let it permeate. At first, the pace will feel frustratingly slow, but…”
Joo-yeon was practically his first real teacher and her guidance was invaluable to Rohan.
Thanks to her, he began to find direction in mastering the flow of his magical power.
And then came the dreaded theory class.
“Monsters are rarely encountered in urban areas, but once you step into unmanaged regions outside the city, they become so common you might meet one every few steps.”
“Most monsters multiply by breeding and forming groups, but there are also numerous observed cases where they appear through unusual means, like black monolith-shaped structures or dimensional rifts.”
It was further explained that the Void Whale, which destroyed the southern region, created massive dimensional rifts inside its own mouth.
Rohan continued taking notes quietly as he listened to the lecture.
As for the rest of the theory… the moment he saw formulas involving numbers, it felt like he hit a thick wall, and an army of sleepiness stormed in like a special task force choking him up.
Still, since he had someone to ask for help, he decided to hold onto a bit of hope.
“Good work today. Go home and rest.”
“””””Thank you for your hard work!”””””
After the Academy day ended, Rohan quickly grabbed a simple meal in the cafeteria and headed straight to his part-time job.
Wow, if the cafeteria wasn’t here, I’d probably be dividing a single pack of ramen into four portions.
Thinking of his pitiful bank balance, he was on his way to the Spider Lily Bookstore when the notification he had been waiting for appeared before his eyes.
[The shop list has been updated.]
It was finally time to satisfy his curiosity.
He stopped in his tracks and immediately activated the shop skill.
I’ve saved up a few points, at least.
Through his workouts, Rohan had accumulated two achievements and another from his time at the Spider Lily Bookstore.
Adding to that was the achievement from kicking a stray Gero Eye during a late-night stroll, which had slightly increased his remaining points.
With the hopeful expectation that he might be able to buy something right away, Rohan opened the shop menu.
<Shop — Lv.1>
◇ Unique Skill Level-Up – 2,000P (One-Time Purchase Available)
◇ High-Protein Jerky – 3P
◇ Cloud Bread – 2P
◇ Coral Jelly – 2P
◇ Energy Drink – 2P
◇ Mineral Water – 2P
··
··
[Remaining Points – 273P]
Unique skill!?
A new mechanic had appeared once again.
Just looking at it made his hands itch with excitement. His heart raced at the thought of how the “Inflict Weakness” skill and the shop skill might evolve.
If it’s a one-time purchase, does it level up all the skills at once? Or will it renew after buying it?
In Abyss City, you had to invest energy that accumulated every hour to gather materials from specific dungeons.
This system seemed to be its replacement here.
Rohan moved his legs, which had paused for a moment, and slowly made his way toward the bookstore.
The price tag was far too big for him to indulge in pleasant daydreams.
2,000 points…
It was an utterly outrageous price, one that made his mind feel like it had gone astray.
With just one achievement, it was impossible to even consider it.
It was clear that as the shop’s level increased, even more expensive items would appear, and the limitations of obtaining items solely through achievements were already becoming apparent.
Should I head south? Or maybe if I wander around the academy city and kill every monster I see…
As he closed the shop menu, the Spider Lily Bookstore came into view.
Work came first.
Determined to focus on his tasks, Rohan cleared his mind and tied on his apron.
It was at that slightly late hour.
Clara, as usual, visited the Spider Lily Bookstore. Was she planning to stand and read until closing time again today?
Seeing the girl, Rohan prepared the bait he had set up in advance.
Alright. There are no customers other than Clara.
While the store manager was away, he turned on a game on his smartphone at the counter.
– Company Wave!
With the volume raised to just one notch, the game’s name rang out clearly.
Though the sound wasn’t loud, in the quiet bookstore, it was enough to be heard without fail.
Even here, I end up playing gacha games…
Rohan moved his fingers swiftly and confidently, following the structure he was now familiar with.
The game Clara had been playing last time was Company Wave.
It was a well-known game, famous enough to surface immediately just by recalling the clues he’d seen on her screen. The story revolved around running a company that specialized in cleaning up monsters.
In the monthly revenue rankings, it held a spot around 50th place but it was renowned as a pillar of the defense genre, with a reputation for being as solid as a layer of concrete.
I should’ve started earlier. I missed the collaboration event.
It was surprisingly fun. It was also well-made.
Even without aiming to use it as a connection with Clara, the game’s sheer appeal was enough to keep him hooked.
So much so that it was painful not having the funds to pull for the items he wanted.
– Three Chain!
– Energy Supply!
Keeping the game sound to a minimum was enough. It might not reach the ears of the store manager, but Clara would definitely hear it.
Even just the sound effects of skill usage would be enough for her to recognize what game it was.
I’ve finished the daily quests… time to get serious.
Rohan carefully reviewed all the information he’d observed about Clara back in Abyss City and devised a strategy.
A way to catch the attention of a girl who was utterly engrossed in manga and games.
Operation: Clean Water in Front of a Stagnant Water.
He deliberately set up an inefficient lineup and let the autoplay function run to make sure it was something she could easily notice.
He placed the Healer and the Damage Dealer at the front and deliberately set up a low-difficulty self-destruction lineup. It was a mindless play style that was essential to the plan. Just hearing the order in which the characters fell would surely raise questions.
A formation with no synergy was another perfect way to get under Clara’s skin.
The real issue, though, was how close this was driving “him” to madness.
Watching the energy go to waste made his hands tremble uncontrollably.
“Hmm, it’s not clearing.”
– Ugh, I must complete the mission somehow…
The pitiful voice signaled a failed attempt at clearing the stage.
Clara, who had been tucked between the bookshelves, flinched and her shoulders jerked slightly.
“Why did they make this so difficult? Is it designed just to push you into spending money?”
Her muttering was clear, and her hands gripping the book visibly trembled.
Rohan could sense her inner conflict. She was debating whether to glance his way or not. So he turned his head entirely and avoided eye contact altogether.
Never make the first move.
Clara was the kind of girl who would flee a hundred steps if you dared take one toward her. She had to come willingly.
Which meant patience was the only solution, the kind built on restraint and quiet waiting.
With a sigh that suggested mild disappointment in the game, Rohan put his smartphone away and remained at the counter until closing time.
…
…
Tomorrow was Saturday.
That meant both the academy and his part-time job would be on break.
The unexpected closure of the Spider Lily Bookstore wasn’t part of the plan, but when the store manager mentioned wanting to take the weekend off to celebrate his grandson’s birthday, Rohan readily agreed.
What should I do with these two days?
Rohan was torn between wandering around Academy City to look for quest triggers or immersing himself in studying the theories he still lacked.
While mulling over this dilemma, he returned to the dormitory and checked the online newspaper he’d subscribed to.
“……!”
Finally, he spotted something that could only be described as the beginning of the main story.
[A 30-year-old male content creator goes missing while filming an exploration of a restricted ruin.]
– After tracing the last phone call with an acquaintance, it is assumed that he was attacked by someone while filming, and according to the data released by the Elysium Public Safety Department, only a severed leg was found at the scene…
It’s here!
This was it. The precursor to the main story teased in the limited content of the 1.0 version when Abyss City first launched.
The structure was unmistakable. It matched the main storyline format perfectly.
[A quest has been triggered.]
As soon as he recognized it, a notification window appeared.
[Act 1: The Broken Crown]
◇ Quest Objective: Discover the truth behind the sinister crimes occurring in Academy City. This case might be connected to the group monitoring Noah Frozenheart. Investigate and resolve the matter before the Elysium Police Bureau can.
◇ Category: Main Story
◇ Rewards for Success: Erase Battle Traces, Murder Manual Skill Book, Random Point Pouch.
◇ Penalty for Failure: None
The rewards are good.
The Murder Manual was a skill even Rohan knew about.
It was a solid passive ability that increased damage dealt against humans or humanoid monsters.
On top of that, the additional reward, the Point Pouch, was interesting. Although the word “random” was a bit unsettling, it still meant he would receive points.
“…….”
Creak!
When Rohan arrived at the dormitory, he pulled on a pitch-black hoodie and grabbed the mask he had bought earlier.
In his pocket, there was a single knife.
That was all he needed to wander through the dimly lit Academy City after the sun had set.
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