Episode 9. First Class (1)

After a meaningful(?) reunion with Juliet.

I spent the remaining suspension period quietly focusing on building my foundation.

-*Swoosh*.

As soon as I woke up in the morning, I cut my throat with the sword placed by my bedside.

Feeling the burning pain of the Primordial Flame searing my chest, I immediately began meditation.

Even without meditation, my magic power would naturally increase.

But by focusing my mind through meditation, I could accumulate more magic power than usual.

‘The pain lasts about 5 minutes.’

Only within this time could I feel the energy of the Primordial Flame and accumulate magic power.

“*Sigh*, *Huu*.”

I repeated long breaths, focusing on the mental image within.

*Whoosh!*

What appeared in my mind was an endless, colossal flame.

I carefully stepped forward, gazing at the fiercely burning fire that seemed ready to consume the world.

In front of this vast inferno, I was nothing but a handful of ashes.

‘Come.’

I reached out toward the flames.

Burning my flesh, scorching my soul.

I grasped the fiercely burning flames.

An even more intense pain violently assaulted my body.

For anyone else, this excruciating pain would have made them foam at the mouth and lose consciousness instantly.

‘It’s fine.’

I can endure it.

I can withstand it.

Pain is familiar.

Agony is a friend.

This much.

Compared to the countless deaths I’ve experienced, this is nothing but a speck of dust.

‘Move.’

I tried to will it, but the massive flames didn’t budge.

It merely shook off the annoying bug clinging to it.

Only a candle-sized Fire Seed remained in my palm.

I carefully moved my arm to ensure the Fire Seed on my palm didn’t extinguish.

‘This is about the amount I can bring this time.’

Though it was a minuscule amount compared to the agony of having my body and soul burned by the flames.

For now, even this much was more than enough.

I slowly brought the burning candle on my palm to my left chest.

And then.

“*Huu*.”

I exhaled the breath I had been holding and opened my eyes.

The pain, which felt like a hot iron searing my chest, had completely disappeared.

“Oh, this time it increased quite a bit.”

By visualizing the mental image and concretizing the act of ‘bringing the fire,’ I could accumulate much more magic power than just enduring the pain for 5 minutes while sweating.

‘This is similar to breathing techniques.’

I once heard from Yuren that even with the same breathing technique, the amount of magic power accumulated varies greatly depending on how one visualizes the ‘mental image’ and concretizes it.

Back then, no matter what I did, my magic power wouldn’t increase, so I just let it go in one ear and out the other.

“So this is how it feels.”

The thought that the amount of magic power accumulated depends on my effort and skill made me feel motivated.

‘Even so, four times a day is the limit.’

I swallowed a bitter smile and put the sword back into its sheath.

On the bedsheet, gray ashes remained after ‘revival.’

“Cleaning this up every time is a chore.”

Since the blood that spurts out when I cut my throat disappears along with the body’s regeneration, there’s no need to wash the bedsheet.

But cleaning up these ashes is just as troublesome.

‘I need to think of another method.’

Cutting my throat with a sword is simple and less painful.

But the blood spurting out and the head falling off are too noisy (even though they disappear quickly), so I feel the need to change the method.

‘I need to find a cleaner, more concise way to end my life.’

For now, I don’t have the luxury to ponder new suicide methods.

“Let’s wash up.”

Monday, marking the start of the week.

The day to attend the first class after returning.

* * *

Early morning.

The hallway was filled with Candidates moving to attend the morning class.

“Oh, it’s Dale.”

“Ah, is that the rumored guy…?”

“I heard he even beat up Juliet this time?”

“But wasn’t he ranked last in the overall evaluation?”

“That’s why everyone’s making a fuss! They say he’s been hiding his strength all along.”

“Is he some kind of drama protagonist?”

On the way to the ‘Combat Training’ classroom.

The whispers of the Candidates lining the hallway reached my ears.

The incidents I caused last week seemed to have become quite a topic within the school, as every Candidate I passed was talking about me.

‘I didn’t expect it to become this much of a topic.’

Well, I understand.

Even I would be interested if I heard rumors that the worst Candidate in school history, who was always at the bottom, suddenly started beating everyone up as if he had changed overnight.

‘I don’t want to stand out too much.’

But I had no intention of hiding my strength and cowering.

In the past.

No, from this point, it should be called the future.

To pull these people who have only been chasing after me, I couldn’t remain as the ‘bottom Candidate.’

-*Creak*.

Ignoring the whispers around me, I opened the classroom door.

“……”

“……”

The Candidates’ gazes focused on me, and an awkward silence fell.

“*Sigh*.”

Thinking that this atmosphere would continue for a while, I couldn’t help but sigh.

‘Where’s Iris?’

My gaze naturally turned toward the window.

There, I saw Iris, her eyes shining with interest as she looked at me, and next to her, Camila, glaring at me as if she wanted to kill me on the spot.

‘I should apologize to Camila.’

Seeing that, if I tried to talk to her now, instead of apologizing, another commotion would break out.

“*Gulp*.”

I ignored their gazes and sat down.

As I sat, the awkward silence in the classroom gradually turned into murmurs.

Listening carefully, most of the murmurs were about me.

“Alright, brats. Stop chattering and sit down.”

Professor Lucas entered the classroom, opening the door.

His gaze swept across the classroom and landed on me.

“If you fall asleep in my class one more time, you’ll be flying out, so be prepared.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Good.”

I bowed my head properly, and Professor Lucas nodded without further comment.

Even though he was caught off guard, the rumor that a Candidate sent him flying with a punch in his sleep must have made him quite the talk among the professors.

The fact that he let it go with a simple apology showed his character.

‘It was largely thanks to Professor Lucas that I managed to graduate, even if I was at the bottom.’

Recalling my past life, I smiled warmly.

“Alright, before we start the class, let’s take attendance.”

Professor Lucas began calling names, wandering around the classroom.

As I wondered why he was wandering around while taking attendance.

“Dale Han.”

“Here.”

*Swish*.

As Professor Lucas passed by me, he discreetly handed me a white note.

‘What’s this?’

Curious, I unfolded the note.

[Remember! I only lost that time because I was caught off guard! If I were serious, a brat like you wouldn’t even be a snack!]

“……”

I take back what I said about him not holding grudges.

‘How petty is this guy?’

I looked at Professor Lucas with a dumbfounded expression, and he coughed awkwardly, avoiding my gaze.

Well.

At least he knows he’s being embarrassing.

‘He’s quite an amusing guy.’

I stifled a laugh and tucked the note into my left chest pocket.

“Good. Everyone’s here.”

After finishing the attendance, Professor Lucas stood at the podium and looked around at the Candidates.

“What’s today’s class called?”

“Combat Training.”

“Right. The purpose of this class is to gain experience and knowledge for actual combat against Mins or Monsters.”

Professor Lucas nodded and continued explaining.

“Candidate Albert.”

“Ah, yes!”

“What do you think is the most important thing in preparing for actual combat?”

After a moment of thought, Albert stood up abruptly and clenched his fist.

“I think… it’s ‘courage’ to face the enemy without fear.”

“Courage is for packing your lunchbox.”

“Huh?”

“Hahaha! How about that? It’s a joke I heard from Professor Bianca recently. Pretty funny, right?”

“Ah… yes.”

Albert sat down with a blank expression.

Professor Lucas, who had come down from the podium, placed a pot-lid-sized hand on Albert’s shoulder and laughed heartily.

“Laugh.”

“Huh?”

“Laugh.”

“Ahahahaha!!! Comparing ‘courage’ to a lunchbox container! Professor Bianca has such great sense! Ahahaha! Ah, I laughed so hard my stomach hurts!”

“Good, good. That’s more like it.”

Professor Lucas nodded with satisfaction, while Albert, whether his stomach really hurt (from nervousness) or not, clutched his stomach and trembled.

“Now, back to the main topic.”

Professor Lucas walked back up to the podium and continued with a serious expression.

“The most important thing in actual combat isn’t useless courage, but ‘experience.'”

At first, Candidates tremble in fear just from seeing a Monster’s gaze, but after cutting down a few Monsters, they get used to it.

“And you can’t gain actual combat experience in this small classroom.”

*Tap*.

The professor lightly tapped the podium and pointed outside the window.

“Come out. Today’s class is outdoors.”

At the mention of an outdoor class, low sighs erupted throughout the classroom.

“And for this class, you’ll form parties of three. Gather your party members freely. You have 15 minutes.”

At the mention of a party class, the classroom buzzed again.

Some Candidates smiled brightly as if they had no worries, while others looked around anxiously with worried expressions.

‘Party class.’

Party class.

A term that made me sigh involuntarily.

Thinking that after graduation, most Hero activities are done in ‘parties,’ it’s good to have experience forming parties with others even as a Candidate.

‘But every time, I ended up with the leftover Candidates who couldn’t find a party.’

The atmosphere of such forced parties was indescribably terrible.

‘This time…’

Just in case, I looked around.

“*Gulp*.”

As expected.

With all the rumors swirling around me, no Candidate would want to form a party with me.

Thinking I’d have to form a party with leftover Candidates whose names I barely knew, I let out a deep sigh.

“Mr. Dale.”

A familiar voice came from behind.

“Would you like to form a party with us?”

Turning my head, I saw the Saintess with a gentle smile on her lips.