[Astron Natusalune, Cadet Rank 2450, approved.]
WOOSH!
As the door opened after my identity was confirmed, I slowly stepped into the training rooms inside the academy.
“Sigh….”
I needed to remove those thoughts from my head while also testing my new weapon, and that was the reason why I was here.
“You act all cold and edgy because you don’t have a family, do you?” The talk we had on the train was different from the past ones. I didn’t know when it began, but strangely, I was comfortable when it came to talking with Irina, even though it was mostly bickering.
“You lost them, and now you’re this lone wolf with a chip on his shoulder, observing everyone like you’re some wise sage.”
And the words that spilled from her mouth stung for some reason.
‘She was right, though.’
Observing is a habit of mine. Watching other people, learning their weaknesses, and storing them in my head for future use.
This wasn’t something bad; at least, I don’t think it is. However, looking at the past and what I did, it is quite easy to say that I didn’t behave well and acted like I knew everything.
I also acted edgy and cold towards other people, and I was rude.
‘Some of them deserved it, but then some of them didn’t.’
This was especially the case with Sylvie.
‘Now that I felt how those words feel like, I guess I was being an asshole.’
Whether she needed to get stronger or confront her past…There were better ways to do that, but rather than doing those, I spoke what I had in mind without thinking how it would make the other party feel.
“Well….I can’t change the past, and it is not like what I did was wrong.”
Of course, being an asshole and speaking harshly doesn’t necessarily mean it is something bad.
The other party may feel angry, but feelings are temporary, and nobody cares about how you feel. If it gets you to the results you want, then feeling bad is not important.
I could approach the topic a lot more gently, but it would take a lot more time and effort, which I didn’t have. I couldn’t invest such a large amount of time into that and went with the most optimal decision from my point of view.
“At least I won’t hold this moral superiority from now on.”
In the future, I might change the way I speak or the way I act, or I might not change it. At the very least, I am acknowledging what I did wrong, and this is the first step to improving.
“Anyway, enough with the useless thoughts.”
Mumbling like that, I readied myself. Right now, what was important was to familiarize myself with my weapon and understand its capabilities.
Reaching out to the empty shooting range, I readied myself.
‘I guess the cadets are all resting.’
This was a common occurrence. Since the mid-terms had just ended and the cadets came from their break, nobody was here training, and I was here all alone.
[Which stage you wish to set?]
“Stage 3.”
[Understood.]
The stages for shooting range were not much different from combat training rooms. It was just that the targets wouldn’t attack you, and you could solely focus on your skills.
[3.]
I instinctively knew how to use the weapon in my head. Just like how it felt to draw different colors of my mana, the process was similar.
[2.]
‘I should thank Senior Maya when I have a chance.’
It was largely because of her that I was able to learn how to control my mana precisely.
[1.]
‘Let’s start.’
As I drew my green mana and supplied it to my weapon, the rifle manifested in my hand, an ethereal creation with intricate designs glowing softly. Just as I had seen in my head, the design was the same.
It didn’t seem like a normal modern rifle that shot bullets but rather a fantasy weapon with a futuristic design. [The training starts.]
With the voice of the training room voice assistant, the dummy targets appeared on the shooting range one by one.
WR!
A low hum resonated as I channeled mana through the rifle. Orbs of condensed energy danced on its surface.
‘Deep breath.’
Relaxing myself, I focused on the feeling of the weapon. The mana I had channeled was like an extension of my energy, and now I was feeling how it felt to condense it on the tip.
‘Aim.’
The energized bullets formed a vortex at the rifle’s muzzle as my eyes observed the movements of the dummies.
‘Certainly, the increase in my stats is evident.’
I was able to feel the movements of the targets a lot better than before, thanks to the increase in my intuition parameter.
SWOOSH!
Countdown reaching ‘1’, I squeezed the trigger.
Energy erupted, bullets speeding toward holographic targets.
PAT! PAT! PAT!
Each shot found its mark, the targets shattering one by one.
‘The power is a lot more than before.’
This change in the power output was something that was incomparable to the previous times.
‘I knew the Moonstone would help.’
Just as I had expected and speculated before, my power output was limited because of the medium I had been using. And, now that it was Moonstone, the power of the moon was flowing a lot more swiftly than before.
‘I need to experiment with the power a lot more, but I don’t think it will fall short against the rank-4 or maybe rank-5 awakened.’
It was very hard to measure the limits of my new power in this short amount of time, but I was not in a hurry in any case.’
SWOOSH! TAP!
But, aside from the power output, there was one other important thing.
‘The characteristic of the green-colored mana is still preserved.’
Just like before, whenever the condensed energy of green-mana hit the enemy, it left a trail. A small thread that connected me to the target that was shot revealed the target’s location and guided a possible trajectory.
‘This will come in handy.’
As the last target vanished, I lowered the rifle, a mix of satisfaction and concentration on my face. The hum faded, and the weapon returned to its dormant state.
“Sufficient,” I muttered, recognizing the successful integration of the rifle’s capabilities. The exploration didn’t meet its end, but there were many things I needed to check more.
“Change the formation.”
I called the voice assistant.
[Which form do you wish to set?]
“Unmoving.”
[Understood.]
The shooting range shifted, adapting to my new command. This time, the targets weren’t going to stand still. I drew out the green mana within the weapon, this time channeling blue-colored mana to initiate the transformation. The ethereal rifle morphed seamlessly into a dazzling longbow, bathed in a vibrant, fiery blue hue as if ignited by celestial flames.
‘It is pretty shiny.’
It was probably because of the intrinsic characteristics of the blue mana.
The radiant weapon felt weightless yet potent in my hands. I marveled at its new form, the azure glow casting an ethereal light across the training room.
[3.]
A familiar countdown resonated through the room.
[2.]
‘Senior Maya’s training will pay off with this too.’
[1.]
The azure longbow pulsed with energy, ready to unleash its devastating power.
‘Let’s see what you can do.’
I notched an arrow infused with violent blue moon energy, the room darkening with anticipation.
SWOOSH!
The arrow released, soaring through the air with unparalleled speed.
BOOM
As it hit the first dummy, a resounding explosion echoed, the force of the impact reverberating through the room.
‘Incredible power.’
Each subsequent shot created a symphony of explosions, the room filled with the sound of destruction. The azure arrows left trails of sizzling energy in their wake, painting a mesmerizing spectacle against the holographic targets.
‘This is a game-changer.’
The high firepower of the longbow was unparalleled. The room transformed into a battlefield of simulated chaos, arrows striking with precision and leaving nothing but remnants of the holographic dummies.
‘I’ve never felt this level of power before. I think this power output can rival the ones of the first 100 students.’
The power was this high.
‘However, again. It is very hard to control.’
The energy was very hard to direct for a ranged attack. The power output might go head-to-head with a high-ranking student’s power, but the lack of consistency was its disadvantage.
‘I will need to spend a lot of time mastering it.’
What I had the advantage of wasn’t head-on confrontation but stealth. This was the basics of a ranger, and I needed to master this form to the extent that I should be able to use it consistently.
‘Then, again, it is still better compared to before.’
There wasn’t much time I needed to spend to channel energy, and I also didn’t need to use strong and expensive arrows as a medium. I was just compressing the raw energy in the form of arrows and firing it, and this was what made it hard to control.
But it also meant the more I improved my control and mastered the weapon, the more freedom I would have.
‘The skill ceiling got higher.’
That was the end of the test for the first two forms. Aside from these two, the others were mostly related to close combat; thus, I would need to go to another location to test my strength.
Finishing the training with the longbow, I left the shooting range and entered the general training grounds, where I would normally be training for my close combat fights.
Of course, on the way, I also removed the weapon by drawing out all the mana I had supplied. The weapon’s dormant state was basically invisible and it was In my chest.
‘This place is not that empty.’
Different from the shooting range, there were some people who were still training on the general training grounds.
CLANK!
Sounds of metal clashing came to my ear from time to time. Paying no attention to those sounds, I made my way to the individual training rooms and entered one of them.
There, I drew upon the red color within me to initiate the transformation once again. The weapon instantly took its form.
Dual daggers of crimson color appeared in my hands, both of them shining.
‘The feeling is familiar.’
They didn’t look fancy and looked simple but lethal.
“Set the training stage to stage five.”
[Understood.]
The room responded, plunging into darkness before gradually illuminating.
TOK! TOK!
The familiar Iron Golems materialized, their imposing figures standing tall in the dimly lit training room.
‘Time to put these crimson daggers to the test.’
With swift movements, I engaged the Iron Golems.
CLANK! CLANK!
The clash of metal on metal echoed through the room as I danced around the formidable adversaries.
The crimson daggers moved with an almost innate precision, finding openings in the Golems’ defenses while also leaving cut marks on them.
‘Certainly, before I wasn’t able to leave even a mark on them.’
Stage five meant the golems would have the defense of rank-5 monsters, and before, I was helpless against those.
‘Now, my attacks can leave a mark.’
However, these dagger’s strength didn’t simply lie in the close quarters.
‘After my attacks, a wave of energy slashes through the trajectory.’
The daggers demonstrated a unique capability, releasing a residual wave of energy after each strike. It was a technique common among close combat damage dealers, known by different names such as aura or compressed intent.
‘In the end, what matters is the impact beyond the physical strike.’
This added range to my attacks, creating a dual threat in both close and mid-range combat. The versatility of the crimson daggers had surpassed my initial expectations, making them a formidable weapon in various scenarios.
‘And, now, with the last one.’
Feeling the need for further exploration, I drew upon the gray color within me to initiate the transformation once again.
The crimson daggers dissipated, replaced by two silent but deadly gray chakrams. Connected to me by green-colored threads, they floated in the air, ready for action.
‘Chakrams, a less familiar territory.’
The chakrams held an air of mystery, and I hesitated before sending them whirling through the air. I was slightly familiar with what kind of weapon they were, at least theoretically, but I didn’t have any practical experience.
Therefore, their movements were less controlled compared to the daggers, showing my initial lack of proficiency with this form.
SWOOSH!
‘This will take some getting used to.’
I threw the chakrams towards the Iron Golems, the silent energy they emitted leaving a trail in the air.
CLANK! CLANK!
The speed was insanely fast. The weapons clashed with the Iron Golems, but they didn’t leave a scratch.
However, things were hard at the start, as I didn’t know how to get them back.
Retrieving them proved challenging at first, but with practice, I began to understand the nuances of calling them back.
‘Gray thread, a connection.’
The gray-colored threads connected the chakrams to me, allowing for a seamless recall.
It was a dance of precision and control, and the room echoed with the sounds of the silent but deadly chakrams.
‘Different, but potential.’
While less familiar, the chakrams hinted at untapped potential. It was clear that mastering this form would require time and practice, but the prospect of expanding my arsenal was too intriguing to ignore since the speed of the weapons was insanely high.
Just like that, I continued my training as the time ticked.
