”It is breathtaking, isn’t it? This is how we mine the Mana stones,” the guide exclaimed, her voice echoing in the vast underground cavern illuminated by countless different lights.
Her clothes were formal, an attire belonging to someone with a higher ranking, as she was well-versed in her explanations and knowledge.
‘Someone either from the HR team or from the management. Hmm….Her clothes are fresh, and she lacks the habits those who would venture to this place frequently have. So, she is either a new recruit or someone from the office part.’
The necessary information was missing to deduce the remaining part, but that wasn’t important.
‘Considering the amount of students that would come here, they can’t employ a high-ranking member.’
This was, in fact, normal since around two hundred students were in this factory. Of course, with the number of students the academy had, different classes were scheduled to visit the factories on different days. And the Blackthorn’s even let them use two factories.
‘Must be an attempt to regain the public trust.’
Both Blackthorn’s and the Arcadia Hunter Academy had their ups and downs; therefore, it was necessary for them to make up for those.
“Now, please follow me.”
With her words, the group of students followed closely behind her, their eyes wide with wonder and anticipation.
“The entire process starts from the moment we identify a promising vein of Mana stones,” the guide continued, gesturing towards a wall shimmering with faint magical energy. “To scout these precious stones, we employ a combination of traditional mining techniques and advanced magical artifacts crafted by our specially groomed mage-engineers.”
She led us towards a cluster of miners who were diligently working with pickaxes and shovels. But alongside them stood mage-engineers, their intricate devices humming with magical energy as they scanned the walls for signs of Mana stones.
“These artifacts amplify our ability to detect Mana stones and pinpoint their exact locations within the rock,” the guide explained, pointing to a device resembling a cross between a telescope and a compass. “With the help of these tools, we can ensure a more efficient extraction process while minimizing the risk to our miners.”
In general, the students of the Arcadia Hunter Academy came from high-end families, but they all aspired to be Hunter and Combatant. Therefore, almost none of them knew how the process was in many factories.
“Wow….I never expected it to be like this.”
“Indeed.”
The artifacts that were used gathered the attention of the students as they were colorful and potent in mana. Being sensitive to mana, they could see what couldn’t be seen with naked eyes, impressing them.
That was also the case with me, as I was, in fact, overwhelmed by the raw amounts of mana present here. Therefore, I even needed to deactivate [Perceptive Insight] to some extent. This was something I had been pondering about in the past, as there were times when one could see things they mustn’t see with their current strength.
Therefore, I created a method in my subconscious utilizing basic psychic magic. In fact, it wasn’t complex since I was just dealing with myself.
In any case, with my deactivated eyes, I observed the process.
As many students watched in fascination, the guide detailed the intricate process of extracting Mana stones from the earth.
From drilling and blasting to carefully extracting the stones without damaging their magical properties, every step was executed with precision and expertise, and the guide explained it well enough.
“Now, you will see our first contact with mana stones.”
While walking, we approached a room where the temperature noticeably rose.
‘So, they are sealing the mana there, utilizing the heat?’ The mana may look like something outside of reality, but in this world, it is not. The rules of the universe were made according to it, though who knew who made those rules?
Just as we were about to enter, I sensed a sudden movement and instinctively tilted my head, narrowly dodging a small stone hurtling toward me.
With a quick turn, I locked eyes with a girl standing nearby, a mischievous grin on her face as she chewed gum with casual nonchalance.
“Hey there, low-rank,” she greeted, her voice carrying an annoying tone. “Quick reflexes. Did you take notes? Are you keeping up with your duties?”
The girl before me was Taylor Bowman, one of my assigned partners for this excursion. She exuded an air of confidence and privilege, likely due to her high-ranking status as the 212th-ranked student and heir to a Media Tycoon.
She was quite a beauty, clearly above the standards. Her make-up and ornaments were all first-class – obviously, some of them being artifacts.
Of course, I had already made a quick background check for all the students in my classroom. The game may not have been mentioned, but there could be some demon contractors in there. However, I couldn’t find any in our class, though it didn’t matter much. My channels were a little narrow back then, with me lacking the money to buy the necessary information.
And this girl before me was someone who was in the upper ranks of the academy and class, and she was the highest rank in my group.
She seldom assigned me a role while she was lazily looking around. This was the common type of acting from these types of heiresses.
“No.”
“What?”
The guy’s name was Asher Valencia, ranked 1058.
“No,” I repeated calmly, meeting Taylor’s gaze squarely.
Her reaction was immediate. Taylor’s eyebrows furrowed in annoyance, and her lips formed a thin line. Clearly, she wasn’t accustomed to being defied, especially by someone she considered beneath her.
Next to her, Asher’s glare intensified, his voice rising slightly as he spoke, “How dare you refuse what-“
He was already taking sides, clearly licking Taylor’s boots. It was the normal choice, and I didn’t reprimand him. In a world where powerful people stepped on others, making connections was important. After all, academy life was limited, and many had families outside the academy.
“It is okay.” But Taylor stopped Asher while raising her hand. At this point, some of the onlooker’s attention was on us. Thus, she made a quick judgment.
‘At least she is not stupid…’
Even Eleanor had turned her gaze to us.
Choosing not to engage in a confrontation, she simply shrugged and started walking.
As Taylor started walking past me, her voice barely audible, she whispered, “If I were you, I’d be careful.”
Her words sent a slight chill, showing her intent, but I maintained my outward composure since it wasn’t the first time. It was a warning, subtle yet clear.
“Is this a threat?”
“You can take it as one.”
“I see.”
With that exchange hanging in the air, Taylor continued past me, her demeanor unchanged despite my question.
It was clear that she didn’t feel the need to conceal her intentions; after all, in this world of power plays, subtlety often held little value.
I followed behind Taylor, keeping a careful distance, while Asher trailed close behind her, still shooting me disapproving glances.
It was evident whose side he had chosen, but it wouldn’t bother me. In this cutthroat environment, alliances were fluid, and loyalties could shift in an instant.
As we entered the room, the temperature noticeably rose, the air thick with humidity, and the scent of magic lingered in the air.
“Now, as you can see…..”
******
As Taylor walked through the room, her mind churned with frustration and indignation.
How dare he disrespect her like that? The nerve of that low-
ranking student to defy her authority in front of everyone.
She wore a smile on her face, but her eyes betrayed her true feelings, cold and calculating.
Seeing Taylor’s expression, Asher sensed her displeasure and decided to intervene. “Should I deal with him?” he asked quietly, his voice laced with a hint of eagerness to please her. It was evident in her eyes, but she didn’t mind.
In fact, she rather liked these types of guys, as they lowered their heads when it was needed.
She raised her eyebrows, considering her options. “What can you do?” she replied dismissively, her tone dripping with disdain.
A smile tugged at Asher’s lips as he realized this was an opportunity to gain favor with Taylor.
Leaning in closer, he muttered his plan under his breath, his words barely audible over the ambient noise of the room.
“I see…” she mumbled and then nodded her head.
‘Let’s see how useful this bastard is.’
However, she also evaluated Asher inwardly.
******
As the tour of the room came to an end, the guide halted the group, announcing the conclusion of the three-hour excursion. The students murmured amongst themselves, exchanging whispers of excitement and curiosity.
Once the guide had their attention, she threw a quick glance at Eleanor, who nodded in response. With a confident demeanor, the guide posed a question to the students, her voice echoing in the cavernous space.
“Just as you have seen, we are using machines and artifacts for mining. But, how did the miners, before the machines were generalized, mine the stones?”
The question hung in the air, prompting the students to rack their brains for an answer. Some furrowed their brows in concentration while others exchanged uncertain glances.
Seeing no one stepping forward to answer, the guide cleared her throat and spoke up. “In the past, miners relied on their intuition of Mana to locate and extract the stones. It was a skill honed through years of experience and understanding of the natural flow of magical energy within the earth.”
As her words settled over the group, Eleanor stepped forward, adding to the discussion. “Indeed, and now it’s your turn to put your skills to the test. We’ll be entering the tunnels shortly, where you’ll have the opportunity to mine Magic Stones with your groups. This task will not only assess your mana sensitivity but also your creativity and intuition as aspiring Hunters.”
With a nod from Eleanor, the guide led the way, guiding the students deeper into the labyrinthine tunnels of the mine.
*******
“Really?”
However, someone was not happy with what he was seeing in front of his eyes, as the darkness prevailed and the tunnel was blocked.
“She really did this, didn’t she?”