"I have to make preparations for the field assignments, what do you think I need to buy?" Blake didn't want to spend money, but since it was for something important, he could only pay with a heavy heart.
[You should go for mana and healing potions. I would have said you should go for a light armor that takes some damage and not affect your mobility, but you are too broke for that.] Blake agreed with the system when he saw the price of the cheapest body armor which was 30 thousand EP.
"Since it is a field test, it means the assignment will most likely be in the forest that means I would need a tent and a lot of food Blake thought." Blake thought as he considered a lot of scenarios that could occur.
"The magical tents on the list are quite costly, but I should be able to get one with my gold coins." Blake began planning on making a trip outside the school.
He had still had more than two thousand gold coins sitting in his dimensional space waiting to be spent, so it was better for him to save his EP's since they were harder to get.
"What else do I need?" Blake asked checking if he had forgotten anything important.
[I have run a quick check on the battles of your last hunt. I noticed that most of your attacks need you to be at close range with the enemy, which wouldn't be ideal when facing multiple opponents or monsters.] The system analyzed.
"You are trying to say that I need to get myself a ranged weapon?" Blake felt his chest tighten when he saw the price of the cheapest ranged weapon.
[You don't have to worry about the prices because you can't afford any. I meant you should forge yourself one.
Considering you don't have much knowledge about forging yet, making you incapable of forging anything apart from a sword. I say you forge throwing knives and a short sword for just in case you end up losing your katana.] The system analyzed.
"Old man you are a genius!" Blake was ecstatic about the ideas brought up by the system, he hadn't even come close to thinking about them.
[I know.]
Blake Ignored the systems remark and bought five more sets of forging material, before heading to his room.
…
After taking his bath and having dinner, Blake returned to his room to begin forging his throwing knives.
"How exactly do I forge a throwing knife?" Blake hadn't thought how to nor has he read anything about throwing knives, so he needed the system to lead the way.
[There isn't much difference between a normal sword, a short sword, and a throwing knife. For starters, their length varies, weight, sharpness, penetration, and other things that I would guide…] The system was interrupted by Blake's badge that light up.
"Announcement to all students in the elite class. All classes for tomorrow will be canceled, in order to, but help you prepare for the field assignment." After the announcement, the badge lost its glow and the room became quiet.
"The way the field assignment is being hyped it is putting more pressure on everyone, but I must say it gives me more free time to go shopping and to cultivate..." Blake said with mixed feelings.
[With the way everything is going, this test is a big deal, we have to make more preparations.] The system said in a pondering tone. Not wasting more time, the duo began forging.
…
In a room with a large round table at the center, all teachers handling one course or more in the first year were present and in their midst was Principal Lovren.
"What is the use of a free day if the assignment is just meant to last for only two days and considering it isn't that difficult, they don't need many preparations." Being the homeroom teacher of the elite class that was taking the field test, professor Gibson couldn't help but voice his thoughts because the students had just lost a day's worth of learning.
"I agree with Gibson." Some of the other professors could only agree with him.
"No, they need as many preparations as they can get, because the assignment has been changed by the prince. They will no longer be staying in the mina forest for 2 days, but a week because it has been changed from a beast core gathering exercise to a survival exercise." Principal Lovren explained.
"A survival mission?! This is sending them to their deaths!"
"This is too much!" The professors in the room began objecting to the principal's words.
Out of all the professors in the room, it was only instructor Zirrack, Principal Lovren, Professor Mack, Professor Gibson, and Professor Vadik who were silent.
When the noise had gotten to an irritating level, Instructor Zirrack released his fiery aura that silenced everyone in the room, giving the principal an opportunity to speak.
"Now tell me what is the difference between you all and the kids now?" Principal Lovren waited for his words to sink inside them, before continuing.
"This is an order from his highness, so it can't be changed unless he decides to. As for the assignment, it would be monitored by you professors to save them and make sure that no one loses their lives.
As for what I think about the test, I would say it is not too much for them because what will be the use of calling them elites and giving them a lot of resources if they can't handle this. This exercise is meant to train them on how to be true elites, that is why they would get greater points and resources when compared to the normal class." The Principal said while looking at the lowered faces of the professors.
…
Back in the room, Blake was currently in the final grinding stage of making his short sword.
After 20 more minutes of grinding Blake was finally done with the short sword and couldn't help but cut through the air to check out.
"At least no one is taking this." Blake chuckled because he had been saving that line for a long time.
[You never change.] The system shook its head.
[For the throwing knives you should aim at lightening its weight and increasing it penetrative ability. Also, why don't you stop try using different designs for heaven's sake! You should pick the one you like and use it as a trademark design for your weapons.]
"Easy, I was just trying them out." Blake smiled sheepishly as he began forging the throwing knives.
He conjured a fireball and threw it into his personal forge and began monitoring the heat to make sure it was at the temperature, before putting in the alloys.
It took him an hour to make a single throwing knife, but it was much lower when compared to making a normal sword. The problem was that he still had nine more to go.
"So, what do you think about the design?" Blake asked with a smirk on his face as he looked at the thunder design on the hilt of the throwing knife.
[Not too bad for a beginner.]
…
Blake continued forging the throwing without taking a break. He worked from late into the night to the early morning of the next day. After he completed the last one, the dropped dead and fell asleep
He woke up when it was almost noon and after having breakfast from his dimensional space, Blake dressed up and left for the adventurers association, to check out their store.
When he got to the association, Blake went straight to the store without even meeting Susan.
"Most of the items here can be found in the exchange store and the other I have no use for them except for the tents." Blake thought as he browsed the list.
On the lost were basic dimensional tents, intermediate dimensional tents, and advanced dimensional tents. Just like everyone, Blake wanted the best quality, but the problem was that he could barely afford the basic dimensional tents talk more of the advanced dimensional tents.
'Now really understand what you meant when you said non-magical items were cheap.' Blake found it hard to breathe when he saw the price of the basic dimensional tent.
[Stop being cheap, 1700 gold coins isn't that much.] The system snorted.
'Last time I checked I am the one paying for it.' Blake still had more things to say, but he decided it save them for later because the attendant was looking at him in an awkward manner.
"I will have one basic dimensional space, please..."
[Please don't do it...]
"And I will love to check it out." Blake ignored the system's words.
[He f*cking did it!] The system 'face-palmed.
All items sold in the association's store were tested and trusted, regular checks were done to make sure defective products that may ruin the association's image were not given to any customer. That was why the system felt ashamed of his cheap and paranoid host.