After I sold everything, the man there asked me if I wanted to make a deal with him. "You did an excellent job. If you could bring in more bodies in good condition, I would pay you above average." He proposed it, and I vaguely accepted the deal. I didn't sign any contract, but I still managed to get his attention, and that was enough. By the time I got back to the academy, it was around 5pm. Selling the monster, cleaning myself up at the inn, and eating a nice meal took both time and money, but it was worth it to treat yourself once in a while. When I came back to the college, the same atmosphere greeted me again, with students moving around and hanging out. As the weekend is coming to an end, most of the students are returning from home or on their adventures. "Oh, you're back." The guard who had been escorting me out of the college greeted me. "Good, you made it back before curfew." I nodded in response and glanced at my watch.
"Well, have a great week, then." "Thanks." Just like that, I was about to leave, but suddenly, I heard a familiar voice, a voice that I often heard in the game. "Did I do well in the dungeon?" It was a girl whose voice I was very familiar with. "Indeed, I didn't expect your swordsmanship to be so great." "Hehe... Do you think my family's swordsmanship is a joke, Victor?" "That's not what I meant. I just didn't expect you to kill him with one strike." "That's because I grilled his skin beforehand." "Yeah, if it wasn't for Irina, I'm sure I wouldn't have been killed in one blow. As expected, it's best to cooperate with a mage." The three students walked together and they immediately attracted the attention of people around them. This was to be expected, as all three of them were in casual clothes and, objectively speaking, they all looked good. Irina, Julia, Victor. Looking at them, I remembered the story in the game. In the game, according to the achievements and progress of these three characters in the early stage, Ethan might also enter this dungeon with them... This was a devastating result for him, as he saw the gap between himself and his friends, but it also made him work harder than before. This event was one of the catalysts that led to players getting experience points bonuses, allowing them to level up faster. "However, judging from the situation, Ethan did not go with them this time. As I heard in the last class." Seeing these three people walking together, I didn't want to have anything to do with them, so I slowly walked away. However, I felt someone staring at me from behind. "Irina, what's wrong?" My sensitive hearing picked up Julia's voice. "Nothing. I just saw an annoying guy."
"I see... that's really bad for him..." And so, I returned to my room. ...... "state." ———— Name: Morse Scott Occupation: Weapon Master (Stage 1) Talent Cap: 6 — Passive: Blade of Vengeance — Attributes: Strength: Agility: Constitution: Perception: Magic Power: Mana Capacity: ———— After returning to the room, I checked my properties again. "My strength attribute has increased by , and other attributes have also improved a lot." I thought. Apparently, putting yourself in dangerous situations where you need to push your limits can indeed help you improve your strength faster. "After all, that's how the game is set up." Especially since there is a new complex design added to the game. "Danger index." This is a special system that measures the difficulty and dangerousness of a situation by taking into account a number of factors. For example: adaptability of the situation, overall strength of the enemy, preparations made, unknown factors, etc. Although it's not a perfect design, it makes the game more interesting. The tougher the enemies you face, the more experience points you gain. This doesn't just mean that the enemy's level is higher than the player's level; it also takes compatibility into account.
For example, a physical tank-type monster will be easily defeated by a mage, so the player will gain less experience points even if its level is higher. This makes the game more difficult, and players who exploit enemy weaknesses won't receive much reward... This is why the game ended up being called a “hard power required” type of game. After closing the status window, I began to think about the next events as I made my way to the training ground. "When the club activities start, the story with the devil will also begin. No matter what, I have to be there." I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth. The thought of demonic influence and the existence of half-demons in this academy made me sick. "I will pluck you out one by one. I will not let go of those who want to become the devil's lackeys." So here I am, at the training ground. I don't feel like doing any more fight training today, so I'm just focusing on working on my body in the gym. ...... On Monday morning, all the students went to their classrooms. A circular classroom was filled with students, and today they would learn the results of their first dungeon exploration. Everyone sat down and excitedly talked to each other about last week's dungeon training. "What do you think? Who will be first...?" ...... While everyone was chatting animatedly, a person in the back row just sat there and continued to read the book in front of him. Morse was a man who was not very interested in gossip that had no practical significance. However, he still pricked up one ear to listen, because there was always a possibility of getting some useful information from it. After all, information is power, and rumors often hide such information. However, these words are meaningless at the moment. 'Squeak' When the students were discussing heatedly, the door was suddenly pushed open and a man with an extraordinary aura walked into the room. A woman with short yellow hair and a uniform that indicated her status appeared at the door. "Quiet." As she raised her voice, the students' noise instantly ended and an eerie silence filled the classroom. "She doesn't look very happy," Morse thought. His eyes picked up on the subtle movements that an irritated and angry person would normally make. Her brows were slightly furrowed, her lips were pressed into a tight line. She tapped her fingers impatiently on the tabletop, a clear sign of her irritation. Her feet tapped rhythmically on the floor, indicating her growing impatience. The way she crossed her arms and shifted from one foot to the other showed her frustration, and her stern eyes swept across the classroom, clearly conveying the message that she was angry. The sense of oppression emanating from her made the students reflect:
“What did we do wrong?” Everyone was asking this question in their hearts because they had no idea why Professor Eleanor was angry. "Today, before we begin class, I will announce the results of your first practical assessment." She narrowed her eyes as she said this. "What's going to happen next is a 'whipping meeting'," Morse thought. "I am very disappointed with your performance this time." Professor Eleanor said, sweeping her eyes over the students. She looked at the students as if they were bugs, using her aura to suffocate them. "First, some of you showed a complete lack of teamwork. It's as if you've all forgotten that monster hunting is not a solo mission. We assign higher-ranking students to teams so that they understand the value of teamwork. You're supposed to work together, support each other, and strategize as a team. But what did I witness? You completely ignored your teammates and rushed forward recklessly. You were more concerned with showing off your skills than completing the mission as a team." As she spoke these words, her eyes swept across the students in the front row. Although Eleanor knew that this generation was called the "Golden Generation", it didn't mean that she would let them do whatever they wanted. "Due to your own reckless actions, your teammates had to struggle to deal with the remaining monsters. If this was a real dungeon, the monsters that were missed due to your negligence could have caused serious consequences. As hunters, it is our duty to ensure that the dungeon is cleared perfectly and protect our citizens from monsters." Her gaze stayed on Irina in particular for a longer time than on the others. That was because she had watched the video and Irina was one of the students who disappointed her the most. "Do you understand?!" "Understood!" In front of the majesty of a high-level hunter, almost no students dared to refute, and almost everyone answered in unison. Morse remained silent because he knew that most of the students who graduated from here would become selfish hunters in the future. Just like him. Therefore, he doesn't need to make any unnecessary promises here. "Also, I don't want to hear about your abilities in the classroom anymore," Eleanor continued, her tone becoming increasingly heated. "Some of you act as if you are invincible, completely ignoring the warnings and suggestions of your teammates. You think you know it all, and your arrogance leads to poor decisions and unnecessary risks. This is a place where smart and capable hunters gather, and you should know how to work together and make wise judgments." She continued to scold, her eyes still on the students in the front row, and even the main characters couldn't help but lower their heads. This part was mainly directed at Victor, because he completely ignored the advice of the team's ranger during the mission and almost led them into a trap. "And those who are simply lazy." Eleanor's voice was a little cold, and her eyes glanced slightly at the seats in the back row. Even though she was criticizing the higher-ranked students in the front row, in reality, her biggest annoyance was towards certain people, especially those who were both weak and lazy. "During the assessment period, some of you were so lazy that I don't even know why you were there," she said. "Some people think they can rely on their teammates to do all the work. Let me tell you, that's not what teamwork is about," she added, her tone firm as she glanced in Morse's direction. Her eyes pierced Morse, who was sitting in the back seat, with anger in her eyes. Hearing this, Irina turned around with a sarcastic smile on her face. After all, she knew who Eleanor was talking to, the person she hated the most at the moment. "Well, it's all your fault," she thought, happy that Morse got what he deserved. Not only her, but almost everyone in the classroom could see that Eleanor's eyes were directed at Morse. "It seems that Morse has become her target today." Someone said as he watched this scene. "Yeah, she must have picked him out specifically." Another student nodded in agreement. The students murmured and looked at Eleanor and Morse. For a moment, they were glad that Morse was the target, because it meant less pressure on them.
"And then there are those who have absolutely no interest in the mission. It looks as if they have more important things to do than participate in dungeon exploration." She added, her eyes swept coldly towards Morse again. Although Eleanor's criticism was directed at Morse, he remained calm and showed no emotion. Morse knew that she was targeting him, but he did not feel the need to defend himself. He was well aware of his shortcomings and there was no need for Eleanor to point them out. The other students noticed the tension between Eleanor and Morse and exchanged knowing glances. As Eleanor's lecture continued, she stressed the importance of taking practical assessments seriously and working hard to improve. Her words were meant to inspire the students, but Morse was not paying attention. "He's really strong mentally. He can still remain so calm." Someone exclaimed in a low voice, expressing admiration for Morse's unwavering attitude. This was partly true. Physically, Morse found it difficult to bear Eleanor's pressure, but psychologically, he didn't care. Ultimately, Eleanor's criticism had no effect on Morse. He didn't care about grades or what others thought of him. After all, he has only one goal in mind, and achieving that goal doesn't require him to impress others. And so the class went on, with Eleanor delivering her scathing comments about the students' dungeon tasks.