Chapter 21: Interlude: Academy The academy’s gates loomed like a silent cathedral of potential and cruelty, stretching tall into the sky, the edges glinting in the faint morning light as though carved from a single, impossibly white crystal. Kael stood in front of it, the robe he now wore crisp and immaculate, every seam humming faintly with the power imbued into it. White from head to toe, a saint among children and mortals alike. The old Ivory Robe, once tattered and ordinary, had vanished like a memory erased, replaced by something almost sacred in its craftsmanship, nearly identical but radiating an aura of quiet authority that made Kael feel both invincible and oddly uncomfortable. He turned slowly, the faint glow of the robe illuminating the edges of his figure, his reflection briefly caught in the academy’s glass panels. The stat increase was staggering. His HP soared by 500, MP by 250, intelligence and charisma by 50 each. But the ro

Chapter 23: CuriosityKael stepped through the familiar shimmer of the dungeon portal, the metallic scent of the magical wards brushing against his senses. The usual cluster of guards that patrolled the entrance was gone, their absence leaving the space oddly serene. Their purpose had always been simple: prevent any accidental breaches or escapes, but now, with the dungeon in decline, their watch was no longer required.The goblins inside had stagnated over the past four months, none surpassing level eighteen. A trivial number by any metric of survival or danger, almost laughably low. Kael had grown accustomed to handling them without effort, and now, armed with his sniper rifle, the necessity to even step foot beyond the portal seemed redundant.With a flick of his wrist, he drew the weapon, the metal and enchanted components unfolding like a lethal blossom. The craftsmanship was exquisite, each rune etched into the barrel humming faintly with stored mana

Chapter 25: ClubKael’s lessons had finally ended, and he now stood like a sentinel before the door of his assigned clubroom, a place that promised knowledge but radiated neglect. The world had grown a little quieter now that the day was settling into itself, yet the ennui pressed heavily upon him. Boredom gnawed at the edges of his consciousness, sharp and insistent, for he had mastered the content of his lessons effortlessly. His mind, a relentless sponge of intellect, captured every word, every nuance, every flicker of arcane theory effortlessly, leaving him unchallenged, untested, yearning for something more than passive absorption.He had hopes, small and wary, that this club—this supposed bastion of mana control—would not be another hollow exercise in futility. Nights spent practicing had yielded no tangible improvement, Kael’s pulse still tasting the frustration of mana slipping like liquid silver through uncooperative fingers. His expectations were modest,

Chapter 27: double Kael finished his preparations, though the word was almost a lie. Preparation was a perfunctory dance when one was armed with The System’s favor. He slipped into his robe, the fabric falling over him like liquid shadow, and invoked Shield of Nourishment, its soft, golden aura radiating warmth around him. Blessing of Stats followed, cascading in silent waves over both himself and Shingen, the veteran swordsman whose expression remained carved from stone.He attempted conversation, soft words, casual remarks meant to pierce the impenetrable calm of the man beside him. Shingen responded in murmurs, indistinct syllables that dissolved into the air like smoke, words meaningless to Kael. His eyes were flat, unreadable, yet the rhythmic tapping of his sword’s scabbard against his leg betrayed a subtle impatience, a heartbeat beneath the stoic exterior.So I am going into an unknown dungeon with a sketchy guy, awesome, Kael muttered under his b

Chapter 29: DuolingoThe air around Kael shimmered and crackled, threads of raw energy dancing and snapping with chaotic brilliance, splitting reality into fleeting glimpses of movement. From time to time, he caught fragmented silhouettes of motion, shadows streaking across the blindingly white expanse, each one punctuated with the explosive resonance of battle.The clash was unrelenting, ferocious, a ballet of violence that tore at the edges of sanity. Kael tried to summon Shield of Nourishment, his lifeline in such volatile situations, but the speed of the confrontation, a maelstrom of claws and teeth, mana and sinew, made it impossible to deploy in time. Every second stretched like molten metal, every blink a potential death sentence.Shingen did not look good. His fur, matted with blood and sweat, clung to his frame. Deep gashes split his flank, and Kael’s stomach clenched at the sight. Yet even the wolf monster, a creature of nightmare and instinct,