novelraw Chapter 137 : Chapter 137
Chapter 137 : Chapter 137
137
As soon as dawn broke, I got up and lightly jogged around the Academy.
It was a routine I always kept to wake up and maintain my stamina.
Usually, running a couple of laps widely around the entire Academy was all I did, but today was different.
I deliberately included the New Building in my running course.
'This place would be better, as expected.'
The place I sought was the rooftop of the New Building.
It was the place where Dwayne Traivan usually hid away, and the entire landscape of the Academy came into view at a glance from here.
'...It's a mess.'
Thanks to that, the ruined landscape of the Academy came into view at a glance.
The Academy dormitory and parts of the old building were completely smashed.
Actually, calling it the old building was just a name; considering the size of the site alone, it was larger land than the New Building.
Half ruined, half survived.
It was only thanks to students and various staff members voluntarily stepping up to gather and clear the debris of collapsed buildings to one side that it looked like this.
To think such scenes are becoming common all over the world.
My heart felt bitter.
'It's okay. Reconstruction will start soon.'
Let's think of this destruction as preparatory work for a better birth.
It's just that the old buildings collapsed; Akarind Academy hasn't disappeared.
The symbol showing that best was the Akarind Tree.
Even amidst the huge storm, the Akarind Tree boasted a majesty befitting a guardian tree.
Its unique white petals shone with vivid colors under the autumn sky.
The students also seemed to feel similar sentiments to mine from that tree.
Because a few students out for morning exercise stood near the Akarind Tree, staring at it for a long time before leaving again.
'I must become a teacher who can be an example to those students.'
Pulling myself together, I headed towards the bell of the rooftop bell tower.
The size of the bell was about my upper body, and because magic was cast on it, it moved itself at specific times to announce the time to the entire building.
I placed the Fantasy at the center of it.
― Voo, Ooom―!
A faint bell sound rang once, perhaps signaling that the General Fantasy was properly installed.
It was a clearer sound than expected.
'Is it done?'
Although they said it has effects on education, I couldn't feel it immediately.
Just in case, I tried running in place a few times and doing push-ups to check if my stamina increased.
I didn't feel any particular difference.
I guess I'll only know after teaching a class.
At that moment, I saw the sun slowly rising far in the east.
'It's morning.'
Breakfast time was soon.
Let's finish installing and return quickly.
I put down a small doll Berlis gave me here.
It was a crude puppy doll made of bones, but the unusual thing was that it had three heads.
― Bark!
Guard Dog Cerberus.
It was a doll of the monster known to guard the gates of hell, no less.
Of course, the doll was just a doll, not real Cerberus bones.
'Did they say a curse is about mimicking a form to summon a soul?'
Just by inserting hair into a straw doll resembling a person, one can curse the target.
Even if it's not Cerberus bones, reproducing a similar appearance can bring about Cerberus's nature.
And Cerberus's nature is that of a gatekeeper guarding the gates of hell.
If there happens to be an existence sneaking in here targeting the Fantasy, the doll's soul will immediately react and be detected by Berlis.
Blue light flashed in the eyes of the small palm-sized Cerberus.
Thus gaining life, Cerberus...
― Whimper.
It lay down on the spot and started sleeping leisurely.
I patted the head of that bone doll once and came down from the rooftop again.
After washing up lightly and getting dressed, I headed towards the Academy.
It was a proper class after a long time.
I was a little nervous.
And very expectant.
* * *
Students gathered in the huge auditorium buzzed and exchanged glances.
The auditorium of the New Building boasted a scale wide enough to gather all students in the school.
But that auditorium felt cramped.
That meant not only students but outsiders had also entered, determined to gain at least one thing from this class.
In fact, the second floor of the auditorium and various places were full of old faces that could not possibly be seen as students.
Like an old knight with a long beard.
Or a mercenary whose face was full of scars gained from wandering battlefields.
To think people who could be believed to be department heads of Akarind Academy even if viewed in the best light were here as students.
Even more, those people were imitating students' attire.
Some managed to get uniforms and wear them, and others, though not uniforms, wore clothes with a youthful sense like students.
Every single one of them was an eyesore.
"There are so many people. Isn't this way more than before we left?"
"It can't be helped. It's chaos."
At Pan's question, Bridget answered indifferently.
"You know what we did in the capital. Plus, rumors about demons seem to have spread since Miss Ganemia came and went."
"Furthermore, Teacher also went to the Lord's Castle."
Freizier sidled up to them.
"There were a huge number of nobles and knights flocked there, apparently trying to catch Teacher."
"Fearless."
Pan burst into a chuckle.
Cassian Teacher, of all people, wouldn't be easily caught in such a place.
He was a person whom even if they all rushed at him right now, they weren't sure they could catch.
At that moment, a person walked in slowly from the auditorium entrance far away.
The buzzing noise subsided in an instant.
It was Cassian.
He walked slowly into the lecture hall with a relaxed expression as usual.
Although his appearance looked ordinary, no one looked down on him easily.
Because all the journeys he had made proved him.
"Many unfamiliar faces. Nice to meet you."
Cassian didn't show any particular agitation even upon seeing the external personnel.
"I heard there are many who requested to audit. Some are parents, and some are Lords of nearby territories. You must have received contact, but I have granted permission to all."
Because he already knew.
A large budget was needed to rebuild the city.
The people gathered here were all those who paid a lot of money to audit.
The amounts varied greatly, but the one who paid the most paid as much as the tuition of all students gathered here combined.
Gwen begged, almost kneeling on the floor.
He couldn't ignore that.
"However, for the auditors, there will be no separate progress or explanations. Please follow the students' class progress faithfully, and if there are necessary parts, ask questions individually after class."
The people gathered for auditing had sour expressions.
Especially those dressed luxuriously among them were even more so.
They were nobles who had been treated well all their lives.
"Teacher is strict."
"He was always strict in class. Since he never yielded no matter what students said."
"True, he was."
Those who thought lightly of him due to his frail-looking appearance must have been surprised.
At that moment, Cassian slowly began the class.
It was the intermediate swordsmanship theory created by organizing his own theories and the book Ulf gave him last night.
"We are pioneering an unprecedented realm called Aura. Walker, Runner, and Adept. We divided the grades of Aura according to the level. Let's see, who are the students currently at the Walker stage?"
Students raised their hands in droves from the surroundings.
Even at a glance, the number was well over 200.
Seeing that scene, the auditors fell into shock with their mouths agape.
It was that kind of number.
'N-No way. It's only been about two months since Aura was revealed to the world. But more people are gathered here than the total number of Aura swordsmen in the entire world combined?'
Aura users became known to the world through the Goldline Civil War.
About 50 Aura users were witnessed by people.
All of them were swordsmen worthy of representing nations or regions, and the moment they used Aura, their evaluations were adjusted upward by several levels.
Aura was an ability of that level.
It was an ability that these 200-something green kids shouldn't have, no, shouldn't possess in their imagination.
Isn't this like kids on the street running around with self-destruct magic scrolls?
No one knew what would happen and how.
A distant fear was planted in the hearts of the people who came to audit.
"It increased a bit."
Cassian observed them.
Most were Basic Class students who used the old building.
It was partly because they consistently attended his classes, but experiencing death directly or indirectly through fights with demons seemed to have had a big impact.
"Then let's see those who have reached the Runner stage. Who is there?"
This time, hands went up a bit more sparsely.
Still, a little over thirty.
Considering Pan's level was Sword Runner before leaving for the Empire and the Academic Exchange Conference, it was a very large number.
"Good. There is certainly a difference from Walker students."
As Cassian said, just standing there showed a difference between students of Walker level and Runner level.
Learning Aura and sensing mana makes senses sharper.
Standing posture had to be different to match the senses.
"Then let's go to the level above that now. Adept."
Just one person.
Pan raised his hand.
People's gazes focused on Pan.
Of course, the people listening to the audit right now didn't know what an Adept was.
They just vaguely guessed it was a higher level than the students currently on the floor.
"You were an Adept?"
"Thanks to Ulf, I got a glimpse of the level."
It was ironic.
Ulf glimpsed Pan's level, who was a Master, and returned as a human.
And Pan crossed his limit once through Ulf's sorcery.
Each pulling the other from different times and spaces.
Seeing that, Cassian smiled brightly.
"We know these boundaries experientially and intuitively. This isn't just about Aura. Swordsmen wielding swords have moments when they realize their skills have improved a little more than yesterday."
The audience listening to the class nodded.
It was the moment called so-called 'enlightenment' or 'awakening'.
Cassian wanted to conquer this vague sensation of enlightenment.
If he could establish theoretically why it is different before and after, rather than a vague, experiential sensation.
Wouldn't it be possible to learn the sword and build skills for a more certain goal?
"So today, we will proceed with a class comparing the swords of Sword Walker, Sword Runner, and Sword Adept to understand what differences exist. I will call one representative for each."
The standard was Pan.
Since there was no other Adept except Cassian, it was natural.
It would be effective if people like Rozalin or Hati helped, but they were busy dealing with outsiders and peddlers flocking to the Academy.
Moderate people could at least have an audit opportunity like this, but there were those more accustomed to using violence than spending money.
It was the Security Team's role to purify them with greater violence.
"A Walker and a Runner who use swordsmanship in a similar way to Pan are... Good. Let's go with those two over there."
Cassian pointed out two students.
Both were swordsmen with good rhythm who predicted the opponent's patterns and stabbed between breaths.
Since their Sword Intent was similar, it would be helpful.
"And we need someone to receive their swords."
Cassian's gaze swept around.
At that moment, a knight emitting a rough aura among those auditing raised his hand.
He was a knight with a white beard grown down to his chest.
"...It's Iron Wall Kantaros."
"Kantaros in a place like this."
At the name Iron Wall Kantaros, a few students showed surprised faces.
Kantaros was a figure worthy of appearing in the Empire's history books, that is, textbooks.
He was a warrior equal to a hundred who commanded battlefields since 30 years ago, and was known to be superior to anyone in using a shield and sword.
To think he would come to a place like this and audit while awkwardly wearing an Academy uniform.
"Despite appearances, I am confident in blocking and enduring attacks. May I step forward?"
Seeing that, Cassian scratched his chin once.
It wasn't because too strong an opponent came out.
'It seems he'll be dealt with at the Runner line, what should I do?'
He fell into worry about how to protect the honor of that confident old knight.