Isolde clapped her hands, drawing attention. "Status Windows will track your Level, MP, Strength, Agility, and Skills. As you train and fight, your levels increase, your attributes grow, and your skills improve. This is your life line — your proof of growth and progress."
She smiled faintly. "Do not worry about comparisons. Every individual has a role to play. Even… unique talents like yours, Mr. Walker, have value."
Ray tilted his head. "Yeah, sure. Unique."
Darius stepped forward, his voice cutting through the murmurs. "Now, we start with basic combat and mana control exercises. You will need to learn to channel your energy efficiently. Every class has its strengths, but raw mana is your foundation. Without it, even the strongest skill is useless."
He gestured to a series of stone dummies. "These dummies are magical constructs. They can absorb and withstand a certain amount of force. Begin by practicing your primary skill or attack. Observe its effect, adjust your mana flow, and try again."
Hands went up hesitantly at first. A few SS and S-rank students produced spectacular displays — healing beams, fire strikes, precise magical arrows. Even the A-rank and B-rank students managed effective, though less flashy, demonstrations.
Ray stared at the dummy in front of him. He tried to focus, recalling the words of Isolde. "Use your abilities. Control your mana. Observe your window."
He called his Status Window. His two skills blinked back at him. "Item Appraisal… Detailed Analysis. Yeah, that's all I got. Let's see what this does."
He reached out, focusing on the dummy. Slowly, he called upon [Detailed Analysis]. Numbers, patterns, weak points, and stress points of the dummy appeared in his mind. The lines of magic that held it together became clear.
"Interesting," he thought. "If I hit here… and here…"
He applied the insight from his appraisal, adjusting the force and mana flow. A crack appeared across the dummy. Not spectacular, but precise. Another strike — another crack. Within moments, the dummy shattered, perfectly along the lines Ray had predicted.
He leaned back, hands in his pockets. "Not flashy. But efficient."
Around him, students noticed. Even the otakus were impressed — though too proud to admit it.
Isolde, observing quietly, smiled faintly. "Even the humblest of talents can change the course of battle if used wisely."
****
Darius' eyes swept across the training field, sharp and unwavering. "Training begins now. Before you jump directly into combat, you need a strong foundation — your body, your mind, and your mana must all be prepared. Today, we start with basic conditioning."
He raised a hand, and the field seemed to shift in focus. "Warrior classes — knights, swordsmen, fighters — you will begin with physical training. Running, push-ups, lifting, and endurance drills. Mages — you will focus on mana control and energy flow. And… support classes, including Mr. Walker, you will join the physical exercises. You are not exempt."
Ray froze for a split second. "Support? I'm supposed to sit in the back, analyze, and stay useful, right? And now they're throwing me into the mud with them?"
The warriors grunted and started jogging around the field. Heavy boots thumped the ground in unison. Some flexed their muscles, others wiped sweat from their brows, already feeling the burn.
The mages sat cross-legged, concentrating as faint orbs of light, fire, and water flickered around their hands. Mana flowed through them, visible as threads of glowing energy. The instructors corrected hand positions, explained flow patterns, and demonstrated basic attack spells.
Ray, meanwhile, found himself placed near a group of swordsmen. One boy, tall and broad-shouldered, sneered lightly. "Looks like the support guy got drafted into the meat grinder. Hope you don't slow us down."
Ray didn't reply. Instead, he glanced at his Status Window floating invisibly in his mind.
Class: Appraiser (D) ↑
Level: 1
MP: 50
AGI: 12
STR: 10
Skills:
[Item Appraisal Lv. 1]
[Detailed Analysis Lv. 1]
"Right. Not strong, not flashy… but let's see how bad this really is."
He started jogging alongside the warriors, forcing himself to match their pace. The first few laps were grueling. Sweat stung his eyes, muscles screamed in protest, but he forced his legs to keep moving. Push-ups, sit-ups, and lifting training logs followed. Every movement reminded him of how weak he really was compared to the S and SS-class students, yet there was something satisfying in testing his limits.
Beside him, one of the swordsmen muttered, "You're keeping up… surprisingly."
Ray smirked faintly. "Don't get used to it."
Meanwhile, the mages were learning to channel mana through their hands and bodies. Some of the A-class and B-class students fumbled, sparks shooting wildly. Others struggled to maintain a steady flow, mana leaking like water from a cracked vase. Yet under the guidance of instructors, their control gradually improved.
Isolde floated between the groups, observing carefully. "Focus is key. Even the strongest technique fails without precision. And even a weak body cannot support a fragile mind."
Ray's thoughts drifted as he ran: "This is ridiculous. I'm going to be the last one standing… or maybe the first one to collapse."
Still, his mind remained sharp. He watched the patterns of the warrior students — how they shifted weight, the rhythm of their breathing, how they recovered from each lap. Every bit of detail could be remembered, analyzed, optimized. It was… almost like training his other skill.
By mid-morning, muscles ached, but even Ray noticed improvement. He could lift logs more easily, maintain his pace, and perform push-ups with better form. The warriors were panting, the mages were sweating from concentration, and the support students… well, some of them were grumbling, but all were following orders.
Darius clapped once. "Enough for the first session. Rest, hydrate, and prepare for skill exercises. You will train in shifts — physical endurance in the morning, skill application in the afternoon. Today is only the beginning."
Ray walked back to the resting area, breathing hard. Around him, other students were doing the same — some chatting, some silently analyzing their performance.
He paused for a moment, Status Window floating invisibly in his mind, and thought: "D-class, maybe… but I'll figure something out. There's got to be a way to make this class work."
As the sun climbed higher, the students slowly realized this world would push them further than any Earth school ever had. Some groaned, some laughed, some plotted, and some, like Ray, quietly observed, already searching for an edge in the chaos.
The first day of training had begun, and the real journey had only just started.