Holy Cow!
Having paused my hunt for a moment, I dodged the zombie corpses and moved to a new spot.
"Status window."
At my call, a transparent window materialized before my eyes.
The once-empty skill window was now packed to the brim.
Whoa~ Look at this skill window that was totally empty before, now stuffed full.
There was the S-rank Information Viewing skill, plus two B-rank ones I'd picked up today. One of them came from that ghoul bastard.
I ain't never heard of monsters using skills, though.
Well, a skill was a skill, so I'd learned it somehow. Sitting on a nearby rock, I stared down at my hands. The realization that I could learn monster skills made them tremble.
At this point, it's honestly starting to freak me out a bit.
What if later I ended up spewing breath attacks from my mouth or some shit? Come to think of it...
Places way better than the Magic Officer Academy were everywhere, right? Dungeons littered the landscape, packed full of all sorts of monsters.
Some had low ranks with no real rewards, so they were practically abandoned.
And on top of that...
If my comprehension's high enough, I can snag even higher-rank skills, yeah?
F-rank was one thing, but D-rank dungeon monsters usually had their own unique techniques. If those were all skills, it meant I could learn upper-compatible versions of every damn one.
Even among hunters of the same rank, having one extra skill made a world of difference in how they were treated. This was a cheat key on steroids.
I pressed down my rising smirk with my hand and thought.
But if word gets out, I'm fucked.
They only hype up prospects and heroes within a controllable range. This level of power would make them feel threatened.
Treasure was a curse to someone who couldn't handle it. Plenty of hunters bragged about good items only to turn up dead the next day.
If they found out I could learn skills...
I'd end up a lab rat in a cage.
There'd be recovery awakeners on hand. Guys who'd carve me up with a smile to extract my secrets were a dime a dozen.
So what now? The dilemma didn't last long.
I had to get stronger. Strong enough that even if my secret got out, no one could touch me.
Plus...
To fuck over that demon bastard, I gotta go this route—no choice.
The guy who treated S-rank hunters like snacks.
"Grroooaaar..."
Zombie hordes and ghouls, swarming back, spotted me and lumbered over.
First, gotta get used to these new skills.
"Leap Strike!"
The moment the skill activated, my body shot upward. My view shifted in an instant. Zombies and ghouls milling about below, searching for me, came into sharp focus.
That one first.
Targeting a ghoul at the back, I plunged down.
Boom!
Fists instead of claws, but the effect was much the same. A small crater formed, with something that used to be a ghoul half-smashed inside.
Maybe 'cause it was B-rank, but the destructive power blew Powerful Blow out of the water.
I can do this!
Becoming a powerhouse no one could touch. Confidence surged through me.
A week passed. Finally, proper classes began.
The Magic Officer Academy divided classes by awakening rank: A-Class for A-rank and above, B-Class for B-rank, C-Class for C-rank and below.
I was in C-Class, the biggest group.
Today's lesson: "Mana Control." The thing most awakeners struggled with.
The instructor was Professor Kim Yo-han, an S-rank renowned as one of the top three in mana control.
"Today, we'll start with the basics: floating this ball in the air."
He tossed and caught a small rubber ball like something kids would play with, grinning.
"Mana is a totally alien concept to us humans. Think of it like suddenly growing an extra arm on your back and trying to move it. You've lived your whole life with just two arms—ain't gonna be easy."
"Hahaha!"
He struck a ridiculous pose, flailing like he was struggling with an invisible arm, and laughter erupted.
"Controlling mana is a hundred times harder. But the more proficient you get, the finer your skill control becomes. That tiny difference can mean life or death against monsters. In simple terms: if you don't wanna die, work your ass off."
"..."
Death—a harsh reality. As he eyed the cadets, mentioning it directly, the smiles vanished.
Stepping into dungeons as hunters meant it could be their death.
"Alright, today's goal: float the ball. Begin."
Students took positions, struggling to levitate their balls.
"Whoa, this is tough. Right, Min-ho?"
"Huh? Yeah, totally."
Lee Jae-wook managed three seconds before dropping his repeatedly. Classic bear-like tank—more brute force than finesse, like most tanks.
Those with talent not only floated theirs but spun them in big circles.
"Ooh~!"
They drew instant attention. As expected in C-Class, full of C-rank and below, most showed middling results.
"Ooh! Juggling three!"
The kids around me gawked at me.
Hmm, low awakening ranks make it harder than I thought.
While Jae-wook struggled with one, I juggled three.
Before dying, I'd been a solid C-rank. This was child's play—blindfolded, even. Well, now I could barely do it with eyes open.
"Huff huff huff."
My clumsy juggling faltered; I panted, sweating bullets.
Mana shortage, as expected.
Not control—total mana was too low.
"Hmm, Cadet Kang Min-ho?"
"Yes, Professor."
Professor Kim Yo-han approached, stroking his chin and nodding.
"Your mana control looks pretty practiced. Got a lot of experience before coming here?"
"Ah, yeah... sorta."
I mumbled vaguely. Can't exactly say I died and woke up in the past.
He chuckled understandingly and patted my shoulder.
Jackpot!
I seized the moment.
Information Viewing
"Don't give up—keep at it. Effort always pays off eventually."
"..."
You bet, Professor.
Another S-rank skill jackpot appeared before me. I was so moved, tears welled up.
Misreading my expression, he gave an encouraging thumbs-up and moved on.
I stared blankly at his back.
Yes, I won't give up. Not till I learn every one of your skills.
I refocused on the balls.
A while later, most students collapsed, mana-exhausted—not physical fatigue, but depletion that could turn you into a vegetable if pushed.
Clap clap clap!
Professor Kim drew attention, stepping forward.
"Alright, eyes up."
Gazes turned to him.
"Mana control's tough—even one ball at first."
A ball floated before him.
"But persist, and it'll go from one... to two..."
More appeared beside it.
"Don't quit, and someday..."
Dozens hovered, dancing fantastically.
"Whoa~!"
Awe rippled through the class. But I focused not on the sight—on his mana flow.
Concentrating, ambient noise faded; only he remained. His mana threads sharpened, tangible.
Whoa, incredible!
Countless threads from his body enveloped each ball, weaving them about. Such finesse—pure admiration.
How's he doing it?
Deeper focus: threads branched like tree limbs, converging at nodes linked to a central trunk.
It's...
A tree. A massive one, laden with branches.
That's it.
I got it. The principle of subdividing and wielding mana.
For my meager mana, it'd be a sapling—but mana grows with time.
Then, a chime in my head.
Mana Control(S)