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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Prøks]
[Proofreader - Prøks]
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Chapter 20
1.
Every first town after the tutorial, including Perthville, has a Class Academy.
As the name suggests, it's where users go to change classes and receive training in their chosen professions.
Interestingly, these academies have ranks.
From basic to intermediate, advanced, superior, and finally, special.
A total of five ranks.
So, what's the difference?
Simple.
The higher the rank, the wider the range and higher the rank of skills you can learn.
For example, while a basic academy might offer only two or three Normal-rank skills, an intermediate academy would offer five, albeit still Normal-rank.
With more skills at their disposal, users gain greater versatility.
Making these academies essential for all users.
Most users could easily reach the intermediate rank.
In fact, it was rarer to attend only the basic academy.
This was because the intermediate academy taught all the skills offered at the basic level, and the requirements were simple.
All you had to do was complete a simple quest.
So, what about the advanced rank and above?
"Ugh, I failed the advanced test again."
"Again? How many times have you tried?"
"Four..."
"Whoa, that's a lot of failures."
"I know..."
Plenty of people attempted the test numerous times.
But only a handful passed.
From the advanced rank onwards, you had to pass a test administered by the academy.
It wasn't a written exam, but a practical test to assess your skills in your chosen profession.
If you didn't meet the standards?
You failed.
No matter how many times you tried.
Why bother going through the stress and struggling to pass?
Simple.
"You've already been to the intermediate academy, so why not give up?"
"No way! They say they replace one of your skills with a Rare skill at the advanced academy! How can I give up?!"
"That's true..."
From the advanced rank, one of the five basic skills was replaced with a Rare skill.
For those without access to Hidden Pieces, the academies were like an oasis in the desert.
The superior academy even offered two Rare skills!
How could anyone give up on that?
Even if they failed, they kept trying day after day with sheer determination.
This was a common routine for users in their first town.
Some clung to the hope of passing until they left, but upon reaching level 20, most gave up, facing the reality of their situation.
Incidentally, Bejiron, who had attacked Seonghyun, was a graduate of the advanced academy.
Now, if the superior academy offered two Rare skills, what about the special academy?
"Wow, has anyone entered the special academy lately?"
"I don't know. Has there been one recently?"
"Yeah, I wonder. I heard Perthville has one."
"Wow, that's amazing."
"So jealous. I heard they upgrade all your basic skills to Rare rank if you get into the special academy."
All five basic skills learned in the first town upgraded to Rare rank?
It would give you a huge head start.
No one would dislike such an advantage from the get-go, but the opportunity was presented fairly.
The only thing to blame was your own lack of skill.
And there was nowhere to vent that frustration.
If you were good enough, you would have already passed.
As people lined up at each academy, chattering amongst themselves, someone lingered near the special academy.
"Hey, I think that guy's going to try for the special academy. Oh, I wonder if he'll make it."
"Pfft! Hey, look at his arm."
"Huh? Whoa, what?! He doesn't have an academy bracelet."
"That means he hasn't even been to the basic or intermediate academy. Trying the special academy for his first attempt? Pfft, what a joke."
It wasn't unusual for someone to be curious about the special academy.
Everyone did it at some point when they were new.
Usually, after reading the guides, they wouldn't dare go near it, but there were always a few reckless individuals.
The other users, curious to see how quickly he'd be kicked out, started whispering amongst themselves.
"Hey, hey, want to bet on how long it'll take before he's kicked out?"
"Oh! That sounds fun!"
"I say 10 minutes!"
"Nah, you're overestimating him. I say... 3 minutes!"
"Alright, then I'll go with 1 minute!"
"Come on, 1 minute is too harsh! Hahaha!"
Their open mockery was partly fueled by the user's appearance.
He was quite handsome, which likely sparked some jealousy.
They were seizing this opportunity to gossip.
The NPC guards stationed at the entrance of the special academy also noticed the user's lack of a bracelet.
Their thoughts weren't much different from the other users.
'Another clueless outsider.'
'Should we guide him? He seems lost.'
Unlike the users, they didn't mock him, but they still dismissed him.
They assumed he was just another clueless user.
"This is the spe-cial academy. Not just anyone can pass through here."
"Judging by your wrist, you haven't even visited the basic or intermediate academies. Perhaps you should try those first?"
Their words were laced with condescension.
Normally, people would be offended by such a response from an NPC.
But this user, unfazed, pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket.
"Here you go."
"Sigh."
There were always a few like this.
Outsiders who thought they could bribe their way in, acting as if they were someone important.
'Let's see what makes him so special.'
With that thought, the NPC accepted the paper.
His eyes widened as he looked back and forth between the paper and the user, his jaw dropping in surprise.
"Th-th-this is?!"
The guard who received the paper jumped in surprise, and the guard next to him, intrigued, approached.
"What? What's going on? Oh my!"
He had the same reaction upon seeing the paper.
From afar, the users tilted their heads in confusion at the guards' behavior.
"What's that? Why are they acting like that?"
"I don't know. Did he bribe them or something?"
"No way, they're not the type to be swayed by bribes."
"How do you know that so well?"
"...You don't need to know."
"Anyway, what's going on?"
As the users puzzled over the situation, the guards' attitudes took a complete 180-degree.
They bowed deeply towards the handsome user standing before them.
"P-please, come in."
"W-we apologize for not recognizing you."
"Huh? Oh, no worries."
The handsome user brushed off their apologies and entered, while the guards wiped away beads of sweat.
It was like witnessing soldiers snapping to attention when a high-ranking officer visited their post.
They hadn't expected him to be treated with such deference.
The users who had been mocking and dismissing him watched in disbelief.
What was happening?
Those guards usually acted arrogant even towards users entering the special academy.
And yet, they were treating this bracelet-less, first-time user with such respect?
"Wh-who is that guy?"
"I-I have no idea."
"S-seriously, who is he?"
Dumbfounded, the users could only stammer, unable to form coherent sentences.
They could only wonder.
In the world of Eternal World, where skill was everything, just how incredible must someone be to receive such treatment from those guards?
And to top it off, he was handsome too.
"...Please, let him be at least three centimeters shorter than me..."
"...Let's not go there. That's just pathetic."
"Sob..."
That day, in front of the Class Academy, quite a few male users shed tears of envy.
2.
Yeon was an exceptional user, in everyone's eyes.
Yeon herself believed so too.
Her talent had been evident from her time in the beginner village.
While others struggled and sweated to hunt rabbits, she had effortlessly taken them down with grace and composure.
She was vastly different from those who relied on grouping and cooperation.
Soloing a rabbit in one attempt held significant meaning in Eternal World.
While taking down a single rabbit didn't necessarily indicate talent, talented users tended to achieve it.
Yeon felt the same way.
'I'm talented!'
Even her friends, who had started the game together, acknowledged it.
That belief became a source of pride for Yeon, and despite having played for only a few days, it had already changed many things about her.
'What if I don't have any talent?'
She didn't entertain such worries.
She was overwhelmingly superior compared to those around her.
After watching videos of rising stars broadcasted online, that thought solidified into certainty.
'Why did I start so late?'
She regretted starting so late.
There was no need to witness firsthand how deeply she was immersed in her own talent.
The class she chose was none other than Black Mage.
The reason was simple.
They seemed far more elegant than those who soloed or formed parties to hunt.
Melee classes, struggling and sweating in close combat, and ranged classes, unable to do anything on their own without the protection of melee classes.
Yeon believed neither suited her.
She wanted to become a one-person army, leading a legion of undead all by herself.
That's why she chose Black Mage.
And she realized that her choice was right.
'It suits me perfectly!'
She could create undead to form her own vanguard while she eliminated enemies from the back with her overwhelming talent and sense.
Yeon's talent shone brightly even in this first town.
Unlike the beginner village, the users here were stronger, having acquired skills, but none could even come close to her.
Moreover, after learning basic skills at the intermediate academy, she challenged the special academy and succeeded on her second attempt.
It was a remarkable achievement, a testament to her blossoming talent.
However, the fact that it took her two attempts bruised her pride.
Failing to succeed on her first try bothered her.
'I have to do better.'
Her pride turned into stubbornness.
This motivated Yeon to work even harder.
In the end, it turned out to be a positive driving force.
Despite her talent, the standards of the special Black Mage academy professor were strict and demanding.
Only one class per day, and only for a single hour.
Objectively, she could learn skills faster than anyone else who had entered the special academy.
But the professor's reaction was lukewarm.
"Hmm, you haven't learned it yet?"
"Just how much do I have to explain before you understand?"
"You don't understand this part?"
His responses weren't dismissive, but rather genuinely bewildered.
It was like a genius trying to teach someone with far less talent.
As these instances piled up, Yeon inevitably became sensitive.
'This can't be happening.'
She couldn't believe she was being looked down upon, but the NPC professor's words were true.
In Yeon's eyes, the professor teaching her was a genius.
Even though she scoured the internet and confirmed that she was exceeding the average learning speed of those who entered the special academy, it didn't comfort her.
She resolved to gain the professor's acknowledgement in the remaining time.
Today, she attended class determined to master the lesson even faster than yesterday.
As she was about to start the lesson, she heard a knock.
Who could that be?
As Yeon's mind filled with questions, the professor spoke.
"Come in."
A moment later, the door opened, and a man entered.
Another user besides herself, whom she had thought was the only one in Perthville.
3.
Seonghyun, the handsome user who had been the subject of much envy, was completely unaware of it as he entered the special academy with the letter in hand.
The building was built in a medieval style, but it was quite large and spacious.
As big as it was, it had many rooms, each with a class specialization written above the door.
There was only one place for Seonghyun to go.
[『Special』 Black Mage Academy]
Looking at the sign with the word "special" particularly emphasized, Seonghyun lightly knocked.
It was common courtesy to knock before entering any room.
Knock, knock.
Shortly after knocking, a voice came from inside.
"Come in."
It was the voice of someone quite old.
He could sense a hint of strictness and coldness in the tone.
'Perhaps a strict professor?'
With anticipation, Seonghyun opened the door and stepped inside.
The academy's interior was more pleasant than he expected.
About the size of a university lecture hall?
It could probably accommodate up to 50 people.
However, there were very few people inside.
'A professor and... a user?'
There was an elderly man with an NPC mark and a person with a user mark.
The elderly man with the NPC mark appeared to be the professor, and he had a rather stubborn-looking face.
He gave off a strict and meticulous vibe.
'This might be a bit challenging,' Seonghyun thought.
The user was a woman with a sharp look about her.
She seemed like she might have a sensitive personality.
But there was also a mix of pride and confidence in her demeanor.
He had a feeling she was quite skilled.
As if to confirm his impression, the female user, true to her seemingly sensitive nature, glared at Seonghyun as he entered.
'Why is she staring at me like that?'
He hadn't done anything.
Her eyes were filled with a mix of vigilance, astonishment, and other complex emotions.
He felt a bit offended.
He had expected the special academy to be empty.
He hadn't imagined there would be another person.
And a Black Mage, no less.
As Seonghyun briefly surveyed the room, the elderly NPC who appeared to be the professor spoke to him.
"Did you pass the test and come here?"
"Excuse me? Oh, that..."
"Judging by your lack of a bracelet, this seems to be your first attempt at the special academy. You must be quite talented."
"..."
'It seems this professor doesn't listen to others very well.'
At the professor's words, the female user who was already present shot Seonghyun another sharp glare.
Ignoring her gaze, Seonghyun replied,
"Actually, I brought this with me."
"Hmm?"
The old professor accepted the paper Seonghyun offered him.
His eyes widened, and his pupils shook violently.
'What is it?'
The guards, and now this stern and strict-looking professor...
Everyone seemed to be on the verge of fainting after seeing that paper.
It was the letter entrusted to him by Pam, the village head of Hindel.
'Could it be that Pam is actually a powerful figure?'
Just as that thought crossed his mind...
"Wel-welcome! I-I knew it! I sensed an extraordinary aura about you! Ehehehehe!"
"Ah... yes. Thank you."
"!"
Seonghyun thanked him calmly on the surface, but he was still embarrassed by the praise.
The female user's eyes widened when she heard the professor's compliment.
Her eyes were filled with a mix of shock, envy, and curiosity.
It seemed she had been noticed.
'I wanted to learn quietly...'
That seemed unlikely now.
As Seonghyun scratched his cheek in dismay, the professor spoke to him.
"Ehehehe, well then, um, take a seat next to Yeon over there."
"Ah, yes."
He didn't ask who Yeon was.
There was only one other person in the room.
As Seonghyun went to his seat...
"..."
Yeon coldly ignored him and moved slightly away.
He hadn't done anything wrong, so why was she acting like this?
He couldn't understand it, but he decided to let it go.
He was somewhat relieved to have someone else in the class with him.
On the other hand, Yeon, as she was called, glanced at him with annoyance.
'I really don't like this.'
Seonghyun hadn't done anything wrong, specifically.
She was annoyed that someone else had entered what she perceived as her own special space.
'This was my own private classroom.'
That didn't mean she disliked Seonghyun from the start.
Just because her sense of exclusivity was broken didn't mean her talent would fade.
She had even considered being friendly with him since he was handsome.
But the professor's comment about him seeming talented reignited her annoyance.
'Hmph, please don't say such things to just anyone.'
She was offended that the professor seemed to be handing out compliments so casually.
However, after witnessing the professor's shocked reaction to the paper Seonghyun presented, her annoyance escalated to anger.
'He entered without taking the test?!'
That was the only conclusion she could draw.
As the professor had pointed out, he didn't have the intermediate academy completion bracelet.
She didn't know how he did it, but judging from the paper he handed over, it was obvious.
He must have cleared a special quest to gain entry.
Unlike Yeon, who had rightfully taken the test and passed.
From Yeon's perspective, it felt incredibly unfair.
And on top of that, he received praise immediately after submitting the paper?
Unacceptable.
'I've never received such praise!'
Had the old professor ever said such things to her?
No, never.
'I'll master the skills faster than you, no matter what. Just you wait.'
As Yeon glared at Seonghyun with that thought in mind, he paid her no attention and focused on the professor's words.
He didn't understand why she kept glaring at him.
But Seonghyun knew that ignoring her was the best course of action in this situation.
He remained indifferent, showing no interest.
"Ahem, ahem, as Yeon already knows, let me introduce myself again. I am Urden Python, the professor in charge of the special Black Mage academy."
With that, the class began.
At the same time, Yeon looked at Seonghyun with a confident thought.
'I'll defeat him overwhelmingly.'
She would show him that this place wasn't a playground, and she would do it with her skills.
While Yeon harbored such thoughts, Seonghyun scratched his cheek, looking a bit troubled.
But it wasn't because of Yeon.
-A place to learn Black Magic? That sounds fun. Should I teach you a little?
A sudden voice rang out.
He knew who it belonged to without looking, but he glanced to the side anyway.
Helena was looking at him with a bright smile.
Yeon was already out of his mind; Seonghyun was at a loss about how to handle this situation.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Prøks]
[Proofreader - Prøks]
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