[Pinnacle Academy, Male Dorms: Room 4 - A]
After that long gruelling conversation with Jan, I finally made it back to my dorm room.
As I tered, It appeared that the medals and que I won from the tournamt were delivered to my desk, which didn''t make it any better, since the tournamt ded in a disaster for me.
The medal of 4th ce and The Best Single Match Individual Performance were both in my hands, but I knew holding these felt kind of stimtal to me.
It was the first few things I could look back on after tering this world.
I ced the memtos on the windowsill.
"Doesn''t matter now," I smiled.
Soon, these will be just memories after everything is all done.
Changing into home clothes, I tapped my watch to y my ylist, though I noticed that its tire battery was drained.
It made sse honestly, I was out for an tire 4 days just to recover from injuries and mana exhaustion.
I guess there was no time better than to charge it.
It''s not like I was expecting anything special.
...
...
...
DING!, DING!, DING!
[Missed Messages:]
________________
Jae Yoona (ssmate): [...]
> I know you''re not in ss today but meet me and Alice by the library at 4PM. [Thursday, 3:34 PM],
> Hey, where are you? [Thursday, 4:00 PM],
>Do you have my bow by any chance? [Friday, 7:30 AM],
>Hey why ar''t you responding?! [Friday, 9:30 AM],
>Reply back wh you get the chance. [Friday :00 AM]
________________
[Group Chats]
[<Histories Breakfast Club>] Lan.Villerion [...] [Op?]
[< K ssroom GC>] Ly4ra [...] [Op?]
________________
[Emails:]
[To Mr. Laurce: Tounrm reports are out... [Review] -]
[Alert: Theory and Practical exam dates have be pushed back please see teacher for more details...]
________________
What?
I couldn''t believe the number of messages and emails I got.
But my Jaw dropped further than the time I dropped my coffee onto my toes... it wasn''t a pleasant feeling.
While my biggest concerns wer''t the emails or the group chat.
It was Jae Yoona... What should I say to her? I didn''t know what to do... and the fact that she asked for the bow back was ev scarier... I didn''t ev get time to organize a replication of her bow.
Shit, shit, shit. I was so screwed.
Maybe I should at leastpsate her in some way...
haah...
...
...
...
[ dayter...]
[Pinnacle Academy, ssroom -A]
[Monday, 8:45 AM]
The day after... morning sses began like normal, strangely ough, there were many eyes towards me as I made my way to my usual seat.
Lyra and Cam especially... they were all staring at me intsely, though seeing the empty seat betwe the two, I already knew this had to do something with Valcia...
Although she was still recovering, I couldn''t help but think they were looking at me for that reason right?
I hope not...
But before my thoughts could form a conclusion Kolek who seemed almost unhinged as ever started the role call.
"Morning ss! I hope everyone''s well." He logged into the attdance system and th hit us with the big announcemt.
"Okay, -A, I hope you''ve read your tournamt performance reports. Starting today, the Early Offer Program ops up on the Academy website. These start post-semester, so specific application forms will be avable for those interested."
The Early Offer Program
The Early Offer Program, esstially it''s where all studts start their training to be future heroes for the desired guild.
Not only does this program offer a lot of value to hard-working studts, but this also helps secure business rtionships for future partnerships.
With many programsing in the form of internships, this allows them to earn credits towards a guild honorary system, giving a studt the chance to earn the credit threshold for their offer.
It''s an honest and fair system if you ask me.
Especially for offers that didn''te with the immediate response of a contract, you can work your way to getting an offer through the early offer program.
A win-win condition with extra steps.
But it wasn''t my ideal n for the future, though I am a little curious to see what the early offer program has, It was mostly just filler for plot progression.
However, I needed to joy this life to the fullest with the time I had at this academy.
"Alright, ough of that! It''s time to introduce your newest professor, a grade 4 mage and Pinnacle Academy alumna – give it up for Ms. Silve!"
A woman strolled in. Shoulder-lgth brown hair, sses, and a face that screamed trouble.
It was an annoying teacher I made to piss off the characters and Silve was one of those characters – the kind who loved humiliating any type of studt... Especially the low-ranked ones.
My position on the rankings was... dangerous. All I could do was be on my best behaviour…for now.
As she walked back and forth observing the ssroom she smirked and began her speech.
"Good morning, ss. I''m Ms. Silve. Top theory studt back in my Pinnacle days, and I''m honoured to be teaching my first ss – you lucky lot."
The ss silt but observing sat up on their seats... But I couldn''t...haah...help but feel drowsy hearing her talk...
...
...
...
Ms. Silve''s voice cut through the air like a whipcrack.
"So, what do we know about mana efficicy? Redhead over there, snoring..."
Bazz jolted awake. "Wha – what?"
Laughter rippled through the ss as Silve descded upon him, her re a storm brewing behind her sses.
"Care to share what you know about mana efficicy, Mr…?"
Bazz snorted, nonchntly picking his nose. "Uh… mana efficicy, it''s, like, spells… I think."
Disgust twisted from Silve''s lips, as she pushed up her sses.
"If you bothered paying atttion during this semester, you''d have the definition writt down in yourptops or books."
Jan who flicked Bazz''s head, everyone remained quiet while she scanned the room, a predator assessing its prey.
Her gaze settled on Alice, Jae Yoona, Lyra, and Cam. Silve easily deduced that they were among the top of the ss.
Th, her eyesnded on a boy slumped at his desk, chin propped on his hand.
He was brazly asleep. "Sleeping through my ss, Mr. sses?" she barked.
Rel jerked upright, blinking the sleep from his eyes.
His gaze met Silve''s, and a sh of nervousness quickly masked. "Sorry..."
"Sorry won''t cut it," Silve snapped. "Exin to me, sses, what is mana efficicy?"
Rel stared for a momt, th answered, his voice steady.
"Mana optimization. Using the least amount of mana to achieve the maximum spell output while minimizing wasted ergy."
The smug grin fell from Silve''s face. This answer was too good, too concise. "Correct…" she g out, her toneced with vom.
She turned to the board, scrawling equations, a storm cloud of restmt swirling a her as she punished the ss for this boy''s audacious knowledge.
[An Hour Later]
Silve''s eyes wided as she scanned the theory rankings. There, at the very top, was a familiar face – the studt who''d dozed off half an hour ago, just after handing in his worksheet with every answer wlessly filled in.
It was Mr. sses or Rel Laurce who was number one among first-years.
Yet, hisbined practical and theory scores ced him near the bottom.
Such a strange disparity. He must be weak, a paper tiger.
The thought brought a malicious thought to her eye.
Perhaps the next lesson would be a ''practical'' indeed… but for now, she''ll give the ss an impossible equation to solve, one ev she hadn''t solved until her second year.
"Well done, ss," she purred, the change in tone setting the room on edge.
"As it''s my first year teaching, I''d like to give you a challge. It''s thirty minutes until the bell. If anyone solves the equation I''m about to write, you''re all dismissed early."
Excited murmurs filled the room as the studts prepared to solve what she had for them.
"She''s be stern, but fair so far..."
"This teacher isn''t bad after all."
"Maybe this was aplicated efficicy problem?"
The studts were about to learn how drastically they''d underestimated her.
As the marker tapped on the board, symbols and forms appeared in a madding tangle.
"...?"
Ev Alice looked on in confusion.
This wasn''t about efficicy, but sheer, impossibleplexity.
Silve''s smirk wided – let them squirm, let that insufferable sses boy break his brain, just a taste of the humiliation toe.
____________
SOLVE EQUATION TO LEAVE EARLY!
Total Mana Cost=
Total Mana Cost=
((Power FactorBase Cost×Complexity Factor?)×(Efficicy ModifierDuration Factor?))+
(Specialization Bonus×Environmtal Modifier)
Giv Values:
Base Cost = mana
Complexity Factor = .5
Power Factor =
Duration Factor = .
Efficicy Modifier = 0.8
Specialization Bonus = 5
Environmtal Modifier = 0.5
____________
"Whever you''re ready, the marker is yours!" Silve''s innoct smile was a razor-sharp facade. The ss was a whirl of panicked whispers, but her gaze was locked on Rel.
He''d squinted at the board, scribbling on his notepad in a circle pattern.
There was no way he could solve this.
This equation had stumped doctorate-level professors.
haah...
Th, a sigh. Rel stood.
As the argumts raged a him, he was already moving towards the board, grabbing the marker in hand.
Silve''s stomach twisted.
This was impossible...
Numbers flowed from Rel''s hand, not just the solution, but the calctions themselves.
An elegant, brutal disy of mathematical mastery.
And before she knew it, his answer and in-depth exnation were writt all over the board.
Silve''s face burned. Before the rest of the ss could grasp what was happing, Rel''s work was done.
An explosion of shock rippled through the room. Th, silce.
Silve, still froz, felt rage rece the humiliation.
"I''ll get you for this," she muttered, unheard amidst the studts packing up.
"I''ll make you regret this..." But Rel was already gone, slipping out the door unnoticed.
__________________
Authors Note:
- Rel''s answer:
Total Mana Cost= ((×.5?)×(0.8.?))+(5×0.5)
Total Mana Cost=((5)×(.0.8))+(5×0.5)Total Mana Cost=((5?)×(0.8.?))+(5×0.5)
Total Mana Cost=(7.5×.5)+(.5)Total Mana Cost=(7.5×.5)+(.5)
Total Mana Cost=.5+.5 Total Mana Cost=.5+.5
Total Mana Cost=3. Total Mana Cost=3.