A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

In the Soul World, there are skills that can evolve through traits.

First aid sets the foundation to evolve into ‘Regeneration,' while Condensation becomes a trait as its proficiency increases.

Just as first aid changes into the superior counterpart of Regeneration and the previous trait disappears, it isn't completely wiped out.

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As I said earlier, it ‘evolves' to a higher equivalent trait, not disappearing once existing.

‘You must go through one stage after another to acquire a higher equivalent trait.'

Take boxing and martial arts as examples. If I learn various techniques from Kara in the future, boxing would disappear and evolve into martial arts.

It means that boxing would be included within martial arts, not that it has perished.

But my Condensation just went poof—it disappeared. I'm not sure what's going on because it wasn't given then taken back.

I've searched my memory, but as far as I know, such a case is unheard of. Had nothing appeared to begin with, I would have ignored it.

The one thing that catches my attention is the red magic. Since it mentioned compatibility with red magic, perhaps it has a significant connection.

The abilities that Gloria will reveal in the future require exposing magic on the surface, so it's likely that everyone will be paying attention.

"Now that you've calmed down, it’s time for me to teach."

Time passed, whether I had mastered Condensation or not, and Gloria began her instruction.

She glanced at me nervously, likely due to my recent antics.

Under the impression that I needed attention, she placed Kara right next to me, so close that even the slightest movement caused our skins to touch.

I wasn't quite sure why she put Kara next to me when Luna was around, but there must be a reason. All I had to do was learn.

"What I’ll teach you is similar to Condensation; it's called ‘Crafting.'"

"Crafting? Isn't that term usually used for refining gems?"

"Exactly. Let me show you what I mean."

Shing—

It's better to show than tell a hundred times. Gloria chose to draw her sword instead of explaining.

The sword she pulled out was slender, suited for thrusting, showcasing the style she pursued.

Whirr—

Blue magic began to form around the slender sword, the scenario indicating magic filling a weapon.

"As students know, imbuing weapons with magic grants various effects. The most prominent are durability and cutting ability. You are aware of this, right?"

"Yes."

"So what happens when you push the magic to its max?"

"Wouldn't the power increase?"

Luna tilted her head as she answered. Truth be told, that’s correct too.

The more magic you put into a weapon, the greater its power becomes, as long as the weapon can withstand the magic.

Back when I was living in the forest, I only had things like stone axes or spears, which were basically single-use. Ragnarok, however, was more likely to hold up.

"You're right there. But unless it's an extraordinary weapon, infusing it with magic beyond a certain threshold is challenging. Here is the tricky part."

Gloria gently raised her pointer finger as she segued to her next point.

"What if two weapons filled with more magic than their limits collide?"

"Would they explode?"

Kara responded with almost a murmur. Her extensive real-world combat experience offered the immediate answer.

"Exactly. They would both bang! blow up. If that happens, both users would suffer significant damage."

"Then why not just increase the limit with Condensation?"

This time, Luna asked the question, having just learned Condensation from Kronos. It was a plausible query.

However, as Gloria initially explained, Condensation and Crafting, while similar, are different.

Gloria smiled faintly, evidently expecting such a question, and continued her explanation.

"That would work, but that's not what Crafting is about. It's about how finely you can hone the magic that appears on the surface. If Condensation increases storage space, Crafting is about refining the magic itself."

"Hmm…"

Luna voiced her lack of understanding, showing a puzzled expression, clearly still not grasping it.

To simplify, let's use clay as an example. Condensation is molding the clay into its smallest possible form.

"It can be confusing. Condensation and Crafting actually have complementary properties. Hone your skills in Condensation and you'll get a feel for Crafting, and as you become proficient in Crafting, you'll realize how Condensation operates."

Crafting is then about sculpting shapes from that clay, which is why they complement each other.

At first glance, one might think it's just better to only do Crafting, as the larger the clay, the easier it is to work with.

Yet, learning Condensation is vital since it maximizes the storage space for magic.

Also, while a larger piece of clay might make the sculpting seem easier, more volume means more difficult adjustments need to be made.

"Then, isn't it better to learn just one? I was taught to succeed by focusing on one thing…"

Luna, still not quite clear, tilted her head perplexedly and asked the question. It seems the understanding still eluded her.

"That's correct too, but such cases are scarce. Have you ever heard the saying from the East, ‘All Streams Flow into the Sea'?"

"Ah! Yes, I know it. Doesn't it mean all tributaries eventually merge into one sea?"

Luna asked with a rare burst of energy, her eyes now sparkling with vigor.

Gloria herself seemed puzzled by her response, as if to say ‘Oh?' There must be a reason she cherishes that saying so dearly.

‘Because it was taught by her master.'

In her narrative, Luna remembers it as something taught by her master. She probably didn't know that it was an Eastern saying.

Excited because it was a saying she knew, and even relating to her master.

"That’s an Eastern saying? I had no idea."

"Anyway! Both Condensation and Crafting essentially connect to the vast sea of magic. Ultimately, both are just processes, and the outcome depends on the individual. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand."

"Remember, just because you can handle magic well doesn't mean you're good at martial arts or magic. Please keep this in mind."

High mastery of magic doesn’t enable you to slash through space like Rod.

In actuality, while my magic rank is Ex, my skill set is basically empty. My can is crazy strong but without contents.

Great hardware but the software is a mess.

"I've gone on a bit long. Let me now show you what Crafting is."

Whirr—

Gloria reinjected magic into her slender sword, which formed a soft blue band around the blade.

Up to this point, it looked quite typical. Adding magic would result in just that effect.

"But when you apply Crafting…"

Whirr!

Gloria focused, causing the blue band on the sword to shine even brighter.

The change was so conspicuous that both Luna and Kara watched with looks of wonder.

Thump—

That’s when Kronos silently dropped an axe onto the sword. It was the same one that had struck his fist earlier.

Unlike the previous impact, the axe began descending from the edge slowly. Normally it would have just hit, but then…

Schlick!

It split cleanly in half, a direct demonstration of Crafting's cutting capability.

Snap—

The now worthless halves of the axe rolled forlornly on the ground, seemingly pitiable for some reason.

"As you can see, the cutting strength has drastically improved, right? That’s the power of Crafting. Unlike Condensation, it's more difficult to learn and master, but you all will certainly…"

"Like this?"

During Gloria's explanation, Luna drew her sword. While not as clear as Gloria's, her blade was surrounded by a bright blue aura.

However, Gloria and Kronos's expressions were something to see. They clearly reflected a feeling of what-in-the-world-is-this.

Luna's genius, which seemed to absorb just by watching, was obvious, and Kara asked in disbelief.

"Hey. What are you?"

"What do you mean?"

"How did you do that?"

"It just worked when I focused? I just utilized the Condensation I learned earlier."

"…"

At Luna's answer, which sounded all too simple, Kara let out a dry chuckle, displaying Luna's genius in no uncertain terms.

By now, Gloria and Kronos were likely having serious second thoughts about taking Luna back to their homeland.

In reality, there had been arguments over just this. But in the end, it was pointless—like trying to cut water with a knife.

"But this seems complicated. I barely managed it by concentrating."

"That’s right? Normally it's a bit… difficult to learn…"

Gloria spoke with a hint of defeat in her voice. Indeed, Crafting is easier learned from someone else.

It's not that humanity lacks the wit to conceive sharpening magic; it's just difficult to self-learn. In other words, Luna is the anomaly.

‘What to do now? This complicates the plan.'

‘I don't know. I expected Condensation, but I didn't think they’d learn Crafting so fast.'

Their original plans must be perplexingly tangled with such unexpected proficiency, evident in their muttering.

I have excellent hearing, allowing me to hear their entire conversation. The bewilderment reached me all the way here.

They had planned to enjoy a sweet romance under the pretext of teaching Luna and me. Now, that had been dramatically cut short.

‘It's okay. Sivar is still around, right? And Kara too.'

‘Yes, but what if they also learn quickly? What then?'

‘Then teach something else. I’ve heard that Sivar is learning martial arts from Kara. You can help him out.'

‘All right, that'll work.'

The secretive couple murmured as they made a complete overhaul of their plan, displaying a keen ability to balance both work and love.

These quick-thinking skills must've kept them from being discovered over time. They're truly impressive in more ways than one.

"Hmm, hmm. Luna, even if you learn quickly, mastery will be difficult. Especially Crafting since it varies greatly in proficiency based on your own capacity."

Gloria, having collected herself, spoke to Luna. As she said, Crafting is one of the harder skills to master.

Moreover, unlike Condensation, it doesn't evolve into a trait, so one might ask if Condensation seems at a disadvantage.

"So, does Condensation decrease in importance relatively?"

"Not at all. Because Crafting requires concentration, it significantly consumes magic. Plus, you can't Craft if you lose focus."

Strength is like a hearty stew; agility is a delicate delicacy. Condensation suits strength, and Crafting suits agility.

Condensation is favorable for long-term battles, but lacks a crucial blow. Conversely, Crafting possesses a decisive strike but is at a disadvantage in long fights.

It's essential to skillfully balance the two, and crucially, enhance the magic stat as well. Everything is interdependent.

‘Playing an agility character feels like Dark Souls.'

To ease into the game, a strength character fares better. An agility character fits the ‘glass cannon' concept.

That's why veterans often just level up agility and go for speed runs. I've been there myself.

"Your decisions to invest in Condensation or Crafting will depend on your combat style, Luna. If you prefer long battles and brute force, choose Condensation; for powerful strikes and evasion, choose Crafting. It goes like this."

"What should I focus on then? I am a devotee of Gulak."

Then Kara posed a curious question. Different from the commonly separated professions, she was a faith character.

Even magicians gain multiple benefits from learning both Condensation and Crafting. Condensation enhances the power of spells, and Crafting increases accuracy, for instance.

But faith characters are a bit more ambiguous. Magic is important, but faith plays a more prominent role.

"For Kara… it's a little tricky. I have encountered numerous clerics, but aside from one thing, they have all been very diverse."

"What aspect was the same?"

"Devotion to the god they worship. Besides that, each one had their unique direction, so I hesitate to give you advice."

Faith greatly influences overall stats. Take Porori for example.

He’s much smaller than me yet incredibly strong and fast. He's been that way but became even faster after acquiring lightning.

Kara and Hector are the same. The moment they are enveloped in lightning, their overall stats and abilities spike dramatically.

One might say, doesn't this make being a faith character a good thing? But if you raise one without knowing what you're doing, you'll get badly hurt.

They're crazily weak at first. And as much as they're multi-talented, they can become good for nothing, making their training very intricate.

‘If they even get afflicted by Chaos…'

It’d be an utter nightmare. In fact, one might as well abandon the faith route.

[You have insulted the gods. Your faith falls.]

…is what I almost exclaimed! Hail to Lord Chaos!

[Your faith increases.]

‘Phew…'

I sighed internally, feeling as though I was swinging between heaven and hell.

I'm not even on a faith path, so why should I have to manage faith?

I didn't even want to come to this world in the first place. Thinking about it, it's really annoying.

"Sivar? Would you like to give it a try?"

While I was internally bemoaning my fate, Gloria called out to me. Looks like I'm next after Kara.

It wouldn't be bad to get to know about red magic now. So I casually raised my hand in response to her summons.

Whirr!

Shortly afterward, my hand was wreathed in red magic, taking on a shape akin to a beast’s claw.

Rod was in charge of Ragnarok, and I was afraid to use other weapons in case they exploded.

At this point, showing the magic in my hand was the only option.

"…Red? Why is the magic red? Do you have al…?"

"Ahem! Ahem!"

Gloria, flustered, almost made a blunder. Kronos' loud cough covered up her slip-up, but there remained room for doubt.

"The magic’s red? Is there such a thing as red magic?"

"Well, I'm not quite certain myself."

Kara, of course, denied any such knowledge. Luckily, the attention was now focused on my red magic.

It seems that everyone here is unfamiliar with red magic. That's somewhat disappointing.

"Gloria… isn't human magic universally blue?"

"Generally speaking, yes. But sometimes magic changes color. Those instances are mostly green or navy, though."

"What do both colors indicate?"

"Green signifies individuals with considerable mental deficits. Strictly speaking, people with intellectual disabilities who struggle with logical thinking. Additionally, occasionally, a highly intelligent monster will use it. Such monsters can usually speak a bit."

I've said before that magic is closely tied to ‘intelligence.' Hence, when there's a problem with that intelligence, the color of magic can change.

Humanity is ranked high enough to wield ‘blue' magic, a testament to the great intellect that has built a massive ‘civilization' – divine aid notwithstanding.

"On the other hand, navy is for those who've grasped the heavens' principles, so only the likes of Lord Rod can use it. But red…"

Therefore, red magic means not just mental deficiencies but an absence of intellect altogether.

That's, of course, assuming this follows the same principle. But I am certainly no idiot.

"Me."

"Huh?"

"Not. Dumb."

So I protested. It’s not intellect I am lacking – it's just the magic that’s weird.

The damned faith makes it hard to form words, but that doesn’t mean I can’t understand what’s being said.

"There, there. Did that upset you? Our Sivar got angry for being called dumb?"

Despite my protest, Kara pinched my cheek and teased me. She seemed to find it quite cute.

Further complaints seemed futile, so I just stayed quiet, though my expression remained sullen.

"Just as I thought…"

But why do you look so certain of yourself, Gloria? What did you see?

My questioning was short-lived as Gloria clapped her hands and spoke in her characteristically warm and friendly tone.

"What's important isn't the red magic. It's whether you can use Crafting or not. Shall we see if you can do it, Sivar?"

"Hmm…"

Condensation might have been easy, but Crafting seems more challenging. It didn't look like I could instantly succeed like Luna.

Plus, with the inherent strength of red magic, caution was necessary in all things. Thus, I turned my body, not towards them but to an open space.

‘Let's try with the sense I got from Condensation…'

I gathered the magic swirling around my hand to the tip of my index finger. It was not so much Condensation as it was closer to Crafting.

In the forest, the sheer force of raw magic was enough for butchering. I had no use for Condensation or Crafting back then.

‘If Condensation is just about making the clay smaller, Crafting is about refining it precisely.'

Whoever coined that explanation hit it right on the head. Keeping it in mind, I focused intently.

The red magic surrounding my hand gradually collected at the tip of my index finger, combining both Condensation and Crafting.

Such an ability that even Luna could only use when focusing demanded my full attention too. Given my abundant strength, control proved challenging.

Whizzing—

Before long, red magic gathered at my fingertip. Smooth and rounded, not jagged, due to Crafting.

"…Isn't that dangerous?"

"Don't worry. If Crafting fails, it only disperses, not shooting off anywhere."

"That might work for you, but Sivar’s magic is red. It feels ominous…"

From behind, I heard the chatter of Luna and Gloria. Luna seemed anxious about my actions.

Given my earlier excessive display with Condensation, her wariness was understandable. Nevertheless, I pressed on with my concentration.

Then my fingertip held a ball-shaped cluster of red magic.

[Ability: Crafting acquired!]

The notification announcing my acquisition of Crafting unfolded before my eyes.

Initially, my focus wavered right there.

[Wild Instinct activates!]

[Ability: Compatible with Red Magic!]

[Ability: Crafting has been removed!]

Another notification about the ability being deleted popped up, just like Condensation, fracturing my concentration further.

Normally, Crafting would disperse once focus was lost.

Perhaps because my magic stats were too high or some issue with the red magic itself…

"Oh, uh?"

The cluster of red magic at my fingertips didn't disperse. Instead, it desperately tried to shoot out.

My instincts were shouting warnings. If things continued as they were, it would be a disaster. Action was needed.

Without any time to panic, I hastily reached up. Somehow, I ended up with my finger pointing straight up to the sky.

Pew!

Suddenly, red magic burst forth from my index finger.

It shot up toward the ceiling like a laser, leaving a red trail in its wake.

"What…"

People behind began to panic, gazing up at the ceiling, just like I was.

The personal training area, unlike the communal one, might be smaller, but the ceiling is just as high.

And that's significant because…

Boom!

The red magic that shot up like a laser struck the ceiling and immediately exploded.

The ceiling momentarily flashed red before bursting open with a massive explosion.

Hissing…

"…"

"…"

"…"

A huge hole was now gaping in the personal training area's ceiling. Debris fell, but everyone simply stared at the hole above.

Each person wore an expression that clearly read ‘lost for words,' unable to comprehend the current situation.

"Phew."

Meanwhile, I looked up at the gaping ceiling and exhaled a sigh of relief. To be honest, it had been a close call.

Personal training areas are built to be sturdy in anticipation of such events. But despite that, the explosion had torn through the ceiling completely.

The output had been reduced to prevent an accident, yet this was the extent of the damage—if I had intensified it a bit more, it’s chilling to consider what might've happened.

At least right now, only the ceiling was wrecked; more power could've been far worse. It gave me a reason to learn to control my power.

‘And now I have a suppressive capability.'

I even gained a suppressive capability, coincidentally. Until now, I could only throw weapons for interception.

But today, I finally secured a legitimate suppression move. Using magic is a hurdle, but it's better than having nothing at all.

Now, what was this attack called again? I ruminated for a moment before softly exclaiming with recognition.

"Death! Beam!"

Today, I gained romance.

"I don't know what a Death Beam is, but… I can tell The Principal will scold you a lot."

"How can someone cause such a commotion every single day…"

I had once again lost the trust of those around me.

And somehow, the situation was dealt with.

"Keep your arms straight up! Don't put them down until I tell you to!"

"Arms… sore…"

"Don't whine! I know you're fine!"

Rod made me kneel and hold up both arms. It was the first time I ever encountered corporal punishment.

"Don't touch the wall with your hands! Are you trying to dodge the punishment already?"

It really was tough.