It had been a month since the Academy started. All students above us LP students had already been taught quite a few spells. And since most LP students had managed to last long for about 8 minutes of mana flowing, we can now learn the first two spells. It is the Fortification and Regeneration Spells.

Currently, we are in the Training Center. The whole room was filled with students of D, E, and F students.

“Is there anyone who had any question before we start?”(Mr. F)

A guy 10 feet at my right side raised his right hand.

“Sir, why are we learning these two spells first? Can’t we learn something like, Fireball Spell or Healing Spell?”(Random Guy)

“Short answer, mana consumption. Fortification and Regeneration Spells are casted only once, but the spells will last for a bit of time before disappearing. The Fireball Spell is also casted only once but consumes a large amount of mana.”(Mr. F)

“Spells such as Healing are activated continuously. And you can be interrupted when you are performing a Spell.”(Mr. F)

“Sir, how about the Spells’ Tiers?”(Random Guy B)

“Both Fortification and Regeneration are Novice. Healing is Apprentice, and Fireball is Intermediate.”(Mr. F)

There are 7 Spell Tiers. Novice, Apprentice, Intermediate, Expert, Master, GrandMaster, and the highest, Singularity. We were taught this on the first day at the Academy.

“Is there any more questions? Nothing? Good”(Mr. F)

I saw at least four students had their hands raised, but he just straight up ignored them. We are also given a Spellbook each, and this will be what we will be using for the whole Academy before returning it. On the first page, I can see both Fortification and Regeneration Spells. It says how to cast each of the Spell. At first, I thought we cast a spell using some magic word, but it looks like I’m wrong. We use our mana to cast the Spell.

It’s hard to explain, but I already can understand how it works. If I would describe it to a regular human, then I could say that I order the mana to do what I want. If I want to use the Fortification Spell, I will order the mana to coat the whole weapon and make it hard and sturdy. The same thing for Regeneration, I just need to order my mana to help my body regenerate to an abnormal rate.

Looking at the others in my surroundings, it seems like they also learned the spells as quick as I did. Is this the reason why we were able to push back the demonic beasts as soon as the Enhancers are born?

“Don’t overestimate yourselves. All of you managed to quickly grasp how it works because all the Spells in the Spellbook are optimized to the best readability, not performance. But as a Spell is used gradually, the understanding and performance grow. A Fireball, a size of a tennis ball, can grow into the size of a basketball if used every day.”(Mr. F)

“Now, cast the Fortification Spell. You cannot take any missions if your Fortification cannot last for 30 Seconds. And a minute for the Regeneration Spell.”(Mr. F)

“Against a demonic beasts’ attack, if you can’t last for even a minute, high chance is that you’re only evading death, you didn’t escaped death, you only prolonged your miserable life. Don’t even think of fighting syndicate groups. A single member of the notorious group Null can easily kill any of you within few seconds. One of their members, Density, a Dominator that controls gravity, can kill you within a second. Don’t even think about being able to survive. Cause by the time you realize, she’s already turned you into a puddle of blood. That’s how weak all of you are right now.”(Mr. F)

Learning this sent shivering fear into my body. Someone that can control the gravity in enemy hands? That’s crazy. But there’s a similar AE soldier to Density. He’s also a dominator that can control the temperature within a kilometer radius, nickname Optimo. Their bloodline’s too powerful. I want one too.

“Julia, do you have a bloodline?”(Daniel)

I asked Julia whose sitting just beside me. Unlike me, it doesn’t look like she’s shaken much. I guess she already knew about Density before I did.

“Hmm. Why are you asking?”(Julia)

“Nothing much. I just…. Got curious.”(Daniel)

“I do, but I can’t tell you. Not only that we are to hide our bloodline power until we join AE, but there’s also a lot of people around us.”(Julia)

“Sorry I wasn’t thinking just now. Ahaha, you can forget about it.”(Daniel). I said with an embarrassing look. How could I ask someone about their bloodline out of nowhere? Not only that but we’ve only known each other for about a month.

Come to think of it. I saw Cath’s document that she has a bloodline. I wonder what it is.

“I can tell you when we’re alone, you know. It isn’t that big of a deal.”(Julia)

“Eh?! Really? Are you sure? Just to let you know I can’t do the same since I don’t have a bloodline.”(Daniel)

Telling someone their own bloodline’s power is just too reckless. What if that someone turned evil and decided to attack. They would have already prepared to counter the bloodline’s power by either using the surroundings, weakness, or someone that can counter it.

“Yeah, I’m sure. It isn’t that big of a deal. But not right now, okay?”(Julia). I nodded in response.

“But, why?”(Daniel)

I still couldn’t help but ask. Why me? I don’t remember doing her any favor. Does she trust me already by giving her back the pen she dropped? That’s too dangerous.

“Just because. Oh, but you can’t tell anyone.”(Julia)

“Of course!”(Daniel)

“Shhhhh, don’t be too loud.”(Julia). She chuckled.

“We’re still in the Training Center. You don’t want to get lectured by Mr. Fernandez again.”(Julia)

Oops. I totally forgot. Luckily it seems like he didn’t notice us chatting.

It had been a few hours since we started the Spells training. My Fortification and Regeneration Spells only last 10 seconds in the beginning. Roughly similar to the others. Mr. Fernandez said this is normal since we have only started learning the Spells. The only way to extend the Spells’ effects’ is to use them continuously until we gained a new level of proficiency.

Fortunately, I have better mana capacity and training my mana flow increased my mana control a lot. By the end of the class, my Fortification Spell lasted 20 seconds, and my Regeneration lasted 24 seconds. For Julia, Fortification is 14 seconds, and Regeneration is 18 seconds, about the same time as everyone else’s. And this will only increase as we use the spells more and more.

Right now, Julia was lying in front of me.

“Huff. Huff. Huff. Daniel, aren’t you tired?”(Julia). She’s sweating like crazy. I wonder why I wasn’t. I never sweated before, but I do get tired.

“I am.”(Daniel)

“Then why are you not sweating? Look at all of us. You’re the only one who still has the strength to be sitting down. Don’t tell me you didn’t exhaust your mana to the limit? That’s cheating, you know.”(Julia)

She’s glaring at me like crazy. Good thing she doesn’t have the strength to swing her arms on me cause she’s been doing that lately. Who even hit you when you made them laugh with a joke or buy them ice creams. Not only that, but she takes joy from it. She’s smiling like crazy when hitting me. She’s a psychopath

But I did exhaust my mana. I feel my strength faded away the moment it hit rock bottom. We Enhancers are physically more potent than regular humans because of the mana in our bodies, but the moment it hit absolute zero, then we will lose that advantage. The only reason why they do not have the strength to stand up is that continuously casting a spell over and overburdens your body. But for me, I only feel my mana exhausted and strength lifted, but my body is still weirdly in good shape.

“I don’t know, really. I guess my physical training worked.”(Daniel)

“Gasp. Huff. We all do the same thing, Daniel. You didn’t cheat, did you?”(Julia)

“Hey, hey, stop accusing me already.”(Daniel)

As the students gradually recover their strength, Mr. Fernandez asked us to listen.

An announcement, maybe?

“I’m surprised! Honestly, I didn’t expect all you trash to improve this much.”(Mr. F)

Hearing this, the students, including us, started to cheer quietly. But trash? Aren’t you too mean, Mr. Fernandez.

“Quiet! You’re all still trash. The A class can do a minute and a half with both Spells, B & C students can do both at 40 seconds at the least. Don’t get ahead of yourselves.”(Mr. F)

What? A-Class students can do at least a minute? And B-Class to C-Class students can do at least half of that?

Hearing this, my excitement stopped. And was replaced by inferiority. Feeling that I could never reach the same height as them. How about Cath? Can she do it too? What a stupid question. Of course, she can.

“Now now, don’t be too discouraged. This is where the fun part begins. There was a newly discovered demonic nest at the wood southwest of Whalelight. It is estimated that even F-Class AE soldiers can take care of the nest.”(Mr. F)

“What’s the fun part in that, sir!?”(Daniel). I said without thinking much. I don’t regret it too, and I feel too much frustration to be feeling anything right now. But he doesn’t seem like he minded my sudden shouting too much.

“Haha! The fun part is that I volunteered all LP students to take care of the nest!”(Mr. F)

“What!?”(All students)

We all exclaimed suddenly in confusion. Why? Did they accept it? Even if it’s a rank F demonic nest, it’s still a demonic nest! Does he want us to die immediately?

“I know you’re all excited! Don’t worry, though. There will be AE soldiers from the rank B-Class coming with us. There will be 20 soldiers coming with us, 5 of which are AE soldiers and the remaining soldiers are regular UDA soldiers.”(Mr. F)

“Sir! Don’t you think this is too dangerous? What if an accident happens? It’s still a demonic nest!”(Random Guy A). The same guy who asked the first question when we arrived here protested against Mr. F. He said it while standing up, even when his legs are still shaking from the training.

“Bah! It isn’t. It’s training! We will continue to train here starting from tomorrow. After a week, we will be going into the demonic nest. Make sure to bring your personal items, since we will be staying there for at least a couple of days.”(Mr. F)

“What!?”(Half of the students). It seems like the other half are either in despair or praying to bother anymore.

“Sir do we, not a saying in this?!”(Random Guy A)

“I’ve been tolerating you! Sit down!”(Mr. F)

The Random Guy A fell to his butt. Even those in despair and praying shook when they heard him.

“I am doing this all for you trash!”(Mr. F)

“Sir, how did you volunteered to make us clear the demonic nest if you’re with us right now?”(Daniel). I realized that he was here all this time. Since I wasn’t tired as everyone else, I had the time to see everyone in the room.

Mr. F smirked.

“Because I will register all LP students into the mission after the class ends. I already told the Academy principal to remove the mission request in the board, and she agreed.”(Mr. F)

I feel like tearing. I know everyone feels the same. We really have it rough.

“Then can we at least know what demonic beasts reside in the nest and the in the forest, sir”(Daniel)

“There are only demonic wolves who live in the nest. And demonic boars are the native demonic beast in the forest.”(Mr. F)

There are abnormal demonic beasts that act like common herbivores. Unlike the ordinary demonic beasts who attack humans they see, they don’t attack until provoked.

“On the first day, we will hunt demonic boars for food. Have any of you tasted demonic meat?”(Mr. F). Seeing that no one raised their hands or answered, he continued.

“Demonic meat is poison to regular humans, but for us Enhancers, it’s a delicacy. On the second day, we will destroy the demonic nest. If we don’t manage to destroy it on that same day, the UDA forces will takeover our mission. Now that I finished my announcement. You can go to your dorms now. There will be no training in the afternoon. Consider this as kindness.”(Mr. F)

He was laughing as he walked out the door. Yet, all of us are still stunned. They are planning to kill us LP students.

I looked at Julia, who was still lying down in front of me. Although she seems calm on the outside, I could see her chest throbbing, as if her heart was trying to escape her.

“I’m scared too, you know. But hey, we’ll be in a group. So what’s the problem? I can protect you, you know. In all LP students, I’m the fastest growing one. You don’t have to worry.”(Daniel). I told her while looking at her forehead. For some reason, I can’t look her directly in her eyes. It feels embarrassing saying all that.

She looked at me back and smiled.

“Thanks.”(Julia)

After that, we all took a shower back at our dorms, preparing for the day we take on the demonic nest.