A Simple Skill…

The first class had started, as the tour was fairly short. The staff showed the school’s dorms, where they’d stay, the cafeteria, and the colosseum where they’d have practical lessons; it was a big campus.

Now, Kaito was sitting beside Iori and Evona, with Kana on the other side of Iori. Clenn sat with his other friends elsewhere in the classroom.

Kaito was bored with the lesson. It was on everything he had already learned from Elise about becoming an adventurer. Only two interesting things came of note to Kaito. One was that the max level was 100, while the other was the more in-depth information about each class.

There really was a recommended class for each combination of top two stats. Holy Knight, Marksman, Buccaneer, Trapper, it was more diverse than Kaito had thought.

Compared to Kaito, Iori just soaked everything up. She was fully focused on what was being taught, especially when the topic of magic came up.

Those with a high magic stat can use more skills before tiring out. This means that all magic spells count as skills and not some other medium.

In terms of magical classes, Wizards and Sorcerers are the most popular ones: Wizards allow the user to use a more diverse set of magic spells, while Sorcerers specialize in one type of magic. In summary, it’s a diverse skillset versus a focused one.

While Kaito listened to the lesson, he realized he knew nothing about magic as all of Kaito, Rina, Khrom, and Rina were not magic users. Having Iori as a wizard would actually be a great addition to their squad.

“So what’s everyone’s class? I’m training to become a wizard,” Kana asked the group after the lesson had concluded.

“Really! I’m a wizard too!” Iori answered happily. “I still have a long way to go, so let's get stronger together!”

Ever since they got to the school, Kana and Iori have clicked. They were like two peas in a pod. Their conversations kept journeying into a different direction. Kaito and Evona barely got a chance to interject.

“Oh, I guess we should head to the colosseum for the practical period,” Kana suggested before they lost track of time.

Each group of students followed a different schedule. Some would have multiple theoretical lessons in one day, while others more practical ones. Kaito’s group just finished their theoretical lesson, so now they get to learn skills in their practical lesson.

The colosseum is where the practical lessons are held. Kaito recognized the colosseum as the same one as in the tournament. The main difference was that the elevated platform for the battles in the tournament was now gone. It was now a flattened out, open colosseum with tons of space.

“Whoa, it’s so large!” Iori admired the open colosseum from on top of Kaito’s back.

“Isn’t it!” Kana added to Iori’s comment. “And we’ll pretty much get to try whatever we want here, as long as we complete the lesson early, that is.”

Just as Kana finished explaining, the teacher for the practical lesson announced that the skill to learn for the lesson was the Inventory skill. If that skill was already learned, students were free to work on other skills.

“Oh, this is great!” said Iori. “I learned that skill earlier today when I got some new clothes!”

The scene was just like Kaito’s. Iori bought new clothes for herself and stored her old clothes in her Inventory skill.

“Perfect! Let’s try and learn some other skills then!” Kana suggested.

“Actually… this one here doesn’t know Inventory,” Kaito interjected, alluding to Evona.

“Ack, don’t remind Evona…” Evona embarrassingly responded.

“No worries, Evona will learn it quickly as it’s an easy skill!” Kana reassured the group. “We’ll all help each other out!”

“First, I’m a chauffeur, and now a teacher,” Kaito thought out loud.

Kaito was left to teach Evona the Inventory skill, while Kana helped Iori with another, personal one. Apparently, Iori was trying to learn a certain skill to ‘ease Kaito’s burden’. Kaito had no idea what it was about, but what he did find out was that Evona really sucks with skills.

Maybe it was just that beastfolk thing, but she struggled to learn the Inventory skill.

“Evona, when you draw the circle, just imagine a small space you want to store this arrow,” Kaito instructed Evona.

Kaito was using one of his arrows to help Evona learn the skill, but she still wasn’t getting it.

“Evona is beginning to think she is better off without skills…” Evona voiced her struggles.

Kaito wasn’t giving up. This is the most adamant he’s been all day, and it wasn’t going to waste. “Evona, don’t say that, it’s just a simple change of thought, just—”

“Hey, Kaito!” Iori called out to Kaito from behind.

Kaito turned around to face Iori, but only Kana stood behind him. Kana simply smiled at Kaito and pointed upwards. Kaito looked up, and there she was.

Iori was hovering above him, looking down towards his face as Kaito looked up to hers.

“You’re flying!?” Kaito shouted in surprise.

“Hovering, actually,” Iori clarified.

That was the skill Iori was working on, Hover. It is a low-energy skill that lets the user float above the ground. With this skill, Kaito no longer has to carry Iori around!

“No more butt grabbing for you, Kaito,” Kana joked.

“Can we please forget about that…” Kaito replied, feeling pained that it had been brought up again.

Kana and Iori laughed together for a second until they were interrupted.

“EVONA DID IT!” Evona shouted, getting the three’s attention.

The three turning, witnessed Evona playing with her Inventory skill, inserting and retrieving the arrow from it.

Kaito fist pumped, satisfied, as if he were the sole reason she succeeded. From behind, Kana and Iori clapped at Evona’s accomplishment.

Just as the group had started congratulating Enova, the practical teacher sounded the alarm. The period for the lesson had concluded.

“Just in the nick of time,” said Kana. “Now we just have free time until the final lesson for the day.

A familiar voice spoke, “Pathetic.”

It was Clenn. Apparently, he didn’t get his fill of hating on Kaito and his friends.

“You were first rounded in the tournament, and now you barely managed to pass the first lesson?” Clenn added to his insult.

“Clenn,” Kana said in a stern voice.

“Sorry, Kana, I’m not backing down this time,” Clenn doubled down. “I got my pride to live up to, and right now it’s telling me to prove I’m better than this feline.”

Clenn was not impressed by Evona and didn’t think she deserved to be a ‘recommended student’. Evona looked confused, not remembering who he was since she was half asleep during their initial meeting.

“Who are you again?” Evona asked.

Clenn’s eye twitched.

Clenn came to a decision. “That’s it. We’re battling.”