It was time for Sky to head out for his very first lecture. He navigated the crowded corridors, searching for the specific class called Tactical Core Synthesis—the exact course that Rare Jane had adamantly recommended he take if he wanted to survive his next foray into the Dungeon Realm.
However, looking at his digital map through his smart watch the
School gave to him, the layout of the massive Gothic fortress was incredibly confusing. Spotting a group of older students loitering near a locker, he decided to ask for directions.
"Excuse me," Sky said, keeping his tone polite. "Do you know where the Tactical Core Synthesis classroom is?" The students stopped talking, turning to look at him as if he had just grown a second head. "Huh? That class?" one of them scoffed, crossing his arms. "Kid, no one goes there. It’s practically an abandoned room."
Sky frowned, his natural suspicion flaring up. "Why?"
"Because the instructor is a total madman," the student replied, shaking his head with a look of genuine pity. "He’s completely unhinged."
"A madman?" Sky repeated, blinking.
"Yeah. You’d be better off going anywhere else. Avoid that room, or you’ll regret it big time," the older student warned him, waving a dismissive hand before walking away with his friends.
Sky stood in the hallway, pondering the warning. But Rare Jane wouldn’t tell me to meet a literal madman... right? She’s a High-Tier Blue Rank, she has to know what she’s doing. Still, I should check it out for myself. Free information is free information.
After a few minutes of walking down the winding, echoing hallways of the eastern wing, he finally located the heavy oak door matching his schedule. Pushing it open, he found that the Tactical Core Synthesis classroom was incredibly spacious, tastefully decorated with ancient leather books and strange glowing vials... and completely empty. There wasn’t a single soul in the rows of desks.
Sky even thought for a second that he had mistaken the room number entirely. But then, his eyes spotted a sleeping instructor slumped comfortably behind a wide, cluttered wooden desk at the front of the room.
Sky stepped forward, his boots tapping against the stone floor. He rapped his knuckles gently against the wood. Knock, knock.
The instructor suddenly perked up, blinking rapidly as his head snapped awake. He rubbed his face, letting out a groggy breath before his features twisted into a look of absolute delight.
"Oh, sorry! Come in, come in, young man!"
He was a remarkably lively old man with incredibly messy brown hair that looked like a bird’s nest, bright but distinctly absentminded eyes, and a pair of massive, bushy eyebrows that seemed to jump around on their own every time he spoke.
"I’m Uncommon Ronald," the old man announced proudly, adjusting a crooked collar. "You can call me Alchemist Ronald, or Doctor Ronald. Sit down, sit down! Don’t be shy! What’s your name?" he asked happily, gesturing wildly toward the front row of empty desks.
Sky slowly sat down on the nearest wooden chair, keeping his guard up. "It’s Skies."
Doctor Ronald raised his bushy eyebrows so high they practically merged with his hairline. "Ah! What a unique name! But that is good, very good. After all, we need a lot of skies to cover and survive this harsh, broken world!" Sky carefully looked around the vast, silent room, the empty chairs staring back at him. "Uh... I’m sorry, Doctor Ronald. Did I come too early for the lecture?" "No, no... you’re right on time," Ronald replied, his cheerful demeanor never wavering.
"Are the other students just late, then?"
The instructor suddenly grunted, his expression shifting into one of incredible, unadulterated contempt as he waved a hand dismissively. "No one else is coming, kiddo! Those brainless brutes out there are only interested in swinging their fists and heavy swords around. They think brute strength solves everything. Very few are smart like you and actually know the true, absolute value of knowledge..."
Oh. So it really is just that unpopular, Sky thought, inwardly letting out a massive sigh of despair. He closed his eyes for a brief second, hoping desperately that he won’t regret his decision of coming here. I’ll definitely make you pay for this if it’s a waste of time, Jane.
"Show me your recommendation letter," Doctor Ronald demanded, leaning over the desk with sudden intensity.
Sky dipped his hand deep into his uniform pocket, pulling out the official, sealed paper document Jane had given him, and handed it over. Uncommon Ronald quickly wore a pair of thick, half-moon spectacles and began to read the lines aloud, his eyes scanning the data.
"Name: Skies... already awakened a month ago... recently went to his first solo dungeon run... recommended by Rare Jane..." Ronald paused, his eyes widening behind his lenses. "Huh. Jane?"
Sky tilted his head. "What happened? Do you know her personally, sir?"
"Well, I’ll be damned if I don’t, kiddo!" the old man burst out, a sudden, bright grin spreading across his face. He leaned in closer, his voice dropping into a conspiratorial whisper. "She’s easily one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen in the entire military district. Truly a masterpiece of nature."
"Right," Sky said entirely by accident, his street-rat filter slipping for a fraction of a second as he remembered Jane’s flawless skin and striking purple eyes from the containment room.
"Huh..." Doctor Ronald murmured, his eyes locking onto Sky’s.
For a long, silent moment, both men looked at each other across the messy desk. A profound, unvoiced understanding passed between the old alchemist and the young slum survivor. Reaching out simultaneously, they firmly shook hands across the table—a mutual, silent acknowledgment of two true men of culture.
"Well," Doctor Ronald cleared his throat, snapping back to a professional demeanor as he pulled his hand away. "Jane rarely gives an official recommendation to anyone. In fact, she has only ever recommended two others in the history of this academy. Plus you... making it exactly three."
Sky’s interest was piqued. "Oh? Is that so?" He wondered who the other two individuals were, and if they were currently the high-ranking monsters dominating the upper echelons of the school.
"Well, regardless of the numbers, I definitely want to take this class, sir," Sky stated firmly, leaning back. He needed an edge, and if an elite Blue one trusted this old man, there had to be a hidden treasure buried under his madness.
Doctor Ronald stared at him for a whole, agonizing minute, an expression of utter, breathless astonishment written clearly across his wrinkled face. He looked at Sky as if he had just discovered a diamond buried in a pile of garbage. Then, slowly, an intensely excited, borderline manic gleam appeared deep within his absentminded eyes. Finally, his lips stretched into a massive, wide grin.
"Wonderful! This is absolutely wonderful!" Ronald shouted, slamming his palm onto the wooden desk, causing several vials to rattle violently. "You’re such an astute, brilliant young man! Don’t you worry about a single thing, Common Skies. In four whole weeks, I will teach you the secrets of core synthesis. I will make you completely immortal!"
He threw his head back, his voice echoing off the empty walls of the classroom.
"Muhahahahaha!"
"Ah..." Sky muttered, a cold sweat breaking out on the back of his neck as he stared at the cackling old man. Yeah... the other students definitely weren’t lying. This guy is absolutely out of his mind.