Level 1 Player (MT Novel) - Chapter 12

Chapter 12. Players Academy

The first week flew by unnoticed. I safely passed the written exam, and now the practice began. I wanted to learn as much as possible, so I stood in the front rows. There were a lot of students, but the atmosphere was light and relaxed.

– Oh, you’re here too! – said the kid with the baby face.

– Yup.

That was Wu Doo Jin. During the week, all the students got to know each other, and there was a friendly atmosphere in the class. Some of them even planned to fight monsters together after graduating from the Academy and organize a party. I wasn’t one of them, though. I just wandered around and exchanged pleasantries with everyone.

– Take care of us, Hyun Seong!

– Yeah,” I answered briefly.

Despite Woo Do Jin’s friendly manner, I actually only exchanged a few words with him during the entire hour of practice. But I even liked the fact that he was still talking to me despite my brief answers.

– From now on, you will begin your practice sessions. Please break into groups according to the type of weapon you are using.

After the instructor finished speaking, everyone began to form into groups: those using only the sword, those using the spear, and so on. Each group was approached by a different instructor who explained the type of weapon and how to use it. After that the practice began.

On all sides you could hear the instructors’ remarks: “wrong stance” or “put your feet the wrong way”. And this was quite normal. When you study the art of fencing, you never know where you might make a mistake. However, there were some exceptions.

– Choi Hyun Seong, excellent!

My stance and basic movements were easy, even though it was the first time I’d ever held a sword. It’s all thanks to my passive skill.

– Wow! Brother, have you ever been to kendo before? – Wu Do Jin exclaimed, looking at me with envy.

– No, I just have a passive sword skill.

After my words, Do Jin’s face changed. He was clearly jealous.

– Man, bro, I envy you. I’d like a passive skill that’s weapon-related too, not the one I have now. The active one is “hard hitting.”

I only chuckled in response.

“I didn’t get it, I acquired it!” – I wanted to say, but I couldn’t do it.

– Active or passive skill, is there a difference? The dick is the same as the dick.

At that very moment, another person suddenly intervened in our conversation. It was Yoon Tae-sik. Do Jin’s beautiful face twisted. Yun The Sik was a Player with the skills and characteristics of a tank. He had an active “steel shield” skill (rare), and of course he reported it right away. It was rumored that he received several offers from guilds. No wonder, since he was a tank with an active rare skill. It wasn’t just that, though. Right after the Awakening, he had gained strong characteristics. Yun The Sik was a top class tank. He had tremendous potential.

– Players with low-level skills wouldn’t be able to become top-class Players. They would still be floundering in the mud.

The only problem was that he was clearly scum. Do Jin silently turned away from Tae-sik, trying to let the mockery pass his ears.

– Ignoring it? Isn’t things different somewhere else? – Yoon Tae-sik said with a chuckle and looked at Doo-jin and me.

Strangely enough, it didn’t even make me feel angry. On the contrary, it even made me laugh. I wish I had beaten him during one of the sparring sessions.

– Did I say something funny?

At that moment, another Player intervened and came between us. It was Shin Soo Ah.

– What about me?

– Since you have a rare level skill, that’s it, you’re stuck up?

– I was just telling the truth.

– If you have a rare skill, does that mean it’s okay to make fun of everyone? You think you have the right to trash everyone?

I never thought such a beautiful girl could swear like that. She was right, though. There were quite a few of us who had good potential. They all had chances to make it to the top class. Although most of the guys were still somewhere in the middle tier, there were some who fell prey to a monster, or who were physically handicapped.

– We all have the most average skills here. So do you.

– Have you said everything?

* * *

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– If you mention it again, you won’t get away with a simple conversation. I’m telling you seriously.

The conversation between the two of them was getting rougher and rougher.

– Students, what are you doing here? This is an internship, not a debate club,” said the instructor, who suddenly appeared.

– I’m sorry,” Su Ah apologized and bowed her head.

However, Yun The Sik just looked away silently.

– Student Yoon The Sik.

– Yes, lecturer.

– If you make a mess again, I will be forced to suspend you. Do you understand?

After that, Tae-sik tempered his ardor a bit, otherwise he would have to go to theory class again and waste a lot of time.

– Excuse me.

Eventually, and Yun The Sik bowed his head.

– Don’t forget, I will be watching you! – The instructor said, looking intently at The Sik.

– Okay,” he replied and bowed again.

– He didn’t seem stupid.

I was a little dumbfounded. On the other hand, the instructors were also part of the Players Association. Maybe they had the usual skills, too, at first. And then it became understandable why their moods were spoiled when they heard such things.

Shin Soo Ah showed her tongue to Tae Sik, saying, “Serves you right.” I could see it on his face that he was pissed off but he couldn’t say anything since we were being watched.

– Guys, don’t listen to this moron. Just let it pass you by.

Do Jin only nodded in response.

Shin Soo Ah was a very lively and energetic girl. I would even call her a natural born leader, because in such a short time she was able to find common ground with everyone and even organized her own party.

In Yoon Tae-sik’s case, it was different. He had no leadership qualities and had a bad temper. However, because of his skills, he had a lot of minions who tried to fawn over him. It could be said that all the students were divided into two groups. One was with Su Ah and the other was with Tae-sik. They were opposites. This confrontation did not begin today, or even yesterday. And it will most likely continue after school.

***

So that was the end of our training at the Academy. Throughout the three weeks, Shin Su Ah and Yoon Tae Sik were ready to tear each other’s throats out. I, on the other hand, tried to stay neutral.

– I so wanted to see Yoon Tae-sik embarrassed.

Unfortunately for her, this guy had graduated from the Academy with good grades. Someone even rumored that he had joined one of the guilds right away.

– Now I could exhale, because I wouldn’t see them again.

We went our separate ways, so the chances of meeting in the future were minimal. Despite Su Ah and Do Jin’s joint requests, I still refused to join their party, and after receiving my diploma, I went straight to the Players Association.

* * * *- Congratulations on getting your diploma! – said with a smile a member of the Player’s Association and handed me a shiny card.

On the card was engraved my face, my name and of course my level. I was proud of myself.

– That was it. Now I could finally get on with my father’s treatment.

I could finally sell the skill book I’d been keeping all this time. But first I’m going to go to the beginner’s dungeon, which is where Level 1 Players went.

* * * *- 714,800 won.

(P.p.: Approximately $639.)

That’s how much it cost to rent special equipment. I held out the employee’s checkbook with trembling hands.

– Thank you for using our services. If you miss the deadline for turning in your equipment, you will be fined.

– Yeah, okay.

I was handed my equipment and went to the locker room.

– It’s all for the money,” I grumbled, as I put on my equipment at the same time.

It was strictly forbidden to enter the dungeon without special equipment. Of course, I had to have my weapons and armor with me. The only problem was that they were too expensive. Even the cheapest and simplest items cost millions. And what about other materials, like stones? Surely they must have cost tens of millions.

– It doesn’t matter if you buy with real money or with points, both are beyond imagination.

How can you buy simple armor and a sword for 700,000 won? Besides, if you get damaged while fighting with monsters, you’ll have to pay for it. But it can’t be helped, since it’s impossible to get into a dungeon without weapons and armor.

– Until I collect the dungeon fee, I won’t get out,” you had to pay 200 thousand per hour to be able to clear a dungeon.

“The Horned Rabbit Dungeon was the lowest level dungeon, so 1st level players would start there. It wasn’t too deep, and newbies didn’t die in it very often. And yes, it was almost impossible to earn money.