I, Thomas Dieheart, was transmigrated into the world of Legacy of the Scindari as William Laurel—a first-year student with troubling stats. But after a month of ceaseless effort, I was finally able to make something of him.
Status Window
Rank: Alpha – LV 1
Name: William Laurel – Age 16
Titles: [???], [Bookworm]
Unique Skill: Perception
Skills: Immersion, Dodge, Mana Circulation, Mana Control, Art of the Silent Current, Basic Dagger Mastery, Basic Bow Mastery
Affinity: Light
MP: 190 / 190
Stats:
STR – 11
AGI – 14
STA – 15
CON – 11
MANA – 19
Looking at my status, I couldn't help but grin. I was still only level 1, still an Alpha rank—still within what the system called the "Realm of Humans." But compared to the weakling I'd started as, I'd come far.
The only thing that bothered me was the mystery title. [???]. Its description was restricted by a wall of dashes: [------------]. Both in the game and the novel, this "hidden title" existed—but it had belonged to Rowen, the protagonist. If Rowen was still out there in this world, then whatever I had couldn't be the same thing. More likely, it was a counterpart—similar in weight, but not identical in function. Titles like this weren't just flavor text; they usually reflected something deeper, tied into the hidden mechanics of the system. Ancient rules, structural laws—things that went beyond stats and skills. Whether it was could also be linked to how I ended up here, it was impossible to confirm, but the possibility stayed in the back of my mind.
My skills, however, were solid.
[Immersion] – Greatly improved concentration, learning, and focus by 100%. Combined with Bookworm's retention, it was like having photographic memory with built-in comprehension.
[Dodge] – A passive skill that instinctively guides the body away from danger, increasing the chance to evade physical and projectile attacks without conscious effort. Effectiveness scales with Agility and Perception.
Minor now, but I knew from the game it could one day be a lifeline.
[Mana Circulation] – Passively increased regeneration by a third. A cornerstone skill.
[Mana Control] – Adjusted spell intensity and cost. Precision was everything.
[Art of the Silent Current] – My only martial art at the moment.
Sub-Techniques:
Soft Reversal – Redirecting force with minimal motion.
Falling Willow Grip – A grab that unbalanced through flow.
[???]
[???]
[???]
Dagger Techniques:
Vein Piercer – A mana-guided strike for arteries or mana nodes, causing bleed or reducing regeneration.
[???]
[???]
[???]
[???]
Not every technique was unlocked yet. Some required better stats; others needed deeper mastery of the basics. But that was fine. I was climbing step by step
And finally, [Basic Weapon Mastery] for dagger and bow.
With the doll assessment behind me, I treated myself to a proper feast in the dining hall. Among the faces I recognized was Nicholas Veil—the first person I'd sparred with at Arcadia.
Ash-gray hair, sharp eyes, laid-back grin. He didn't look flashy in a world of unnatural colors and blazing affinities, but he carried himself with an effortless confidence. We'd fought several times since our first duel, and though I usually held the edge thanks to Perception, he pushed me harder each bout. Rival, ally—he was both.
Nicholas had just cleared his assessment yesterday, placing 60th. He was thrilled when I told him I'd passed too, and immediately pressed me for another match.
"Not tonight," I said. "Next week. After the written exam."
That earned me a smirk. "Written exam, huh? You sure about that, Laurel? Didn't I catch you drooling on your desk last Tuesday?"
I grimaced. Fair. That night, I'd pushed myself through brutal calisthenics, casting Refresh between sets until I collapsed. If Miles hadn't shaken me awake the next morning, I'd have slept through class.
But exam? Please. With Bookworm and Immersion, I had the entire first-year syllabus memorized. Add in my memories of the game's lore, and world history was basically free points. I told him as much.
Nicholas just snorted. "Cocky bastard. Fine. Prove it."
That evening, I caught up with Miles, who'd been taking it easy since clearing his own assessments. When Douglas wandered in, the two of them headed off for food, leaving me to crash in bed.
Now that I'd cleared the physical requirements, I wasn't obligated to attend training drills anymore. Only lectures. In the past few days, we'd covered everything from monsterology and rupture theory to magitech, alchemy, and applied ethics. One class in particular stood out—a discussion of unique skills. Everyone had been glued to the instructor's words.
Afterward, I made my way to the gym.
I'd expected noise, sweat, chaos. Instead, I stepped into a vast, pristine facility that dwarfed any Earth gym I'd seen. Expanded with space magic, the interior stretched far beyond the outer walls.
Rows of machines and weights lined the main hall, while doors to private training rooms lined the far wall. Those rooms held mana dolls with customizable settings, but only official students could rent them. No points, no access.
Points. Arcadia's internal currency. For now, meals were free, but after the written exams, we'd start earning monthly stipends based on our ranking. Minimum was 1,500 points—barely enough for food. The higher your rank, the more you got, with hefty bonuses for the top 50. If class numbers dropped, only the top 20 earned extras. Ruthless efficiency.
Since I couldn't afford the private rooms yet, I stuck to the basics. Weights. Machines. Then I cast Refresh between sets, forcing my body to keep going. My arms shook, my calves burned, my lungs screamed, but I kept pressing until my mana hit its limit. Then I ran, treadmill pounding until my body threatened collapse.
Breath ragged, drenched in sweat, I finally staggered off.
Only a few students remained, most of them second-years. That surprised me. By then, stats didn't grow much from simple workouts. They must've had their own methods—or gear I couldn't even recognize.
It reminded me why Arcadia was the best. Unlike other schools that rushed students to level up, Arcadia insisted we squeeze every drop of natural growth first. Raw potential mattered.
Ria Scarlett came to mind—a transfer from Lumina Groove who appeared in the novel during year two. Devastating magic. Paper-thin defenses. A walking glass cannon. Proof of what happened when you neglected balance.
I grabbed a towel, ready to leave. That's when I saw her—a silver-haired girl about my age. Recognition sparked. She'd been the one to hit 57 km/h on day one, the fastest in our batch. I hadn't seen her since the opening test. Quiet. Focused. Dangerous.
I didn't linger.
Back at the dorms, I showered, chatted briefly with Douglas—he was off to mana circulation class—and then hit the cafeteria.
If meals were going to cost points soon, I was going to indulge while I could. My plate looked like something out of a feast, stacked high with meat. The stares didn't bother me. Every bite was worth it.
Full, buzzing from training, I made my way back to the dorm, ready to collapse into bed.
Another day done. Another step forward.