When Kamish was admitted to the hospital, the Dean of Zhyrax Academy learned about the incident. He was shocked — a fourteen-year-old boy had hunted a B-rank monster.
After discussing the matter with the principal, they decided to send Kamish an invitation to join Zhyrax Academy. Kamish had great potential and plenty of room to grow, so he gladly accepted the offer.
Two days later, he was discharged from the hospital and returned home. Soon after, two Association members arrived to question him. However, since there were no casualties in the dungeon, they left without taking any further action.
Now Kamish needed a new sword. His uncle — his father's old friend — was a master blacksmith of A-rank. Kamish went to his forge and asked him to make one.
His uncle examined him and said, "You should use an elemental sword to prevent breakage during combat."
Kamish then showed him a Wind Element Core, and his uncle's eyes widened in shock.
"A B-rank elemental core?" he muttered in disbelief. "You've really grown stronger."
After a moment, his uncle nodded. "Alright, I'll forge a sword that can contain up to five elements. As you hunt elemental beasts, attach their cores to it. Once all five are embedded, this sword will become an S-rank weapon."
"It'll take at least five days to complete."
"That's fine," Kamish replied. "I have to join the academy in six days anyway."
Later, Kamish told his mother and cousin about his acceptance into Zhyrax Academy. They were overjoyed. Over the next five days, he ran dungeons non-stop, managing to regain about fifteen percent of his former power.
Due to the rush for the academy, he completely forgot about his evaluation. Six days passed quickly, and Kamish finally arrived at Zhyrax Academy.
However, the academy wasn't as simple as it seemed. Usually, recommendations were reserved only for nobles — the classic elites of the country. Commoners had to pass the tough entrance exam to get in. Kamish was an exception, the first commoner in three years to receive a direct recommendation.
That made him a target for attention and judgment. He had to prove himself to the noble students, the teachers, and even the principal.
Upon arrival, he was assigned a dorm room. On his very first day, he met the vice principal and began his theory classes on mana. The nobles in the class immediately looked down on him after learning he was a commoner.
After theory class came practical training. The students were introduced to their instructor — an A-rank swordsman who had fought in countless dungeons. Unfortunately, half of his core had been damaged, and it was slowly deteriorating day by day. He had joined the academy's research department in hopes of finding a cure.
The practical training program began with stamina building, which would last two hundred days.
First 100 days: 10 laps around the training field, 200 push-ups, and 200 sit-ups every day.
Next 100 days: 10 kilometers of running, 100 push-ups, and 4 hours of sword training daily.
After completing this, the students would begin learning beginner, intermediate, and advanced swordsmanship. But for now, they had to survive the brutal 200-day training.
Many started confidently, but it was so tough that only twenty-three students remained after the first hundred days. By the end of the second hundred days, only a few were left — they could be counted on one hand.
At the end of the training, their instructor announced a friendly spar between the last eight students — all of them magic swordsmen.
Kamish had made two close friends, Addi and Jin. Both were skilled magic swordsmen and part of his team. Among their opponents was the class representative — Lily, the prodigy daughter of the Hunter Association's President.
The plan was simple: everyone would fight one-on-one. The only problem was deciding who would face Lily. In the end, Kamish volunteered to hold her off while the others finished their matches and came to help.
But Kamish had other plans. He had already recovered twenty percent of his power from his past life.
The sparring matches began using wooden swords, which limited Kamish's ability to use his wind element. Everyone took their positions. Addi won his fight, while Jin lost at the last moment. Addi then had to step in to help with another match that was still ongoing.
At first, Kamish struggled against Lily. Her movements were sharp and precise, but as time passed, he began to read her rhythm. They were evenly matched, though Lily was already past beginner-level swordsmanship. She used mana to enhance her strikes, and Kamish was relieved that she couldn't use aura — otherwise, it would have been far more dangerous.
Their swords clashed again and again for ten straight minutes. By now, all other matches were over — some students were unconscious, and others were too exhausted to continue.
Kamish's team had lost two fights and won one. If he could win, they would tie the match.
Lily began using the first techniques of Intermediate Swordsmanship, forcing Kamish to dig deep. He knew he couldn't win unless he drew upon his past-life knowledge of the sword.
Determined, Kamish focused his mana and decided to channel the wind element — even with the wooden sword. Though he couldn't fully unleash it, faint currents of air began to swirl around his blade.
Lily responded with a flawless beginner technique. Both of them continued to grow during the fight, adapting to each other's moves. Their swords collided one final time, and the impact sent them both flying three meters back.
The match ended in a draw.
Everyone in the class was stunned by Kamish's performance. Although his team technically lost, the tie had proven something important — hard work and determination could rival even noble talent.
Word of the battle spread throughout the academy. A commoner tying with the President's daughter was unheard of.
Later, Kamish was sent to the health department for a checkup. As he left, he muttered under his breath,
"I'm ready for whatever comes next."
Author's Note:
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