"Ha! Huh! Ha!"
Rhode punched the sandbag in front of him with his fists, his bare torso reflecting a faint light due to being drenched in sweat.
This was an additional evening training session.
The sandbag was something he had bought for a 'huge sum' a few days ago because he felt that it would help him become more disciplined.
—After all, he had already spent the money; it would feel like a waste not to use it properly.
After half an hour of punching, Rhode stopped, panting heavily, wiped the sweat off his face, and gently massaged his sore arms.
Once his breathing and heartbeat returned to normal, Rhode went to take a shower.
Before stepping out of the bathroom, he flexed his arm in front of the mirror: "Seems like I've bulked up a bit, huh?"
He bent down and patted his calves, which were much firmer now compared to the jiggly state they used to be.
"Woo!" Warm gave him a reassuring response.
"Good, time to start studying." Rhode returned to his bedroom, sat at his desk, and began jotting down notes and sketches in his notebook and magazine.
He had roughly skimmed through more than 60 magazines with Wind's Glasses, dividing them into two piles.
One pile had more than 20 magazines, which contained important information, not just Mira's photo spreads.
The other pile had more than 30 magazines with only ordinary information.
Rhode was now organizing the useful information, such as details about major guilds, famous mages, and notable cities.
He also noted down special magics that had caused trouble in the news.
He aimed to understand this world as much as possible and adapt to it to avoid getting into trouble due to some common knowledge mistakes in the future.
Besides, this world had many 'first-time killer' magics; those unfamiliar with them could easily fall victim, but once understood, they could be easily countered.
For instance, the Charm Magic banned by the Council a few years ago... Honestly, after learning about its effects, there's a slight temptation to learn it.
"Red Heaven's Bola, expelled from the Legitimate Guild Titan Nose for theft, has been lurking around the border areas between the Fiore Kingdom and the Bosco Kingdom recently, occasionally committing crimes..."
Rhode noted down the information about this dangerous individual, closed his notebook, and began his meditation practice for the day.
The President said that to become stronger, one must rely on solid effort, and even the strongest magic requires adequate magic power for support.
Mira, in a rare serious tone, warned him not to aim too high, or he might hurt himself and possibly affect his companions.
Rhode was a person who generally took advice, especially in areas he wasn't familiar with.
So he diligently accumulated magic power and trained his physique daily, cautiously using his spiritual power to explore the Summoner's Rift shrouded in black mist.
A 'beast rampage' happening in the forest wasn't too concerning, but if it happened in the city, Rhode felt he could end up in jail.
-----------------
July 22, sunny weather.
Today's opponent was Kana, and Rhode felt he was ready.
As usual, Kana was guzzling from a large barrel of alcohol since the morning.
Macao, sitting beside her, was one of her drinking buddies: "Kana, are you getting even better at drinking?"
"Gulp, gulp... Hah!" Kana wiped her mouth and glanced at Macao, "Why do you care? Aren't you drinking too!"
Macao shrugged, "I'm not trying to meddle, just think it would be better for a girl to drink less."
"Nagging, I won some money yesterday, so of course today I'm going to drink to my heart's content," Kana complained, picking up the barrel again, only drinking a bit slower.
"Young people these days..." Macao said in an old uncle tone.
Amid Macao's sighs, Kana slammed down the barrel with a thud: "Rhode, ready yet?"
"Almost..." As an excellent working man, Rhode needed to finish his work first, "Don't drink yourself under the table again!"
"It's still early!"
Because she often got drunk, Kana knew her own limits well; downing a barrel in the morning was just an appetizer.
Mira roughly calculated that Kana alone accounted for over 20% of the guild's alcohol consumption.
That meant a significant portion of the wages Rhode earned could be attributed to Kana's contribution.
After Rhode finished his cleaning duties, they headed to the backyard to prepare for the battle.
Naturally, there were spectators, though not as many as usual.
Rhode, as usual, summoned the River Crab for a quick test.
"Just to be sure," Kana took out three card-sized cards from the bag on her waist, "Can this creature die?"
Rhode said, "Don't worry, it gets sent back when it's hurt to a certain extent and will recover by tomorrow."
Besides, compared to Poro, the 'spiritual' aspect of the River Crab and Stone Beetle seemed lacking.
"Then I won't hold back." Kana's face turned confident, and the card in her hand flashed with golden light.
Was this still the same drunkard? Rhode noticed that once Kana got serious, her whole 'presence' seemed to change.
He even had the illusion of facing Erza.
The River Crab charged forward, and Kana shot out three cards that hit the crab's head accurately.
The three cards exploded, and as golden light flashed, the River Crab was already sent back.
"This power..." it was a bit unexpected, and Rhode immediately summoned the Ancient Stone Beetle.
Kana threw out two cards, one turning into flames and the other into a storm. The Ancient Stone Beetle was hit by these two spells, instantly splitting into two Stone Beetles.
This wasn't the end; Kana shot three more cards, with three golden bolts of lightning striking the heads of the three Stone Beetles.
"Light Element, Fire Element, Wind Element, Lightning Element..." Rhode was dazzled by the cool effects, now understanding the significance of an All-Purpose Mage.
After the three Stone Beetles were struck and split into six Mini Stone Beetles, Kana nonchalantly unleashed six more cards.
With six explosions, the Stone Beetles were also sent back.
Kana flexed her wrists and smiled, "Alright, close combat is the highlight now, right?"
Rhode nodded, although he could still summon another River Crab or simply summon a Stone Beetle, it wasn't necessary.
This should be considered a tactical misstep; next time when facing an enemy, he must let the Stone Beetles burrow into the ground right away.
A few minutes later, Rhode lay on the ground questioning life.
This speed, this strength... Was Kana always this strong?
...
"Of course, Kana is very strong." Mira answered Rhode's queries,
"She's been listed as an S-Class Mage candidate for three consecutive years, but luck's been a little off each exam.
Like encountering Erza or Mystogan during exams... things like that."
"S-Class candidate, huh..." Rhode thought about the oppressive presence of Erza, and Mystogan's powerful Sleep Magic...
He felt much better, losing to Kana wasn't disgraceful for a newbie.
"Kana must feel quite disappointed, huh?" Rhode glanced at Kana, who had switched to drinking from a small cup.
The seemingly bold person on the surface also harbored her own worries inside.