Chapter - 38
The stats hovering in my vision were a reminder of my progress:
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Callum Brown
Age: 19
Level: 1
Stats:
- Strength: 18 (+1)
- Endurance: 18
- Speed: 17 (+2)
- Iridium: 35 (+3)
New Skill Created: Spartan Frost Shield
Iridium Base Cost: 15
---
In the past month, my efforts had netted only a marginal increase in strength, speed, and Iridium. One month and all I had to show for it was this. It was frustrating, but it was also expected. Training my physical stats was like dragging a boulder uphill—it got exponentially harder the higher I climbed. It only made me appreciate the value of the quests even more. My last quest had gifted me a whopping '10 points' in Iridium, a leap I'd never achieve at once through training alone.
Quests were the key to my growth, I had realized. Training was essential, of course—discipline forged strength—but the real leaps in power came from completing these assignments. If I wanted to reach the top, I'd have to dive headfirst into the challenges set before me.
As for the Spartan Frost Shield, I knew its high Iridium cost—15 base points—was a reflection of its crude construction. I'd crafted the skill myself, rather than relying on the system to hand it to me as a finished product. But even so, I felt a certain pride in it. It was mine, a spell built from my own understanding and effort.
And it was a shield—exactly the kind of skill I needed. Sturdy defense was more important than raw offense. If you could save your life in any situation, you'd always live to fight another day. That was the principle I planned to adhere by.
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Hecate was still standing beside me, studying me with an expression I could only describe as… impressed. It was rare to see such warmth in her cool, composed demeanor.
"You must have put a lot of thought and training into your channeling technique," she said, her voice carrying a note of approval that felt almost personal.
The corner of her lips curved upward in a rare smile, lighting up her usually stoic face.
I rubbed the back of my neck, suddenly conscious of the heat rising to my cheeks. Her praise felt different. Earned, but somehow unexpected.
The Spartan Frost Shield flickered in my hand before vanishing completely as I released the spell. A wave of fatigue crept up my arm.
Hecate nodded, her sharp gaze flicking to the other students. She went towards them, to guide them and answer their questions.
---
By the time the class ended, it was clear I was the only one who had successfully conjured a spell. Even the top students—Jennifer, Marcia, Cassia, and Tiberius—had failed. Tiberius had managed to create a faint glow of light before it fizzled out, but the others didn't even get that far.
Hecate addressed the class as we wrapped up. "Today's results may feel discouraging, but let me assure you—this is normal. Creating a new skill from scratch is one of the most challenging aspects of Iridium manipulation. Few succeed on their first attempts, or even their first dozen attempts."
Her gaze briefly landed on me, and her smile returned, subtle but unmistakable. "The important thing is to keep training. Now that you have a better understanding of the process, I expect you to practice in your free time. Persistence will yield results."
As the students filed out, murmuring among themselves, I was about to follow suit when I was called by someone.
"Callum!"
I turned, surprised to find myself surrounded by a group of my classmates: Jennifer, Cassia, Marcia, and Tiberius. But what caught me off guard the most was seeing Livius among them.
Ah, Livius. The background character from the trial assessment. He looked fully recovered from the injuries he'd suffered, his bright smile radiating energy. My fellow background character seemed genuinely happy to see me.
"Man, that was insane," Livius said, his voice brimming with excitement. "How did you do it? Everyone else was struggling, and you just… bam! Frost shield! Are you some kind of prodigy or something?"
"Not exactly," I said, scratching my head. "It's just practice, that's all."
"Practice, huh?" Marcia folded her arms, her sharp eyes narrowing slightly. She didn't seem irritated, but there was a hint of curiosity—maybe even admiration—in her gaze.
Cassia nudged me with her elbow, grinning. "Come on, Callum. Don't be so modest. You've clearly been putting in extra effort. Most of us couldn't even get a spark going, and you managed to conjure a whole shield!"
Jennifer, ever the composed one, raised an eyebrow. "You've been training harder than you let on, haven't you?"
I couldn't help but notice a subtle shift in Tiberius's demeanor. His arms were still crossed, his jaw tight, and though his words were polite—praising my efforts—there was an edge to his tone that I couldn't ignore.
"You've got skill," he said, his voice level but lacking its usual warmth. "But don't think you've left us all in the dust. There's always room for improvement. For everyone."
His eyes met mine, and though the words themselves weren't harsh, there was a tension in his gaze.
"Of course," I replied evenly, meeting his stare.
Tiberius gave a curt nod and turned on his heel, his boots clicking against the polished floor. "Marcia, let's go."
Marcia hesitated for a moment, her eyes darting between Tiberius and me. She offered me a half-smile—polite, if not warm—and then followed him out of the hall.
As they disappeared through the doorway, I found myself reflecting on the interaction. Tiberius had always been the standout in combat classes, excelling in both technique and raw power. His natural talent made him a favorite among the teachers and a silent benchmark for many of us.
This might've been the first time he'd been comprehensively beaten by someone else in front of an audience. No half-victory, no narrow margin—this was clear-cut. It wasn't hard to imagine that a moment like this could expose flaws in his character, cracks in his confidence.
I exhaled quietly, shrugging it off. Rivalries were part of life here. If anything, this was just another reminder of how much weight the academy placed on individual achievement.
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