Reborn With A Technology System In A Fantasy World-Chapter 60: Picking Up Points

After finishing his meal in the cafeteria, Adrian made his way to the Rune Making hall immediately.

As expected, the hall was sparsely populated, with only a handful of students scattered across the chairs, their heads bowed over rune designs.

Adrian settled into a chair near the front, his eyes flicking to the Tech Core’s status panel hovering in his vision.

[12:27 AM]

"About thirty minutes to go," he muttered under his breath, adjusting his posture. Rune Making and History were scheduled at the same time, a cruel overlap for students juggling multiple subjects.

’Are they trying to make this harder for us?’ he thought, then shrugged. "I’ll just have to convince Master Toren to let me leave on time for History. I can’t miss out on those Contribution Points."

The points were his ticket to leave the Academy, and he had plans for the weekend.

Closing his eyes, Adrian focused inward, drawing mana into his Dantian. The warm, tingling sensation returned, mana pooling steadily as he sank into the rhythm of cultivation.

Time slipped away until the bell went, and Master Toren strode in, his robes swishing and his sharp eyes scanning the room.

The lesson began promptly.

Toren moved to the chalkboard, picking up where they’d left off last class: the binding rune, a critical component for linking rune elements into cohesive enchantments.

With precise strokes, he sketched the rune’s intricate curves and sharp angles, explaining its stabilizing properties.

"You’ve all had two days to practice," he said. "Let’s see your homework."

The students presented their parchments, and Toren inspected each with a critical eye, offering curt nods or corrections.

When satisfied, he instructed them to continue refining their binding runes.

As the class worked, Toren approached Adrian, as he often did, to discuss advanced runes. Today, he introduced a layered containment rune, its complexity a step above the others.

Adrian absorbed the lesson eagerly, his mind mapping the rune’s potential applications. When Toren finished, Adrian seized the moment.

"Master Toren, about the Contribution Points... will you be assigning them today?"

Toren’s brow lifted slightly. "Yes, of course. At the end of class."

Adrian hesitated, then pressed on. "The thing is, this class clashes with History, and I’d like to earn points there too. I’m planning to buy something for the weekend."

Toren nodded and his expression softened. "I see. I’ll let you leave early, then."

He reached into his robe, producing five small, unadorned cards. With a quill, he inscribed Adrian’s name on each, signing them with a flourish.

"These are untradable," he explained, "bound to you alone to prevent misuse. Contribution Points are a privilege, not a currency to be bartered."

Standing, Toren raised his voice, drawing the class’s attention.

"With this being the last class of the week, I’ll distribute Contribution Points. And who better to receive them than Adrian, who’s shown exceptional skill? I’m awarding him all fifty points. Work hard, and you might earn yours next time. A round of applause for him."

The room filled with clapping, though Adrian noted the difference in enthusiasm. The Knights clapped heartily, while others, like Fabian and the other nobles offered only tepid applause.

Adrian pocketed the cards, bowed slightly, and said, "Thank you, Master Toren. I’ll be going now." With that, he slipped out of the hall.

As the door closed behind him, murmurs erupted among the students.

"Why does he get to leave early?" one grumbled. Another muttered, "Always Adrian."

The complaints grew louder until Toren’s aura pulsed briefly, a subtle but unmistakable pressure that silenced the room.

"Don’t question my decisions," he said sharply. "Return to your drawings. Now."

***

Adrian hurried across the Academy’s courtyard, his boots clicking against the cobblestones, and entered the History hall. Glancing at his status panel, he noted the time.

[1:31 AM]

"I’m thirty minutes late," he murmured. "Not so bad."

The History instructor, paused her lecture on the corrupted lands as Adrian slipped through the door. Her sharp eyes locked onto him. "Adrian, what happened?"

"I’m sorry, ma’am," he said, bowing his head. "I had to finish something in Rune Making class."

She nodded with an understanding expression. "No problem. Find a seat."

Adrian bowed again in thanks and settled into a chair near the back. The lesson resumed with the Instructor speaking about why the unwanted lands were very much hated by all Dukedoms in Thanad, and how polluted and abandoned it was.

Adrian listened intently, or at least pretended to, since he had all the Year 1’s history knowledge in his head already.

He simply waited for the time to run out, and very soon the bell rang. As the students gathered their things, the Instructor called out, "Adrian, a moment."

She approached, holding five more untradable cards, each marked with his name.

"Your contributions to class discussions and your grasp of historical contexts are unmatched," she said. "Fifty Contribution Points for you."

Adrian accepted them with a grateful nod, unsurprised. His knack for showing off his knowledge had won her. Tucking the cards away, he left for his final class of the day: Forge Mastering.

***

The Forge Mastering hall was a stark contrast to the History hall in population.

This class was another wasteful class to Adrian. As the other students were still grappling with basic theory while practicing crude forging techniques in their spare time, but Adrian had long surpassed them.

He could enchant metals effortlessly, weaving mana into steel with a precision that rendered further classes almost redundant.

When the instructor, Master Gorran, awarded him another fifty Contribution Points at the session’s end, no one protested. The gap between Adrian’s skill and theirs was undeniable.

As he stepped out of the East Wing, the weight of fifteen cards, transcribing into 150 Contribution Points; felt like a small victory in his pocket.

"Time to visit the market," he said to himself, a spark of anticipation in his chest.

The market lay in the Year 2 quarters, a separate compound beyond their main grounds.

Adrian left the familiar stone walls behind, crossing the boundary into the older students’ territory.

With the Academy’s map already uploaded to the System, Adrian easily found his way to the market.

The market square was strangely quiet, with only a few Year 2 students milling about.

Adrian ignored their curious glances, his focus on the stall that sold passes.

A grizzled man stood behind the counter, his weathered hands sorting cards. He handed a card-like object to a Year 2 boy before turning to Adrian. "And how can I be of service to you?"

"I’d like to purchase a pass," Adrian said. "How much?"

The man eyed him, sizing him up. "One hundred points for a day’s pass."

Adrian’s lips twitched into a wry smile. The price was steeper than he’d hoped, but he’d manage for one day. "That’s the final price?" he asked, just to be sure.

The man nodded. "Yes. Will you buy?"

Gritting his teeth, Adrian pulled ten cards from his pocket, each representing ten Contribution Points. The man took them, then asked for Adrian’s badge.

He pressed the badge against the cards, verifying their authenticity, before stamping a new card-like pass and handing it over.

Adrian took the pass, pretending to slip it into his pocket but discreetly storing it in his [Inventory]. With a nod, he turned and left the stall. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

Adrian glanced at his status panel.

[5:25 PM]

There was still some minutes before dinner. His mind drifted to the tomorrow’s purpose.

He had communicated with the Adventurer’s Association, informing them of his planned visit, which they had received with joy.

The plan was to meet up with the branch at the Capital City, which was one the biggest branch in the whole of Zarion.

From there, he planned on exploring the city a bit to test out the potential of his Power Suit, and he knew the perfect place for that.

’I’ll try accepting a mission from the Association. That would be helpful,’ Adrian noted as he returned to the dormitories.

A mission would be the perfect way to test the Power Suit in combat. A hunting mission, for instance, would be ideal. Tracking down a wanted mages and knights, or even rare magical beasts.

Such missions promised real stakes for him, and it would be a chance to test what he was truly capable of. But that would have to wait until tomorrow, when he could use the pass to leave the Academy.

***

Back at the dorm, Karl was absent, likely at the club center. Adrian sat on his bed, pulling up his status panel again.

[Mana: 0.08%]

He grimaced. Cultivation was painfully slow, but he couldn’t afford to slack. Closing his eyes, he drew mana into his Dantian, the familiar warmth spreading.

He planned on continuing until it was time for dinner. Tomorrow, he’d be leaving, and he’ll resume his work in full scale after communicating with the Association.

’I’ll see how things go.’