Chapter 44: An Arrogant Brute + [New Weapon-Mastery]

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[Weapon Mastery: Hammer]

Accuracy: F

Handling: F-

Impact Control: F

Grip Stability: F-

[Skills]

Heavy Swing Lv. 1 Acquired

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’Seriously...?’ Cassien almost laughed seeing the blue screen appear mid-duel, ’You really give skills for anything.’

Alex’s face twitched from irritation, "What’s so funny twig?"

"Nothing, fatass," Cassien replied casually, lifting the hammer slightly, "I just realized something."

"And what’s that?"

"You’re somehow slower than I expected."

The class immediately reacted to those comments.

"He keeps provoking him..."

"Alex is gonna lose his mind, and I know better than anyone you don’t want that to happen."

"Tch..." Alex stepped forward, mana slowly wrapping around his arms, "Then stop talking and fight."

’Blacksmith type, I see now...’

Boom!

Alex charged first. The massive wooden hammer swung downward violently, with enough force behind it to break bones apart even without metal.

Cassien calmly sidestepped.

Bang!

The hammer smashed into the training floor loudly.

Several students flinched.

’Heavy,’ Cassien thought immediately, ’Very heavy.’

Alex ripped the weapon back upward before swinging sideways in a fast but sloppy motion.

Cassien leaned backward narrowly, the hammer passing inches from his face. In that same moment, Cassien kicked directly into Alex’s wrist.

"Gh!"

The hammer shifted slightly out of alignment.

"Your grip is awful. Hit the weight room," Cassien commented.

Alex gritted his teeth before charging again, this time more aggressively.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Each hammer strike grew heavier than the last. The arena floor cracked repeatedly underneath the pressure.

But Cassien kept avoiding everything with minimal movement.

A single step, a slight turn, a duck... that was all he needed.

Ren stared quietly from the back, "He’s reading him like a book..."

Cassien suddenly stepped inward, way too close, as Alex’s smirk returned instantly.

’Idiot.’

He brought the hammer downward immediately.

Cassien twisted sideways; the attack missed.

Bang!

He then slammed the bottom of his hammer directly into Alex’s stomach.

"Ghk!"

Alex stumbled backward violently, the entire class widening their eyes.

"He actually landed that?"

Cassien spun the hammer once through his fingers awkwardly.

’Yeah... definitely not a weapon suited for my fighting style.’

Still, [Heavy Swing] activated instinctively.

Mana flowed slightly through his arms. Cassien immediately felt the hammer become easier to move.

’This just became a lot more useful.’

Alex roared before rushing again, but this time, Cassien attacked first.

Bam!

The hammer collided directly against Alex’s shoulder, the impact forcing the larger student downward slightly.

Then Cassien immediately followed with another swing toward the knee.

Bang!

Alex nearly lost balance entirely, "You little—!"

Alex swung wildly, Cassien ducking underneath it with ease before stepping around his side.

"So stiff."

Cassien hooked the hammer beneath Alex’s weapon and twisted hard. The larger hammer slipped straight out of Alex’s hands before crashing across the floor.

Then silence.

Complete utter silence.

Cassien slowly raised his own hammer toward Alex’s face.

"You done, tough guy?"

Alex stared at him, breathing heavily. Humiliation spread across his expression.

"Tch..." He didn’t want that to be the end. "Equip!"

A real metal hammer formed in his left palm.

"Knew it, these blacksmiths don’t change."

Cassien pulled out his pistol from his holster, then shot Alex in the foot, causing him to fall onto his back.

Boom!

Olivia smiled slightly from the side. Others looked wary of Alex’s condition, but the referee continued.

"Winner, Cassien Artfold."

Whispers exploded throughout the class instantly.

"No way..."

"He actually just dominated that man."

"And he used a hammer too..."

Cassien walked over toward Alex.

"Deem yourself lucky I didn’t shoot you in the skull. Never try that cheap loser shit again."

Olivia slowly stepped up to Cassien, her long orange-like hair, orange eyes, and curved figure drawing everyone’s attention once more.

"I guess you are a worthy candidate... but how have you not been promoted to another class already?"

Cassien looked at her.

"I could say the exact same about you."

The instructor then called the medics to take Alex away and heal his wounds.

One rule in the academy was that if one person equipped a definite murder weapon, their opponent could do the same and use whatever force necessary in self-defense.

Which was exactly what Cassien had done... though killing still wasn’t allowed, which was why everyone remained calm throughout that entire situation.

Then, the actual teaching class began.

...

An hour or so later, the class finished.

Cassien checked his schedule once more.

–

[Class 1C].

[Year: 1] [Semester: 1]

[Classes]

→ 1. Combat Fundamentals I

→ 2. Mana Control & Arcane Foundations

→ 3. Tactical Strategy & Battlefield Analysis

→ 4. Noble Politics & Academy Laws

–

’Arcane Hall... Mana Chamber next.’

Then, he walked toward his second-period class while the announcement bell rang throughout the academy.

Each student got five minutes to switch from class to class.

The academy halls were far louder now compared to earlier.

"That’s him..."

"That guy who beat Alex The Brute."

"With his own style too..."

Cassien ignored all of it.

He didn’t mind attention, but too much of it could become dangerous. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

As he walked down the massive hallway, blue lanterns lined the walls while mana crystals embedded into the ceiling illuminated the academy in a soft glow.

Second years occasionally brushed past the first years, some carrying staffs, others swords, spears, or grimoires.

Most of them already looked exhausted.

’Guess studying really is the worst part of school after all.’

The five-minute transition period moved quickly.

Soon enough, Cassien arrived before a massive pair of silver doors.

Above them were glowing words engraved into the wall.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

[ Mana Control & Arcane Foundations ]

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

...

Ren was already inside.

"T-this room feels weird."

"It’s concentrated mana. Your body isn’t used to this amount yet, just try to hang in there."

The instructor walked over while replying calmly.

She was a woman with silver hair and sharp silver eyes.

Black gloves covered both hands as the entire room almost immediately quieted down.

Cassien looked at her.

’The one family competing against the House of Moons... the Vale family.’

"Welcome to Mana Control & Arcane Foundations. Name’s Seraphina Vale."

She looked around the room coldly before continuing.

"I don’t do this intro kiddy bullshit. I’d rather begin with a test."

"A test to create mana..."

Cassien smiled slightly.

"I like this instructor..."