Elite Mages' Academy

Chapter 122: New Ideas

“Aside from that, there’s other critical issues with your idea. While it sounds amazing to use the augmentation effects of multiple skills, have you ever thought about how long you need to spend to achieve such an effect?”

Song Junlang had a serious look. He felt that Xiao Lin’s thoughts were teetering on the edge of risk and had to be corrected. “Comprehensive enhancement requires you to take more courses. I can tell you frankly that prerequisite learning requirements are much higher for all enhancement-effect skills. You won’t be able to master them without fulfilling those requirements. Are you sure you have the time?”

“Can’t it be done with a single weapon type?”

“It’s very difficult! Each weapon has its own characteristics, and although the basic skills may overlap, the respective characteristics will only be more obvious later on. Let’s take skills involving the épée for example. There’s no way you can continue to enhance your body techniques. In the same vein, there’s no way for you to further enhance your arm strength for dagger-based skills.”

Seeing Xiao Lin’s hesitant expression, Song Junlang emphasized further, “I know you’re cultivating both magic and martial arts, but magic and martial arts are both merely broad categories. As your courses increase, this wide category can be broken down into countless small categories. Do you really think you have that much energy?”

Song Junlang did not approve of that training method, but Xiao Lin still expressed some doubt. If the virtual character’s parameters were based on a certain historical figure, it meant that someone must have done it, and if someone could do it, Xiao Lin believed that he could at least give it a try. The virtual character’s unique fighting style in that short battle had left too deep an impression on him.

Xiao Lin did not go to the training hall again that afternoon. Although combat training was more effective than training alone, he felt that it was best to slowly adapt to the basics after experiencing the hardships of fighting in a gravity environment that morning. As a result, he stayed in the inn for the afternoon and did not go out.

Song Junlang did not bother him, but if he were to push the door and enter Xiao Lin’s room, he would find that Xiao Lin had taken off the anti-gravity accessory again and was in the midst of attempting a push-up. The sweat beads on Xiao Lin’s forehead appeared at a rapid rate, oozing out in no time and forming a puddle on the floor.

Such basic training was simpler than actual combat. After an entire afternoon however, Xiao Lin had pushed the limits of his strength, and even inhaled the delicious burger for dinner in a few bites. Song Junlang noticed that something was not quite right, but Xiao Lin hid it well. He went back to the room for an early rest, giving Department Head Song nary a chance of inquiring.

The short weekend passed quickly with that training. The next day, when the sky was barely lit, the person responsible for fetching and sending Xiao Lin arrived at the inn on time. Hank personally came the first two times, but he seemed to have other things to do in New Washington and sent an assistant on subsequent occasions.

Hank’s assistant was an American man in his early 30s who went by the name of Norn. He was a senior at Judge Academy who was nearing graduation. Norn said that his strength was only average and it was difficult for him to enter military- or expedition-related departments, so he chose the Foreign Relations Department. He seemed to cherish that opportunity for an internship and used English to communicate with Xiao Lin on the way to the palace.

What surprised Xiao Lin was that the graduates of these colonial colleges were actually under great pressure. Although the number of colonists in the New World would always be lesser compared to the local indigenous people, employment was not as easy to come by as imagined. Rather than having a lack of jobs, it was the positions of leadership that were scarce.

As colonists, no one wanted to do the same jobs as the natives since they were the aristocrats and privileged people of that world. Many people would be reluctant to start from bottom as soldiers when they entered the army, but at the end of the day, those who could become leaders were far and few in between. The fact that job offers were based on meritocracy would almost certainly produce competitive pressure.

Norn was a very ordinary student, and after learning that Xiao Lin was just a freshman, he would complain about those problems to Xiao Lin from time to time. After their interaction, the two somehow got along with each other. On that day, after Xiao Lin forced himself to get up, despite his exhaustion, he took the initiative to start a conversation with Norn.

“Where can I learn skills in New Washington?”

Norn was a little surprised. “Learn skills? There are only two ways. If we want to learn skills, we can either find someone who has those skills and learn from them, or learn them yourself through skill books, which you can either buy or rent. I recall you’re still a freshman, right? Your tutors will be teaching you those basic skills.”

Xiao Lin smiled wryly. He would be staying there for a whole month, and after calculating the duration, Dawn Academy would have already started with their basic skills. He might be out on official business, but the entire freshman year would not change their schedules just for him. Add that to the irritation he felt after battling the virtual character the day before, he decided to ask around first.

Seeing the troubled look between Xiao Lin’s eyebrows, Norn felt that he had to satisfy Dawn Academy’s guests to successfully complete his internship as a chaperone from the Foreign Affairs Department. He thought for a moment and added, “If you really want to learn skills now, I suggest you have a look at the bazaars in the trade district. You might end up with an unexpected surprise.”

“An unexpected surprise? Like what?” Xiao Lin’s interest was aroused.

Norn’s white teeth were revealed in his bright smile and there was pride in his tone. “New Washington’s development could be considered to be the fastest of all the colonial capitals, and our business is also the most prosperous…”

“Get to the point.”

“Ahem, in fact, the skills taught by your tutors during your freshman year are often the most basic and common skills, but you have to understand that Planet Norma has a history spanning millions of years. With so many races, the number of spells or martial arts are endless, and even a learned professor dares not say that they fully understand them all. If you want to learn the less popular spells or skills instead of the same stereotypical ones, you’ve come to the right place!”

Xiao Lin nodded with intrigue. “Looks like I’ll have to take a look.”

Norn then added, “However, the more niche skills often require very strange prerequisites. There’s no complete system to those skills either and it’s difficult for you to get advanced skills manuals for those skills. In contrast, although the skills taught by the academy are ordinary; all of them have a complete system on which they can be continuously advanced.”

Norn explained plenty of things to Xiao Lin. For example, there were a lot of life-based spells and elven martial arts in New Washington because it was adjacent to the elves. In fact, it was the case for each academy. Dawn Academy was close to the merfolk and the beastkin orcs, so they had a wider reserve of water-based and sacrificial spells.