Azure: Gunner

Leveling outside of combat isn’t impossible, it’s just fucking slow. If you’re lucky, you might earn enough Essence through pure training for a single Level during your year at the Academy. The rest of it will come in fits and starts, when you get a chance to fight monsters or clear the dungeon.

Scholars have done all kinds of fancy research on this, but no matter how much academic jargon they throw at it, the reality is simple. A fucking Blacksmith can make nothing but nails and butter knives and cruise through half of Tier 0. Unfortunately, combat Classes advance primarily through actual combat, not training.

The System is an asshole. Never forget this simple fact.

- Delver’s Guild Handbook, Section 2.1 – "Levels”

The rivalry between the two advanced track Squads didn’t take long to spread through the rest of the class. A couple Squads, made primarily of trainees, came down on Yuri’s side. Most of the rest – the teams composed only of recruits – either sided with us or tried their best to stay out of the fray.

I was getting frustrated with the lack of chances to get more Essence, since I couldn’t exactly count on killing Yuri every week. The Head Instructor assured us in Skill Theory & Classes on Wednesday that we were earning Essence while training, despite the lack of evidence.

“This is the primary way that non-combat Classes Level,” she explained to us. “An Enchanter might feel a rush of Essence after completing a single masterwork that took them weeks. However, if they instead worked on many smaller, easier projects, the Essence would trickle in undetectably. After doing the same thing too many times, it would eventually cease to offer them any Essence at all.

“Think of your training as completing many small projects resulting in incremental day-by-day improvements. If you stick to the same training routine, eventually you’ll get no more Essence from it and need to make it more challenging. Similarly, killing monsters and completing Quests is like doing a big project all at once – the palpable rush of Essence that you all experienced during the Tutorial.”

I reluctantly assumed that she knew what she was talking about, even though no one on my Squad had Leveled from training yet. I had been spoiled by the Advanced Tutorial and the dungeon giving me more opportunities to Level than probably anyone else in the class. That didn’t mean I was happy about slowing down.

Tara’s family finally cut off her account access Thursday, later than she’d expected, but still before we had a chance to do any further shopping. The blonde Defender pretended to be unaffected, but it was clear that it bothered her. She was stuck with us now, and her funds were limited unless she wanted to sell off her expensive gear. That would only hurt her though, at least until she’d out-Leveled it – which she needed Essence to do.

We finally got some excitement Friday evening. The assembly signal went off while we were eating dinner, and most of us crammed a few last bites in before we filed out of the hall. The square quickly filled up with more people than I’d seen there before, as the second semester students poured in from their final class of the day.

Thompson was waiting for us on the steps of the administration building. When she felt that everyone had arrived, she held up her hands and the crowd of students quickly quieted.

“Our scouts have spotted a large group of goblins heading towards Backhorn. They are mostly Level 3 to 5, with elites in the 7-8 range and possibly a few low Tier 1 hobs. At these Levels, they pose no threat to the town itself, but they could severely damage the surrounding farmland if not dealt with.

“They will be passing by us within the next forty to fifty minutes. You will deploy to block their path and destroy them. Each Squad will be assigned an area of responsibility and rookie students will handle the standard goblins while the veterans focus on the elites and hobs. Your instructors will only intervene if you are in danger of being overwhelmed.

“Find your mentor and follow their directions. Your performance will be evaluated – and I expect you to wipe them out. Don’t let any escape!”

We gathered up around Wolf as Thompson walked off. I retrieved my cutlass from my Inventory and fastened it to my belt while we waited for… something. A minute or two later, the reason for the delay became obvious.