Chapter 5 : Chapter 5
Chapter 5 : Sage Advice
Sal inhaled deeply, then looked at his father sitting next to him.
He had just frantically poured out everything that had happened since he went to find the dormitory five minutes ago.
Pietro hadn't been given a single moment to rest, only watching his son pacing around him while making him sit on a bench.
When Sal finally finished his story, Pietro carefully raised his hand and gestured as if asking a question.
Sal nodded.
He was still pacing in circles around the small garden space next to the lobby.
Pietro smiled and stood up from his seat.
He placed his hand on Sal's shoulder and guided him gently to the bench.
"Now it's my turn to speak. So I'll do the frantic pacing, and you just listen. Got it?"
His tone was light and joking, but his expression looked somewhat complicated.
Sal looked at him quietly and waited.
"First of all, if you tell this story to your mom again… you must lie.
Say you learned how to use your ability while talking to that girl, or just say you ran really fast on your own.
Whatever the reason, it's a hundred times better than the fact that you copied and used an ability you knew absolutely nothing about."
Pietro relaxed his stiff face a little and continued.
"That doesn't mean I'm blaming you. It was a creative solution that came out of a difficult situation, and for that alone, it's worthy of praise.”
“However, the problem is that it's an issue that could threaten your life."
Pietro's voice contained worry rather than rebuke.
Sal knew those words were meant to take his side, and felt his father being considerate so he wouldn't feel intimidated for no reason.
"I'm sorry, Dad."
Pietro laughed at those words and offered a warm smile.
"Fortunately, your mom didn't see your entrance herself, but she heard about it from Cynthia. I heard it was quite dramatic?"
He shrugged and said.
"Oh, and I met Tabitha too. She seemed like a nice kid… not your type though."
Pietro waved his fingertips playfully near his neck.
"You don't need to go into detail about what happened in the restroom. Just say you hit his face while moving hurriedly to make the event time after changing clothes."
Sal nodded and laughed.
It was reassuring to have a father who protected him to this extent and planned defense strategies one by one.
Although it was a struggle to prevent his mother's anxiety, the fact that he wasn't worrying alone was sufficient comfort.
When he heard that Sal had knocked someone out in the restroom, his father didn't bat an eye.
That fact alone meant a lot to Sal.
There was no distrust from his father, nor did he question the motive or reason.
Pietro just accepted the facts as they happened, and was adept at handling them.
It was the attitude of an appraiser.
At the sound of a finger snap, Sal's gaze returned to his father.
"You don't need to space out. It's almost over. I know you're waiting for the good part. But when you tell your mom, finish it like this. 'I shook hands with Neuro, and he told me to just call him Neil.' Then your mom will be totally moved."
Pietro finally pointed to the silver card still clutched in Sal's hand.
"And the most important point. Don't worry about Vila. Her personality is a bit fiery, but she's a decent person. I've worked with her a few times, and I'd gladly do it again if asked."
Pietro looked at Sal and continued.
"Vila used one of her skills on you today. It's her Aura skill, originally used to weaken or terrify demons. She modified it slightly to see your reaction."
"Honestly, I didn't like it. But Quest Academy is different from the world I knew. To evaluate a psychological state, they might consider such a crude test necessary. Anyway, what's certain is that you passed that test and surprised Vila."
Pietro sat next to Sal and tapped the metal card.
"You might not understand well right now, but this is a tremendous compliment."
As Sal's eyes widened, Pietro nodded.
"You probably thought this. ‘Is Vila trying to scout me to the guild? Asking me to go hunting a few times during the semester?’"
Pietro shook his head and laughed.
"It's nothing like that. This is like a preliminary work contract. Vila officially expressed that she intends to work with you in the future. If she had given you a bronze card, you would become one of their outsourced contractors. A relationship where they entrust appraisal requests or just exchange simple tasks."
Pietro tapped the metal token once again.
"Silver means a priority supplier. Vila told her people to entrust appraisals to you first when new items come in. But why is this such a big compliment? You haven't even worked as a formal appraiser until now. Giving such status to someone like you means they trust your ability very strongly."
Pietro continued.
“Besides, you are at the Academy now, right? Collaboration with the Reavers Guild not only gives you a chance to handle actual work, but you can also receive rewards in the exclusive currency they use. You probably didn't hear because you were going around the dorms, but Headmaster Quest explained it to us. There is an internal economic system here, a structure that rewards those who make an effort."
Pietro hugged Sal with one arm and tapped the card again.
"Don't be tied down by class. Your mother and I are Supporters, but that's not all you are. Through this token, you can earn money with your talent, and build expertise in a field you truly feel passionate about. You are special. You can pick any skill you see at the Academy and copy it exactly, right? But you and I both know. That's not all.”
Sal stared intently into the eyes of the same color looking back at him.
The gaze that had consistently watched over him from the moment his memory began.
“Is becoming number one really what's important? Do you want to win the war? Do you want to reclaim lost territory? Or if not that, do you want to save someone's life?"
Pietro stood up from his seat, brushed off his pants, and concluded.
"If it's the path you chose, whatever it is, Sophie and I will support our son until the end."
Sal exhaled slowly and stood up from his seat.
"Thank you, Father. My head was a bit foggy, maybe because of that Aura skill."
It was an embarrassing moment.
At times like this, it's good for both parties to naturally switch to another topic.
Sal looked down at the silver card in his hand, realizing its weight only now.
But suddenly a question arose.
"But Dad, if silver is a priority supplier, does the Reavers Guild have exclusive rights to my appraisal requests?"
Pietro laughed loudly.
"Just like my son. Absolutely not. I'll explain why."
Saying that, Pietro took Sal back into the lobby.
A proud smile was spreading around his eyes.
***
The ranking board blinked a few times, announcing that all students' entry had been confirmed.
The waiting audience also realized that fact, and finally, the last applause erupted.
This time, it was applause filled with genuine relief, with no one clapping forcedly.
Numerous staff members in white uniforms came out carrying champagne on trays and began a celebratory procession, and Headmaster Quest went up on stage.
“Congratulations to all new students. The preliminary ranking is all complete. And starting now, I would like to inform you of a few facts that we did not mention before.”
“For fairness, we gave everyone the same assignment. The reason was simple. It was to see if your motive for arriving here was pure.”
“In fact, it was a competition with much more at stake than what was initially informed.”
“Some of your guardians may have already told you. Quest Academy operates its own currency system.”
“Inside these towers, the wealth you brought or your status outside is of no use. Instead, we use Q-Credits.”
“Basic accommodation, meals, and class materials are all provided, but Q-Credits are required for all additional activities such as hunting, external practical training activities, purchasing crafting materials, using specific equipment, or buying better gear.”
“And the most important thing is that Q-Credits are desperately needed at the beginning of the semester. Because you can purchase seats for classes with limited capacity using Q-Credits.”
“For example, let’s say Fury from the Inferno Guild visits to hold a special lecture. We would only be able to accept a few hundred people for that lecture.”
“Then what do you do? You purchase that seat precisely through Q-Credits.”
Sal looked at the dejected faces of students who received low rankings.
The comfort and sense of security gained through self-rationalization all became meaningless the moment they couldn't meet Fury of the Inferno Guild in person.
To Sal, Fury had been one of the coolest heroes in the war against demons since he was young.
That’s why missing this opportunity was bound to be painful for anyone.
At that moment, Sal sincerely thanked his own brain for enduring the super speed skill to the end amidst that dizzying pain.
“That is just one example. If you gather enough Q-Credits, you can also register for specialization courses to take advanced classes.”
“We already explained 'Skill Implantation' to you. Now I think we should tell you about 'Skill Imprinting' as well.”
“Skill Imprinting consumes a lot of Q-Credits, but it helps you turn an ability you already possess into a fixed ability. Was there any student who found it hard to control their own ability? Through imprinting, that ability will feel like your instinct. Just like breathing and blinking… naturally and obviously.”
The moment they heard those words, more than one or two students were stirred.
Sal understood that reaction better than anyone.
Because it was a problem he had fought all his life as far as he could remember.
Headaches that came when he saw too many people's abilities, sunglasses he always had to wear to avoid accidentally activating his ability, and above all… the terrible fear that always followed him, that he could kill himself if he wrongly copied a destructive ability.
But now, this imprinting system right in front of his eyes was an opportunity to overturn all of that.
Sal's mind began to race uncontrollably.
How much would it cost? What did he have to do to get imprinted? He had to know right away.
“Materials summarizing various systems and price lists, along with everything explained this evening, will have been distributed in each dormitory room.”
“Now, what I want to tell you is the fact that Quest Academy has now transitioned to a much more competition-centered environment.”
“As I already told you, we cannot provide skill implantation or imprinting to every student. To win the war, we must invest the best resources in the best talent.”
“Then, how can we distinguish the real 'best'?”
“Through this evening, we were able to confirm. That not all students move with the same motivation. Since there are as many as 500 students who received attention and recognition from the faculty, being recognized doesn't necessarily mean being the best.”
“So for the first time in Quest Academy history, we have introduced an Elite Class, the Savior Class.”
“This name is taken from the first generation heroes who first endured sacrifice for the survival of humanity. We now intend to cultivate the next generation of Saviors.”
“Only 30 students in the Elite Class. Selection is scheduled to take place at the end of the first semester.”
“Selected students will be provided with skill imprinting for free, and will receive training for the skill implantation they desire.”
“The Savior Class breaks away from the career path structure that existing classes must follow. They can take any class helpful for development, and specialization courses exclusive to Saviors are also provided.”
“During this moment right now, an equal opportunity to enter the Savior Class is given to all of you.”
Murmurs erupted from all directions.
Everyone wanted to know more about this new Savior Class.
Sal caught several displeased expressions in the audience, especially in the section where upperclassmen were sitting.
They were bound to be disappointed, of course.
The fact that such an opportunity wasn't given to them must be unfair.
Just as he was thinking that, Headmaster Quest continued as if reading Sal’s mind or accurately grasping the atmosphere of the room.
“Our goal is to invest as many resources as possible in the next generation of heroes. But that absolutely does not mean we are turning away from the students currently enrolled.”
“As mentioned earlier, 30 Savior spots are given to the first years. 15 for second years, and only 5 will be selected for third years.”
“Also, at the end of every year, the Quest Academy Showcase where your families are invited will be held. In this event, we will showcase the students' growth process, and opportunities to challenge higher rankers will also be given.”
“The Savior Class is also included in this challenge, but applicable students are limited to the top 100 in overall ranking. Please refer to the materials placed in the dormitory rooms for detailed information regarding duels and challenges.”
“Finally, before concluding this evening's announcements, there is one thing I want to request of you.”
“Quest Academy has a strict code of conduct. Acts violating this will not be tolerated in any case.”
Headmaster Quest looked up at the ranking board.
There, a single name was noticeably highlighted.
It was rank 67.
Sal remembered that he was the student who hit him in the restroom and his breath hitched.
The name at rank 67 began to slide down the ranking board, and fell all the way to the end.
At the same time, the rankings of the rest of the students went up by one slot.
Quest smiled warmly toward the crowd and said.
"I told you. This is strictly just a preliminary ranking. We said we would watch you very closely, and we actually did.”
Simultaneously with those words, the leaderboard fluctuated.
Some names jumped over ranks and shot up, while other names tumbled down.
The fluctuation range was so large that it was overwhelming just to keep up with the order.
Sal gave up on watching the leaderboard and looked around instead.
While everyone was looking up, only one person was looking straight into his eyes.
It was Vila.
With a bright smile, she gestured toward the leaderboard.
Sal raised his hand awkwardly and greeted her.
"Today, we invited some special guests to check the new talent here in person. And some of them left a deep impression on them. On the other hand… there were those who brought disappointment.”
“Of course, there will be more opportunities in the future. But what applies from this moment on is the new preliminary ranking.”
“Everyone worked really hard. Your ranking directly affects the amount of Q-Credits that will be paid to your dormitory account soon.”
“Guardians, thank you sincerely for being here with us today. Now please say your goodbyes. Because in a few hours, all the children here will begin their journey to become heroes."
Sal didn't even notice his mother hugging him.
The same went for the moment Headmaster Quest left the stage.
His gaze was completely fixed on the ranking board.
Sal’s name was at the position Vila had gestured to earlier.
Sal’s ranking had changed.
“Congratulations on making the top 20, Sal. I had no choice but to raise your rank.”
Neuro, who suddenly appeared, grabbed his elbow and smiled broadly.
Sal spaced out for a moment, then came to his senses and responded with a reflexive smile.
But Neuro's words weren't finished yet.
“If I voted for my daughter, I would have been criticized for bias, but she took 1st place even without that. Please promise me you two won't kill each other.”
Sal smiled and shook his head.
He tried to look at his daughter over Neuro's shoulder, but Neuro was so tall that it was impossible.
Eventually, he spoke with sincerity.
“Thank you very much, Neil.”
Neuro soon disappeared, and other parents and students also headed outside one by one to say their goodbyes.
Sofia looked at Sal with her eyes wide open.
“While I was talking with Cynthia for over an hour, you won a contract with the Reavers Guild, and now you call Neuro by his first name? When did my son grow up like this?”
Shock and joy appeared on her face simultaneously, and seeing that, Sal felt relieved.
A moment later, Pietro also approached and shook his head from side to side.
“Who… are you? Where did my son go?”
He pointed at the ranking board and tried to explain what he meant, but Sal also stood there with the exact same expression.
Looking up at the numbers once again with disbelief, the ranking really had gone up.
Rank 19: Salvatore Argento