Jaiden finally finished his 4th year, after making an incredible achievement, and stepped into his 5th year in the academy. 

The place where they were going was located in the aerial monsters' habitat. It was clear that just one slight misstep could bring forth tumultuous dangers. 

Well, to be honest, the 4th year academy was also dangerous considering that they were in the vicinity of the medium and large monsters' habitat. They even fought for their lives at their young age during the war against the trolls. 

However, contrary to what they had expected, their lives in the 5th year academy were quite lax. They were completely void of any tense and nervous atmosphere.

All the 5th year students had to do was take their theoretical classes and learn about what the aerial monsters looked like, what their characteristics were and where they lived. After all, most aerial monsters were high-ranked so it was nigh impossible for the children to fight against them.

Perhaps this was also the reason why they were all relaxed. Especially Jaiden. Jaiden had lived an eventful and busy life during his 4th year but he was now living a fairly enjoyable and comfortable student life. 

In fact, they really had the chance to live a comfortable student life during their 4th year. But thanks to Jaiden, they had to toil and work hard. And by the end of it all, they had realized that they had already lived a dog-like life. 

The 4th year students were only generally required to do practical training and battle against large monsters a few times. And they would only fight against half-dead monsters that had already been beaten by the rangers and the knights.

But during that time, they were tasked to test the effectiveness of Jaiden’s proposed methods so they ended up facing trolls that were very much alive and kicking. In addition, they were forced to risk their lives and fight against those monsters thanks to the chaos brought about by the changes in the Black Forest.

So, being presented with a comfortable student life, all of the 5th year students were basking and enjoying their current life. However, it did not take that long. They only lived easily for three months.

“Number 1 is training on the basic swordsmanship like his life is on the line.”

“I know right.”

The other students stared at Jaiden with confusion as he trained desperately in the basic swordsmanship.

Once they became 5th year students, they were no longer required to learn and train in the basic and Imperial Basic swordsmanship techniques. Instead, they were given a lot of free time to improve their individual skills.

If you look at their curriculum, they would be required to learn subjects that were based on the basics during their 1st~4th year.

During their 1st year, they were required to learn the basic common sense and combat methods. In their 2nd~3rd year, they were taught advanced strategies and tactics that they could use in combat and warfare. In their 4th year, they were taught methods on how to fight against medium and large monsters. All of the subjects that they took including cooperation, military mindset, strategies and tactics were centered around the basics and the basic swordsmanship.

However, things would change starting in their 5th year.

Since they were going to become apprentices and learn under someone in their 6th year, their senior year, they were now allowed to have all the time that they could to polish their skills. Except for the time that they used to learn theoretical and hands-on subjects about aerial monsters, the rest of their time was free for them to use. They could use this time to boost and strengthen their individual skills that they would need during their final year in the academy. 

And as if to prove the fact that they were considerate to the students, they filled the 5th year academy library with high-leveled sword techniques from the main families of the Empire. There were even books about magic, spirits, high sorcery, as well as information about the great divine beasts and monster tricks. The library was well equipped with a variety of resources to supplement whatever path their student wanted to choose. Giving them enough resources was one way for them to make sure that they would grow safely and a lot stronger while they still remained in the academy.

In fact, the Northeast Academy was actually famous for its fearsome specialty library. They even had the Leonhardt Family’s sword techniques starting from the Basic Lion Sword Technique until the high-leveled sword technique that appeared around a century ago in their collection.

Although they were not sure if they have any of these families’ ‘futures’ with them, they still made sure to have everything in store so the children would grow up well-informed and prepared in their care.

However, Jaiden looked away and dumped all of these techniques away. He just continued to train in the basic and Imperial Basic Swordsmanship. This was the reason why the students were all looking at him in wonder.

“Hoo…” 

After Jaiden had finished his training on basic swordsmanship, he moved on to the familiar Imperial Basic Swordsmanship. 

The students watching him all shook their heads before turning around and training in their new sword technique and martial arts.

‘It seems like no one is training in Imperial Basic Swordsmanship anymore.’ 

Jaiden smiled bitterly when he saw the other students training on the famous sword techniques and martial arts in the Empire. Only a handful of people, including him, continued to train on the Imperial Basic Swordsmanship.

Even the children who followed him stopped training in the basic swordsmanship. They already moved on and chose their new sword techniques. They were doing the same as number 2. She was currently training hard, harder than when she trained on the basic swordsmanship, on her new sword technique. Even number 3 had started training on a sword technique that was famous for its use of heavy swords.

Because of this, Jaiden, someone who only trained the most basic swordsmanship of the Empire, had become rare.

“I’m sure each of us has our own path.” 

Jaiden looked enviously at number 2 and number 3’s sword techniques for a moment before looking back at his own. 

The Imperial Basic Swordsmanship that’s based on the basic swordsmanship.

Even though it was a simple sword technique, he liked it since it fitted him perfectly. It was a simple sword technique that could easily be parried and defended. Even the Imperial Swordsmanship could easily be destroyed by all sorts of faking movements. But even if this simple sword was something that could easily be defeated, he knew that training with this sword technique was the only way that he could adapt and trump over this world with his poor talents.

His current life was the proof of this theory. In his previous life, he was only barely able to grow. He needed to overload his mana circuits with mana stones just so he could advance back then. But in this life, he could easily chase and even stand on top of the monsters of this generation.

“This is a sword technique that’s made for the talentless.” 

Jaiden gripped his sword tightly. 

The sword technique that he was training in was a great sword technique that could even let talentless people like him be able to fight toe to toe with monstrous geniuses.

And so, today too, he wielded his sword like crazy. He worked harder than anyone else just so he could gain the upperhand on these monsters that surrounded him.

After training until he became green onion kimchi, Jaiden went back to his dormitory. Inside, he saw Baepsae playing with the owl and singing a song.

“Hey, how long are you going to be here?” 

―Hoot?

The owl tilted its head and looked at Jaiden with its big and wide eyes.

It might look innocent with its two big eyes but after months of staying together, Jaiden knew better. This owl was a rude little son of a bitch.

Jaiden had tried to take care of it meticulously before since it might become his second divine beast. But when he brought it some soup to eat, it rudely told him to get lost. After that, he told it to just shut up and go away.

“Go away now. You’re all better.”

―Hoot! Hoot~ hoot~

Jaiden looked at it grimly when the owl told him to stop speaking nonsense and just bring it ‘that’. 

“Am I your servant, huh? Ha? You go and eat by yourself.”

―Hoot!

Jaiden brought out some smoked meat. Seeing the meat, the owl’s eyes suddenly shone bright. It was already scary since its eyes were big but it became even scarier when its eyes gleamed brightly.

“Hey, hey! Stop it!”

―Tweet!

Baepsae suddenly flew up and slapped the owl’s head with its wings. Only then did the owl behave as it urged Jaiden to give it a piece of the meat.

―Hoot!

“Haa… Here.”

The owl looked in satisfaction as it flew up and gulped down the meat that Jaiden threw up in the air.

Watching this scene, Jaiden couldn’t help but shake his head. Instead of being delighted with raw meat, the owl had a strange preference for smoked meat.

When he first fed the owl, it ate everything well. But after accidentally giving it some smoked meat, it did not eat anything anymore. All it did was whine for more smoked meat. Thanks to this, Jaiden had to scour the academy for smoked meat every day.

“Are you sure you’re not going? If you’re not going then make a contract with me.”

―Hoot? Huhuhuhu~

The owl laughed crazily as it gave him an incredulous look. It looked like it was telling him that he was dreaming if he thought that he could make a contract with its majestic self. But Baepsae just poked the owl with its beak when it started mocking Jaiden.

―Hoot…

―Tweet!

―Hoot, hoot

Jaiden laid down happily while stretching his body. He looked at the arrogant owl in satisfaction as it got scolded by Baepsae.

He knew that he couldn’t keep the owl forever. At first, he thought that he would be able to sign a second contract with the owl. If he did that , then his divine power might be able to increase and he might just be able to open up a subspace. But looking at the high-nosed owl, he was sure that signing a contract was just a shot to the moon.

“Tch! I can only keep the owl until the end of my 5th year.” 

He had said that the owl was already healed. But in fact, it was not yet fully recovered. From the looks of it, only the minor and surface injuries that he had sustained before had been healed during its stay with Jaiden. He could see that it still had a lot of internal injuries since he had seen it twitch and squint in pain whenever it accidentally used too much strength.

Wondering how he figured that out? It was because the owl was helping Jaiden train at night.

―Hoot!

“Let’s take a break.” 

―Hoot!

Jaiden sighed as he pulled himself up. The owl had hurriedly told him to hurry up and come outside.

By the end of their regular training hours and individual free time, some of the children would take the remaining time of the day to study or rest. However, most of them remained at the training grounds and trained their swordsmanship. The same was true for Jaiden.

“Shall we start?” 

―Hoot!

The owl hooted loudly in agreement as its eyes gleamed sharply. Mana surged around its body as the owl’s feathers slowly turned black. Then, it flew straight towards Jaiden and launched its attack.

The owl’s movement speed was not that fast. But the black fog that surrounded and floated around its body interfered with Jaiden’s mana which made it hard for him to detect the trajectory of its attacks.

Clang!

“I blocked it this time.” 

―Hoot? Huhuhuhu!

The owl laughed mockingly when it saw Jaiden celebrating even though it just blocked one of its attacks.

Then, the owl immediately flew towards him. It’s speed noticeably became faster as it aimed at the gaps that Jaiden had shown around his upper body and head.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Jaiden’s hands shook as he received dozens of attacks in an instant. The owl looked like it was just playing around but the impact that Jaiden felt from the collision made him tremble despite his strengthened body and stamina.

“I’m not yet done!” 

―Huhuhu~

The owl flew up again as it squinted at him mockingly. Jaiden turned towards the owl and used his Imperial Basic Swordsmanship.

The children in the area were all looking at him with jealousy. After all, the training that he was doing looked like he was fighting an actual battle. If they also trained like that, they were sure that their swordsmanship would definitely grow quickly.

But it was Jaiden, and not them, who had saved the owl back in their 4th year. So it was not that strange that the owl would only help Jaiden train.

At first, they thought that it was helping him because he had signed a contract with it. But when one of them asked, Jaiden had told the student that he had not signed any contract with the owl. Confused, they turned to ask their professors. The professors told them that what Jaiden was doing was quite an amazing feat. After all, it was rare for beasts, like that owl, to stay with people and even help them train without any contract.

However, by the end of it all, they knew that it would definitely sign a contract with Jaiden. So the students and the professors did not get close to the owl nor did they initiate contact for no reason. After all, if they suddenly interfered, Jaiden might lose the communication that he had with the owl. Thanks to the kind consideration of his colleagues, Jaiden’s relationship with the owl grew closer recently. It was still as rude and as high-nosed as ever but it was undeniable that the two of them had grown significantly closer. 

Of course, that was what the people around him thought. Jaiden actually thought that he was unlucky to be stuck with this owl. 

“Haa… ha… Stop! I’m tired.” 

―Huhuhu!

The owl laughed at him saying that he was a weakling before fluttering towards where Baepsae was. All Jaiden could do was shake his head helplessly at this smug owl. 

“Well done.” 

“Thanks.” 

Jaiden thanked the child who walked up to him and handed him a water bottle. 

“It seems like the wall blocking the 3rd Stage is quite high seeing that you and 2 and 3 still haven’t climbed over. Hoo… When will I even get to Stage 3?” 

“Who knows… I don’t think it would make a big difference.” 

“You think so?” 

“Yeah. You know that there’s that in the 5th year, right?” 

The student shivered when he heard Jaiden’s words.

“That’s true but… I heard that it hurts.” 

“I heard that too.” 

“Ugh…” 

The student trembled and shivered once again when he heard Jaiden’s affirmation. 

“I don’t want to do it.” 

“We have to. It’s better than being held back.” 

“That’s true. Haa… We just have to hang in there, right?” 

“Of course.” 

The child nodded with determination, it seemed like Jaiden had given him the courage to do it. 

“Yeah. Let’s give it a try.” 

“It won’t be long before we’re supposed to do it so let’s work hard on our body before then.” 

“Yeah.”  

The two nodded at each other before heading back to their dormitories to stretch and rest their tired bodies.

Jaiden was already trying his best, but there were still some students who remained in the training grounds for their individual training even late into the night. Everyone knew that day would be coming soon so they were doing their best to keep their bodies in the best condition possible.

Days passed by with the children working hard and diligently. And the most important day for all of the students finally came.

***

Notes

[High-nosed] 콧대 높다 – Literally high-nosed, meaning snobbish, sniffish, prideful, stuck-up or stubborn. I kept it as it is since it’s an idiom.

[Became green onion kimchi] 파김치가 되었다 – figuratively means being so tired that the only thing that they could do is lie down languidly and listlessly. Worn out, exhausted, dead tired.