Returning from the library after applying for the 3 different “jobs” he had chosen, he had of course made sure to phrase his application resume as correctly as he could to end up properly transmitting the fact that he didn’t want pay but still wanted to work like any other.

Adding a few more details like being a tech super and having an innate ability helping him learn faster after helping people should have been enough to seal the deal in his book.

In total, he had spent 4 hours on this endeavor, meaning he still had more than an hour and a half until his next energy cycling needed to be done.

‘An hour and a half… Largely enough to wrap up my class schedule for tomorrow.’

Excited about finally earning faction contribution points for the first time, he enthusiastically completed his optimized general subjects courses marathon in under 30 minutes.

“Ah~ And now, the only thing remaining for me to do is preparing my backpack,” stretching and letting out moans of comfort involuntarily, Aven picked up his phone and adjusted the lighting to take a perfectly clear picture of where he should go for each of the four 2-hours time slots dedicated to courses in a day at EMATE.

Unless there were changes, he was set for the next month and even the one after that.

Doing as he had just said, he started packing up supplies into his backpack. They were pretty much all used ones except for the notepad which he decided to switch to a new one for more easily organizing his future mess of notes.

Of course, he also chose to bring his innate ability notepad with him. Inspiration worked weirdly, and he never knew when he would be enlightened about something related to his quests, knowledge, or life in general.

Once he had finished preparing himself for the next day, he went to lay on the couch and started watching documentaries until his next energy cycling alarm went off.

From there, and even until his next energy cycle 8 hours and a half later…

He had nothing to do but diligently cycle his energy and learn more from documentaries about what a tech super really was.

…

“A central problem in mixed material arithmetic is the computation of super positive structure. It has long been known that every non-stochastic, globally nonnegative, empty subset is-”

A middle-aged man with a clean haircut and a neat white military uniform was spouting nonsense in front of an amphitheater filled with hundreds of students.

‘Yeah, of course, that’s logic when put like that.’

And amidst those students, lost in the background, was Aven wearing not for the first time his white military student uniform. And he had to admit that it was freaking cool.

“Because the Riemann hypothesis holds, if x is separable and a quasi-algebraically integral then-”

He had thought that first-year courses would at least make somewhat of a sense as this school year had already started a few months ago when the grand winter vacation had ended… And it was only mid-spring now.

“As we have shown, if y is not iso-morphic to z then there exists a p-adic and integrable co-affine, admissible algebra. Thus-”

Already 2 hours had flown by and the end of this theoretical mathematics course was coming to an end, and Aven had never thought he would wish for it to end so strongly.

“In future work, we plan to address questions of stability as well as naturality. Recently, there has been much interest in the derivation of simply right-admissible function-”

As if the middle-aged man was a robot, his voice hadn’t cracked once in the 2 hours he had kept expanding upon mathematical gibberish. It was the first time Aven had ever seen someone like that, and he surmised he should be a retired army engineer.

There was just no other explanation.

When the middle-aged man finally left the big amphitheater, announcing the end of the 2nd course of the day, all the students who seemed used to that started wrapping up either their notes or saved up their documents.

The more enthusiastic ones stood up only half a minute after the end of the course and joined their friends to joke about whatever they had learned or whether they should go eat now or later.

‘Well, I think I better go fetch my high-school mathematics book for the next 2 classes.’

Lost in thought at what happened to him over the last 4 hours, Aven reevaluated the difficulty of EMATE. If he hadn’t had his innate ability, he would be so lost that maybe he would have changed his life’s direction very soon.

Exiting the brick and concrete building hosting more than a dozen of similar but unique amphitheaters, he rode his bike and returned to the R4 residential building in a bit more than 5 minutes.

Once he felt the sweet embrace of home, he finally allowed his current quest to come up.

Faction Contribution Quest: Eland Military Academy of Technology and Engineering

Participating: Attend your faction’s events to further a good social climate and lead by example. The more harmonious the events end up being, the greater the contribution.

Reward: Claim?

‘Yup, claim.’

Thinking very strongly about claiming it, he hoped with all his faith and power that what he had just lived hadn’t been for nothing.

Faction Contribution Quest: Eland Military Academy of Technology and Engineering

Participating: Attend your faction’s events to further a good social climate and lead by example. The more harmonious the events end up being, the greater the contribution.

Reward: 600 FCP

“Yes! Yes, yes, yes! 600?! It’s so freaking much! Yes!” Letting his emotion take over for a brief moment, he displayed and shouted all the emotional palette a 21 years old hot-blooded and ambitious young man should have.

“Even if you only gave me 300 I would have been more than satisfied! But 600?! Was this class that harmonious?!” Overwhelmed by his crushed expectations in the best possible way, he opened the shop to make sure he hadn't seen wrong.

Faction Contribution Shop: Eland Military Academy of Technology and Engineering

Faction Authority: Student

Faction Contribution Points: 600

Knowledge: Basic Energy Cultivation (2 100 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Energy Application (2 500 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Super Biology (2 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Literature (4 200 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic History (4 700 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Geography (4 800 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Cooking (4 900 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Climatology (5 200 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Fossil Fuel (5 300 FCP)

…

“Let’s! Freaking! Go! Thanks mom and dad for my amazing genetics! Thanks fate for making me awake as a super! Thanks~” Continuing his celebration after putting on some music, he didn’t hold back in showing his appreciation for his life and everything that made him who he was today by doing some fancy dance moves he had learned at some point in his life.

“A thousand FCP per day? You’re welcome! I’ll graduate so early they won’t even believe me when I tell them I’m ready, hahaha!” Feeling at the peak of his life after confirming a future steady way of gaining FCP, Aven just let out all his frustration at the long wait that preceded all this joy.

Thinking back to the relatively uncomfortable 4 hours of theoretical math he had attended to, all his bad mood disappeared, “Another 4 hours? ‘Just’ another 4 hours?! I would do 12 more if it was possible! Give me more gibberish classes! I want them!”

10 minutes later, his enthusiasm finally stabilized enough for him to start preparing his meal.

In an instant, his life had transformed, even the onion and garlic diced potato seemed to have gained a taste he didn’t remember ever tasting.

And when an hour later the time came for him to go back to the class area, he did so with gusto, butterflies in his stomach, and spring in his steps.

…

“Hoho! So efficient, aren’t they?” Checking his emails after finishing cycling his energy, Aven saw 3 replies to the applications he had sent just yesterday.

Making sure that “Application Accepted” didn’t mean his application had been received but that he had been accepted for the jobs, he celebrated by drinking a big sip of peach iced tea.

“Ah~ Everything is going so well, what more can I wish for? Maybe that each of those jobs is worth more than 8 hours of classes combined? Hehehe, if that’s the case then I’ll say goodbye to classes,” voicing out his good mood, he eventually paused the documentary he was watching and switched to background music.

Getting his innate ability notepad, or his personal notepad depending on the context, he began opening each of the emails and writing down their time.

‘Energy infusion and steel factory maintenance assistant have an open schedule? I can go there when I want?’

Finding only the kitchen assistant job with precise starting and ending hours, Aven felt like life was smiling upon him today. Literally, everything was going his way except for the fact that he hadn’t understood one bit of what was being discussed in the theoretical mathematics course.

‘Well, don’t mind if I stop coming when I find which job has the most optimized FCP to time ratio.’

Not minding being seen as an opportunist if it really came to this, Aven knew this facet of himself for what it had always been.

He was far from the stereotype of a heroic and dashing young man, he was calculating, and he also didn’t make true friends easily, preferring to let everyone around him maintain a safe distance.

His personality hadn’t changed after becoming a super. It had neither worsened nor become better, and this same personality was the one that had brought him to where he was today, so he didn’t see any need for change.

After finishing setting up his final planning, Aven saw that from the early hours of the morning to the late hours of the evening, he theoretically always had something to do.

‘And with that, my life as the best volunteer and most studious student is set. The only stains that will appear on it are the times where I’ll need to cycle my energy because there’s no way I’m neglecting the foundation of what I am and why I am here.’

Wrapping up his day after doing that, he felt a bit over motivated after his plan had reached theoretical completion, so he got his high-school level mathematics book he had used even before he integrated EMATE for his innate ability…

And started studying.

…

Faction Contribution Shop: Eland Military Academy of Technology and Engineering

Faction Authority: Student

Faction Contribution Points: 1 100

Knowledge: Basic Energy Cultivation (2 100 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Energy Application (2 500 FCP)

…

Knowledge: Intermediate Mathematics (44 200 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Physics (45 300 FCP)

…

Knowledge: Intermediate Construction Engineering (72 800 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Nuclear Engineering (73 300 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Combat Engineering (75 200 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Developmental Engineering (80 000 FCP)

‘So general knowledge are really part of the more advanced ones~ How convenient.’

Having opened his knowledge shop to see the results of one day and a night of sleep after intensely studying mathematics, Aven developed his prior theory in the direction his innate knowledge about his innate ability had hinted him to.

‘Meaning, when I buy knowledge like mathematics or physics, the price of all the other knowledge using things included in them will be reduced.’

Still a bit groggy from having just woken up, he leisurely let his body and brain wake up for the next half hour before starting to prepare himself for his day of job experimentation.

While the previous day had been dedicated to going to classes for the participating quest, today he wanted to not only repeat what he had done yesterday, but he also wanted to get samples of each of the 3 jobs he had chosen as potential hard but rewarding tasks.

When he exited the R4 residential building, the White had only just started illuminating the night with its symbolic golden orange dawn color.

The air was as fresh as any mid-spring morning should be, but with his super’s constitution, he didn’t even think about taking a jacket, he just went with his uniform, his backpack, his bike and that was it.

Pushing expertly for the first impulsion on the right pedal, Aven quickly accelerated until he started cutting through the fresh air under the cloudless sky. His destination was the research area neighboring the hangar one.

He had only visited this area during his exploration of the campus when his faction wasn’t actualized yet, so he didn’t even need to look at the signs for direction and rushed straight through the empty paths.

When he arrived, the building was already brightened and people were already moving inside, so he parked and confidently entered.

‘Maybe I should have deepened my exploration of the different areas and not just look at the exterior.’

Knowing where he needed to go but not how to get there, he struggled for a good 5 minutes before understanding the logic of the research area’s building and reaching his destination.

‘Those modeling computers are a lot bigger than I expected, damn.’

Passing through a heavy insulating door locked behind a code he had been given in the application acceptance email, he entered a big refrigerated hall where dozens upon dozens of 2-meters tall black boxes were making a weird identical whistling sound.

His tourist instant didn’t last long however as a middle-aged man approached him, extended his hand, and started to speak, “Aven Amias I presume? For you to come so early, you must have been curious about this job. Or maybe you’re motivated by the potential benefits of helping here? Doesn’t matter in the end. Welcome to the modeling center of the research area.”

Same as nearly any other not-students he had encountered until now, the man was wearing the characteristic non-camo white military uniform and was the picture of rigor and confidence.

“Hello and good morning sir, yes I’m Aven, and yes I’m motivated by potentially massive benefits on my side, though it still needs to be tested,” being straightforward as always, Aven grabbed the proposed hand and reciprocated.

“Doesn’t matter as long as you contribute your energy. Come, the main computing units are in another side hall. The other tech supers you probably haven’t met yet are there too, you need to get to know each other if you’re new,” not dwelling on the moment, the man turned and led the way through rows and rows of intimidating black boxes.

Following behind without any pretense, Aven acted exactly as his inner curiosity wanted him to and he gawked at everything from the flat gray ground to the large cooling units above.

When they passed through another door, this one not insulating, he saw the upgraded version of the previous black boxes in the form of 5-meters tall black boxes. Next to some of them marked with Eland’s national symbol, people were sitting in a chair and doing their own things…

‘Are they all doing the same thing?’

As there were only 2 rows of such big black boxes and only 1 corridor through which to travel further and see the inside of these boxes, Aven quickly saw that they all had the same book in their hands.

And he was proven true when the man who led him there picked a black and white book out of a corner of the hall and handed it to him, “That’s the schematic of the modeling computers we use as well as the theory behind it, it’s not at the level of a supercomputer, but it’s similar in appearance and design. You can keep the book with you, it's nothing confidential.”

“Ho~” Same as a few seconds ago, Aven let all his emotions appear on his face without hiding them.

“The computer units marked with the Eland symbol are the ones that are also linked to a computing power appraiser, so you’ll get an idea of how much your energy infusion has enhanced the unit. And of course, you can compare that with the scores of others if you’re not afraid of being told you’re bad at it,” explaining everything concisely, the man then left him without any other instruction or without even letting Aven thank him.

‘Well…’

Looking at the book in his hand, then at the 5 people sending glances his way, and then at an obviously Eland symbol marked unit, he couldn’t not understand the situation.

He was here for a job, and now he had to do the job.

The Eland symbol-marked units were conveniently placed next to each other, meaning they wouldn’t be separated by a dozen meters if they wanted to talk to each other, and that didn’t bother Aven at all.

Leisurely walking until he arrived at a free marked unit in the middle of 2 occupied ones, he put down his backpack there and shamelessly, or modestly, looked at the 2 seniors by quickly turning his head left and right in a funny manner, “How do I go about that? Do I just infuse my energy directly?”

“Let me show you,” taking a proactive approach after hearing the question, a woman with short blond hair and black eyes put down her book and reached with her hands towards a small indent on the right of the unit.

“That’s a direct contact zone, so be careful as it’s as cold as the inside of those units is cold. Infuse your energy from there, then look at your score if you want, it’s there,” she pointed at a small screen just above the indented area.

“Thanks,” doing as she had shown him, he reached for the indent and started infusing his energy inside, and while it was cold, it wasn’t fatally so.

The screen above the indent automatically turned on after he had infused his energy, probably knowing the additional computing power didn’t come from anywhere else but from an energy infusion by a tech super.

“5,” he reported his score aloud with a smile, “Considering I have no knowledge at all about how those work more than just a 0s and 1s electric current being involved, I guess that’s a good start?”

This time the 5 people reacted by looking at him with different expressions on their faces, some showed disdain, some were encouraging, and some were mocking. Or maybe all at the same time or none of them? Human facial expressions couldn’t be universally interpreted like that.

‘4 women for 1 man? I doubt these are all the super students inside the school, but if they are, then the ratio is slanted, isn’t it? Or maybe all the men have gone for the more soldier training route? Doubt it…’

Seeing as no one seemed inclined to have a talk as they were focusing on their book or closing their eyes probably to cycle their energy and allow it to regenerate slightly faster, he opened the thin but heavy black and white book he had been given and started to read it.