Tomorrow marked the end of our first month at the academy, and it was all everyone had been talking about was the Baptism. The Baptism would be for many of their first level up, while every race's status peaked at a certain age, humans peaked earliest. The Baptism was a ritual, it was supposed to teach us it was necessary to kill. I wasn't excited, it wouldn't have been my first time killing for food but this clearly wasn't killing for food. Everyone seemed squeamish some more than others, but a few of the boys were puffing their chest saying that they got their first kill "hunting". The rest of the day had a somber feeling attached to it. I didn't feel like eating so I went to my room to lie down and calm my mind. After an unknown amount of time passed, I heard the knocking on my door.

"Yes? Who is it?"

"Sir, Captain Vesimir sent me to make sure you had some food to eat."

"Oh really, thank you then." I went to open the door.

The servant was carrying a tray, it had a porcelain bowl of porridge along with some chopped up jerky and juice. It didn't look too appetizing, it felt like some field ration.

"Thank you, any reason Captain sent these?"

"He said to make something easy on the stomach since you skipped lunch and dinner."

I ate in silence as he waited quietly before taking back the dishes. Since I had a nap earlier, I decided to make the most of my time by reading more about the history of the world and those that inhabit it. The four races recognized by humans being what you expected in every generic fantasy Humans, Dwarves, Elves, and Dragons. Most races looked like what you would think about them, humans are self-explanatory, dwarves the short and stocky kind, no magical height change, that's not to say they didn't try. Elves are beautiful, nature-loving race, and to my surprise, they weren't the exclusive vegetarian type. Dragons, well dragons were split into two groups European and Asian dragons, the thing that split them apart was what aspect they tended towards, European Dragons were all about physical prowess with their massive stature, and the Asian Dragons were almost exclusively found in mana dense areas or found traveling from one to another. As far as I could tell this was what the Curse of the Strong was based on, humans commonly starting with no level, dwarven baby at least at the start at level 20, elves at 45, and dragons at 95. My hypothesis was that the reduction of level was a deliberate action by the gods, to give each race a chance to breed offspring by lowering their threshold.

The morning bell was ringing as I lifted my head off the desk, I must've fallen asleep at some point during the night. I dressed myself before I went to grab some breakfast. When I got there, I noticed Damian was already eating eggs with meat on his plate. He was completely absorbed into eating his meal, but Vanessa was waving for me to join them after I got my food.

"What happened to you? You're never this late for food."

"I wasn't feeling well so I took a nap, and I woke around sunset to a servant sent to deliver me food."

"Do you need to see a priest or alchemist?"

"No, its nothing that serious, the baptism just has me feeling a bit sick in the stomach."

"Oh, yeah I remember my first time as well, I fainted after seeing the blood."

"I'm not worried about the blood it's just I'm not looking forward to killing a creature."

"It gets better Adam, it's the best way we can survive. Otherwise, we would be slaves to the other races like some lower lifeform."

"You really think so?"

"I know so, m-my father was captured in the war while he was defending the western border. Those elves treated nobles and commoners alike and worked them to the bone with them having to scavenge food for themselves. If it wasn't for my father having good ties to many nobles, it's possible that he could've died digging ditches for those knife-ears."

Damian just gave Vanessa a cold glare.

"Father said he loss fair in square, and he volunteered so that the elderly could take more breaks."

"You call being ambushed fair and square?!"

"Hmmph, mom said all is fair in love and war."

"Ahaha guys no need to be so heated on the topic, isn't your father safe and isn't that what matters the most?"

Vanessa just gave me a slight nod before she went back to eating her food, she wasn't in the mood to talk more about the sensitive subject. After breakfast, I headed to my classroom.

*Hey guys a quick break from the story, it might get a bit descriptive in the killing of an animal, so if you're disinclined please skip to the next bolded words. *

The warrior teacher Mr. Michaels took us along with the other warrior classes to the courtyard. Before we even finished walking to the courtyard, I could smell the blood in the air. Everyone shoulder started to get tense and others were trying their best to hide the nervous tremble. We were line upped next to the other classes. There was a large platform with teachers instructing students on how to dispose of the monsters the quickest. The monster looked like some type of chicken, it had a red and blue plumage, from what I saw it was a knife to the brain. Damian's turn came first and he took the least amount of time out of everyone so far, he seemed a bit conflicted but, in the end, he still plunged the knife. When my turn arrived, I listened and did what was expected.

"What happens to these animals after we're done?"

The instructor seemed taken off-guard but smile at me and replied.

"These animals will be the only dish available today no matter where you go today to honor their sacrifice for us, the excess will be donated to churches to feed the people in need."

I bowed to him and left the platform. Before I briefly walked back up and asked for the chicken that I killed. He handed it to me while the chicken was still spasming and kicking about.

Again, there would be no classes today since the teachers would have their hands full at the baptism. I carried the decapitated chicken with me back to the mess hall I had just eaten at. I asked to see one of the chefs, to which I was met with much reluctance but them ultimately giving ground. They prepared me an apron even though my clothes were already covered in blood from carrying it here.

"Sir please wash your hands while we prepare the water to de-feather the bird."

I did as I was told and waited, one of the cooks was a mage since he used magic to start the fire. It was entertaining to see magic used in such a way, it seemed like it would've been easier to control the temperature than any regular gas or electric stovetops. When it was ready, he asked if I wanted to do it myself or if I would rather watch? I went and plucked the feathers after I dipped it in the scalding water. After that, I started by gutting it being careful of its intestines.

*Ok that's its guys' more gruesome meat eaters' part is done. *

I ended up using simple ingredients to roast the chicken look-a-like, black pepper, and salt. The kitchen staff nervously around circled me as I watched the chicken slowly roasted over the fire. It wasn't long after that Damian and Vanessa found out that I was cooking, Vanessa was nervously peeking from the corner while Damian walked up and stood next to me.

"You know we have to kill things to get stronger."

"I know … but we shouldn't be happy getting stronger from killing."

"Do you think it'll taste good?"

"The bird?"

"Mmm."

"I don't know, I never had it before."

"Father said it's a cheap bird because they grow quickly and can thrive almost anywhere."

Damian, just because a bird is easy to grow doesn't mean it will taste bad? For a farmer, this bird could feed his family, even for us this bird was our first level."

I took the chicken off the stick and placed it on a plate. I asked for some sour type of fruit, and what they gave me was a lemon through and through, yellow, acidic and sour. I cut in in half to squeeze some to taste, it tasted better than I remember, obviously, it couldn't be the same as I remembered the seeds were enormous but it still produced a great amount of juice. I just squeezed it over the roasted chicken, before I dug in on the chicken. Damian decided to join me as well as Vanessa and even Sarah came, but for a different reason. I ate the chicken in silence thinking it was a little drier than I liked but still satisfying. Vanessa who had some of the breasts said it was a great first attempt, Damian and Sarah had the thigh and wanted more, still, they both ended up fighting for the wings. After sharing the meal, I decided to head back first.

"Adam, are you ok?" Vanessa called out to me.

"I think so. Thank you."

Vanessa just stared at me as I headed into the distance.

As I was lying down, I did the one thing that reminded me of the world I was in was not the same as the one before.

"status."