15 seconds after he left, the man stopped hammering and cast a gaze over his shoulder, observing the equipment Crow had crafted, "Well, I'll be damned."

  .

  .

  .

  [Moments Later...]

  Crow yawned as he walked through the hallway.

  The sky was now bright, with the blue sky now shining through the windows, and the previously vacant hallways were filled with students rushing back and forth, with some standing at the side of the hallway engaged in banter.

  Finally, after reading the school map and asking for help from students, Crow made his way to his 1st class.

  It was set up similar to a lecture-style classroom back on Earth, so without sparing any words, Crow took a random seat, plopped his chin onto his hands, and let the day pass by.

  .

  .

  .

  [Sometime Later...]

  "Hey!" a loud female voice shouted from the right.

  "Huh?!" Crow's eyes shot open as he looked to his side.

  In front of him was the girl whom he followed into the school, "Hey, you're..."

  The girl's eyes narrowed, "You don't even remember my name?"

  "Uhhhh...." Crow's mind was blank, and his head was still groggy.

  "It's Lóa."

  Crow's eyes widened, and he looked up, "Huh?"

  "I said my name is Aya, jeesh, pay attention." She said with a scowl.

  "Oh," Crow nodded his head as he slowly stood from his seat.

  By now, he noticed that the entire classroom was empty except for the 2.

  Aya, seeing Crow look around, gave a sigh at this, "You're the 1st student I've ever seen sleep through a class on his 1st day."

  Crow couldn't help but murmur to himself, "It's because this class is a waste of time."

  Aya continued her rambling, "Anyways, you were gonna miss lunch, and seeing as how you started after me, that makes you my underclassman, so I decided to help you out."

  "Oh, aight, let's go." Crow gave a halfhearted response as he rubbed his eyes and walked ahead.

  Aya, seeing his nonchalant attitude, walked behind him from out of the classroom, her cheeks puffed out as she chased after him, "Hey! Do you even know where you're going?"

  To this, Crow simply raised the map in his hand and shook it, letting her see it from behind.

  .

  .

  .

  [Moments Later...]

  The pair both arrived in a grand hall that seated what looked to be thousands of students at once, most wearing brown robes with traces of green lined throughout.

  Crow walked up to the lunch line and asked the lady behind the counter, "Ya got any beef?"

  The lunchlady, upon hearing this, gave a glance at the Crow's grey robe, then scoffed, "Not for working students."

  "What?" he furrowed his eyebrows, "What do-"

  He was cut off by a feminine voice beside him, "I'd like some beef, please, thank you."

  The lunch lady looked to see Aya standing next to Crow and gave a bright smile, "Sure, dear."

  She then sliced a thick cut of beef and plopped it on a plate before handing it to Aya.

  Crow was left with a plate of gruel as they both made their way to a table.

  As the pair ate, Crow asked Aya, who sat across from him, "What's the deal with working students here?"

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  She gave him a puzzled look as she cut off a piece of beef and placed it on his plate, "You don't know?"

  "How would I? This is my 1st day." Crow rebutted as he began digging into the meat.

  Aya nodded her head as she responded, "Sure, it's just most people know what they're getting into before they come here."

  Crow raised an eyebrow, "Getting into?"

  Aya nodded her head, "Being a working student isn't just like being a student that's working, it's a level lower than that."

  Crow's eyes widened as she continued, beckoning outwards with her hand, "Like this city and the Sectors, sure, we're all in Sector 3, but you could say all the roles are like Sectors within the Chapel."

  Crow's mind flashed with images of the filthy Sector 1 area all the way to his journey here before he asked, "And what are those roles?"

  Aya tapped her chin as she thought, while Crow snagged some more steak off her plate with his fork and took a bite, as she listed them, "Well, there's, of course, working students who help the teachers with miscellaneous tasks and clean the school. I mean, they're allowed to participate in class, but they're very restricted on the resources they're given."

  "Resources?" Crow raised an eyebrow at this, "Like?"

  Aya raised each finger as she listed them, "Well, of course, study materials, experimental equipment, training gear, 1-on-1 instruction time, and the list goes on."

  Crow took his chin to his hand as she continued, "I mean, working students can only really attend class, but they've been damned to ever keep up after a bit of time."

  Crow nodded his head at this, thinking of his unfortunate roommates this morning, "What about the other roles?"

  Aya lifted each finger as she listed them, "Well, there's-

  Working Students: Grey Robes

  Normal Students: Brown Robes

  Ace Students: White Robes

  Teachers: Black Robes

  Headmaster: Green Robe

  She swatted at Crow's hand that was trying to snag another piece of steak as she scowled at him, "Hey! Alright, anyways. Now, you may be wondering the difference between other students and Ace students when really the only difference is that Ace students get access to much more materials and more 1-1 time with the Professors, alongside much better living conditions and food."

  Crow nodded his head at this as he asked, "How do you become an Ace student?"

  Aya shot a toothy grin back at him, "That's the interesting part, anyone can become an ace student. You as a working-student, and I as a 1st year ace-student."

  She then flicked her hair and let out a haughty chuckle, "Though I am favored by the Headmaster because of my good looks and talent."

  "Oh?" Crow resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he beckoned for her to continue.

  Aya continued, "Every year, there's a tournament to determine who's worthy of climbing the ranks. There's never been a working student who's joined and succeeded, but who knows that may be your chance."

  Crow pondered this as he sat there before asking, "And when is it?"

  "3 months," Aya replied before continuing with a sigh, "You joined pretty late, so it's getting closer and closer."

  Crow nodded his head at this as he stood up from his seat, "Thanks for the info and the food, I'll see you in class tomorrow."

  Aya nodded and waved goodbye as she continued to chew on her food.

  .

  .

  .

  [Moments Later...]

  Crow was now back in the room, sitting on his bed and thinking about what to do.

  RUSTLE RUSTLE

  He heard a rustling in his bag and frowned, 'Did a rat get into my bag?...'

  With a face of caution and disgust, Crow gingerly opened his bag, only for a small wooden ball to roll out.

  clak clak

  Then, right before his very eyes, the ball unfolded and took on the shape of a wooden doll measuring 4 inches (10cm) tall.

  Crow had a bright smile on his face, "Oh, hey, Rammy! You're full of surprises, aren't you? I forgot you had a miniature form."

  Ramus had its everbright smile on its face as it put its hand on its hips, then nodded.

  Crow then frowned as he pondered to himself before asking, "I need your advice, Rammy. The old man says he wanted me to become a working student, but the role is super restricted. Also, I've been told there's a tournament in 3 months where anyone can participate to become an Ace student. What are your thoughts?"

  Ramus tapped its tiny foot on the bed as it grabbed its chin in thought.

  It then walked into Crow's bag, taking out the paper filled with his schedule and tasks each day.

  Rammy shook its head "no" at this as it took out a pen from the bag and began marking down the paper and writing down notes.

  Finally, after 10 minutes, the little doll pointed to the paper, beckoning for Crow to take a look.

  Crow took the paper and read over it carefully, his eyes nearly tearing up as he read it, 'I'm gonna die.'

  .

  .

  [DAILY SCHEDULE:]

  {MORNING}

  Morning Workouts

  Smithy Work

  {AFTERNOON}

  Source, Concepts, and Tempor Fundamentals Class

  Battle Training Class

  {EVENING}

  Alchemy Class

  Evening Workouts

  Sleep

  .

  .

  In summary, Rammy had a full-day training course for him every single day for the next 3 months. Alongside crafting and participating in some classes, which Rammy had removed the ones it found "pointless."

  Crow groaned as he lay back down, "Fuk... I am not looking forward to tomorrow..."

  Yet it was at that moment that he felt a small tug on his sleeve with Rammy pointing towards the door.

  Crow frowned at this, "You want me to start training now??"

  Rammy gave a rapid nod with its bright smile still on its face.

  Crow just looked at it, and then back at the paper that was laid out for the next 3 months... "Fuk."

  .

  .

  .

  [Meanwhile... back in the Beginner's Town...]

  A pair of crimson eyes shot open, and a blue-furred beastkin sat up with a gasp.

  The beastkin clutched at his chest as he groaned, "Guhhhh..."

  At that moment, a voice called out to him, "Take it easy, you're safe here."

  The beastkin's head shot up to see a man donned in silver armor standing near the door.

  The beastkin's eyes furrowed at this, "Wuh- who are you? Where am I? Why-"

  "Relax, relax," the silver-armed man spoke as he slowly walked forward, "I could ask you who you are as well, seeing as how you're indirectly responsible for my student's death."

  The beastkin's eyes widened as all the memories came flooding back to him.

  He looked down at his chest to see it neatly bandaged, "T-thank you for your care, and I'm sorry for your student's death."

  The man in silver armor stared in silence for some time as the beastkin could only look down in silence, feeling the pressure from the man's gaze.

  Finally, the man spoke up, "What is your name, Blessed?"

  "M-Magnus, my name is Magnus."

  The silver-armed man nodded at this as he analyzed Magnus before speaking, "How would you like to take revenge?"

  Magnus' eyes widened at this as he looked up, "I'd love to, but... I don't even know where he is."

  The silver armor man chuckled, "Don't you worry about that, I know someone who can locate him regardless of where he is."

  Magnus' mind spun at these words, 'NPCs have such power?'

  Yet he simply nodded, "Oh, then I thank you for the opportunity. I'm ready to leave now."

  The silver armor man simply shook his head, "No, now is not the time, you have yet to even break past the 1st Realm."

  Magnus burrowed his fist in his sheets, 'Damn! So the NPC who put my Sister and party in that state just gets away?"

  "But..." the silver armor man spoke, letting the word linger as Magnus looked up to see the man staring at him as if analyzing his soul.

  "We will depart in a few months. I will train you until then. Of course, you Blessed are capable of growing stronger through the God's assistance, yet you still lack a strong foundation."

  Magnus' mind went blank at this as he gave a skeptical look, "Why help me?"

  His mind inwardly raced, 'I mean, he said it himself, I'm indirectly the cause of his student's death.'

  The silver armored man gave out a soft sigh, "You are blessed by a God. I can't tell which God yet, but that aura about you is most definitely one of someone who's gained recognition.'

  He then shot Magnus a look of intrigue and skepticism, "For you to attain such a thing before even crossing the next Realm. Surely, if a God sees something in you, you must be worth nurturing."

  Magnus's eyes widened at this as he gazed down at his chest, feeling that binding sensation he had in his heart, 'Is this really just...'

  After some silence, Magnus looked back up, nodding his head at the silver-armed man as he spoke, "I look forward to learning from you... Teacher."

  To which the silver armor man nodded.

  .

  .

  .