I Hate Being The Protagonist

Picking up the lightest sword, I swung it downwards. It felt good in my hand, but not as much as the Sunsword.

"That's a nice pick, but there is a sword better suited for your fighting style," Lucidel comments.

He brings a shorter sword with the same weight.

"This is a very balanced and quick sword, ideal for your way of fighting and strength."

I swung the sword, feeling its weight. The way it moved was more graceful and faster than what I used previously.

"See that? Better, isn't it?"

"For sure," I respond, acknowledging Lucidel's choice.

His expertise was so high he could instantly gauge which sword best suits me from only one swing. I knew I was in the right hands, and now came the time to soak information like a sponge.

Lucidel started his lessons, giving me private tutoring separate from the others.

I had various flaws in my technique which he corrected quickly, but I adapted with an unforseen haste. Soon, he started teaching me new techniques, explaining his philosophy on swords.

His way of fighting is most often with a sword, only that he uses a light sword he himself conjures out of light magic. It is much better than a regular sword, as he can manipulate it to his will, swing it even faster and with better precision.

"Can you conjure a sword tough enough to replicate a material one?" I ask.

"The light swords I create are tougher than material ones, at least without magic enhancements. My light is compressed, adding weight to it. Light magic differs from regular light since it can be concentrated, squeezed into a tight space so that it becomes stronger and more durable."

"How much can you concentrate light magic?" I ask curiously.

"This has turned into a magic lesson I see... Your teacher should explain it in physics class, but light magic can be compressed as much as you want it to. When two light magic wielders fight, the one who's light magic is stronger, meaning he can produce the same effect but with a denser light, wins."

"I see..."

"The denser you want a light object or attack to be, the more mana you have to spend. However, it yields results," Lucidel notes, summoning two balls of light, one in each hand.

The spheres of light possess the same volume, appearing the same from a size standpoint.

Lucidel detonated the left one, barely causing an explosion, if you could call it that. He fires the right one into the air, causing an ear-splitting explosion that grabs everyone's attention.

"Back to work!" he yells out.

Lucidel asks if I noticed the difference, to which I nod. I explain the different feel those spheres give off, a denser mana quality in each of the balls.

"Also, one was brighter than the other," I point out.

"Obviously. But if I create two lights like this..." he says as two spheres emerge once again.

This time, both of them radiate about the same brightness. At least that's what it looks like to the naked eye, since both of them are almost too bright to look at. However, I could feel the enormous difference. In his left hand, there was the same amount of light energy as the previously detonated one, while in the right... The right hand felt like he was holding a small sun.

"Now there is barely any difference in light visible to the eye. As you can sense, the left one is an explosion strong enough to kill a person. The right one can obliterate the entire campus and reach the city."

I understood. I have to gain the ability to compress magic, in order to make it stronger.

My swordsmanship lesson continued for the next hour, until the bell rang and we were dismissed.

"I would take you into the senior class, but even they don't wield a sword as good as you do. This generation is a failure... Not a single one of the will become a Sword Saint."

"Like professor Guille that teaches the enlightenment program?" I ask, remembering my last teacher that was a Sword Saint.

A Sword Saint is the pinnacle of swordsmanship, a title given to the best swordsman in every region. In Holdanis, there are 11 Sword Saints, while in other regions only 1 or 2 of them exist. With that said, there are less Sword Saints than there are generals.

Lucidel gives me a weird look, his eyes gleaming a non-readable emotion.

"How do you know that professor?" he asks with suspicion.

I realize I've made a mistake, getting too comfortable with talking to Lucidel. He is a calculated man that takes notice of inconspicuous details.

"His name is written in the school's catalogue," I lie. Rache read the catalogue where all information about the school is held. I never got my hands on it, since I didn't need to.

"His name isn't written in the catalogue. No enlightened has access to the part of school where he holds class. I investigated your case, and there seems to be no connection to that part of school. You've never been through the enlightenment program, coming to this school already enlightened," Lucidel points out, his expression dead serious.

"Oh? I'm sure my caretaker mentioned something about Guille teaching at this school. I must've made a mistake thinking he was in the catalogue."

"You're a smart kid. You shouldn't have made a mistake like this, since you've read the catalogue not even a month ago. Your teacher told me of your incredible memory. Did your caretaker attend school here?" Lucidel asks.

This might be a trap. Guille probably leads the enlightenment program for the last decade or so. He doesn't seem old, but that might be from his genetics. For all I know, he might be a hundred years old. He looks to be in his thirties, but if he has elf or vampire blood, he might be older.

"He didn't attend Obiwon. Maybe a mutual friend?" I ask.

Lucidel raises an eyebrow. Suddenly, I exhale a breath of air I didn't realize I was holding. Lucidel's aura was in effect, putting slight pressure on me.

"I might be looking into it too much. I have a habit of digging deeply into things that aren't my business. I'll still have my eye on you, Adam Agnes."

That was a close call. I was too careless when talking to the general, so information slipped up. He wouldn't in his right mind assume I died and was brought back to life, but he might think I'm a spy sent by some organization.

-

Returning to my room, I threw myself into the bed, resting from the wounds Lucidel inflicted on me. He is a strict guy, and a bit excessive in his teachings, but he serves his purpose and will teach you. His methods are legitimate and effective.

I sit in my bed, aiming for the book on my desk. When my eyes lay on the wooden desk, my heart skips a beat. I jump out of the bed, grabbing my Sunsword.

Glancing quickly around the room, I see nothing out of the ordinary. There seems to be no one in the room with me. I look out of my window, not seeing anyone or anything spying on me. There are no traces of mana left in my room, although I doubt I'd be able to read such a miniscule difference left by a person.

‘Beware of strangers’ was carved into my desk.

The carving was in a crude handwriting, probably because a knife isn't as easy to maneuver as a normal pen.

I call the front desk, explaining what happened. The lady picked up, asking a bunch of questions. Once the interrogation was over, I was called to the front desk as my room was being swiped.

I gave my keycard to no one, and my doors were definitely shut when I left for class. It wasn't that I was afraid of a potential enemy, but puzzled as to how someone entered my room.

The rooms themselves have a high magic protection that isn't easily broken. Firstly, someone breaking in has to be enlightened, and secondly has to have a power equal to a 'tier 4 mage'.

I had no idea what that meant, but I was given a lesson tomorrow.

A person's magic power can be summarized and scaled in a widely accepted measuring system. This measurement however, isn't very accurate. Someone with a small manapool can exert a great magic force in a quick burst, while someone with a large manapool can be inept at using magic effectively.

Also, one can be extremely strong physically, or skilled with a sword enough to be considered more powerful than those scaled above with this system.

That said, the system has tiers of mages. Mages, as in people skilled in using magic. That can range from swordsman, wizards, fighters or any other way of using magic to fight. Tier 1 mages are the weakest, with a manapool similar to my own. It is the weakest tier of enlightened mages.

Tier 2 mages are considered to be mages capable of using 'normal' levels of magic. This includes being able to freeze a swimming pool of water, manipulate the water inside, or cause it all to evaporate in less than a minute. As I would later find out, they are the equivalent of half a glass manapool.

Tier 3 mages are what is described as building control. In this level, mages are able to destroy a building with a simple spell. Skills falling into this category are spawning elemental beings, being able to use light to turn invisible, being able to project your voice using mana and other neat tricks like that. Later, I would find out tier 3 mages have manapools equivalent to a bottle.

Tier 4 mages are what is considered 'nuclear'. These types of mages can erase an entire town with a simple spell. They can freeze entire blocks of buildings, and create earthquakes. If someone has an illusion magic affinity, they would be able to simulate a complete building with people inside. Special magic differs from regular one, as it is harder for deviant mages than it is for regular ones that use elemental magic.

Tier 5 mages are next level. They are an army compressed into a single being. Our lovely general falls into this category, being a true force of nature. Mages in this category can create natural disasters more destructive than nature itself. Tsunamis the size of skyscrapers, nuclear explosions that can eat multiple cities in a single gulp. Shockwave that can rupture eardrums from 50 miles away and similar feats.

There is also a category above, simply called 'tier 5+', but it has a more interesting non official name. Tier Ascended. This tier is what the Hands would probably be considered as. It is anything beyond reason, with strength surpassing anything measurable by simple means.

With the tiers assessed, someone with the strength of a tier 4 mage had to break into my room. No hacker is able to decode the magic code which binds the room and protects it. If someone could dispel it, they would still have to be a tier 4 mage.

After searching my room and looking at the cameras in the school, nothing was found. They replaced my desk and checked my room's protective barrier. The barrier was fine, not having been broken at all. If someone did break it, they would also destroy the room and hallway while casting the spell. If someone dispeled it, they wouldn't be able to cast it back, since that required a tier 5 level of control and power.