My Magus Academy is Run by Players?! [Western Cultivation LitRPG]

Over the recent days, while Victor had immersed himself in his numerous responsibilities, the academy had seen great changes. A notable example was the completion of the public bath, a new and refined addition to the academy’s facilities. The interior was divided according to gender. Accompanying this development, a fresh task had materialized for the players: the duty of fetching water during the mornings and afternoons.

Victor himself had not yet taken a bath there, but he was now afforded the option should he choose to indulge. Many high-rank Magi, entrenched in their extensive research for years on end, seldom gave thought to such mundane activities as bathing. After all, when their robes came enchanted with cleanliness-preserving magic and simple spells could achieve better effect, why bother with a bath that, by comparison, might even be less sanitary?

With a thought, Victor activated his Master Shadowlink Mark, summoning the System’s main interface to appear before his eyes. He wanted to see the progress that had been happening on the academy on the Academy Status page.

Academy Name: Sanctum of Interdimensional Magi
Headmaster: Victor Asteriscus
Academy Points: 510
Academy Grade: Level 1
Total Acolytes: 66/100
Progression Value: 60/100

Constructing the public bath contributed a valuable ten points of progression value, and when combined with the addition of the water well and the wooden stakes used in the recent invasion, the total had surged to sixty. If the agricultural area was further expanded, the smithy was built, and Eleanor was successfully invited to move here, then the academy would ascend to level two, unlocking a new facility in the process. That was something that needed to be anticipated.

On that front, Victor had issued the mission to expedite the construction of the smithy, attaching a generous reward to ensure its prioritization. The players were quick to respond and had already begun their work in earnest on the southwestern side of the academy grounds. This area was earmarked to become a hub for workshops, industries, and other similar facilities — in fact, more kilns were being built there, and Aphrodite96’s personal workshop was intended to be separated from the wood workshop and moved there.

As for the total acolytes or players, ten more were expected to revive and rejoin the game later in the day. Once the full complement of players had been restored to life, Victor intended to expand the total quota. More players equated to an increase in the workforce. And with the players gradually acquiring the skills necessary to hunt, as per his training, a steady supply of food was secured, staving off any immediate concerns until the player population potentially exceeded two hundred.

Envisioning the bright prospects of the academy, Victor hummed a tune as he made his way to the rendezvous point. Bathed in the warm embrace of the morning sun, with the distant melody of birdsong filling the air as if in greeting, the atmosphere was nothing short of perfect for the day’s hunting endeavor.

With steady step, he approached the assembled players, who were brimming with eagerness and ready to dive into the hunt, weapons in hand. The towering trees of the forest stretched skyward, their branches casting enigmatic shadows upon the forest floor.

Upon noticing his arrival, the players immediately straightened up, and their expressions turned serious, as if they were trying to make a good impression. Victor could see the flames of determination in their eyes, and he couldn’t help but feel amused. These players were undeniably fearless and would definitely dare to challenge even dragons armed with nothing but wooden swords.

Standing before them, Victor cleared his throat to draw their attention. “I trust you have all prepared well,” he began, his voice exuding steadiness and authoritativeness. “This forest harbors mysteries and supernatural phenomena beyond normal understanding. This is no place for frivolity. You must remain alert, think quickly, and be ready to adjust to the unexpected. Carelessness will cost you dearly.”

The players’ bodies immediately tensed up; they were obviously afraid of dying and thus not being able to log in for an extended period of time. Victor had purposely chosen the southern forest for a reason: This was the safest place to give these players some experience.

Allowing a brief pause for his message to resonate, he resumed, “Today, I will guide you, imparting the fundamental skills required for hunting. Yet, you must stay aware, stay united, and, above all, place your trust in one another. In this world, brimming with hidden mysteries and dangers, only through cohesive teamwork will you find the means to survive and flourish.”

““Understood, Headmaster!””

Reliable teamwork, huh… As if that’s a thing in this world filled with disloyal and traitorous individuals, Victor thought, taking from his own experience.

This was, at any rate, a script that he thought up on the spot. As the headmaster of a once arguably prestigious academy, it was vital that he played his role convincingly. Otherwise, the players would start doubting him posthaste.

After the two-day compulsory class, it was about time that he taught these players something new. When they were capable of hunting on their own, they would then teach the other players how to hunt, which would snowball as time went on. Perhaps he could do this on his own just like this, but he had to see later if he was available.

Victor, exuding an aura of calm authority, then turned around and gestured for the players to follow him into the forest, initiating the day’s hunting expedition.

***

As William followed the headmaster, wielding a bone spear, he checked on his teammates. There were five players in his team: SuperNovaX, GladiusZone, ThunderLord999, Locktekei, and MsMelody — the healer girl. Both Zero and Mike were on the other team.

Other than his friend SuperNova and several others like Thunder and Locktekei, he wasn’t overly familiar with the rest and was thus a bit nervous about being the team leader. Well, all the online games he played so far had unfolded on the other side of the screen, not in person like this. Fortunately, being the leader of the foraging group had somewhat prepared him for this moment.

The headmaster led them deeper into the forest, away from the confines of the safe academy grounds, and they followed in a single-file line, like a mother duck leading her children. The terrain varied beneath their feet — from muddy patches and moss-covered grounds to rougher, stony grounds. The players moved cautiously, their eyes darting around as they took in the sights and sounds of the forest. They moved as a single unit; their footsteps quiet on the forest floor, their breaths held in anticipation.

Having played the game for as long as he had, the world beyond the academy had always lingered in the back of William’s mind. And why wouldn’t it? Embarking on an epic quest to slay dragons and rescue damsels in distress was the quintessential dream of many young gamers.

A new map, a new adventure.

Abruptly, the headmaster came to a halt, causing William and the rest of the players to follow suit. Lost in thought, William, positioned directly behind him, nearly collided with the headmaster; thankfully, he managed to catch himself in time, narrowly avoiding the blunder.

The headmaster beckoned him and the others to gather around and said, “Pay attention,” pointing at the ground — there were animal footprints etched into the soil, like really huge. “These tracks are fresh, made by a giant boar.” With precision, he pointed out subtle signs that indicated the direction of the animal’s movement.

According to the official game’s wiki, giant boars weren’t classified as magical beasts and posed less danger than Lesser Hiveborne Arachnids. Nevertheless, the size of the footprints told a different story…

“Seeing its footprints, I’d estimate it’s at least three meters in height,” Thunder asserted, eyeing the prints closely.

“Holy smokes!” SuperNova exclaimed, clutching his head in alarm. “What on earth do boars eat in this game world to grow so massive?”

“Your mom,” GladiusZone quipped with a smirk. “Humans, of course. What else?”

“Eh, I wouldn’t be too surprised if we stumble upon a boar that’s ten meters tall at this rate.” Locktekei shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

Listening to their banter, William could only sigh, adding, “Regardless of its diet, we can all agree it’s downright terrifying.”

Before they even caught sight of the beast, the mood among the group had grown tense as they each swallowed their saliva. The footprints alone were enough to paint a daunting picture of the colossal creature they were tracking.

“Keep in mind,” the headmaster said, as he turned to scan each player’s face before allowing a smug smirk to grace his lips, “this creature is at the very bottom of the food chain in this forest. Those smaller herbivores you see near the academy are an incredibly rare exception.” He paused for a moment and added, “If you manage to hunt this boar successfully, I will reward each of you with one hundred merit points.”

One hundred merit points!

No matter what, it was no small sum — it was the equivalent of one full day of grueling labor, all for the take-down of a single beast. The group was instantly galvanized by the promise of such a generous reward.

Reinvigorated, they picked up the trail once again, the atmosphere now thick with eager anticipation. The players were determined to get their reward. Even if the situation turned for the worse, with the headmaster at their side, they felt invincible. At least William was thinking so.

After walking a certain distance, the headmaster stopped and declared, “It’s here.” He didn’t elaborate, instead fixing his gaze intently in one direction. A surge of intense mana force radiated from him, which was a sensation now familiar to William since his promotion to first-stage Initiate Attunement acolyte.

But this was different. The mana wasn’t intimidating or meant to scare off potential threats. It was almost as if he was taunting whatever lay ahead. Soon, the ground beneath their feet faintly trembled and grew progressively more robust and closer. Something massive was headed their way.

The pulsating rhythm of William’s heart echoed in his ears as he fixed his gaze on the approaching beast, ready to cast his only offensive spell at a moment’s notice. In a few seconds, the trembling on the ground was strong enough that he could feel it in his very bones. Through the dense foliage, he caught a glimpse of the giant boar barreling towards them, its massive form crashing through trees in its way.

“Form up, everyone!” William’s voice cut through the chaos as he attempted to take charge. “Get ready to cast on my mark!”

His eyes darted to the side, seeking the headmaster for guidance, only to find that he had vanished without a trace. His heart immediately sank. Oh, crap! This isn't good! After all, this game was too realistic. Everything that had been going on was no different than if it were to happen in real life.

“E-Esteemed Headmaster, where have you gone?” He had assumed this hunt was a collaborative effort between the NPC headmaster and the players.

“I never said I’d be participating in the hunt. Give it your all and try not to die. The usual death penalties apply.” The headmaster’s voice echoed from who knew where.

“Headmaster!” William cried out, unable to believe what was going on.

The others followed in unison, shouting in disbelief. However, they had gone through the invasion event; they had faced challenges before. Anything that wasn’t a magical beast shouldn’t be beyond their capabilities. Clutching his weapon, William steeled himself and turned to face the oncoming threat, his resolve unwavering.