Rohan returned to the dormitory, finished his shower, and stuffed his clothes into the laundry basket.
He lay down on the bed and used the Shop.
< Shop ─ Lv.1 >
◇ Random Skillbook – 500P (1-time purchase)
◇ High-protein Jerky – 3P
◇ Cloud Bread – 2P
◇ Coral Jelly – 2P
◇ Energy Drink – 2P
◇ Bottled Water – 2P
··
··
[ Remaining Points – 722P ]
Just looking at it made him feel secure.
Even after spending 3P on jerky, he still had this many points saved up.
‘Plenty to spare!’
The 50P he got from facing Instructor Juyun and the 300P from completing a quest.
Rohan already knew what he wanted to buy.
‘It’s the Random Skillbook.’
No matter what anyone said, this choice was non-negotiable.
But before buying—or even after—there was one lingering doubt he might not be able to resolve.
“…”
Rohan stared intently at the words “Random Skillbook” and pondered.
‘Does it only give me things I can learn here?’
How far does “random” go?
Is it provided in the form of a book, or do I just instantly learn something the moment I buy it?
It’s unpredictable. Rohan has no idea how the Shop skill operates.
In the worst-case scenario, he might pull a skillbook with a completely unrelated attribute, fail to learn it, and just waste his points.
‘I need to pull a physical or fire attribute skill…’
In moments like these, attributes feel like such a hassle.
Just because he has a common physical attribute doesn’t mean he can shoot shockwaves, and having a fire attribute doesn’t mean he can spew flames from his body.
Maybe it’s possible at higher levels, but at Rohan’s current stage, attributes only shine when learning skills.
‘Let’s trust my luck.’
Before overthinking it, Rohan reached out.
After all, not buying wasn’t an option.
[ You have purchased a Random Skillbook. ]
As the points were consumed, the space around him shimmered.
Just as Rohan reached in, recalling his experience buying jerky, the Shop skill underwent a change.
[ Updating Shop inventory. ]
[ You can still purchase existing items while the inventory updates. ]
[ Estimated time remaining ─ 46:01:56 ]
The time required was ridiculously long, but this was clearly the same notification window he saw during the placement exam.
Maybe it’s rearranging because he bought all the one-time purchase items.
While he was deep in thought…
“!”
The skill seeped deep into his consciousness.
In a very vivid form.
[ Scorching Blade (灼熱刃) ─ Grade: D ]
◇Heating the blade using magical power.
‘Huh?’
While learning the skill, Rohan blinked. The emotion Rohan is feeling right now isn’t clear disappointment or definite joy.
It’s just a fog-like doubt.
‘Whose skill is this?’
Rohan is confident that he knows all the skills that can be learned in Abyss City, which is why he’s puzzled.
Even for characters he hasn’t raised, he knows their skills.
But this is a skill he’s never seen before.
It’s not a great skill, being D-grade, but the existence of an unfamiliar skill leaves him dumbfounded.
It was actually quite shocking.
‘What on earth…?’
Rohan pondered once again how far the ‘random’ domain extends.
And he came up with a plausible hypothesis.
‘Could it include skills used by enemies or NPCs, not just playable characters…?’
Rohan, who had suddenly sat up in bed, grabbed the blade on the table.
He tried using the skill on the knife he had taken as loot.
**Szzzzt──!**
A sound like dry wood splitting.
Instead of flames roaring, the blade itself heated up and began to turn red.
Rohan observed the strange heat generated by the magical power.
‘Not bad.’
Worried that the blade might melt, Rohan withdrew the magical power.
As the magical power evaporated, the knife instantly returned to being a cold blade. It’s clearly different from ordinary flames.
‘It’s not exactly a skill suited for killing people…’
It’s definitely more suitable for killing monsters, which are more vulnerable to fire than humans.
After all, there’s nothing better than bleeding for killing humans.
Additionally, there’s another aspect that comes to mind regarding the skill’s utility.
‘If I use this to cauterize a wound, it would stop the bleeding quickly.’
It’s a method commonly known as cauterization.
A hemostatic method often used in urgent battles due to its high accessibility compared to other methods.
‘Assuming I use this with a longsword…’
**Zzzzzzz──!**
Rohan’s thoughts were interrupted by the vibration from his smartphone.
It was time to sleep if he wanted to go for a morning workout.
*****
“Hmm.”
Juyun, waiting for Rohan who had requested a meeting, was reviewing the evaluation sheets and documents in the counseling room to grasp the information.
‘Rohan. From the south, uses a sword… Judging by the timeline, he became alone around the time the Void Whale appeared.’
The Void Whale.
The largest monster observed so far, and one of the highest-grade monsters.
A terrifying calamity that, upon appearing, opens its mouth and endlessly spews out monsters. It annihilated the southern region, one of the powerful nations, in an instant.
The Three Kingdoms, Tigroba, and the Sepia Archipelago have also become a decisive turning point in putting an end to political conflicts and uniting.
“From the South…”
Juyun stared at Rohan’s photo.
She knew that there was a small village built by survivors in the ruined South.
Only those who are there are recognized as residents of the South, like Rohan.
But what is the actual state of the South now?
It has turned into a hideout for criminals from various countries. She heard that even that small village has been attacked by criminals, and now there are only a few survivors left.
“What a headache.”
It was uncomfortable to even think that surviving the disaster was considered lucky.
This wasn’t a problem for Juyun to judge.
Rohan might consider himself unlucky for being the sole survivor.
“Be careful with word choice during the interview.”
Juyun scribbled Rohan’s name in her notebook and updated additional information, making a scratching sound.
She didn’t want to use words that would stir up a cadet’s nightmares.
“Sigh…”
Why did he request an interview?
Juyun opened her tumbler and took a sip of tea to soothe her parched throat.
‘He’s here.’
She sensed movement outside.
Juyun tidied up the documents on her desk, making it neat.
*Knock knock knock.*
A polite knock. A voice followed immediately.
— Rohan, who requested the interview, is here.
“Come in.”
Rohan entered softly, bowing his head.
“Sorry to bother you when you’re busy.”
“No need to be so formal. Have a seat.”
“Thank you.”
Juyun checked the time one last time before starting the consultation.
Fortunately, there was still some time before the morning assembly.
“So, what brings you here for the interview?”
Juyun stared straight into Rohan’s eyes.
Rohan immediately got to the point.
“I want permission to take on a part-time job.”
“A part-time job?”
“Yes. I haven’t found one yet, but I know I need permission first.”
Juyun knew. It was indeed written in the academy’s guidelines.
But it’s rare for an Orion Academy cadet to take on a part-time job.
“Is it for living expenses?”
“Yes. I need to cover living costs and maybe even buy a cheap weapon.”
Juyun felt a bitter taste every time she saw the dark cycles of society laid out like this.
His stiff tone didn’t match the “new cadet” badge. It seemed like he was already accustomed to the system, which only added to the bitterness.
‘…’
The vast majority of Orion Academy cadets have financial freedom. They don’t have to worry about making ends meet.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that’s why he ended up at Orion Academy.
From a young age, he’s been on the elite track.
The cadets at Orion Academy, who’ve undergone systematic training without wasting time, are overwhelmingly more skilled than their peers.
So.
“It’s a vicious cycle.”
Juyun knows this.
She knows that her future academy life will likely follow a similar pattern.
For someone like Rohan, he’ll have no choice but to invest time in part-time jobs, while other cadets can dedicate all their time to training without such worries.
The same goes for scholarships.
Cadets who use their time wisely have a higher chance of excelling, but Rohan, who’s weak in theoretical evaluations, will struggle to get one right away.
“…I see. Have you thought about what kind of part-time job you’ll do?”
“I haven’t decided on anything specific yet. I’ll probably have to look at what’s available first.”
From Juyun’s perspective, analyzing Rohan’s response, it seemed he wasn’t in a position to be picky.
“Of course, you know illegal work is off the table, right?”
“Yep!”
Juyun felt a bit embarrassed and resentful that she had to end the conversation with such a formal remark.
But seeing Rohan respond so cheerfully, she couldn’t help but smile faintly.
‘He’s admirable.’
The fact that he had the skills to get into Orion Academy but didn’t resort to crime for survival.
The fact that he made it into this academy despite his tough circumstances.
Impressive.
It’s just a shame that fairness issues prevent her from offering direct support.
“Once you’ve decided on a part-time job, just send me a message. I’ll handle the rest.”
“Thank you.”
Seeing Rohan’s face light up with gratitude, Juyun stood up.
Naturally, she reached out and gently ruffled his hair.
“…Hang in there.”
Now, it was time for morning assembly, so Juyun took the lead, heading to the classroom.
Rohan, puzzled by her gentle touch, followed behind.
‘Was she always like this?’
