Chapter 7: Chiba Academy
[Elysia's Crystal Flower (Special Accessory)]
[Description: A crystal flower imbued with Elysia's blessing. Does not occupy an equipment slot.]
[Effect: Charisma +10. Slightly increases Affinity with others.]
[Elysia's Caring Tip: This little flower might have other uses too~♪]
Rovel gazed at the delicate pink crystal flower that had materialized before him. 'Coming from Elysia,'he mused,'this has to count as a gold-tier pull, right?'
He checked his status panel, but as expected, the Charisma stat wasn't displayed; it was likely a hidden attribute. Affinity was the same—such subjective concepts were always a bit mysterious in games like this. And that little tip at the end... how to describe it?
It was just so perfectly Elysia.
With a thought, Rovel equipped the crystal flower. It floated gracefully toward his chest, phasing through his clothes and skin before vanishing into his body. He felt no immediate change, no sudden surge of power or confidence, so he decided not to dwell on it for now.
'It feels like this game is a completely open-world sandbox,'he thought, scanning his surroundings.'Is there not even a beginner's guide?'Most online games he'd played had a designated starting zone, a novice village of some kind, but he couldn't see anything like that in Honkai.'In that case,'he decided,'I might as well go make contact with the protagonists of Honkai Impact 3rd right away.'
Having made up his mind, Rovel began walking toward the large school building visible in the distance.
Chiba Academy.
Before the chaos of the Third Honkai Eruption, Chiba Academy was considered one of the most prestigious middle schools in all of Nagazora City. The fact that even Raiden Mei—the sole heiress of the massive ME Corp—was a student here spoke volumes about its reputation.
Even from the outside, the front gate was impressively grand.
However, just as Rovel was about to step onto the school grounds, a security guard moved to intercept him.
"Please show your Student ID," the guard stated, his expression stern and uncompromising.
Just as the words left the guard's mouth, a system prompt materialized in Rovel's vision.
[Do you wish to join Chiba Academy?]
[Note: You may only choose one Training Academy. Once selected, this choice cannot be easily changed.]
'Chiba Academy is a Training Academy?'Rovel's mind raced.'So this is the equivalent of an initial training location? A... novice village?'
He quickly pulled up the player forums. In the few minutes since the game had launched, a handful of diligent players had already started compiling a basic guide. A quick scan confirmed his suspicions.
Leveling up by grinding monsters in the early game was practically impossible. The weakest enemy discovered so far, the common Death Soldier, was a Level 10 creature, while every player started at Level 1. The power gap was impossible.
Therefore, the intended progression was to first enroll in an academy to learn fundamental combat skills. Attending classes and completing training exercises would grant a steady stream of experience points, allowing players to level up safely.
The forums indicated that academies were divided into tiers: Junior, Intermediate, Advanced, and Special. While the details were still murky, the consensus was that higher-tier academies offered better training and rewards. Of course, they also had stricter enrollment requirements. Only Junior Training Academies allowed players to join freely.
And Chiba Academy... was classified as a Junior Training Academy.
This meant he could enroll directly, no questions asked.
With his path clear, Rovel selected 'Yes' on the system prompt. In the next instant, a brand-new student ID card materialized on his chest, pinned neatly to his shirt.
The guard glanced at the ID, gave a curt nod, and stepped aside.
"Student, are you here for freshman registration?" A friendly voice called out. A female student with a warm smile enthusiastically approached him.
She seemed to get lost in his eyes for a moment, her words catching in her throat. Then, as if suddenly realizing she was staring, she quickly looked down, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.
'So the Charisma stat is already taking effect, huh?' Rovel guessed, taking in her reaction.
"Hello, senior," he said with a polite smile. "I'm a new transfer student. I'm not quite sure which class I'm supposed to be in."
"Oh! My name is Aoki Yuki. You can just call me Senior Yuki," she chirped, her smile returning brighter than before. "Let me show you around!"
Aoki Yuki began to lead him through the campus, happily explaining the school's systems. Perhaps due to the world's corrective force adapting to the influx of "Descenders," Chiba Academy now used a flexible classroom model. There were no fixed curricula; students were free to choose whichever courses they wanted to attend.
'After all,'Rovel thought with a wry smile,'you can't exactly force a bunch of thirty-year-old office workers to go back and struggle through high school calculus. That would just be cruel.'Still, in the world of Honkai, theoretical knowledge was genuinely crucial. Looking at the history of the Herrschers, very few were able to wield their incredible authority to its absolute limit without a deep understanding of its principles.'Well... Bronya is probably an exception,' he mused.
Coughing lightly, he refocused.
Teachers would grade students based on their performance and participation in class, granting corresponding credits, which translated directly into experience points. In addition, the Training Academy was where one could learn basic skills. These skills would level up with use, and proficiency could only be increased through dedicated practice.
The courses were broadly divided into two categories: Training Courses and Theoretical Courses. Training Courses offered a faster rate of skill proficiency gain, while Theoretical Courses provided a larger amount of experience points.
Normally, a new player would have to discover all of this through trial and error, but Aoki Yuki was laying it all out for him, plain and simple.
'This must be the benefit of high Charisma,' he concluded.
"Junior Rovel, are there any courses you're interested in?" Aoki Yuki asked, her head tilted curiously.
"Hmm, I'd like to check out the Kendo Club first, if that's alright," Rovel replied.
It was common knowledge among fans that Raiden Mei's swordsmanship was exquisite. He couldn't be one hundred percent certain she was in the Kendo Club at this exact moment, but it was the most logical place to start looking.
"Of course! Let me lead the way!"
A short walk later, Aoki Yuki brought him to the doors of the Kendo Club's dojo.
Peering inside, Rovel's eyes were immediately drawn to a solitary figure with long, flowing purple hair.
It was her. One of the central protagonists of Honkai Impact 3rd—Raiden Mei.
It was impossible to miss her. Beyond her own striking presence and graceful temperament, the main reason was the conspicuous, five-meter-wide empty space that surrounded her on all sides. The dojo was filled with other students practicing, but they all gave her a wide berth, creating an invisible circle of isolation around her. Anyone who wasn't blind would have noticed her instantly.
'Has the plot already reached the point where Cocolia frames Raiden Ryoma, getting him thrown in prison?' Rovel wondered. If that were the case, it would explain why everyone was shunning her.
Raiden Mei, oblivious or perhaps indifferent to the others, tied her hair up neatly. She picked up a wooden practice sword from a nearby rack and began her training drills, her movements fluid and precise.
"Her name is Raiden Mei," Aoki Yuki whispered, noticing where Rovel's gaze was fixed. "She's the daughter of the head of ME Corp and the president of our Kendo Club. She seems kind enough on the surface, but she always gives off this... high and mighty aura. She's not an easy person to get along with. I'd suggest you don't try to approach her, Junior Rovel."
Yuki's words instantly clarified the timeline for him. Raiden Ryoma hadn't been imprisoned yet. This meant Raiden Mei was still the proud, untouchable "Thunder Queen" of Chiba Academy.
As for why she was training alone... it was likely because she was simply too strong for anyone else to be a suitable partner.
Rovel focused his gaze, and a line of text appeared above her head, just as it had with Mobius.
[Raiden Mei, President of the Chiba Academy Kendo Club, Level: 31]
He glanced at the other students in the dojo. Their levels were all over the place, but they averaged around Level 6. The gap between them and their president wasn't just large; it was a chasm.
"Thanks for the warning, Senior," Rovel said, turning back to Aoki Yuki with a confident smile. "I've made up my mind. I want to join the Kendo Club."
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