After figuring out how the Magic Array operated, Ren Isana sat down on the spot and began to meditate.
Once he had the funds, he could set one up at home. Most of the required materials were readily available on the open market.
The only truly expensive components were the magic stones. Their prices were perpetually sky-high, to the point where they were practically used as an alternative currency.
He could definitely build a miniature version at home. Combined with the technique Jin-sensei taught them for substituting sleep with meditation...
Just thinking about the efficiency made him excited. Constructing a personal Magic Array had to be bumped up his priority list.
Making money was an urgent necessity. Without cash, he couldn't do anything. It would be incredibly embarrassing if he ended up starving because he was broke!
The first magic class of the day focused entirely on the fundamentals of meditation; Jin-sensei didn't introduce any other concepts.
The rest of the period was spent actively meditating. By the time the morning magic classes concluded, the students were practically glowing with energy, showing not a single trace of fatigue.
Ren finally understood why magic classes were scheduled for the morning. It was safe to assume they would always have this meditation period to fully recharge their mental and physical states—only to be completely squeezed dry during the afternoon martial arts classes...
When the lunch bell rang, Ren and his classmates packed up and headed straight for the cafeteria.
Along the way, Ren noticed the students from the regular tracks. The Magic Department students looked refreshed and vibrant, but the Martial Arts Department students were absolutely miserable.
They dragged their feet as if their bodies had been entirely hollowed out, clearly having just endured some high-intensity physical training.
*Human joys and sorrows truly are not connected,* Ren mused. The martial arts students were in for a lot more suffering in the future. *Well, maybe they'll get used to it eventually.*
Arriving at the cafeteria, Ren grabbed his usual meal and went to swipe his student card. The machine beeped, displaying a successful transaction, but his account balance hadn't dropped by a single cent.
Confused, Ren looked up at the cafeteria worker. "Ma'am, is the machine broken? It says the payment went through, but my balance didn't change."
The lunch lady glanced at the screen and smiled. "You're in the Special Class, right? Starting today, all meals for Special Class students are completely free of charge."
She explained that the machine was working perfectly fine; the school administration had simply waived all dining fees for their elite cohort.
This pleasant surprise caught Ren off guard, but he wasn't about to complain. It was a fantastic perk that would save him a considerable amount of money.
*Perfect timing,* he thought. He thanked the lunch lady and carried his tray over to an empty table.
The students waiting in line behind him had overheard the exchange, and their eyes practically burned with envy.
It was obvious that the school placed immense importance on the Special Class. It was highly likely that even more resources would be funneled their way in the future.
Ignoring the jealous stares, Ren quickly devoured his meal and headed back to the classroom to scroll through his phone.
When the afternoon martial arts class began, Shizuka Hiratsuka started by inspecting everyone's progress, reviewing the foundational techniques she had taught the day before.
Only after ensuring everyone was up to speed did she introduce new concepts. There were no sparring sessions scheduled for the afternoon; the entire period was dedicated to theoretical instruction and form practice.
As the final bell rang, Ren let out a disappointed sigh. "What a shame... No live combat today. I really wanted to test out my new blade techniques."
It was truly regrettable. He had lugged his weapon to school for nothing. If they had sparred, he absolutely would have shown his opponent the true terror of the Ultimate Ghost Sword Arts.
Yukino Yukinoshita, who was standing nearby, overheard his muttering. She couldn't help but roll her eyes, firmly resolving in her heart to never, under any circumstances, spar with this guy.
Especially now that he was wielding a weapon. Heaven only knew what absurd techniques he had mastered overnight or how terrifyingly strong he had become.
Everyone else in the class was progressing step by step, but Ren? He didn't even bother hiding it anymore. His power level was skyrocketing at an incomprehensible pace.
During class, Shizuka Hiratsuka had openly admitted that at his current rate, Ren would be ready to graduate in no time. She simply had nothing left to teach him.
In terms of pure martial technique, Ren had already mastered everything. His only bottleneck was the total capacity of his True Qi.
Even then, his cultivation speed was leaving everyone in the dust. It wouldn't be long before he completely lapped the rest of the class.
*Comparing yourself to others will only drive you mad,* Yukino thought. She refused to ever fight him. Trying to match his progress was impossible; sparring with him would just be asking for a beating.
Furthermore, the guy was utterly ruthless in combat. She genuinely feared that if they fought, he might accidentally beat her to death!
Once school was dismissed, Ren immediately slipped away, but many of his classmates chose to stay behind.
They planned to use the classroom's facilities for extra training. The entire class had consciously entered a state of hyper-competitive grinding.
Several students in the Special Class were just one step away from breaking through to Tier 3. If they didn't seize every available second, what were they even doing?
So, they grinded. They grinded like crazy. Since they didn't possess Ren's freakish, heaven-defying talent, sheer relentless effort was their only path to strength.
Completely oblivious to the intense training montage happening back in his classroom, Ren strolled out the school gates. Instead of heading straight home, he decided to wander around the city.
The streets were crawling with patrols. He had barely left the school grounds before encountering at least three separate security squads.
The general public was clearly aware of the looming danger. Pedestrians hurried along the sidewalks, keeping their heads down, terrified of running into a stray monster.
Sensing the tense, vigilant atmosphere gripping the city, Ren frowned. *The situation is much more serious than I thought.*
They wouldn't have locked down the city like this otherwise. The frequency of the patrols was unprecedented.
At least, according to his predecessor's memories, nothing like this had ever happened here before.
Carrying his weapon, Ren continued his aimless walk. He had intentionally left his schoolbag and other belongings in the classroom just so he could explore unburdened, armed only with his blade.
It had been two days since he transmigrated, and he still hadn't taken the time to properly familiarize himself with the city. This was the perfect opportunity to get the lay of the land.
So far, his entire existence in this world had been confined to his rented apartment and the school campus. He hadn't had a single chance to sightsee.
Ren wandered the streets alone. Despite the heightened security, daily life for the city's residents hadn't been completely upended.
There were simply fewer people window-shopping and far more armed guards on patrol.
Observing the sheer density of the patrols, Ren quickly realized that his hopes of finding a stray monster to test his skills on were completely dashed.
With this level of security, any monster that dared to show its face would be instantly obliterated. Even the ones in hiding would be hunted down in seconds. There wouldn't be any scraps left for him.
His grand plan for some live combat practice had fallen through. The city guards had the situation completely locked down.
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