Proving Myself

In the lively history classroom, an ancient dwarven warrior held court as the instructor, his trusty elven assistant by his side, her glasses perched on her delicate nose.

The class was filled with a diverse array of species, but the majority were Talaki, belonging to the renowned families of the region. As the lecture unfolded, Braxis found it enthralling despite his lackluster academic performance in his past life. With his newfound mind and body, he absorbed the knowledge with ease, piecing together the details with his prior understanding of this world and its inhabitants.

"And that's why the orcs were decimated by the World Tree's faction when they formed an alliance with the Talaki's clandestine organization, hidden during the War of Zindergi, a battle against oppression," the dwarf teacher explained, gesturing towards the words on the board behind him.

Braxis, however, couldn't help but feel a sense of boredom creeping in. 'This is pretty dull, and I can't seem to focus. Besides, I'm already familiar with these facts from when I first got into the game's lore,' he mused, attempting to concentrate on the lecture.

The pride of the Talaki students was palpable in the classroom, as they applauded the dwarven teacher's captivating storytelling, their eyes gleaming with a mixture of awe and admiration.

Braxis glanced around, perplexed by the bizarre, crocodile-like creatures that seemed to exude an air of pride. They didn't play a significant role in the game itself, but subtle shifts in the story's elements left Braxis feeling disconcerted.

"Now, the primary force of the Divine Capital, Holythus, failed to engage in the war—a critical error on their part. Consequently, a large portion of the human population was wiped out, resulting in their scarcity compared to other races," the dwarf concluded.

'Hold on... That's entirely different from the original lore. Damn it. This world and the game must be on separate timelines, or perhaps this is an unreleased expansion pack,' Braxis sighed, realizing he couldn't exploit all his previous knowledge.

Deciding to ask a question, Braxis raised his hand.

"Yes?" The dwarven teacher acknowledged him.

Dante, sitting beside Braxis, averted his gaze in discomfort, feigning ignorance of their connection.

"I apologize if I missed your explanation, but who was responsible for making magic famous?" Braxis inquired, hoping this detail remained unchanged.

'If this differs too, not only will the timeline have diverged significantly, but many well-known spells could be secrets known only to me,' Braxis mused silently.

"Ah, right, it has been some time since I mentioned that. The one who popularized magic was the Great Scholarly Magician Vexe," the dwarven instructor replied, before smoothly continuing with his lecture.

'Vexe? Who the hell is that? Wasn't he the Great Void Magician's sidekick? Why is he so prominent now?' Braxis' mind raced, his stress levels escalating with the new revelation. Originally, Vexe met an early demise, branded as a corrupt mage.

'I suppose I have no choice but to pay attention and discover as much as possible. I need to exploit any overpowered mechanics that might still exist. Even if just one overpowered mechanic remains, I'll have the upper hand,' Braxis resolved, steeling himself for the task.

As the history class progressed, Braxis found the majority of the material aligned with the game, save for a few minor discrepancies. Afterward, Levant caught up to him, beaming with pride.

"I can't believe you, of all people, paid attention and even asked questions in the history class! I'm proud of you, brother," Levant exclaimed.

Levant's Impression: +1

Levant's Impression Progress: 0/300

'How is it so easy for Levant to gain a favorable impression of me? What did the original Braxis do to earn his disdain? Dante's hatred, though, makes sense; he's a bit of a jerk with anger issues,' Braxis mused.

"Thanks, brother. Let's head to the next class," Braxis responded, walking with Levant and using him as a guide, as he didn't quite know the way.

They soon arrived at another room marked "Basic Sword Arts." Braxis eyed the sign with irritation and sighed, "Of course, sword arts."

Levant noticed Braxis' annoyance and attempted to lift his spirits. "Don't worry; while I know you don't want to learn sword arts, you can learn how to counter swordsmen."

"You're right. Let's go in," Braxis agreed, clearing his mind and stepping into the classroom. He recalled an overpowered defensive sword mechanic from the game, which could increase his survivability against physical attacks and nearly nullify them. The best part? It required just a bit of mana. Braxis prayed this mechanic still existed in this world.

While Braxis wanted to learn the spear due to survivability, if this mechanic existed with the sword, it would be worth it to learn it.

Upon entering the stadium-like classroom, each student was handed a sword tailored to their height, weight, proficiency, and magical levels. A few students brought their own high-quality swords, adorned with gems and crystals that enhanced their power.

Although Braxis, Levant, and Dante hailed from a prestigious family, their father insisted they start at the same level as everyone else, relying on skill rather than weapons. Consequently, they were issued basic swords. Braxis examined his dull, slightly rusted iron sword, which looked like a quintessential beginner's weapon.

"Didn't expect to see such a low-grade weapon at a fancy school," Braxis mused, unfazed by the upcoming combat since he had a few tricks up his sleeve.

"Welcome to my class once more," a voice boomed from behind the instructors who had issued the weaponry.

A massive troll, attended by a bipedal turtle creature, emerged and dragged a club behind him.

'That's... unexpected,' Braxis thought, surprised to see a troll and a game mob employed by an academy.

"We will pick up where we left off," the troll declared, retrieving a paper from his pocket and reading aloud. "Braxis, you are to have a public spar against... Xanxas."

'Xanxas... that name sounds familiar,' Braxis pondered, trying to recall any connection to the previous inhabitant of his body. He spotted Xanxas glaring at him—a bald, muscular late teen with veins throbbing with power.

"Come on, Braxis, to the center. And don't you dare run away again," Xanxas taunted with a chuckle, gesturing toward the sparring area.

Levant glared at Xanxas, thinking, 'This fool dares to disrespect a potential heir to our family.'

"You better not lose, or you'll have hell to pay," Dante whispered in Braxis's ear as he began walking up.

Xanxas and Braxis exchanged fierce glares as they positioned themselves within the ring drawn on the ground.

"Take your stances... Begin!" the troll announced.

With adrenaline pumping, Braxis focused on Xanxas, determined to prove himself and gain the upper hand in this sparring match. Little did Xanxas know, Braxis had a few hidden tricks that could potentially turn the tide in his favor. Bracing himself for the clash, Braxis prepared to put his newfound knowledge to the test.