Traveling through the game world, starting out as a third-rate villain

"very good……"

I lay on the ground and looked around.

“I’m ascending.”

In front of me were scattered corpses of locusts. They were some kind of insect monster that had merged into a hybrid monster with a strange appearance.

"My firing rate and mana control are improving."

I muttered to myself, raised my bow, and injected my magic power into the arrow.

'That's the blue I saw.'

That's the color that appeared when I shot that bullet and hit that demon contractor in the head.

'Solar eclipse. The way my magic felt bursting reminded me of the sun.'

The bullets from that attack were indeed very powerful, and I felt that the mana injected at that time was difficult to control, as if the mana was about to explode at the beginning.

'Its pattern is the same as described in the book. So, the last one should be the black and purple one.'

'New moon.'

'I haven't figured out how to convert from one type of mana to another, but for now, learning their properties is enough.'

However, this is also progress. Everything about my mana and my traits is a mystery. It's definitely hard, but that's what makes exploration so rewarding.

"Anyway, let's go back."

I checked the clock and saw it was almost three in the morning. After what I had gone through at the museum, there was no way I was going to sleep and continue training.

This is the first step, less sleep, more training. Just like that, I was about to leave the training room, but I saw a senior who was training with a bow.

Her black hair swayed as the arrows flew.

'Elela-senpai.'

I thought to myself.

The shooting techniques she demonstrated are something I will never forget. It was very inspiring and enabled me to better integrate my own techniques.

Although I’m still perfecting my aiming skills, I can see myself slowly improving thanks to those around me.

whoosh

Two arrows flew out, one aimed at the ground, while the other flew somewhere else.

Squeak

The arrow that hits the ground first freezes it.

“Click!”

The monster's hologram immediately noticed the frozen ground and changed its path, turning to the side.

puff

But that was exactly what Illera was aiming for, for the arrow immediately struck the monster in the eye.

'Using her element skillfully.'

I thought to myself. Her bow and arrow are as elegant as ever, and today, I learned a new trick.

'That should be enough.'

Whoosh

Just as I was about to leave, I suddenly felt something approaching.

Bang

I tilted my head slightly and saw an arrow hit the ground. Startled by the sudden attack, I turned to look at the attacker.

"Senior, what does this mean?"

I asked. This behavior is extremely rude no matter where you are. Whether in the academy, outside, or in the dungeon.

I saw Elela approaching slowly with a faint smile on her face. I didn't say anything, just stood there quietly waiting for her to come over.

"Junior, don't you think it's a bit rude to leave without saying hello after observing your seniors training?" Elera's voice was soft and playful, and she was obviously in a good mood.

"Some might think it's rude to interrupt a senior's training just to say hello. I think it's just a matter of perspective," I replied, meeting her gaze without flinching.

Granted, I might have looked a bit rude, since I was watching her the whole time, but she didn't try to hide her training. She trained in a normal training room where anyone could see.

"Heh... you seem to be quite good at talking," she replied. For some reason, her serious expression seemed to disappear, perhaps because she was tired.

I nodded in acknowledgement, something I was proud of, because I would sometimes argue for what I believed was right, at least when I was in the mood.

Anyway, for some reason this woman started talking to me. I didn't recall having any contact with her since day one, so it was a bit strange to be having a conversation like this.

Elela's smile softened, and she looked me over. "You seem to be a hard-working student," she said, gesturing to the training grounds around us. "It's just you and me here."

I nodded in agreement. "Thank you."

She seemed to pick up on my half-hearted thanks. "Well, I won't keep you any longer. If you need any pointers or advice in the future, don't hesitate to ask me."

And with that, she left, but I was left feeling a little strange about this sudden interaction with this usually serious woman.

'Is she drunk?' I even thought about that, but quickly dismissed the thought. She didn't show any signs of being drunk, so it was just a guess.

Anyway, it wasn't a big deal, so I pushed those thoughts aside and went back to my room.

......

"Ilaira, have you seen this boy?"

Elera Holden, vice president of the Archery Club, recalled the day when she and Coach Joy, the club's advisor, welcomed the incoming first-year students. She recalled the moment when she and Coach Joy stood in the crowd.

"Which one?" Ilaila asked, looking at the unfamiliar faces. Most of the people at the party were young people who were eager to join the society.

"The one at the back," Coach Joey explained.

"Ah... the one with purple eyes?"

"Yes."

"Is there anything special about him?" Elara asked with a hint of doubt in her tone. She was not a big fan of favoritism, nor was she inclined to pay special attention to any particular student.

"He's not special in the traditional sense," Coach Joey responded, which intrigued Elela because she knew he wasn't the type to favor students over others.

"So what?"

“I invited him to join.”

"You invited him?" Elela raised her eyebrows and looked at him with confusion.

"Yes."

"But why? He doesn't strike me as outstanding."

"On the surface, he doesn't look special. You would think so when you first saw him training."

"Then why are you so interested in him?"

Coach Joey's tone was tinged with curiosity. "He recently switched from using daggers to using bows and arrows."

"He switched from dagger to bow and arrow?"

"Yes. At first I thought he might just be an average student looking for attention, but after supervising his weapon conversion exam, I can confidently say that he has a talent. He passed the fifth stage of the exam on his first try."

"Stage 5? Is that awesome?"

"For those who have been using bows and arrows all their lives, maybe it's nothing. But if their specialty is close combat, what do you think they can do?"

Ilaila pieced the information together and asked, "So, what are you trying to say?"

"I think he is an Awakened one, and may have a special talent for the bow and arrow. His accuracy is far beyond that of a beginner. If you watch his training video, you will understand. This boy has a natural talent."

"Since you insist, I will observe him for a while. But don't expect any extraordinary performance."

"Okay, I'll let you judge for yourself. I won't force you."

"That's it, then."

Recalling this conversation, Elela smiled softly and shook her head.

'What an unexpected turn of events,' she thought, her smile fading. She had initially thought he was an average student, even looking up his name and past records, confirming that he was the lowest ranked student in the house, and was known to be a loner.

Therefore, she regarded Coach Joey's words as an overestimation. Nevertheless, she watched his training video carefully. The performance in the video shocked her.

'How did he improve so quickly?'

He seemed to absorb knowledge like a whirlpool, each piece enriching his skill set. His physical attributes may not be outstanding, but his rapid progress is fascinating.

'What an interesting case.'

When she saw him leaving the training room at 3 a.m., a feeling of curiosity and fascination welled up in her heart.

'Where do you go when your physical limitations hold you back? What do you seek in the face of such vulnerability?'

As her thoughts drifted away, a crazed smile appeared on her lips.

'I want to see it.'

Elela's smile turned slightly wild and she left the Archery Club, her excitement evident in her demeanor.

As she slowly walked out of the Archery Club, she forgot to wipe the smile off her face.

......

"Good morning, students," Eleanor White's voice echoed through the classroom as she strode toward the desk.

"Today, you will be taking part in combat training against monsters," Eleanor continued, "and just like last time, this will also involve dungeon exploration."

She began to inform everyone about today's training content. This was her usual style, she didn't like to waste time talking nonsense, but went straight to the point.

My keen senses picked up the murmurs of discussion in the classroom at her announcement. Some students exchanged excited glances, while others looked a little worried.

I heard a low conversation between two students nearby:

"Hopefully we don't run into anything too dangerous this time."

"It wasn't easy last time."

Hearing them say this, I couldn't help but shake my head.

'These kids will never learn.'

If someone as lowly as me could hear what they were saying, surely a seasoned hunter with a three-digit world ranking could hear it, too.

To prove this point, as the whispers continued, Eleanor's sharp eyes swept across the classroom. With her silent command, the classroom fell silent.

"Am I disturbing you?" she asked coldly.

The students looked away quickly, realizing that their conversation had caught the attention of their instructor. Eleanor had a reputation for keeping a straight-laced classroom and did not tolerate idle chatter.

"Tsk. Did I ask you questions?" Eleanor looked a little annoyed for some reason.

'This woman must be having her period,' I thought.

"No, Mr. White," one student replied, his voice trembling. It was a girl in the front row who normally spoke loudly, but she didn't seem to be doing it for attention. She didn't talk much to boys.

Eleanor's stern expression made her expectations clear.

"I suggest you focus on training instead of small talk."

"I'm sorry, mentor."

"It's good to know that you are wrong. At least you are not like some people."

As soon as she finished speaking, everyone's eyes naturally turned to me. Everyone knew she was talking about me at this point, because my confrontation with her had long been a rumor.

I finally chose to ignore her words and continued to look at her intently. I didn't think I had done anything wrong, so I didn't answer.

"Okay, let's get started." Eleanor looked across the classroom and made eye contact with every student. "Today's training will test your teamwork, communication skills, and adaptability. You will explore a simulated dungeon just like the first practical class."

She paused for a moment, letting everyone digest her words, and then continued, "But your goal is different this time. Your mission is not to defeat a certain monster, but to reach the end of the dungeon. There will be many obstacles along the way."

When she said this, her eyes pierced straight at me.

"I suggest that everyone participate in this dungeon training. We are here to learn and improve ourselves, not to waste time."

I still didn't care about what she said, I just sat there quietly and watched her start to explain the training content. Obviously, she was using me as a target to vent her emotions, but I was no longer a child.

After all, mere words could never provoke a reaction from me.