noffsinger Chapter 36 Criticism
Chapter 36 Criticism
After I sold everything, the man there asked me if I would like to make a deal with him.
“You’ve done an excellent job. If you can bring in more corpses in good condition, I’ll pay you above average.”
He made the offer, and I vaguely accepted the deal. I didn't sign any contract, but I still managed to get his attention, and that was enough.
When I returned to the academy, it was around five in the afternoon. Selling the monster, cleaning myself up at the inn, and having a big meal took both time and money, but it's always worth treating yourself once in a while.
When I returned to the college, the same atmosphere greeted me again, with students walking around and strolling about.
As the weekend was coming to an end, most students were returning from home or on adventures.
"Oh, you're back."
The security guard who had escorted me out of the college greeted me.
"Good, you're back before curfew."
I nodded in response to his words, while glancing at my watch.
"Well then, have a great new week."
"Thank you."
Just as I was about to leave, I suddenly heard a familiar voice, a voice I often heard in the game.
"I did pretty well in the dungeon, didn't I?" It was a girl's voice that I recognized.
"Indeed, I didn't expect your swordsmanship to be so good."
"Heh... Do you think my family's swordsmanship is a joke, Victor?"
"That's not what I meant. I just didn't expect you to kill me with one blow."
"That's because I baked his skin beforehand."
"Yes, if it weren't for Irina, I'm sure I wouldn't have been killed in one blow. Indeed, cooperating with mages is the best approach."
The three students walked together, immediately attracting the attention of those around them.
This was to be expected, as all three of them were dressed casually, and objectively speaking, they all looked very good.
Irina, Julia, Victor.
Looking at them, I was reminded of the story in the game. In the game, depending on the early achievements and progress of these three characters, Ethan might also enter this dungeon with them…
The result, however, was a blow to him, as it highlighted the gap between him and his friends. But this also spurred him to work even harder than before. This event served as one of the catalysts for players to gain experience points, allowing them to level up faster.
"However, judging from the situation, Ethan didn't go with them this time. Just as I heard in the last class."
Seeing the three of them walking together, I didn't want to get involved with them, so I slowly walked away.
However, I felt a gaze watching me from behind.
"Irina, what's wrong?" My sensitive hearing picked up Julia's voice.
"It's nothing. I just saw an annoying guy."
"Oh, I see... That's really bad for him..."
And so, I returned to my room.
......
"state."
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
Name: Morse Scott
Class: Weapon Master (Stage 1)
Talent cap: 6
— Passive:
Vengeance
— Attributes:
Power: 1.6
Agility: 2.2
Physical condition: 1.5
Perception: 2.3
Magic Power: 2.6
Magic capacity: 1.8
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
After returning to my room, I checked my attributes again.
"My strength attribute increased by 0.1, and my other attributes also improved significantly," I thought to myself.
Clearly, placing oneself in dangerous environments that require pushing one's limits can indeed improve one's strength more quickly.
"After all, that's how it's set up in the game."
In particular, a complex design has been added to the game.
"Danger level".
This is a special system that measures the difficulty and danger of a situation by considering multiple factors.
For example: adaptability to the situation, the overall strength of the enemy, the preparations made, unknown factors, etc.
While it's not a perfect design, it makes the game more fun. The tougher the enemies you face, the more experience points you gain.
This doesn't just mean the enemy's level is higher than the player's level; it also takes compatibility factors into account.
For example, physical tank-type monsters are easily defeated by mages, so even if their level is high, players will gain less experience points.
This makes the game more difficult, and players who exploit enemy weaknesses won't get many rewards...
This is why the game was ultimately described as a "skill-based" game.
After closing the status window, I began to think about what would happen next on my way to the training ground.
"Once club activities begin, the story with the demons will also begin. In any case, I must be there."
I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth. The thought of the demons' influence and the existence of half-demons in this academy made me nauseous.
“I will uproot you one by one. I will also not let those who want to become the devil’s lackeys go unpunished.”
And so, I arrived at the training grounds. I didn't want to do any more combat training today, so I just focused on working out my body in the gym.
......
On Monday morning, all the students headed to their classrooms.
A circular classroom was filled with students, who were about to learn about the results of their first dungeon exploration.
Everyone sat down and excitedly chatted about last week's dungeon training.
What do you think? Who will be number one...?
......
While everyone was chatting enthusiastically, a person in the back row simply sat there, continuing to read the book in front of him.
Morse wasn't particularly interested in gossip that had no practical value. However, he still listened attentively, hoping to glean some useful information from it.
After all, information is power, and rumors often contain such information.
However, these words are meaningless at the moment.
'squeak'
As the students were having a lively discussion, the door was suddenly pushed open, and a person with an extraordinary presence walked into the room.
A woman with short blond hair, wearing a uniform that identified her, appeared at the door.
"Quiet."
As she raised her voice, the students' noise stopped instantly, and an eerie silence filled the classroom.
"She doesn't seem to be in a good mood," Morse thought.
His eyes caught some subtle movements, the kind of movements that annoyed and angry people usually make.
Her brow furrowed slightly, and her lips were pressed into a thin line. She tapped her fingers impatiently on the table, a clear sign of her agitation. Her feet pounded rhythmically on the floor, indicating her growing impatience.
Her crossed arms and the way she shifted from one foot to the other further revealed her frustration. Her cold gaze swept across the classroom, clearly conveying the message that she was angry.
The oppressive aura emanating from her prompted the students to reflect:
What did we do wrong?
Everyone was asking themselves this question, because they had no idea why Professor Eleanor was angry.
“Today, before we begin class, I will announce your scores from your first practical assessment,” she said, squinting her eyes.
“What follows is a ‘motivational meeting’,” Morse thought to himself.
“I am very disappointed with your performance this time,” Professor Eleanor said, her gaze sweeping over the students. She looked at them as if they were insects, her aura suffocating them.
"First of all, some of you completely lack teamwork. It's as if you've all forgotten that hunting monsters is not a solo mission. We assign the higher-ranked students to teams so they can understand the value of teamwork. You are supposed to work together, support each other, and strategize as a team. But what I witnessed was that you completely ignored your teammates and recklessly charged forward. You were more concerned with showing off your skills than with completing the mission as a team."
As she spoke, her gaze swept over the students in the front row. Although Eleanor knew this generation was known as the "Golden Generation," it didn't mean she would let them do as they pleased.
"Because of your own recklessness, your teammates have had to struggle to deal with the remaining monsters. If this were a real dungeon, the monsters you missed due to your negligence could have serious consequences. As hunters, our duty is to ensure the dungeon is cleared perfectly and to protect our citizens from monsters."
Her gaze lingered on Irina for a longer time than on anyone else. That was because she had watched the video, and Irina was one of her most disappointing students.
"Do you understand?!"
"Understood!"
Faced with the imposing presence of a high-ranking hunter, almost no student dared to object, and nearly all answered in unison.
Morse remained silent because he knew that most of the students who graduated from here would become selfish hunters in the future.
Just like him.
Therefore, he doesn't need to make any unnecessary promises here.
“And I don’t want to hear any more talk about your abilities in the classroom,” Eleanor continued, her voice growing increasingly impassioned. “Some of you act as if you’re invincible, completely ignoring your teammates’ warnings and advice. You think you know everything, and your arrogance leads to poor decisions and unnecessary risks. This is a place where smart and capable hunters gather; you should know how to cooperate and make wise judgments.”
She continued her reprimand, her gaze still fixed on the students in the front row, even causing the main characters to lower their heads. This part of her reprimand was mainly directed at Victor, because he had completely ignored the ranger's advice during the mission, almost leading them into a trap.
“And then there are those who are simply lazy.” Eleanor’s voice carried a hint of coldness as she glanced slightly at the seats in the back.
Although she was criticizing the top-ranked students, she actually disliked certain people the most, especially those who were both weak and lazy.
“During the evaluation, some of you were shockingly lazy, and I don’t even know why you came,” she said.
“Some people think they can rely on their teammates to get everything done. I’m telling you, that’s not what teamwork is all about,” she added firmly, glancing in Morse’s direction.
Her gaze pierced Morse, who was sitting in the back row, her eyes filled with anger.
Hearing this, Irina turned around, a mocking smile on her face. After all, she knew who Eleanor's words were directed at—the person she currently loathed the most.
"Hmph, he got what he deserved," she thought, pleased that Morse had gotten the result he deserved.
Not only her, but almost everyone in the classroom could see that Eleanor's gaze was directed at Morse.
"It seems Morse has become her target today," someone remarked, observing the scene.
“Yes, she must have specifically chosen him.” Another student nodded in agreement.
The students whispered amongst themselves, glancing at Eleanor and Morse. For a moment, they were glad Morse had become their target, because it meant the pressure on them was lessening.
“And then there are those who have absolutely no interest in the mission. It seems like they have more important things to do than participate in dungeon exploration,” she added, her gaze sweeping coldly over Morse once more.
Although Eleanor's criticism was directed at Morse, he remained calm and showed no emotional fluctuation. Morse knew she was referring to him, but he felt no need to defend himself. He was well aware of his shortcomings and saw no need for Eleanor to point them out.
The other students noticed the tension between Eleanor and Morse and exchanged knowing glances.
As Eleanor continued her reprimand, she emphasized the importance of taking practical assessments seriously and striving to improve oneself. Her words were intended to motivate the student, but Morse paid no heed.
"His mental fortitude is truly remarkable; he can remain so calm," someone whispered in admiration, expressing their respect for Morse's unwavering attitude.
That's partly true. Physically, Morse was indeed finding it difficult to withstand Eleanor's pressure, but psychologically, he didn't care.
Ultimately, Eleanor's criticism had no effect on Morse. He didn't care about the results or what others thought of him.
After all, he only had one goal in mind, and achieving that goal did not require him to make a good impression on others.
And so the class continued, with Eleanor offering her stern critiques of the students' dungeon quests.