Let Me Borrow Some Abilities at the Hero Academy

Chapter 135 : Chapter 135

Chapter 135 : Assembly

The aerial amphitheater connected to each tower of the Academy was calling all first-year cohorts together.

Excited chatter went back and forth throughout the seats, making guesses as to why they had been summoned.

"There wasn't any special announcement after the Mounted Battle. Isn't it because of the inter-cohort competition?"

"More importantly, there's that incident with the second years this time."

"Ah, those second years?"

"Second years? What is it?"

"You don't know? The senior who made a scene in the cafeteria this time. I wonder if he's getting expelled."

Students who had been in the cafeteria that day rushed to spread the rumor, and it spread throughout the assembly hall in an instant.

But none of it was correct.

Just the sight of Chatfield standing in the center of the stage convinced Sal that this was the fateful moment when the new curriculum would be announced.

Barry, sitting next to Sal, muttered while looking at Chatfield with wary eyes.

"So that person is driving all the changes in the Academy? And he's a Controller?"

Sal looked around and nodded.

He wished he could have come to this meeting wearing the tracker, but there was a painful constraint that it wouldn't work without the revolver right now.

It would be a lie to say he wasn't anxious just by the fact that there were freshmen leaning towards Bastion in the Academy. The mere possibility that some of the first years might already be under influence tightened his stomach.

"Are you okay?"

Barry said in a low voice like a whisper.

Sal was startled and turned to look at him.

He hadn't realized his dissatisfaction was showing so plainly.

Sal forced a smile and shook his head slightly.

"Just because of the Controller talk. Trying to make us hostile to each other, it's really absurd."

Barry poked Sal with his elbow and said.

"What happens in the future is Divinity's job. Not ours. You'll just get exhausted worrying for nothing. When they come up with an action plan, we just execute it. Simple, right?"

Sal couldn't agree with his words, but he nodded slightly to Barry.

Barry let out an annoyed sigh, turned in his seat to look at Sal.

"Do you want to become a Controller?"

It was an unexpected question, but Sal shook his head without the slightest hesitation.

"No, I'm Support Class. I think I can add enough value just with crafting work, and that's the role that suits me well."

Barry nodded as if in agreement and stared straight at Sal.

"Then stop thinking like a Controller. You don't need to devise the strategy to save us. You've already contributed enough in revealing the problem, and you protected Divinity and Hannah from that Wester bastard. If you feel useless or think you haven't done enough, pour that energy into crafting. Make something helpful, or just be there when Divinity needs you. She's been restless for the past few weeks. Worrying that you might go into hermit mode prevents her from fully displaying her skills."

Sal froze on the spot.

"Divinity was... that anxious?"

Barry sighed, looked away from Sal, and leaned back in his chair.

"Yeah, Sal. Divinity was very anxious. All the foresights she saw recently were related to you. Trying to prevent you from foolishly chasing Mythos and abandoning yourself, Sal. She's worried you'll lock yourself in the workshop and give up on classes. I don't know you as well as Divinity, but I think it would be a real waste for you to give up here. Besides, you made me team leader, but haven't even properly exploited me on the battlefield yet. So if you're going to quit, do it at least after the Mounted Battle ends."

Barry smiled, but his casual attitude alone couldn't cover up Divinity's fear.

Sal shook his head and sighed.

"I don't know what to say. I already talked with Divinity, and I absolutely won't give up halfway or fall behind. Yes, it's true that the crafting project is fun and important. But that doesn't mean I skip classes. It's true I missed a few meetings, but there's been too much work lately. The Boss entrusted me with a special project in the workshop that could become a big deal in the future."

As Sal finished speaking, he saw Barry with his arms crossed.

He quickly changed the subject.

"I'm not trying to make excuses. Just had a pile of work for a moment. I already apologized to Divinity, and I owe you too. After this assembly, let's sit down and organize the Mounted Battle preparation together. Whatever crafting or training is needed, just say the word. I'll take care of it as top priority."

Barry glanced sideways and laughed.

"Apologies aren't necessary. But I accept the crafting proposal. All we need is a solid strategy, and I've prepared most of that."

What cut him off was Quest’s voice ringing out loudly.

At the Headmaster's call, the murmuring of the crowd subsided in an instant.

Barry twirled his finger pointing at the podium, signaling Sal to continue the conversation later.

"The reason we gathered here today is because of several important announcements. Everyone please pay special attention. This is a matter that will affect every single one of you."

In an instant, the atmosphere shifted from light curiosity to heavy tension.

Rumors of expulsion vanished at once, and students waited for the next words in taut tension.

Sal looked down at the stage and spotted Chatfield preparing to speak.

Quest’s voice flowed out with emotions completely wiped away.

"Enemies are getting stronger, and we must constantly adapt to meet the Guild's demands. Those in the field know best what is needed. But right now, we are not keeping up with that pace. By the time you graduate from Quest Academy, you must stand shoulder to shoulder with intermediate officers or higher. In the past, this statement was true, but now we no longer meet that standard. This is not due to your lack of effort, but the failure of Quest Academy as an educational institution. Recently, second-year students went on an expedition with Chatfield, and the results fell far short of expectations."

"I want to make it clear that you are not being punished for others' failures. Rather, this opportunity is a chance to recalibrate our efforts and redefine the direction of your growth. Until now, the method was to let students utilize their abilities and learn teamwork. Competitions like the Mounted Battle were designed to familiarize you with combat and ability usage in a high-pressure environment. Even on such a foundation, we have had you face low-rank monsters in a controlled environment until now. We intended to teach basic skills every hero should have while gradually building confidence. However, as of today, we will change that approach."

"I introduce Captain Chatfield, a high-ranking Controller from the Hunter Bureau."

Only a tiny minority applauded.

And those were only top-ranked students unchallenged by the current curriculum.

Even the word 'tiny minority' was insufficient.

Wherever Sal looked, there were only resigned faces of Support Class students.

If the pace of classes changed, it was tantamount to disaster for them, and Sal felt sorry for that fact.

Students who knew how to craft might have a slight hope, but for the majority, it was no comfort at all.

Quest stepped aside, gesturing for Chatfield to take the podium.

Chatfield did not waste time.

Gripping the podium with both hands, he leaned forward and slowly scanned the gathered students.

An awkward silence ensued, but that was precisely the intended effect.

Students who had been dispirited eventually lifted their heads to check why he wasn't speaking.

"How many of you have seen a monster in person? Not something like a Sinclair running around in the training grounds, but a real monster. Raise your hands. ...Good, now look around with your hands raised. I hope you realize how advantageous a position you are in right now. I am not blaming your character or background. Yet, the fact that only one in four has experience seeing a monster is a serious problem. Becoming a hero means fighting monsters on the battlefield. Quest Academy exists to teach you exactly how to kill those monsters. The reality is, only a quarter of you have experienced it firsthand. When I was your age, I had already finished military training. There were no exemptions or homeschooling. If you had power, you were trained to tame it. I killed my first monster at twelve, when I couldn't even properly handle my power. For six years after that, I raided dungeons and climbed towers with other kids. There was no academy like this teaching all the theories. We fought only with instinct and the experience left by seniors. And in the end, we won. But the price was clear. Casualties. And that is the core point. Sacrifice."

At those words, everyone fell silent.

"The reason Quest Academy was built is to reduce sacrifice and raise heroes in their best form. The second-year group I led? They were pathetic. The twelve-year-old kids I was with when I first entered military school were better. Why were those kids of the past better than the hero trainees of today? They didn't rely on their power. They didn't care about rankings or family names. They weren't interested in jobs or classes either. Because for them, failure meant death."

"Not exactly the inspiring speech I expected..."

Even though Barry muttered, Sal didn't answer.

He stared piercingly at Chatfield, wondering how one could go through such a savage upbringing to reach this position.

Quest stood on one side of the stage with his hands gathered behind his back, turning his head towards the stage as if he didn't want to see the students' reactions.

"I am not here to make you feel guilty about things beyond your control. Some may have trained diligently for years, but exceptions cannot be the rule. We must create a system where every student can grow and unleash their potential. After long consultations, I received approval from the Hunter Bureau and the United Guild Association, gaining the authority to reorganize the curriculum as I see fit. Together with the Quest Academy faculty, we have prepared a strong educational policy to lead you to the right path, even if forcefully. Fortunately, you have only been attending for a few months, so the damage will be less compared to upper grades. Compared to them, you might even take comfort in that."

Sal frowned thinking of Sakura.

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't imagine how she could become better in terms of combat skills.

On the other hand, Barry chuckled to himself and muttered.

"Reminds me of those damn bastards making a scene in the cafeteria. They're going to suffer a bit from now on."

Sal also couldn't hold back a laugh, shook his head, and tried to focus on the podium again while whispering low to Barry.

"You really are the worst."

"Then specifically what will change? Combat, Field Operations, and Survival classes will be integrated into one. From now on, it won't be an elective, but a core module every student must complete. Combat training until now was nothing more than basic formations or simple mock battles between students. From now on, including weapon selection and individual training, we will provide opportunities for students without combat-focused abilities to stand out. Starting training early can significantly boost combat proficiency. Monster Behavior and Analysis classes will also be integrated to secure time for more essential subjects. And Resilience has been newly added as a required course. This will be a great help to you in upcoming tests. Facing Portals, Towers, and Dungeons consumes great mental energy, and your will be tested frequently. The Resilience class will teach you to recognize your limits and how to overcome them. It will sharpen your senses and make you ready for combat at all times. You can still take other elective courses, but subjects not directly related to ability improvement will have a reduced reflection ratio in final grades."

Half the auditorium burst into complaints.

"What?"

"Are they crazy?"

"That makes no sense!"

All Support Class students felt despair as if their last hope for graduation had been cut off.

Questions demanding explanations and demands for reconsideration poured from all sides, and some even shouted curses.

However, Chatfield ignored all of it and continued his speech.

"Crafting classes will give greater weight in final grades to students registered in special programs. One of the biggest flaws in the current system is the failure to provide stable combat equipment to students. From now on, we will provide materials, blueprints for equipment crafting, and target quotas to achieve. Students who exceed those targets can receive higher evaluations. Keep in mind. Time at Quest Academy is not simply about filling formal requirements or meeting minimum standards. Only when you create new value and prove excellence are you worthy of the title of hero."

Chatfield's words didn't end there.

" The Mounted Battle is postponed to the end of this semester. The reason is simple. The current method favors only students who have already achieved high grades in the Mounted Battle. The plan of myself and the faculty is to elevate the capabilities of every student here. To this end, I will bring forward the first-year final exam. You will directly clear a floor of the Tower. The exam starts in five weeks. You must form a team of five on your own, and the conditions are simple. No more than two people from the same cohort can be on one team, and no more than three students with the same role can be included. Team composition is entirely up to you."

Sal couldn't believe what he just heard.

'I knew the curriculum was going to change, but this is... a crazy plan. Clear a floor of the Tower in just over a month? And forming a team with people I don't know at all?'

Sal looked at Barry and couldn't help but be surprised.

He was smiling.

'Did he break under pressure?'

Just before Sal asked if he was okay, Barry turned his head and wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.

"Turns out the Tower and Dungeons weren't so far off in my future after all."