Summoning Genius of Kizen Academy - Chapter 38 The next day was the weekend. Simon descended into Rochester for the first time. “Wow.” Rochester was an incredibly young and vibrant city. Impromptu concerts and events were held everywhere, and Kizen students in casual clothes danced, played instruments, and enjoyed themselves. Of course, it was modest in scale compared to the metropolis of Langerstein, but Simon found Rochester a little more appealing. First, Simon unfolded a map and stopped by a Necromancer shop. Dick had personally recommended this place, saying it was the cheapest. As he opened the door and entered, a young clerk greeted him warmly. “Welcome… huh?” The clerk smiled brightly. “Simon! It’s Simon, right?” …Who was this? Simon was racking his brain, trying to remember the clerk who suddenly acted familiar, but fortunately, the clerk revealed himself first. “It’s me! Lowen! We met on the first day of the entrance ceremony!” “Ah…!” The incredibly talkative guy he’d ridden the Netherwhale with. Despite appearances, he was Simon’s first friend since coming to Kizen. “Hello! I didn’t expect to see you here.” “Nice to see you, man! You’re in Class A, right? I’m in Class D! Class D is super tough too! I never imagined the giant hybrid Shatel Maer would be in our class! But Class A has Special Case #1… Oh, right! You were Special Case #1! Wow, that’s right. That’s right! The moment your identity was revealed at the entrance ceremony, shivers ran down my spine…!” He was starting again. Before it got any more complicated, Simon quickly changed the subject. “What are you doing here?” “As you can see, I’m working part-time.” Lowen shrugged. “Gotta earn some pocket money. Part-time jobs in Rochester pay pretty well, so I like it.” ‘A part-time job, that’s not bad.’ Simon was starting to worry about his finances. The monthly allowance from the school was barely enough to cover class materials. “Could I get a part-time job too?” “Hmm, honestly, you’re a bit late now! All the part-time vacancies were filled last week, I bet? There are so many people who want them.” “That’s a shame.” Of course, money was important, but that wasn’t why he came here now. When Simon said he came to buy skeleton sets, Lowen kindly told him the location. ‘20 sets of Island Ratman skeletons.’ It was a lot of money from the start, but there was no helping it. Many skeletons would be needed for the Cyclops practical evaluation next week. Of course, even if the skeletons’ lifespan ran out, they could be incorporated into the Legion’s forces, so there was no loss. Simon purchased some other undead materials he wanted to practice with and left the Necromancer shop. ‘Alright, next up.’ Simon rustled a note with his preparations written on it. ‘Weapons for the skeletons.’ This time, he headed to a weapon shop. He could buy weapons at the Necromancer shop too, but Dick had given him a small tip that they were more expensive there. “Welcome!” The middle-aged man running the weapon shop greeted him with a bright smile. His smile deepened as he quickly scanned Simon’s school uniform. “What are you looking for? These days, the new model of Jet Black Swords made from obsidian are very well-crafted!” The shop owner abruptly handed Simon a sword hanging on the wall and told him to draw it. Simon applied a little force, and with a click, the scabbard opened, revealing a jet-black, gleaming blade. “Th-that’s a good sword. But I don’t need anything like this…” “Or how about this! Combat gloves exclusively for Martial Arts! The latest model has firepower…!” “I came to buy weapons for skeletons!” Simon quickly interjected. The shop owner’s expression instantly cooled, and he slumped into his seat, pointing indifferently to a corner of the shop. The shelf was filled with cheap swords. “Thank you!” Regardless, Simon happily rushed to the shelf. Most were failures or used items, but they were perfect for undead. Simon carefully opened swords, touched blades, and flicked them with his fingertips to check their quality. He bought five swords, five spears, and two shields. “Please calculate all of this!” Simon piled the weapons onto the counter. The shop owner, who had been sitting with his chin in his hand, looked surprised and asked. “A-are you buying all of these?” “Yes.” The shop owner’s face softened considerably as he added up the prices. Still, looking a little concerned, he casually remarked. “What are you going to use all this for? Aren’t you a first-year? Even for skeletons, you’d only be able to operate two or three at a time.” “I’m just buying a lot in advance. The blades get damaged easily, you know.” A smile played on the shop owner’s lips as he examined the weapons Simon had chosen. “You picked out only the ones in good condition. Did you have some experience with swords before coming to Kizen?” “Not really, but I learned how to choose good weapons from my father.” “Wow, you have a wonderful father!” The shop owner burst into hearty laughter. “No matter how much this is the era of Necromancers and Priests, there’s still a fundamental principle! A man should carry a cool sword at his hip, huh? And be able to protect himself with it!” “Of course.” It seemed this old man had a considerable sense of mission for his profession. Simon appropriately chimed in, and the shop owner, pleased, kept laughing. “Five swords for skeleton weapon sets, 250 silver. Five spears, 200 silver. Two wooden shields, 100 silver. Total is 550 silver, but I’ll take 500 silver.” “Thank you!” “I should thank you more. A young noble like yourself humoring a commoner. Oh! Please wait here for a moment.” The shop owner turned around and returned with a bow and quiver. “This is a bow and arrow set made of ebony, highly efficient for Jet Black. It should normally be 1 gold, but I’ll give it to you for free this time.” Simon’s eyes widened dramatically. “F-for free? I can’t accept something so expensive!” “Oh, come on! I’ve been doing business in Rochester for a while. Even a commoner like me has an eye for people. I can tell at a glance who’ll go home soon. And who’ll survive until third year. I can see those things.” The shop owner placed the bow on Simon’s weapon bundle and said. “If you’re going to buy weapons for three years, please be a regular customer at our shop. That’s why I’m giving it to you. And it’d be even better if you introduce your friends.” “Still, a 1-gold item…” “Anyway, bows don’t sell well in Kizen. Don’t feel burdened, just take it. You know how to use it, right?” “Yes. I do, but…” If he said that much, not accepting it would be rude. Simon bowed his head in gratitude. “Come again soon!” Having finished his thrifty shopping, Simon happily headed to his next destination. He also purchased several class materials needed for Toxicology and other subjects and put them in his magical inventory. ‘Pier, I’m leaving now.’ [Understood!] Now, he was heading to the ruins to train with Pier. He was a little afraid to enter the Forbidden Forest again, but fortunately, Pier came out to meet him in the forest. Riding on Pier’s back, he arrived at the ruins in just a few minutes. Clack! Clack! “How have you all been?” As Simon entered, the Legionized skeletons approached him like puppies greeting their owner. Simon smiled and stroked their heads. “Pier. Here are the skeletons to be Legionized.” Simon took out the damaged skeletons from his magical inventory. Pier clicked his tongue. [Many casualties.] “They were heavily damaged in the last simulation battle.” As Pier placed his hand on the skull of a damaged skeleton, dark blue flames blazed like torches in their eye sockets. Now, the Legion’s skeletons numbered eight. [It’s a bit more lively now!] “That’s good.” After the damaged skeletons were Legionized, the two sat facing each other. [As I said before, this training will be quite tough! Are you prepared?] “Yes, of course!” There wasn’t much time left until the Cyclops practical evaluation. He planned to maximize his skeleton operating ability this weekend. First, Simon assembled the skeletons he had bought from the Necromancer shop. Soon, six skeletons stood before Simon, armed with weapons, and on the opposite side stood six Legionized skeletons. Simon’s summoned type and Pier’s natural type were each a team. The skeletons seemed to know this, making clacking sounds and glaring at each other. [You said you could control two skeletons simultaneously, right?] “Yes.” If he tried to control three or more simultaneously, his thoughts would get tangled, and the command system would become chaotic. Above all, his mental strength would rapidly deplete, causing an unbearable, maddening headache. [Hehehe, no need to rush! The important thing isn’t how many you can control simultaneously, but how well you handle even one or two!] “Understood.” [I’ll also only control two at a time! Come at me, boy!] “Yes!” Simon extended his right arm. ‘Charge!’ Two sword-wielding skeletons pushed off the ground and charged. Pier also sent two sword-wielding skeletons charging. Clang! Clang! The ensuing clash. Swords collided, and a harsh metallic sound echoed. Simon was contemplating his next move when suddenly, two of Pier’s spear-wielding skeletons attacked from behind. ‘…Ugh, fall back!’ Simon’s skeletons retreated by a hair’s breadth. Then, Pier’s leading sword-wielding skeletons pushed forward against Simon’s skeletons, who had lost their balance while retreating. Clang! Clang! Simon’s skeletons received the blows with precarious, bent-back postures. Then, as if on cue, the spear-wielding skeletons returned and struck their legs with the spear shafts, causing Simon’s skeletons to fall to the ground and be subdued. ‘…I lost.’ Swallowing his disappointment, Simon lowered his arm and turned his head. “That’s cheating, Pier! You said you’d only use two at a time!” There was no way he could win 4-on-2. Simon protested, and Pier chuckled heartily. [What are you talking about! I only controlled two at a time, just like you!] “Huh? What do you mean… Ah!” That was it. Pier first moved the sword-wielding skeletons, then the spear-wielding skeletons. He repeatedly switched back to the sword-wielding skeletons, then crossed over to the spear-wielding skeletons. [Well, it’s nothing grand. It’s called Cross Operation! You rapidly shift control between skeletons to expand the limited scope of control.] “…Ah.” [If you can’t connect to multiple skeletons simultaneously, the key is to operate them two at a time while making all of them move! Do you understand?] Stomp, stomp. No sooner had he finished speaking than two of Simon’s spear-wielding skeletons stepped forward. ‘Focus.’ He made the sword-wielding skeletons open their palms. Then, he switched to the spear-wielding skeletons and high-fived their hands. “Am I doing this right?” […] Pier was silent for a moment, then the corners of his mouth turned up. [Hahahaha! You certainly are fun to teach!] “Huh?” [It’s nothing. If you’ve got the hang of it, let’s move straight to practical application!] “Ah, yes! Come on!” * * * On the first day of the weekend, Simon trained his undead control and Cross Operation with Pier. His skills had improved, and he could now control up to three skeletons simultaneously. On the afternoon of the next day, he returned to Kizen. He practiced with Mei-rin, Kamibarez, and Dick to coordinate their movements for the practical battle. Simon would somehow buy time with his undead, then four Exhaust curses and one Dark Flare would be simultaneously applied to the Cyclops to start the battle. Then, by gradually weakening the Cyclops and landing two more Dark Flares, the battle would end in victory. They repeated the same pattern to minimize mistakes. It wasn’t an Avalon simulation; it was a virtual battle fought in empty space, but it was still exhausting. Everyone was sprawled on the floor, gulping down water. “Simon! Who was that tutor you got in Rochester this weekend?” At Kamibarez’s question, Simon flinched and said. “Th-that’s just someone I met through my father. Why?” “Simon’s undead control seems much better!” “Yeah. It really does.” Dick, who had been lying flat on the ground, sat up. “Now he’s using three skeletons simultaneously. Is it possible to improve that much in such a short time?” Mei-rin also leaned in, interested. “Who is it? A professional Necromancer? Someone from Kizen?” Suddenly, all three pairs of eyes focused on him at once. Simon gave an awkward smile. ‘…What excuse should I make?’
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