Many students instantly let out sighs of relief at the words of their Class Instructor.
They had been terrified thinking of just how many things they were to learn, and they could not help but wonder if they would even be able to keep up.
Their Instructor had only mentioned five course of the seventeen courses, but each of the five courses taught so much.
If they were going to be spending their entire day in the academy, learning and being taught new things every single day, then how would they relax?
How would they advance to the next rank?
How would they get stronger?
How would they have fun?
So, when Instructor Valdin told them that they could choose whatever class to attend, they were instantly relieved and happy.
Some had already made up their minds to skip every class in the Body Pillar aside from the compulsory Vertical Mobility class.
’I have to find a way to make more merits. I can’t live like a pauper
’I want to have lots of sex.’
’I want to get stronger.’
’I want to drink lots of alcohol.’
’I hate reading and studying.’
’I’m talented and powerful enough, just make me a Shadow Blade already.’
’I want to have loads of sex.’
These thoughts and many more were what was in the mind of Simon’s classmates, and as for Simon, he also knew what classes he was going to attend and not attend.
’I’ve known about this a long time ago, and I know what course I must not attend.’
It was a no brainer that the one class he could not attend was the Blade Doctrine class.
In the Blade Doctrine class, he would need to learn how to use the dual daggers that were given to him and also how to use concealed weapons.
But he couldn’t use any other weapon aside from the Chaos Blade.
He could imagine the strange looks and suspicions his classmates and Instructors would give him if they saw his dagger and other weapons turn to ash just because he swung it.
Questions would be asked. Tests would be performed on him, and if it was found out that he could actually not use any weapon type artifact, the attention of the Grave Lords and quite possibly, the Night Sovereign would be drawn to the matter.
Why couldn’t a Lesser Demon wield weapons?
Why were the weapons turning to ash in his hands?
Was he cursed?
Or can he only use a specific type of weapon like gauntlets or gloves?
Questions like these and so many other questions would be asked, and at the end of the day, they would suspect the Chaos Wraps and ask him to remove it.
This would lead to more and more problems for him, and at the end of the day, it might lead to his death.
Because of all these, he could not attend the Blade Doctrine Class.
’I might even fail it because there’s no way I can wield dual daggers or use any other concealed weapon for a test or an exam.’
’Sigh... First day of school, and I already know what course I’m going to fail.’
Simon shook his head slightly, and just as he did this, Instructor Valdin spoke.
"Before I move on to the other pillars, you should know that there are other courses you can take asides from the academy courses... or should I call them lessons."
"I know that some of you are not suited to learn how to use dual daggers in combat, and some would never be able to obtain a shadow affinity. But the clan believes that just because you can’t use daggers or the shadow element, does not mean you can’t become an elite assassin."
"Being unpredictable is one of the best methods to assassinate a target or an enemy."
"This is why some of the Instructors are there to personally teach you what would be more helpful to you. You can call these lessons private lessons or specialized lessons, but to learn anything from these Instructors, you’ll need to pay for their private lessons."
"The lessons of the academy are free, but the private lessons from the instructors are not."
Simon’s eyes flickered because this was not in the rules and regulations of the academy.
It was a rather interesting surprise to him.
’Since it’s not in the rules and regulations of the academy, it means that the academy does not support this, but is not against it because it’s also beneficial for the clan.’
’Maybe the academy does not want to lose its identity of nurturing assassins who specialize in dagger usage and the shadow element.’
’But if it’s like this.... Could I find an instructor that can teach me how to use my fists and legs? I’ll need that because of the Chaos Wraps and the Chaos Blade which I cannot expose easily unless I’m a Shadow Blade or an Archfiend at least... but even exposing it as an Archfiend is also dangerous for me.’
While Simon was lost in his thoughts, many of his classmates were also lost in their thoughts.
Being able to learn something that was more suited to their style and foundation instead of changing what they knew from childhood would be much easier for them.
Many were relieved.
However, what they did not know that the cost of having a specialized lesson under an Instructor was not cheap.
They would soon get to know that merits was nearly everything in the Shadowgrave Clan.
After some seconds, Instructor Valdin continued speaking.
"After the Body Pillar, we have the Mind Pillar. The Mind Pillar has just four courses. They’re called Tactical Pattern Recognition and Cognitive Warfare."
"Don’t think that assassins are only needed to kill a single individual or maybe just a group of individuals by taking them by surprise."
"No."
"War would surely come, it’s just a matter of when. And when that time comes, an elite assassin must not be useless in the battlefield."
"A war against another clan. A war against another kingdom or two kingdoms, or a war against the human race. Just because we’re assassins, does not mean we should not be trained for war."
"Tactical Pattern Recognition teaches you guys how to read shifts and changes in a battlefield. It teaches you how to predict enemy retreat. It teaches you how to use the environment to your advantage. It teaches you how to adapt rapidly, and how to recognize formations."
"You would be trained to see patterns others miss. That is what Tactical Pattern Recognition is all about."