Skill Forge: Broken Extra Character

Jett's face reddened with embarrassment as he fumbled, "Oh right, silly me, I have six scrolls, not five."

He quickly distributed the scrolls to Seraphina and the others, handing out five with an apologetic smile. Marcella, Rey, Finn, and Asher received their scrolls, each one taking their place with a mix of relief and anticipation.

Seraphina looked at the scroll in her hand, her expression serious as she activated the skill.

A prompt materialized before her:

[Choose your targets.]

[Familiar 0/8]

She marked Marcella and the boys, deliberately leaving out Jett, as he had only given her five scrolls, meaning the last one was his.

[Familiar 8/8]

"Alright, I'm ready. Let's hope this plan actually works," Seraphina said, her voice tinged with skepticism. It was hard for her to believe that such a simple plan could succeed, but with no other options available, she had no choice but to trust Jett's strategy.

"Godspeed," Jett responded, his innocent smile beaming brightly.

Seraphina couldn't help but think, 'You can never trust a smile that innocent.'

As she unrolled the scroll and focused on the academy, a whoosh echoed around her. In the blink of an eye, she vanished. The others followed suit, each disappearing as the scrolls activated.

Rey turned to Jett, puzzled, "Aren't you leaving?"

Jett remained behind, a serene smile on his face. "I devised the plan, so I need to see it through to the end," he said, trying to appear chivalrous.

While none of them truly believed his lofty words, they were too exhausted to dwell on it further. It was a concern for another time.

'Who's this guy trying to fool? Just admit you have some ulterior motive for staying behind,' Rey thought, smirking at Jett.

"Wow, you're something, Jett. We could learn a thing or two from you," Cedric said, admiring Jett's apparent selflessness.

'Selflessness? Jett? I must've heard that wrong,' Finn mused, glancing at Cedric in disbelief. The others looked at Cedric with a touch of pity, feeling sorry for him for not seeing through Jett's façade.

An uneasy feeling prompted Rey to ask again, "You do have a scroll with you, right? We wouldn't want any unnecessary accidents."

"Of course, I can teleport back with mine," Jett replied, his voice a bit too casual. 'Technically, I can teleport back, but I don't have any scrolls with me.'

"If you do have one, then show us," Asher suggested, hoping to reassure Rey. Unfortunately, this put Jett in a tight spot.

"Oh, umm…" Jett stammered, trying to come up with an excuse. Before he could say anything more, the group disappeared, leaving him alone with the scenic view, which meant the summoning had worked.

"Phew… I almost slipped up back there. Damn that Asher," Jett muttered with a grin. He turned to look at Alok, who had remained eerily silent and motionless for a long time.

[Gluttony]

*****

[Checkpoint]

"I never thought I'd miss this room this much," Jett said, a relieved smile spreading across his face as he found himself back in his dorm room. This was the location he had set for the teleportation skill.

He stepped out of his room and made his way to meet the others. Rey and Freya were pacing around impatiently, their steps echoing in the alley.

They cast anxious glances around their surroundings, clearly waiting for Jett. The rest of the group loitered nearby, chatting idly, still unaware that Jett was already back.

Jett approached them, and the moment he appeared, Rey and Freya's faces lit up with a mix of relief and frustration.

"It actually worked. You must've been a top-tier gamer in our previous life to come up with an idea like that," Seraphina said, giving Jett a hearty pat on the back. Her voice was filled with genuine admiration.

As the sun began to set, casting long shadows through the academy's grand halls, it became clear that they had been away for almost three hours. They were all famished, and their stomachs were starting to grumble in protest.

*****

The academy's dining hall was a majestic expanse befitting its prestigious reputation. High ceilings soared above, adorned with intricate, gold-leafed designs that sparkled in the soft lighting.

The hall was vast, with rows of long, polished wooden tables that gleamed under the chandeliers' glow. Each table was set with elegant silverware and fine china, hinting at the grand scale of the institution.

The space was large enough to accommodate the entire student body and staff, well over a million people.

The sheer size of the dining hall emphasized the academy's grandeur, with an impressive array of seating arranged to ensure that every student and staff member could dine comfortably as it buzzed with activity.

The academy's dining hall was a grand structure, divided into five distinct floors, each serving a specific purpose.

The lowest three floors were reserved for the students, with each floor designated for a particular year. The first floor was for first-year students, the second for second-year students, and the third for third-year students.

The fourth floor was dedicated to the academy staff, encompassing everyone from the most junior assistants to the senior administrative personnel. This floor was quieter, with a more subdued atmosphere reflecting the staff's varied responsibilities.

The fifth floor was reserved exclusively for the academy heads: the individuals who managed and ran the institution.

A strict rule governed the access to these floors: students from lower floors were not permitted on higher floors.

The only exceptions were if a student's rank was higher than the floor they were on: applicable to first and second-year students or if they had been invited by someone from a higher floor.

The amount and quality of food one could access depended on how many points they had to spend. Each first year student received a daily allocation of 50 points for their meals, which was sufficient to get a decent meal but limited in variety and quantity.

"I worked up an appetite. Good thing I still have those points you gave us, Jett," Matthew said with a grin, eagerly heading towards the counter to order as much as he could.

"Yeah, how did you rack up that many points on your first day here?" Finn asked, genuinely curious. His obsession with making money had him keenly interested in any method to earn more.

"He sold a bunch of monster drops and corpses. I guess he's bodyguard went overboard while hunting or something," Rey explained, gesturing towards Matthew with a casual smile.

"Mmmm… He must be a real monster if he's helped you earn this much," Aiden praised, taking a big bite of the bread he had swiped from the counter.

"Yeah," Jett replied with a nervous smile, his mind drifting back to the time when Durin was clearing the Vermin Dungeon while he and Cormac watched. 'Durin practically did all the heavy lifting while I handled the demolition work, but they don't need to know that.'

The group gathered around a table, their lively chatter and hearty laughter creating a vibrant atmosphere in the dining hall.

Their lively vibe drew curious glances from other students and staff, adding to the energy of the room.

Despite the jovial scene, a few wary eyes observed from the periphery of the crowd.

*****

"That's the kid who took your spot? You've got to be kidding me, Silkan. How did a first-year manage to take your rank?" asked a burly elf standing next to Silkan, his voice dripping with disappointment. "So you're telling me I'm just a rank away from that puny human? How embarrassing."

"Don't underestimate that kid, Gillion. His skills are the real deal. I learned that the hard way," Silkan replied, his voice edged with lingering pain from a recent duel. The reminder of his shoulder's soreness was a stark reminder of Jett's prowess.

"Hard way my foot. You just let your guard down, but it won't be the same next time," Gillion boasted, his arrogance palpable.

At that moment, a student leaned in and whispered, "I heard he and his friends were called The Divine Lords back in their kingdom. Can you believe that?"

"Well, I believe it," Silkan said, shrieking as he bit his lips.

"Get it together, Silkan. Those guys are nothing," Gillion assured, rising from his seat. "Matter of fact…"

"Where are you going?" Silkan asked, curious.

Gillion made his way casually towards Rey, his demeanor relaxed but brimming with intent.

He approached the table and, with a firm motion, slammed his hands down right where Rey had placed a glass of water.

"Are you Rey Aurora, the one ranked number one among the first years?" Gillion demanded.

"Yeah, what's it to you?" Rey grumbled, his voice lacking interest as he kept his back turned. 'I had a feeling this was coming, but I really don't want to deal with this right now.'

'How disrespectful. He won't even look at me,' Gillion thought, frowning. "I'm Gillion Raingard, a second-year and ranked higher than you in the academy."

"Cool, cool. And how can I help you?" Rey asked, his tone dismissive.

"I want you to admit that you cheated your way to that rank," Gillion said confidently.

"What?" Rey responded, taken aback and confused.

The boys, except for Rey and Asher, tried to stifle their laughter, their shoulders shaking with suppressed mirth.

'This feels a bit familiar… but from where?' Jett wondered, his mind searching for a memory.

"Who's this guy?" Elora asked, scrutinizing Gillion with her spoon.

"I have no idea, but he's about to get on my last nerve," Rey said, slowly shifting his plate aside. 'You should never mess with a hungry man.'

"So? Scared, kid? You're from Verena, right?" Gillion taunted, his voice dripping with contempt. "I've heard that warriors from that part never amount to much. You just had to be a prince in a trash kingdom."

"Why you…" Seraphina's eyes flared with anger as she moved to confront Gillion. However, Elora quickly stepped in, blocking her path and signaling that it was a bad idea.

'Yep, I've definitely seen this before,' Jett thought, recalling a similar scene from a book he had read.

"Are elves usually this mean? They're completely different from what I've seen in movies and stories," Morrigan said, struggling to battle a chunk of pudding.

"I know, right? This is a lot different," Freya added, nodding in agreement.

"This one's got a big mouth too. I hate guys who talk trash all the time," Marcella commented quietly, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

"Hehe, did that hurt your ego? How's the Frostbanes doing these days? Even their wimpy general couldn't hold his ground against our people; he had to abandon his men and run away with his tail between his legs right?. Ha! He left his men to become our fodder: just as expected from a trashy kingdom."

"What did you say? Why don't you say that to my face?" Elora growled, her hands clenched into fists as she prepared to pounce. This time, Seraphina had to hold her back.

Rey, who had been trying to restrain himself, finally reached his breaking point. His face reddened with anger as he moved to confront Gillion.

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Just as he was about to make a move, Aiden stepped in, uncomfortably calm smile.

"Hey, you," Aiden said, a strange smile curling at the corners of his lips. "Let's go. Right here, right now."

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Aiden wants to fight?

Wow, I guess the Frostbane insult must have triggered him.

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