Chapter 101: The Art of the Weapon
Chapter 101: The Art of the Weapon
Professor Elowen’s footsteps gradually faded into the corridor.
For several seconds, the classroom remained unusually quiet.
Then—
"That was it?"
A student near the back blinked.
"I thought the first lesson would be longer."
Another student chuckled.
"Most of what she explained was basic knowledge."
"Mana, magic circles, spells..."
"I learned that years ago."
Several students began talking among themselves.
Some discussed Professor Elowen’s teaching style.
Others compared her explanations with what they had already learned from tutors or private instructors.
"Still, she explained everything clearly."
"That’s true."
"She didn’t make it complicated."
"I actually liked the way she explained magic circles."
The classroom gradually became lively again.
Andras remained seated, listening without participating in the conversation.
He had to admit that Professor Elowen’s teaching style was straightforward.
She hadn’t tried to impress them with complicated theories or demonstrate advanced magic merely for the sake of showing off.
Instead, she had focused on the fundamentals.
For a first lesson, that was reasonable.
After all, a strong foundation mattered more than impressive techniques.
Andras leaned back in his chair.
Then—
Click.
The classroom door opened.
The conversations immediately began to fade.
A man walked inside.
His appearance alone was enough to draw attention.
He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a physique that looked more suited to a battlefield than a classroom. His dark hair was cut short, revealing a sharp, weathered face.
Several faint scars crossed his hands and forearms.
He wore the academy’s black professor’s uniform, though it fit his muscular frame differently from the other instructors.
There was nothing flashy about him.
No extravagant accessories.
No elaborate robes.
Yet the moment he entered, the atmosphere changed.
He walked toward the teaching desk without saying a word.
Most of the students fell silent.
A few seconds passed.
Two students near the window were still whispering to each other.
The professor stopped.
His eyes shifted toward them.
"Silence."
The word wasn’t loud.
It didn’t need to be.
The two students immediately stopped talking.
The entire classroom became quiet.
The professor reached the front of the room and placed one hand against the edge of the desk.
His gaze slowly swept across the students.
"My name is Kaelen Draven."
His voice was deep and steady.
"I will be teaching Weapon Mastery."
No further introduction followed.
Kaelen simply looked at the class.
His expression remained stern.
Then he spoke again.
"If you have no interest in weapons..."
He paused.
"...and have no intention of learning how to use one, you may leave."
Several students exchanged glances.
Nobody moved.
Kaelen waited.
One second.
Two.
Five.
Still, no one stood.
Some students remained because they genuinely wanted to learn about weapons.
Others were curious about how this professor taught.
A few simply didn’t want to skip a class on their very first day at Ambrose Academy.
Whatever their reason, every student remained seated.
Kaelen’s gaze traveled across the room once more.
Not a single empty chair had appeared.
He gave a small nod.
"Good."
He turned toward the blackboard.
"But before we begin..."
He picked up a piece of chalk.
Kaelen faced the class again.
"How many ranks of weapons are there?"
Several hands immediately shot into the air.
The response was almost instantaneous.
More than half the classroom had raised their hands.
Kaelen’s eyes moved across them.
Then they stopped on one student.
The same young warrior who had questioned Professor Elowen earlier.
He was sitting near the middle of the classroom, his expression unusually enthusiastic.
Kaelen pointed toward him.
"You."
The young warrior straightened immediately.
"Yes, Professor!"
"Answer."
The student stood.
"There are six major ranks of weapons."
Kaelen nodded once.
"Continue."
The student’s expression became more confident.
"Ordinary, Refined, Masterwork, Arcane, Extraordinary, and Legendary."
Kaelen said nothing.
He turned toward the blackboard.
Then, with deliberate strokes of chalk, he began writing.
Ordinary
Refined
Masterwork
Arcane
Extraordinary
Legendary
He stepped aside.
The six names stood clearly beneath one another.
Several students looked at the board with renewed interest.
Kaelen pointed toward the first rank.
"Ordinary."
"The lowest recognized rank."
"These are weapons that possess no significant supernatural properties."
He paused.
"Most common swords, spears, bows, axes, and similar weapons belong here."
A few students nodded.
Kaelen moved to the second.
"Refined."
"These weapons are made with superior materials and craftsmanship."
"They are stronger, more durable, and more reliable than ordinary weapons."
He tapped the word lightly with the chalk.
"Some may also possess minor magical properties, depending on how they were forged."
He moved downward.
"Masterwork."
His voice became slightly more serious.
"These are weapons created by skilled craftsmen capable of pushing their craft beyond ordinary limits."
"They possess exceptional quality."
"Balance. Durability. Sharpness. Structural integrity."
He looked toward the students.
"A masterwork weapon doesn’t need to possess an extraordinary ability to be dangerous."
"Sometimes..."
He raised the chalk slightly.
"...perfect craftsmanship is enough."
Several students listened more carefully.
Kaelen continued.
"Above Masterwork is Arcane."
He wrote a short mark beside the word.
"Arcane weapons possess genuine supernatural properties."
"Their abilities may come from enchanted materials, magical inscriptions, rare forging techniques, or other extraordinary methods."
"Some can manipulate elements."
"Some can enhance their wielder."
"Some possess abilities that ordinary weapons could never reproduce."
A few students exchanged excited glances.
Kaelen noticed but continued without changing his expression.
"However, Arcane does not mean invincible."
He looked directly at the class.
"Remember that."
His voice carried greater weight now.
"Then comes Extraordinary."
The classroom became even quieter.
"Extraordinary weapons stand far above ordinary enchanted weapons."
"They are extremely rare."
"Many are created using materials that are difficult to obtain, methods known only to the greatest craftsmen, or powers that cannot be reproduced through conventional forging."
Kaelen lowered the chalk.
"An Extraordinary weapon can become the defining weapon of a powerful warrior."
"But even such a weapon has limits."
Finally, he pointed toward the last rank.
"Legendary."
The word seemed to carry a different weight.
"Legendary weapons exist at the peak of recognized weaponry."
"They are exceedingly rare."
"Some are associated with ancient heroes."
"Some were forged by craftsmen whose names became legends themselves."
"And some possess powers capable of influencing battles that involve entire armies."
A murmur passed through the classroom.
Kaelen waited until it faded.
"However..."
He turned toward them.
"Before any of you start dreaming about obtaining a Legendary weapon..."
A few students smiled awkwardly.
"...understand something."
He placed the chalk down.
"Weapon rank does not determine the outcome of every battle."
The room fell silent again.
"A higher-ranked weapon is generally superior to a lower-ranked one."
"That much should be obvious."
"But a weapon is only a tool."
He folded his arms.
"The person wielding it matters just as much."
Kaelen’s gaze settled on the students.
"An inexperienced warrior holding a Legendary weapon is still inexperienced."
He paused.
"Meanwhile, a master swordsman holding an ordinary sword can still kill."
The words immediately captured everyone’s attention.
"A weapon can increase your strength."
"It can amplify your abilities."
"It can grant you powers you would otherwise never possess."
"But it cannot replace skill."
Kaelen walked slowly along the front of the classroom.
"If you cannot control your weapon, its rank means very little."
"If you cannot understand its strengths, its abilities are wasted."
"And if you cannot survive long enough to use it properly..."
He shrugged slightly.
"...even the greatest weapon in the world will not save you."
Andras’s eyes narrowed slightly.
That was a reasonable principle.
Weapons were tools.
Powerful tools, perhaps.
But still tools.
Kaelen stopped in front of the board.
"Remember the six ranks."
He pointed toward them one by one.
"Ordinary."
"Refined."
"Masterwork."
"Arcane."
"Extraordinary."
"Legendary."
"These are the recognized ranks you will encounter most often."
He paused.
"But weapon mastery is not about memorizing six words."
His gaze hardened.
"It’s about understanding what stands behind them."
He turned toward the class.
"A weapon is not merely a piece of metal."
"A sword isn’t just steel with an edge."
"A spear isn’t simply a sharpened pole."
"A bow isn’t merely wood and string."
He placed a hand against his chest.
"For a warrior, a weapon is an extension of the body."
His eyes swept across the students.
"And eventually..."
His voice lowered slightly.
"...it can become an extension of the will."
Several students remained completely focused on him.
Kaelen continued.
"In my next class, we’ll begin learning what those weapons actually are."
"We’ll discuss their types."
"Their strengths."
"Their weaknesses."
"The situations in which they excel."
"And the differences between someone who merely holds a weapon..."
He paused.
"...and someone who truly knows how to wield one."
A faint anticipation appeared in the classroom.
The young warrior who had answered earlier looked particularly excited.
Kaelen noticed him.
"You seem enthusiastic."
The student immediately straightened.
"Yes, Professor!"
"Good."
Kaelen nodded.
"Keep that enthusiasm."
Then his expression became stern again.
"But don’t confuse enthusiasm with mastery."
The student swallowed.
"Yes, Professor."
A few students chuckled.
Kaelen turned toward the board once more.
"For today, remember the hierarchy."
He tapped the list.
"In my next class, we’ll begin learning what those weapons actually are."
He placed the chalk down.
"And if you truly want to become a weapon master..."
His gaze swept across the classroom.
"...you will eventually learn that the weapon you choose says something about the warrior you become."
The classroom fell silent.
Nobody laughed this time.
Kaelen looked toward the clock.
"That is all for today."
He stepped away from the board.
"You’re dismissed."
Chairs immediately began moving.
Students started gathering their belongings, but the atmosphere was noticeably different from before.
The lesson had been short.
Yet unlike Professor Elowen’s lecture, which had focused on understanding the principles of magic, Kaelen’s lesson had left them with something else.
Curiosity.
Several students were already discussing the six weapon ranks.
Others were wondering what kind of weapon they should eventually choose.
The young warrior who had answered Kaelen’s question stared at the board for another few seconds.
His eyes lingered on the final word.
Legendary.
A grin slowly appeared on his face.
Andras noticed it from his seat.
It seemed that at least one student had already become completely invested in the subject.
And perhaps...
That was exactly what a good first lesson was supposed to accomplish.