GameDev Reincarnated into His Own Creation

Vol 2 - Chapter 23.1: Thread Escalation

Vel's boots sank into the sandy training ground as he scanned the enormous space. The area could hold the entire academy, yet only a handful of unstable students dotted the vast emptiness.

He pulled his jacket tighter against the dawn chill, watching pale mist drift across the ground in the early light.

Tomas spotted him and waved, his normally cheerful face drawn with fatigue. "This has to be some kind of mistake, right?" he called as Vel approached. "Even the kitchen staff was barely awake when I passed by."

"No mistake," Vel replied, adjusting his uniform collar. "Lyvenna's message specifically said before the sixth bell."

One by one, the other unstable group members arrived. Enya trudged in with her hair hastily tied back, and Mira followed shortly after, looking surprisingly alert for the early hour. Rohen appeared last, stifling a yawn.

"Morning," Enya mumbled, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"Good morning," Mira replied with considerably more energy. "Any clue why we're here so early?"

The students exchanged sleepy greetings and theories about their unusual summons. Vel leaned against one of the columns, listening to their speculations.

"Maybe they're going to teach us secret techniques," Tomas suggested hopefully.

"Or maybe she's planning to test illegal spells on us," Enya countered, stretching her arms above her head.

The conversation stopped when Instructor Lyvenna arrived, her footsteps purposeful as she crossed the training ground. Unlike her students, she appeared fully awake and prepared, her eyes moving from student to student as if taking mental notes.

"Good morning, students," she called, her voice carrying clearly across the empty space. "I appreciate your punctuality."

As she approached, Vel noticed how her gaze kept drifting toward the training ground entrance, fingers drumming against her leg. Despite her composed demeanor, something seemed off. Her usual confidence remained, but underneath it lurked a watchfulness that made him wonder what she expected.

"Today is our basic practical lesson based on what we learned yesterday," Instructor Lyvenna continued, clasping her hands behind her back. "Did you bring your foci as instructed?"

The students nodded, each patting various pockets or pouches where their crystals rested. Vel felt the weight of his in his uniform's inner pocket, right against his chest.

"Instructor, why the unusual class schedule?" Vel asked, stepping forward slightly. "Classes don't usually start this early."

Lyvenna's gaze shifted briefly toward the entrance again before returning to Vel. A slight smile appeared on her face, the kind that looked more like a practiced response than genuine warmth.

"Don't you feel different waking up this early?" she countered. "The temperature, the moisture, the shade... perfect for physical training, is it not?"

There was truth in her words, but Vel sensed another reason for the early hour. Something she wasn't telling them.

"I see you're all still handling your foci directly," Lyvenna observed, changing the subject. "That won't be practical for spellcasting in actual applications."

Tomas brightened, eager to share. "I found a solution!" He pulled a slender wand from his bag, its maple wood polished to a rich amber gleam. Grinning with nervous excitement, he firmly pressed his crystal into the socket carved at the tip until it clicked into place. "The shopkeeper said maple wood has excellent resonance properties."