Victor turned his head to face the old man, who had somehow appeared directly behind him when he was easily over ten meters away earlier. This muscular figure towered over him, standing a full head above him. Despite a full head of sharp grey hairs, he was brimming with vitality and was eyeing him with excitement. This was Mr. Ferrcast, often known and feared around campus for his eccentric behavior.
Almost no one wanted to be caught and forced to help him test out his strange creations. It seems like Victor was his unlucky subject today.
With a voice full of trepidation, Victo then spoke. "Sorry, Mr. Ferrcast, I actually have a class to get to."
Mr. Ferrcast smiled in understanding. "Ahhh, you came to building E to try out a trial class, right?"
Seeing Victor nod in response made the teacher smile even wider. "Well, I take it that your first trial didn't go so well, so now you are here to see what building E has to offer." Victor then felt himself being lifted off of his feet and thrown over Mr. Ferrcast's shoulder as he continued speaking. "It would be a waste of time to show you all the lesser classes of building E, so let me save you some time and bring you directly to my class."
Before he could respond, Victor felt a surge of speed knocking the words he prepared right out of his mouth. He then felt his abductor rapidly change directions multiple times, which left him dizzy before he could even scream. Soon all the spinning stopped, and his feet were back on the ground, finding himself in an unfamiliar room filled with metal tables, machines, and workbenches.
"Welcome to weapons manufacturing courtesy of Mr. Ferrcast."
Victor looked across the room with disinterest. 'Why would he want to learn item manufacturing?'
Seeing the look on Victor's face, Mr. Ferrcast wasn't offended. "I know what you're thinking, boy. Weapon manufacturing seems less intriguing compared to the more immediately practical or flashy abilities offered in weapon training classes. But let me ask you a question. Does your ability lend itself well to combat?"
Hearing the teacher question him about his ability, Victor was immediately wary and didn't respond.
"You don't need to answer that question because I already know the answer. Usually, combat-based ability users go to A building if their abilities are simple and straightforward. Those with more complex and obtuse abilities head to building B to help them make heads or tails of what they are given. Those remaining go to the other three buildings to learn various utility skills. Since you just came from Building D, I would assume your abilities don't synergize well with any of the other buildings, so you dropped by here just to try your luck. Don't worry, building D required a special type of person to succeed, so don't be too discouraged."
Mr. Ferrcast paused, looking at the expressionless Victor in front of him before nodding and convincing himself his analysis was accurate.
"It is students like you whose ability cannot be relied on in a dire situation who need my class the most. If you need stronger defense, learn how we will craft it. If you need more firepower, we will craft it. If you need greater speed, more options in battle, or a specific item that can turn the tides, there is nothing impossible through the power of ingenuity. Now will you take this chance to stand toe-to-toe against those ability users who use nothing but their fists, or will you settle for a more relaxing life as a support character who will always rely on others?"
Compared to the unimpressed Victor who had first arrived, the current him was reconsidering.
'I always did like playing support but what if there ever is a situation where I am caught by myself.'
Victor frowned, remembering yesterday. 'Wait, that already did happen in my encounter with Doak and Kera. Perhaps if I were in a different role, rather than being the commander, it might be better for me to provide utility through my equipment. This way I can enhance their strengths and offset their weaknesses, and I also wont drag them down during combat.'
Seeing that Victor still was on the fence, Mr. Ferrcast spoke further. "Do you think that beyond this planet there is more peace than there is here? Battles rage constantly across the stars, and one of the most common things a warrior needs to elevate themselves to the next level is a powerful weapon. If you manage to learn my teachings, your skills will be valued all throughout the Velron Republic and perhaps further."
Sensing some truth in this teacher's words, Victor was almost convinced until he had a thought. "Aren't most weapons made on an assembly line? What would I need to learn besides pressing a few buttons?"
Victor almost instantly regretted his words as Mr. Ferrcast stood stock-still as his face instantly went red with rage. Victor stood in a silent staring contest with the teacher before Mr. Ferrcast then took a breath.
"If you say something like that one more time in front of me, I will smack you so hard it will put a dent in the walls." He then walked over to a nearby table and grabbed up two small knives. Holding one in each hand, he held them out to Victor before speaking. "Take them, try them out, and you see the difference between both of these knives."
Victor looked at the two knives, which appeared completely identical to each other. Even after close inspection, Victor was under the impression both of them were forged from the same mold. Curiously, Victor took one in each hand and was shocked when he felt a subtle sensation upon grabbing the left one. It was the same sensation he felt whenever he put on Angie's ring.
Feeling a sense of anticipation, Victor quickly walked over to a sheet of metal Mr. Ferrcast indicated he could use. He first stabbed forward with the knife in his right hand. When the tip reached the metal sheet, it unimpressively bounced off, leaving a slight mark. Victor then switched knives quickly, repeating the same motion with the second knife.
There was instantly a noticeable difference as the second knife slid right through the metal sheet with ease. Victor was so shocked by how easily the knife went in that when he pulled back his arm, he accidentally tore a slash down the testing sheet.
"The first knife is one of those button-forged goods that you can pick up anywhere..." Mr. Ferrcast began. "Only the second knife can be considered a true weapon. If you join my class, I'll teach you how to make such a blade."
Victor stared down at the blade in front of him in awe, almost fully convinced. "I have just a few questions before I agree. Why do you seem so eager for a student?"
Mr. Ferrcast laughed. "If you really want to know, you better hurry and sign up for my class. Believe me, you're not going to find another teacher who is willing to answer that type of question."
Victor's eyes narrowed. "So even if my ability has nothing to do with weapon making, I can still learn everything in this class with no issue? I would imagine someone with metalworking abilities or a person who can make swords sharper would benefit from this class more than me. So I am a little skeptical as to whether or not I will be able to take full advantage of your teachings."
This time Mr. Ferrcast showed an unhappy expression as if Victor had touched a sore spot. Seeing that reaction, Victor's confidence in this class fell as he took a step towards the door. Instantly the old man's burly figure appeared in front of him
"Boy, don't go just yet. My class is compatible with everyone, no matter the ability type. I may as well level with you upfront. My class is unpopular due to its difficulty and the time it takes. Other evening classes take two or three hours of time per day, but mine can involve up to six hours of work per night."
Victor almost fell down in shock right then and there. 'Six hours? When the hell is a normal student supposed to train their abilities?'
As if reading his mind, the old man started speaking. "If you need time to train your abilities, you will be allowed to request some time off in this class, unlike any other classes. Plus my hours are flexible. Six is only the maximum. However, to get the most out of this class, I recommend spending as much time here as possible. In addition, most of you students don't know about this feature yet, but you can also train your ability within the simulated world. Using this feature, you can make the most of your time before you fall asleep each night."
Seeing that Victor still wasn't convinced, Mr. Ferrcast continued speaking. "You shouldn't spend too much time practicing your ability anyway. Is there really any point if you don't have enough ability shards to strengthen it? If you are loaded with shards, you will advance more quickly with less effort. Where else would it be better to earn shards than here? As you might have noticed, most teachers give the most shards to their top performers. With only you here, you automatically qualify, so where else would my shards go? Honestly, your presence in this class could save you from wasting the time that most students need to use training to reach the next rank. So what do you think?"
Victor looked thoughtfully towards the old man in front of him. Despite how pushy he was, Victor didn't get the feeling he was being insincere. "Alright," Victor agreed. "As long as I really can fight evenly with another ability user."
A wide smile graced Mr. Ferrcast's face. "Well, that depends on how much you're willing to work."