The Strongest Spellblade

After looking at the map in City Hall, the highest concentration of offered services for skill tutoring was Thoron’s Training. After asking a nearby dwarf we were told it was partnered with the College of Advancement and had the most comprehensive training and preparatory entry program possible.

This was why I had come to the city. We chose to walk there. There was one minor collision between magical carriages on the way there. They didn’t even come to a stop but sped up. I would later learn a pristine magical carriage was a sign of skill, while one that was banged up was looked down on and avoided.

“Healer Melon, I think I am beginning to agree with you. Magical carriages are crazy,” I replied, and he nodded.

“They might just break into tier 4 or tier 5 driving skills at this rate,” he replied. Pedestrians walked on an elevated pathway one floor above either side of the roads below. Crossing could only be done at specific bridges, which went up another story with steep stairs, to allow for more clearance on the roads below. There were a lot of dwarves bustling about, but I saw beings from other races, including a very rare beastkin.

“At least we are safe up here,” I replied. There were staircases to ground level where entry for most businesses was, but a few had second floor entrances as well. Entering Thoron’s Training, it was richly decorated with a lot of gold accents in the design and building materials.

“Welcome to Thoron’s Training, how may we assist you in your leveling?” a female dwarf receptionist greeted us.

“I am entering the College of Advancement in their next open enrollment in just over five months from now. I was hoping to speak to someone familiar with the College and consider any tutoring options you have for my skills,” I explained.

“Are you already admitted or are you taking the entrance exams?” the receptionist asked.

“Already admitted, personally confirmed by The Mathemancer himself,” I replied.

“Oh, how amazing. Then what you need is a consultation and a personal training plan crafted by our experts. Please be aware that you will have to reveal your status, it is similar to the College of Advancement so we can give you the best possible guidance,” the receptionist said.

“That is fine,” I replied.

“Thoron is free this morning and will your guardian be accompanying you?” the receptionist asked.

“Yes,” Healer Melon said.

“Very well. An initial consultation is one gold. A pricing plan will be developed once a training plan is developed,” she said. I pulled out the gold coin and put it on the counter.

“Seems a bit expensive,” I replied.

“Our services are the best. We use the latest equipment released by the College of Advancement using dwarven engineering to ensure maximum level gains in the shortest period of time. We boast an impressive entry rate for anyone who does our full year preparation course of 87.2%. Here is a status sheet. Please fill it out in preparation for your consultation,” she said.

I didn’t have the energy to argue something like this so I just nodded and took a seat while we waited. A few minutes later a large dwarf with a finely braided beard came to the waiting area. “Ah, fresh faces, welcome. I am Thoron Ironfist, proprietor of this training hall,” he explained.

“Justin Burnstock and this is my guardian Healer Melon of the Five Star Institute of Healing,” I explained.

“A professional healer, welcome, welcome. Come, let us go to my office and discuss what you would like to get from this training hall,” Thoron said. We followed him to his office and there were many pictures on the walls. Most of them were dwarves.

“Students who have graduated from the College of Advancement. Our entry rate is high, but our graduation rate is even more impressive at around one student every 2 to 5 years. Well, you didn’t come here to learn about past successes. You want to succeed in the future, please have a seat,” he said, and we took seats across from Thoron who sat behind his desk.

“Now, before I look at your status and come up with a training plan, what are your goals?” he asked me.

“I am entering the College of Advancement in just over 5 months when their enrollment opens. I wanted to understand more about the College and maximize my level gains until then,” I said.

“The College is brutal. The dungeon of the mind people call it. The Mathemancer is incredibly harsh with how the College’s policies are laid out. But they produce results. At least one legend emerges from every graduating class and everyone wants to hire people from the College, even the dropouts. If you are one of the few graduates you can practically name your price for your profession,” Thoron said.

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“How does that work exactly? The College?” I asked.

“They look purely at level gains for skills each year, with progress updates every 3 months that are publicly posted. Not the exact levels you gained, but the overall total in relation to tier. They keep exact skills of their students confidential.” So, what I was already doing.

“And if I wanted to take the top spot? How many levels would I need to earn per year?” I asked.

“Ambitious, I like that. You should be aiming for 2,000, that is taking into account tier as well. That is what the top students have achieved in the past and practically guarantees the position,” Thoron said.

“That many?” I asked in shock. I was earning that much and had taken so many items my mother had given me.

“Graduating you only need 800 skill levels per year. Which should be the main focus, since that is already quite difficult. The top students normally have legends or nations supporting them. Each year 10,000 students enter and by year 7 only 10 graduate. The cutoff for skill level gain is raised each year,” he said.

“How does teaching work?” I asked.

“Professors hold lectures and classes. You sign up for them and they will take a person through an entire skill if you have enough talent and put in the effort. Most students get as many levels and stats as possible before entering, which makes things much easier, at least at the start. Year 5 is when you see a lot of people dropping out. The start of years 4 and 6 are major expulsion years, cutting student numbers down to thousand, hundred, and the ten respectively. Surprised your tutor didn’t explain all of this,” Thoron explained.

“Tutor Damian did, but it is good to confirm things from another source. Can the Professors really make skills improve that quickly?” I asked.

“It is tricky. They use the latest techniques, equipment, and teaching methods, but some skills struggle to level up in a controlled environment. Some students resort to more extreme methods to try and get levels, but that is a bad idea. But the staff selection is some of the best in the world, with several legends teaching as well. Mana Sense and Meditation are some of the most important skills to get before entering, since some classes require you have certain skills already to attend them. Also Mana is a key resource and potions aren’t good long term,” Thoron explained.

“I have maxed out both skills already,” I replied.

“Excellent. And do you have guaranteed admittance?” he asked me.

“Yes. Personally, from The Mathemancer himself,” I replied, and Thoron shook in his seat with excitement.

“May I see your status?” he asked, and I handed over the sheet of paper I filled out. His eyes went wide as he looked over it and then looked back at me. “Justin…Burnstock. You wouldn’t happen to be the son of Supreme Warlady Elena Burnstock, would you?” he asked nervously and set down the sheet of paper.

“I am. Now, what can you help me improve?” I asked.

“Gaining easy skill levels will make your time harder at the College,” he said, and I shook my head.

“I would like to gain at least 1,000 skill levels in the next 5 months. Even if that makes my time harder at the College, that is fine. I am not worried about that,” I replied.

“What about skills that unlock a lot of other options, like Mana Manipulation?” he asked.

“I will leave that to your judgement,” I replied.

“And the Supreme Warlady, she won’t have objections?” he asked nervously while looking at Healer Melon and his shiny bald head.

“She has entrusted her son to make his own decisions. I am here at her behest to assist in any training,” Healer Melon spoke up and Thoron calmed down at that.

“Good, good. Alright then. Social skills and runes aren’t something I specialize in. You need a specialized tutor for such skills. Fighting skills, we can use our training room. Combat golems with an illusion overlay. It isn’t cheap to run, but our targeted training methods will help you gain skills rapidly,” he explained. I nodded at this, and he continued.

“Sensory skills are trickier, but we have the facilities here for them. Block out every other sense to force you to use that one sense. We don’t work with soul skills. Focused Running, Meditation, Dodge, and math skills we have specialized training facilities and equipment. Resistance training, there is more complicated. We can do it but the results will be lack luster,” he said.

“But they can be worked on?” I asked.

“I would bring in consultants, but yes. Some people work with specific spells and want the skills,” he said.

“But aren’t most students young? They wouldn’t have many tier 3 skills?” I asked.

“Ah, the College accepts people of all ages, based on background and skill levels. It is easier when you are younger, but some older people attend. And the elves, well they train their kids up in the basics quite heavily before sending them here. Also, I sell my services to all the dwarves of the Undercraft. Fire Resistance is quite popular and Lightning and Arcane Resistance are in increasing demand,” he explained.

“And the cost?” I asked.

“With your own dedicated Healer, that will lower the cost quite a bit, but running the equipment and everything else with our dedicated staff. You are looking at one gold a day. And that is a full 16 hour day, pushing you to the limit,” he explained.

“I can afford it,” I replied, and Thoron smiled.

“Excellent. I will draw up a 5 month training plan. I want to check again, any specific skills or just skill levels?” he asked.

“Resistances, since those seem the hardest to level,” I replied, and he winced.

“Smart, I can respect that. I will make those a priority along with Focused Meditation, Running, Breathing, Dodge, and Mana Manipulation. Unless you have other requirements?” he asked me.

“Why those skills?” I asked.

“Focused Meditation and Mana Manipulation are key for spell skills. Which is a big part of the College of Advancement. It is practically expected that you get them if you want to have any hope of graduating. Then Focused Running, Breathing, and Dodge are useful for fighting skills. Allowing them to improve slightly faster. There have been studies done that some skills help other skills improve faster and are considered core skills to get, since they help the leveling speed of several other skills,” Thoron explained.

“That makes sense,” I replied.

“Healer Melon you will be here every day?” Thoron asked.

“Yes. Where Justin goes, I go,” he replied.

“That’s perfect. I will need you to review the resistance training plan I draw up for any safety concerns. That’s where I will need you, to ensure nothing goes seriously wrong on the medical side,” he explained.

“I have assisted in such training before. Not often, but enough that I am familiar with the requirements,” Healer Melon said. I had no doubt that was one of the reasons my mother had picked him to accompany me.