Reborn With A Technology System In A Fantasy World

"They won't let me leave the Academy more than once without a pass," Karl muttered to himself. "So I can't exploit the mid-term break. If I'm leaving, I'll have to find a place to stay."

A spark ignited in his eyes. "I'll grow stronger. I'll become an adventurer and increase my strength."

He recalled from what Master Von said on the path to true power.

It was said that the more a Knight fought and placed their life at risk, the more their dantian solidified and their cultivation speed increased.

A wide grin spread across his face. "I'll reach 3-Star in no time, and Adrian wouldn't be able to beat me when he returns! That's a perfect plan!"

He looked at the gold coins one last time. "Should be enough. I guess it's time to leave."

With a renewed sense of purpose, Karl began to pack. He selected the few clothes he had, rolling them tightly and stuffing them into a sturdy sack.

He then picked up his trusty spear.

Before leaving, he paused, looking around the room. His gaze settled on the fan Adrian had installed and the bright lights that illuminated the space.

"I'm gonna miss you, fan," he whispered. "It's too bad I can't carry you with me."

With a final glance, Karl shut off the fan and the lights, plunging the room into darkness.

He then pulled the door shut and locked it behind him. "Time to get stronger."

***

On Karl's arrival to the Adventurer's Association, he knew the first step was to get a license, so he headed straight for the receptionist table, his spear held comfortably at his side.

As Karl walked, he saw various adventurers milling about, their forms clad in armor and their weapons strapped securely.

None seemed as young as he was, and all were far more heavily equipped. But Karl, with just his spear that he had recently enchanted didn't feel intimidated in the slightest. He confidently reached the desk.

"I would like to obtain a license."

Thankfully, the receptionist was a kind lady with a gentle smile.

"Of course, young man. You'll have to take the adventurer's test first. It costs one gold coin for the 1-Stroke test, and ten for subsequent ones up to 5-Stroke."

'One gold coin for a single stroke,' Karl thought, his brow furrowing slightly. 'I can only afford for a single stroke. I just hope it would be enough.'

He nodded. "I understand." He reached into his pouch, extracting a single gold coin and placing it on the desk.

The receptionist provided him with a parchment to fill in his details, which he did swiftly. Once completed, she directed him to a queue.

There were only two other people ahead of him, and Karl observed them as he waited. Both seemed to be fidgeting, their eyes constantly darting around, making it clear that they were anxious.

"I wonder why they're feeling nervous," he mused internally, finding their anxiety confusing.

For him, the prospect of the test brought nothing but excitement. He wondered what sort of challenge it would bring. He considered asking one of them about the test, but then stopped himself.

'No, that would just ruin it. I'll see for myself. I just hope it would be exciting.'

Several minutes passed, the two individuals ahead of him entering and leaving the testing chamber. Finally, the door opened, and a voice boomed, "Next!"

Karl walked in confidently, his boots crunching softly on the sandy floor of the spacious room.

A man stood in the center, looking through the parchment Karl had submitted.

The man confirmed the details with a series of questions, his eyes briefly flicking up to Karl's face before returning to the document. After everything matched, he looked up fully and asked, "Are you ready?"

Karl grinned, a spark of eager anticipation in his eyes. "Ready as I'll ever be!"

The man nodded and shifted back, calling out, "Mages, prepare the beast!"

A low growl rumbled from a large cage at the far end of the room. The beast that emerged had the imposing appearance of a lion, but its mane was no ordinary fur; it danced with vibrant, licking flames, casting flickering shadows across the room.

Karl had never fought a magical beast before, but even as the fiery lion was released from its cage, he felt no pressure, only a surge of adrenaline.

The examiner gave him one last look to confirm he was ready before the Mages finally removed the magical restraints holding the beast in place.

~WHOOOM!~

No one could quite tell who lunged first.

Typically, it was the beast that initiated the charge. But the fiery lion had barely shifted from its release point when Karl exploded into motion.

He was a streak, a whisper of movement across the sand.

His hands moving with a fluid grace, performed a strange, intricate motion, leveraging the spear's length to propel him upwards. In an instant, he was airborne, soaring over the startled beast.

The momentum of his jump, combined with the raw power of his strike, sent the mana-enchanted spear plunging downwards.

It tore through the beast's skull with a sickening crunch, effortlessly piercing through bone and flesh, reaching its brain in a single, devastating thrust.

As Karl landed lightly on his feet, he pulled his spear free, which now had a crimson stain blossoming on its tip.

He grinned wider, a thrill of pure exhilaration coursing through him. "Whats next?"

The examiner merely grunted in response to Karl's question.

He fixed his gaze on the parchment Karl had submitted earlier. With a practiced flourish, he signed it, then looked up. "You've passed the test. Proceed to the Director's office to complete your registration and receive your license."

Karl's wide grin faltered slightly. He accepted the parchment, a hint of disappointment clouding his features.

He'd expected more, a greater challenge, but this had been… easy. Too easy. He clutched the parchment, trying to comfort himself. 'I'm sure I'll get a lot more from the Magic Forest.'

Hours later, Karl emerged from the Director's office, his new adventurer's license clutched in his hand.

His next destination was clear: the mission board. He strode towards the bustling wall, a large wooden surface cluttered with countless parchments, each detailing a different task.

His eyes scanned the various postings, his initial excitement returning. Most of the missions were mundane:

"Deliver supplies to Mrs. Catherine's farm – Reward: 5 silver coins," or "Escort the merchant caravan to Eldergrove – Reward: 2 gold coins."

He quickly dismissed these. His goal wasn't easy money; it was strength.

He noticed a pattern. The missions offering the highest rewards were almost exclusively hunting missions.

These demanded specific parts from magical beasts – "Retrieve the fire sac of a 2-Star Emberhound," "Bring back the venom glands of a Shadow Serpent," or "Collect three crystalline scales from a Mountain Lizard."

The monetary rewards were impressive, ranging from 10 to a staggering 100 gold coins for some of the more dangerous requests.

Unfortunately, these were precisely the missions Karl couldn't take. He cursed his lack of knowledge.

He had never encountered most of these creatures, let alone knew where to find them or the best way to extract their specific organs without damaging them.

Picking one would be a shot in the dark, pure luck, and Karl wasn't one to rely on chance.

He continued sifting through the board, his hope for a straightforward Magic Forest mission dwindling.

Just as he was about to give up and simply go without a mission, Karl decided to snap a random parchment.

The mission required him to retrieve the liver of a 2-Star magical beast known as an Infernal Lizard, and it had a reward of 20 gold coins.

Karl didn't get his hopes high as he snatched it. He had never heard of the before, let alone knew what it looked like or where he could find them. If he somehow stumbled upon one, he might not even recognize it.

Yet, a thought solidified in his mind: taking this mission was better than taking none at all.

Even if he couldn't complete this specific objective, going into the Magic Forest with a direct target would at least force him to engage with its inhabitants and, hopefully grow stronger. He carefully pulled the parchment from the board.

After submitting the mission request and getting it approved, Karl found himself at the Adventurer's Outpost, located, just before the entrance to the Magic Forest.

He watched as other adventurers stepped onto the formation, and were consumed in light before dissappearing.

As Karl waited for some more to go through, his own objective solidified in his mind.

'I have to hunt as many magical beasts as possible,' he resolved. 'And hopefully, get enough crystals.'

He knew the Association claimed a hefty 50% of his haul, a significant cut, so he needed to make more than enough to cover his expenses and have some left over for himself. And more importantly, to get stronger.

Finally, it was his turn. Karl, with just his trusty spear in one hand and an empty sack in the other, stepped onto the smooth, cool surface of the formation.

The air around him crackled with energy, a faint glow emanating from the etched lines beneath his feet. He took a deep breath, the anticipation almost unbearable.

With a soft hum and a shimmer of light, the formation activated.

In the next instant, the stone outpost vanished, replaced by the magic forest ahead of him.

Karl admired the distance for some time before speaking to his spear.

"Let's go hunting!"