Chapter 290: Just Han (Soul Waves)

Time flew quickly if you closed your eyes and allowed it to pass by with no desire to hold it back. The first day had been difficult for Han struggling to come to terms with both the presence of Timothy and Iola gone, and yet it had been done.

Lessons were listened to, conversations ebbed passed him, but it also ended.

Then came the second and third, almost as difficult as the first one—the reality of things sinking into the man's psyche that even when Han Jing himself was gone, Han would lie awake in bed and wonder about the two's whereabouts.

And yet he also needed to rise from this.

There were things left in Timothy's room that Han himself sequestered for himself. He had done it before the other Students complained about the stench of nearly dozens of dead rats in Timothy's room. This was the night that Han focused on the books of magic and skills once gotten from the library.

It was where his [ Hastened Learning ] almost grew exponentially.

Without the prior knowledge and some held inner arrogance about what he did and didn't know, Han burned through the midnight oil in learning and studying. He soaked up the information like a sponge and even woke up to a sore neck after falling asleep at the table.

Although, until now, it was still difficult for him to cast magic and spells.

Even just reading and trying to wrap his head around a Tier 3 Spell had been enough to make his nose to bleed profusely. Han then focused on the basics and he actually had [ Mana Control ] to practice on as he used [ Mana Sense ] to become more attuned to the mana flowing around the Academy and using it for his benefit.

Han's entire time would almost revolve around this.

He'd wake up, head to class, and actually tried to listen and soak up High Mage Ylena Pierce's words—did not anybody know who this old soft-spoken grandmother was? She was somebody in the famed Hero's party, and her words on magical theory helped ease his already aching head.

Now for the Combat Spells with Professor Howard Carnus… they were still terrible—Han would end up running around avoiding quick orbs of magical death so many times that it was like his [ Basic Reflexes ] and [ Basic Agility ] had both leveled up to an advanced version.

The same could be said for Physical Combat, where his physique was trained and honed to a good extent. While he made use of his Skill that enabled him to throw things with great accuracy on standing objects with unerring accuracy, he would also wind up getting more endurance for himself.

One might have almost thought that he was nothing but a robot—robot… it was a strange word that latched on Han's mind, but it almost felt like it was akin to that. Something comparable to becoming a cog in the wheels of time?

He conversed with the people who talked with him, both Sir Leon de Harrington to even Lady Penelope Primrose at rare occurrences, but no matter their desire to keep in touch with Han… it felt strange to do so.

Han understood that Timothy Cook-Crowel was gone, and it was the guy who mocked him when both of them were kids—heck, even when he had become a teenager and helped around the village chores, that bratty kid still made fun of him.

While the two of them had grown closer?

Yes, closer as much as he could recall their times together… right now, he did not wish to converse about this with Lady Angelika, nor would he have approached the creepy Mage that kept popping out of nowhere trying to interrogate him.

Han only had one thing in mind—that was to learn, grow, and succeed.

Seriously, that was all he wanted to do. What was life if not to become a fortunate man living a good life? This was his one desire and now that he brought himself out of his village and into the capital city, Han was sure as hell that he'd do anything to make his wish into a reality.

He had no one.

Nobody in his life to live for, no parents, no loved ones he held dear—even though, sometimes the Half Elf approached him out of nowhere to talk with him. And there was even that cute girl with the golden hair and eyes that sometimes looked at him during Physical Combat Class. Could she and the others be called friends and companions? He really didn't know if it was a yes.

The others might think of it as a yes, but what about his thoughts?

Han was first a Rogue… well, he was a Peasant.

A young man living under the current reign of the King Indrus Sargon, and he gained Skills for the first time when he went out of his way to go to the Enchanted Forest. But neglecting that Class and the Student one bestowed upon him during his entry, he first became a Rogue.

This was a suiting Class for someone suited to work alone like he had been doing, and though he might have helped Becky with the milking of the cows or Old Man Joseph with the harvesting of crops—he only saw them as things he needed to do, not something Class worthy.

That was probably the reason why it never crossed his mind back then.

It was like he had only lived his entire life in a trance, and only with vague recollection and memory of those events for over the two decades of his life. But now he was finally thinking about all of these things primarily because of Professor Owen Liddell.

Class Advancement.

What else did he need to do? Han had the Rogue, but he also managed to get the Psion Class—and it was something that even the Professor himself looked back on twice when they conversed after class.

"You have the Rogue class and also the Psion one?" Professor Owen Liddell looked at him in quiet contemplation. "It is an interesting combination, but I can see a possible synergy between the two. The Rogue might have more need for speed, dexterity while the Psion, if I understand correctly based on your Skills, is of someone functioning close to a Mind Mage."

"Then what Class should I choose in the future?"

"If you have been paying attentively—while it is possible to unlock certain Classes if you achieved and completed certain circumstances… In the end, most people would be surprised at what Class they'll get. I can map out some possible ones you can get, but I need to look more into Psionic."

"Thank you, Professor."

"Let's see, you told me you've obtained [ Mana Sense ], [ Mana Control ] and [ Mental Fortitude ] even though it's not a Mage class. Which is interesting, because I haven't heard of it in a while? It is no doubt a rare Class, something even I have scarcely known about."

"... Yes." Han said, hesitating only for a second.

Professor Owen looked back at him silently. "And that is all that you have with you? For this Psion class at least."

There was a knowing look in the man's eyes.

He inwardly sighed and scratched his head. "I am not sure if I can even use [ Detect Thoughts ] and [ Telepathy ] properly, which is why I'm actually embarrassed to even mention it."

"Really?" the Professor raised a brow. "I would have thought that you preferred to keep it a secret and it would have been alright with me as well. Whatever allows you to sleep better at night—because it does seem like you're not getting it."

"I'm working hard to catch up, Professor."

"I can see that."

And those were just the words that Han needed to hear. There was no use in hiding his Skills, if what the book and lessons said was true—there were certain people who could look into your Class and even Skills.

The Headmaster had already read and graded him and Timothy as lower than average before, and it really didn't make sense if a Professor of Class Advancement Class and other Professors did not have some sort of Skill that allowed them to assess each Student.

Even though Professor Owen never explicitly said it, his tone was enough of an answer.

The older man clapped him on the shoulder, "You're a fast leveler it seems, and you're gaining more Skills per level than most people. It's interesting to note how much stronger you'll be if you keep up with this pace."

Han was never the type to play around with people or engage in mental games—he was a man who lived a simple life.

But this sounded like a challenge for him.

And while he didn't fully trust the Professor, because it felt like a game of cat and mouse where the feline was devilishly tangling cheese in front of him—their conversation right now also helped.

"We're already late for our next class, your classmates are already at the outer courtyard. Go on ahead so we can actually have the Defense against Mages and Fighters and show me your best shot. We'll see what we can do from there. Let me just get a drink before I meet you guys outside."

The older man practically threw him out of the room.

"Very suspicious," Han glanced back over his shoulder. The man was dubious, but he would also get what he wanted hopefully. A list of Class tracks he could pursue? Professor Owen Liddell had already explained that most secrets of Classes were… exactly as one expected it to be: Secrets.

Only a few knew.

Obtaining this information was a key to his desire to grow stronger.

—-—-

Author's Note: It's just Han and I guess Professor Owen Liddell. But it's mostly just Han. Soul Waves if you will. But ah, I'm also here to market Professor Owen Liddell's Origin Story available at Potion Bar System. Hit that one right up, will you? xD Or maybe when it has more chapters, I guess. Thank you for reading~