The minimum credits required to complete in a single semester were thirty-five.
Out of those, the credits I could freely choose were twenty or more, after subtracting the fifteen credits already assigned to morning classes.
I had no choice but to arrange my timetable as efficiently as possible within that limit.
‘I need to factor in breaks between classes, too.’
Truthfully, if I could have it my way, I’d pack my schedule so tight that there wouldn’t be a single free period left.
I wanted to take classes from nine in the morning until nine the next morning — practically a full twenty-four hours of lectures.
Even on weekends, I’d be in class. And whenever I had any time left over, I’d train.
If I truly wanted to grow stronger — strong enough to face what was to come — then this was the only way.
Unlike the game, where credits were capped at thirty-five, reality placed no such limit on me.
But still — I was only human.
‘Classes all day, training in between, managing the kids, keeping an eye on the storyline — what am I, a machine? Who could possibly do all that?’
Unlike the characters who obeyed the player’s every command, I was breathing, living, and bleeding in this world.
No matter how desperate I was, there was no way I could endure such a suffocating schedule for three years straight.
Eventually, my body would break down — or worse, my mind would.
And in that moment, it wouldn’t be the world that tried to kill me — it would be me, doing it to myself.
Of course, maybe I could still achieve my goal that way, by running myself into the ground.
‘And after that?’
Life wasn’t a game.
It didn’t end once you cleared your objective.
When I stopped the apocalypse — when I saved the world — I’d still have to keep living in it.
I didn’t want to limp through my remaining years, broken in body and mind, living out some miserable, half-life.
After all, the reason I wanted to prevent the world’s end in the first place was so that I could live well, not out of some noble sense of sacrifice.
I couldn’t afford to forget that.
I’d never intended to become a hero.
I was an egotist — a ‘benevolent’ one, maybe, but an egotist all the same.
‘Anyway… to graduate, I need to take these classes at least.’
As a first-year student of the Swordsmanship Division, there were three core courses I had to complete in my first semester.
Introductory Swordsmanship I.
History of Eastern and Western Swordsmanship I.
Introductory Sparring I.
Each was worth two credits, running for two hours at a time.
Thankfully, there were multiple sessions for each course, so I could choose whichever time and instructor suited me best.
[Would you like to add ‘Introductory Swordsmanship I’?]
Yes (Selected) / No
Logging into the academy’s website, I dropped the three core courses into my course basket.
‘I’ll stick with this setup for now — if any clash with other classes I want later, I’ll just adjust the schedule.’
It was a shame, really. These core courses didn’t offer any significant gains.
[Introductory Swordsmanship I]
Instructor/Time/Location: Su-ho-guk / Mon 6-7 / Martial Arts Hall 103
Completion Reward: Gain skill [Sword Mastery] → Increases level of [Sword Mastery]
[History of Eastern and Western Swordsmanship I]
Instructor/Time/Location: Park Ji-hyun / Wed 6-7 / Academic Hall 301
Completion Reward: Increases acquisition efficiency for all sword-related skills; improves proficiency for all sword skills (Lv. 5 or lower)
[Introductory Sparring I]
Instructor/Time/Location: Su-ho-guk / Fri 6-7 / Martial Arts Hall 205
Completion Reward: Gain skill [Sword Sense] → Increases level of [Sword Sense]
That was about all there was to gain. Not nothing — but not nearly enough, either.
But I needed them to graduate, so I had no choice.
I pushed aside my disappointment and turned my focus to the remaining fourteen credits.
‘I have to choose classes that matter.’
I couldn’t afford to waste a single credit.
I needed classes that would make up for my weaknesses, strengthen me, and help me handle the story as it unfolded.
I already had a few in mind.
I scoured the course catalog and added them to my basket.
[Villain Countermeasure Training]
Type/Credits: Specialized (Swordsmanship) / 2
Instructor/Time/Location: Su-ho-guk / Tue 8-9 / Martial Arts Hall 307
Completion Reward: Gain skill [Close-Quarters Combat]
The first class was Villain Countermeasure Training.
[Close-Quarters Combat] was a skill that improved my accuracy and evasion when fighting people — villains, traitors, or even demons — rather than monsters.
With the battles to come, there was no question I needed this.
[Extreme Mountain March]
Type/Credits: Specialized (Swordsmanship) / 2
Instructor/Time/Location: Su-ho-guk / Thu 8-9 / Dimensional Hall 209
Completion Reward: Gain skill [Hard Skin]
Additional: +1 to Endurance (only if Endurance is under 60)
The second course, Extreme Mountain March, was also run by Su-ho-guk of the Sword of Retribution Dormitory.
The [Hard Skin] skill formed a barrier around my flesh using mana, reducing the impact of any strike that made contact.
Until now, I’d relied either on defensive stances or pure instinct to dodge. This would be my first proper defensive technique.
‘Plus, it’ll raise my Endurance.’
Among my physical stats, my Endurance was the lowest, aside from Luck and Mana.
It governed my resistance and defensive ability.
Being able to increase it while learning [Hard Skin] was more than worth it.
Of course, to raise my Endurance, I’d have to earn it — probably by getting beaten within an inch of my life.
‘Honestly, Endurance training is always the worst.’
It was going to be brutal.
But that was fine.
This was the price of growing stronger — taking the hits when they came.
[Base Defense]
Type/Credits: General Education / 2
Instructor/Time/Location: Moon Su-seong / Wed 10-11 / Dimensional Hall 401
Completion Reward: Gain skill [Charisma], Gain skill [Command & Leadership]
The third course, Base Defense, offered not one but two skills.
[Charisma] and [Command & Leadership].
[Charisma] let me draw attention, sometimes causing enemy attacks to miss, or amplifying the buffs I received.
[Command & Leadership] made it less likely for those under my command to disobey orders.
In the game, neither skill was especially popular.
‘They were borderline useless back then.’
[Charisma] looked great on paper but was awkward in practice.
If you weren’t a Guardian-class character, drawing aggro did more harm than good — it only split the aggro that should have stayed with the Guardian.
Besides, plenty of other skills enhanced buff effects just as well.
As for [Command & Leadership], most characters rarely disobeyed commands anyway — unless you were dealing with someone like Do-gyeon-woo.
Even then, raising the skill level didn’t help much.
No wonder no one cared for either skill.
In the game, anyway.
‘But here — in this world — things might be different.’
According to the skill description, which the game never fully implemented, [Charisma] didn’t just pull aggro — it made your presence impossible to ignore.
People would hesitate to face you directly. Your words would carry more weight.
When dealing with real people who had real will — not NPCs — [Charisma] could tilt the psychological balance in my favor.
And with [Command & Leadership] as well, I’d have fewer headaches when leading a party in the future.
In a world without players — where I had to play the player’s role — I couldn’t afford to dismiss it.
[Understanding Circuits and Rituals]
Type/Credits: General Education / 2
Instructor/Time/Location: Hong Ye-na / Thu 4-5 / Martial Arts Hall 502
Completion Reward: +1 Mana (if Mana is under 60)
The fourth course I chose was Understanding Circuits and Rituals.
It was a fairly advanced class, designed to help students comprehend the structure of magic through circuits and ritual arrays, to implement and adapt them freely.
Whether I could actually keep up was another question altogether. But since the instructor was Hong Ye-na, she’d probably go easy on me if I ever slipped up.
And if not… well, I could always threaten to go on strike as vice-representative.
‘I’d rather take something easier, but I don’t have a choice if I want my Mana up.’
My current Mana stat was 54. Even excluding the effect of the Ring of Clarity, it had finally pushed into the 50s.
Which meant I had nothing more to gain from classes that required Mana below 50.
So my only option was to take courses that allowed for Mana under 60.
[Understanding Light Elemental Magic (2nd Circle)]
Type/Credits: General Education / 2
Instructor/Time/Location: Hong Ye-na / Mon 8-9 / Martial Arts Hall 502
Completion Reward: Acquire skill related to 2nd Circle Light Elemental Magic; all such skills’ levels increase; +1 Mana (if Mana is under 60)
My fifth course followed the same logic — Understanding Light Elemental Magic (2nd Circle).
I could already use Light Elemental Magic up to the 2nd Circle thanks to Hong Ye-na’s tutoring.
But I hadn’t mastered it enough to progress to the 3rd Circle — so to improve my skill levels, I’d decided to enroll in this course too.
‘Now comes the tricky part…’
I was down to four credits.
I stared at my laptop screen, lost in thought.
‘What should I prioritize next…?’
I already had classes to raise my Endurance and Mana, so I figured I should focus on my other physical stats now.
Stamina: 66 (63 + 3)
Strength: 60
Agility: 72 (69 + 3)
Luck: 33
Among these, Stamina, Strength, and Agility could each be raised through three-credit courses that required the base stat to be below 70.
‘Agility… won’t do.’
My Agility’s base was already 69.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea to push it over 70 now, but it was too risky. If I gained even a single point elsewhere in the meantime, I’d get nothing from the class.
‘Then Strength?’
Between Stamina and Strength, the lower stat was Strength, so it made sense to focus on that first.
Balanced growth was important.
But then, my eyes fell to the Luck stat.
‘Five years of work, and I’ve barely raised it by eight points…’
Luck was harder to raise than Mana.
Unlike other attributes, Luck was a realm so rooted in talent that no amount of effort could guarantee improvement.
In fact, one could argue that Luck at 33 and Strength at 60 were comparable thresholds — if not tipping slightly in Luck’s favor in terms of difficulty.
So…
‘I’ll raise Luck.’
I needed to boost it while I had the chance.
Especially since Luck influenced my innate Evasion Instinct — there was no reason to neglect it.
I adjusted my search filters and hunted for classes that could raise Luck.
“Ha-neul, you’re taking this one too, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right. You’re thinking of taking it too?”
“That’s the plan.”
Yeon-ha-neul’s Luck stat was 27 — the lowest among us.
Earlier, I’d suggested this course to her for that very reason.
Might as well take it together.
I turned my laptop so she could see my course basket. She perked up her rabbit-like ears, leaning in so close her face nearly brushed the screen.
“Yeah, that’s the one. Perfect! We can take it together, then.”
Yeon-ha-neul’s voice sounded especially bright. She nodded enthusiastically.
I double-checked the details.
[Dice Game]
Type/Credits: Practical / 2
Instructor/Time/Location: So Guk-jin / Tue 4-5 / Culture Hall 103
Completion Reward: +1 Luck
[Mysteries of the Human Body]
Type/Credits: Humanities / 2
Instructor/Time/Location: Park Ah-young / Fri 8-9 / Humanities Hall 304
Completion Reward: +1 Luck
Dice Game and Mysteries of the Human Body.
I couldn’t see what either had to do with Luck, but who was I to question good fortune?
They weren’t theory-heavy or complex like magic or combat classes either — just practical and humanities courses that should be fairly relaxed.
Even the grading system wasn’t so strict — we could take it easy and still benefit.
I was perfectly fine with that.
‘Technically, a timetable isn’t set in stone until registration closes, but in my case, that doesn’t really matter.’
Not every student got to take every course they wanted.
Seats were limited, so when registration opened, it was practically a war zone to secure a spot.
But people like me, Yeon-ha-neul, and the rest of us didn’t have to worry.
Thanks to our stellar entrance grades, we had Goldsteel Coins to spend.
‘If there was ever a time to use them, it’s now.’
Placing a coin on a course guaranteed you a spot, regardless of the signup rush.
The more coins you staked, the better your odds for popular classes.
No reason to worry. My timetable was basically set in stone.
“I’m heading out now.”
“Why? Dinner’s soon. Stay and eat with us.”
“Sorry — I’ve got studying to do. Invite me next time.”
Having finalized her schedule, Min A-rin had no more business here. She headed back to the dorms without hesitation.
She hated wasting time when she could be working toward her goals.
With no other choice, we let her go and killed time at the café until dinner.
That was when a message came in from Lisa.
I opened the private chat she’d sent.
Lisa: Gyeon-woo, are you free right now? Please help me ㅠㅠ
Lisa hadn’t been able to join us today because of a prior commitment.
I knew she’d promised to help some students in her class arrange their schedules, doing her part as vice-representative.
So I figured that was what she was busy with now.
But I was still curious about what she needed from me.
Me: Why? What’s going on?
Lisa: Well… you’re in the Swordsmanship Division, right? I need to know how to build a proper schedule for a swordsmanship student…
Me: Aren’t you in the White Magic Division?
Lisa: Ah, not for me! It’s for someone in my class. He’s a disciple of Master Tu-gwi ^^;
Last night, over drinks, Lisa had mentioned she’d ended up in the same class as Kang Han-byeol, Tu-gwi’s disciple.
She also said that Instructor Su-ho-guk had asked her and Bak Sa-gun to look after him, since Han-byeol was utterly clueless about the world.
Just like in the game.
I’d figured her plans for today were related to that.
And, as it turned out, I’d been right — she was now helping him finalize his schedule too.
But there was a problem.
Lisa: This is Han-byeol’s current schedule.
Lisa: (Attached: Kang Han-byeol’s schedule)
Me: Did he actually make it like this?
Lisa: Yes… It’s such a mess. Sa-gun and I tried to help, but since we’re not in the Swordsmanship Division, there was only so much we could do.
Lisa: Could we use your timetable as a reference?
I looked over Kang Han-byeol’s so-called “schedule.”
Intro to Memorization I, Basic Shieldsmanship I, Intro to Basic Magic I, Basic Spearmanship I, Basic Archery I, Intro to Alchemy I…
There was no focus — no single path to build on. Total chaos.
And, unbelievably, there were no breaks. He’d stacked classes from first period to twelfth, even on weekends, pushing himself well over thirty-five credits.
No human could handle that.
‘Probably because there’s no player to steer him.’
I could understand, though.
In the game, Han-byeol’s schedule was always set by the player, not him.
But here, without anyone to rein him in, he’d gone off the rails.
Han-byeol had talent in every field, so depending on the player’s taste, he could branch into different specializations.
Knowing him, he’d probably built this monstrosity out of sheer enthusiasm, determined to master everything at once.
‘Without a player, no one was there to hold his reins. If only Instructor Yu No-eul were still advising him… but since she’s my homeroom teacher now, it makes sense things ended up like this.’
In any case, it worked out for me.
‘Now I can shape Han-byeol’s build exactly how I want it.’
I’d planned out his training path a long time ago.
Swordsmanship as the base, and covering his weak points to make him unstoppable.
Me: Here’s my schedule.
Me: (Attached: Do-gyeon-woo’s schedule)
Me: The instructors and times are solid. Just copy this for him.
Lisa: Exactly the same?
Me: Yeah, but drop Mysteries of the Human Body and Dice Game. He won’t need those.
Lisa: How do you know?
Me: And take out Base Defense too.
Me: Change Understanding Elemental Magic to 1st Circle.
Lisa: Light element? But shouldn’t he align with his affinity?
Me: It’ll be Light. Trust me.
Lisa: How do you know that?
Me: Didn’t you say yesterday that his personality was all ‘pure-hearted shining knight’? Seems pretty Light to me.
Lisa: Gyeon-woo, personality and elemental affinity aren’t always related…
Me: Then ask him yourself.
Lisa: Okay, I’ll do that.
In my past life, I’d been an old veteran of this game.
I remembered Kang Han-byeol’s affinity was the same as mine — Light.
Sure enough, she confirmed it.
Lisa: He says his affinity really is Light.
Me: Good. Then set it up that way. Oh — make sure Instructor Hong Ye-na handles it too.
Lisa: Okay, I’ll do that.
And just like that, I’d left my mark on Kang Han-byeol’s timetable.
A satisfied smile tugged at the corner of my lips.
We’d be taking a lot of the same classes now — I’d be able to keep an eye on him naturally.
Which suited me perfectly.
At the same time—
Me: What about you? Did you finish your schedule?
Lisa: I was thinking something like this!
Lisa: (Attached: Lisa’s timetable)
I decided to take a look at Lisa’s schedule too.
It wasn’t bad — it was actually well-balanced for a supporter.
Her slots were spread out nicely to help her manage the party from the rear.
But if there was one thing that bothered me…
‘She needs to boost her basic offensive ability.’
Lisa rarely fought on the front lines — she was there to support the party, keep them alive and steady.
But if the front line ever collapsed, there’d be no one to protect her.
I couldn’t let her remain so defenseless. She needed at least enough power to protect herself.
Luckily, there was a perfect class for that.
[Pole Dance]
Type/Credits: Practical / 2
Instructor/Time/Location: An Hye-ri / Tue 8-9 / Culture Hall 505
Completion Reward: +1 Stamina (if below 50), +1 Strength (if below 50), Improves staff weapon attack skills, Increases character charm.
Pole Dance.
A dance performed spinning and twisting around a fixed pole.
In the game, it was practically the quintessential class for developing Lisa in the early stages.
‘I never did figure out what pole dancing had to do with staff combat skills… but for Lisa, it’s unmatched at this stage.’
It even raised Strength — exactly what she needed.
Unfortunately, her Stamina was already at 50, so that bonus wouldn’t apply.
Still, it was well worth it.
The only catch was… convincing Lisa to actually take it.
I paused, fingers hovering above my phone’s keyboard, racking my brain for a decent excuse.
Eventually, I managed to piece together something vaguely plausible.
Me: Instead of what you have for Tue 8-9, how about this one instead?
Me: (Link: Pole Dance course syllabus)
Me: This one.
Lisa: I’ll check… Wait… Pole Dance?
Me: Yeah, I feel like it really suits you.
Me: You see, pole dancing… Well, with your personality, you know — you’d reach a state of oneness with the pole—
I’d probably never said anything more ridiculous in my life.
But miraculously, she bought it, or at least, she humored me.
Lisa stared at the screen, her expression clearly conflicted, then finally caved with a resigned sigh.
Lisa: If you really think it’ll help me… I’ll try it, Gyeon-woo.
Me: You’ll be great at it. I believe in you!
Lisa: Haha… ^_^;
She sent back her updated schedule.
Pole Dance was slotted in, right where I’d suggested.
Satisfied, I showered her with praise before closing our chat.
‘Now… I really should meet Han-byeol soon and start building rapport.’
Ideally, I’d get closer to him before we started running into each other in class.
I was just mulling over how best to approach him when—
“Pole… dance?”
“….”
“You really think doing that’ll make her prettier?”
The voice that sliced into my thoughts was colder than winter steel.
Only then did I realize — Yeon-ha-neul had been right beside me the whole time, watching everything unfold.
“…You want to do Pole Dance too?”
Yeon-ha-neul just smiled at me — that unnerving, serene smile that said I’d messed up big time.
“Never mind. Ha-neul, you’re already so pretty, you don’t even need it.”
“…!”
I knew it was the right answer the moment her rabbit ears shot straight up.
“Agh!”
“Stuff like that—!”
A sharp smack landed square on my back.
Ha-neul’s voice trembled with righteous fury.
“Other people should—!”
“Hey, wait, you’re, your Mana—!”
“Only do that—!”
Thwack. Thwack. Thwack.
“—When I’m not around, you idiot!”
Ha-neul might actually kill me at this rate.
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