Chapter-01 · EP-006

Episode 6: First Skill Lesson

"Today, we'll be explaining skills. First, I'll give a theoretical explanation about skills here in the classroom, then we'll head to the dungeon entrance to actually confirm the skills of those who possess them. Don't get too excited and carried away by your first encounter with skills. Approach this seriously."

Our first class since enrolling in Dungeon Academy had begun.

My interest in dungeons was insatiable; I had already read the textbook and prepared for today's lesson. It felt more like reading game strategy guides than studying, and the more I learned, the more interesting it became.

"First, what exactly are skills? I'm sure you all already know, but let me explain again. Skills are special abilities that manifest within the dungeon. You could also call them superpowers or magic. Broadly speaking, they are divided into magical skills, physical enhancement skills, and special skills such as Appraisal or Presence Detection."

Our homeroom teacher, Majima, explained while writing representative skills on the blackboard.

"Offensive magical skills generally consist of four main types: Fire Magic, Water Magic, Wind Magic, and Earth Magic. There are also minor ones like Light Magic and Dark Magic, and even rarer ones like Ice Magic, or the unique skill possessed by Murasakimura, Lightning Magic."

Hearing that Murasakimura possessed a unique skill, a murmur of "Ohh!" rippled through the classmates.

And Lightning Magic? How cool was that! He was good at academics, good at athletics, and now he even had a unique skill—he was seriously amazing. Was he a bundle of talent?

My classmates gazed at Murasakimura with envy, but he didn't seem particularly happy about it. He remained completely calm.

The teacher continued his explanation.

"Fire Magic, as the name suggests, is magic that generates fire from nothing. By controlling this fire, shaping it into a stable fireball, and then launching it at high speed toward a monster, it becomes what is commonly known as the Fireball spell."

Suddenly, it felt like a fantasy world discussion.

Just imagining being able to use Fireball seemed fun. It would probably feel like becoming a wizard wearing robes, carrying a staff, and sporting a long white beard.

Unfortunately, no one in D-Class possessed Fire Magic.

"Similarly, Water Magic allows you to shoot a water sphere, a Water Ball. Earth Magic allows you to generate stones in the air and shoot them—Stone Bullet. Wind Magic doesn't generate matter but manipulates the air to create a vacuum and strike monsters—a spell called Wind Cutter. These spells can truly create matter from nothing. If someone could use magic to create gold, they might strike it rich. Well, no such skill has been discovered yet."

I had read in a book that although the flames of Fire Magic produce high heat, they apparently don't burn oxygen. Experiments conducted by NASA proved that Fire Magic flames could be generated even in a vacuum. Also, while touching paper to Fire Magic flames in the presence of air immediately sets it alight, trying to burn paper with Fire Magic flames in a vacuum reportedly only scorches it black without it catching fire.

I didn't quite grasp the implications, but it said that magic is completely different from scientific phenomena. It was fascinating.

"Magical skills have something called Skill Level. Skill Level is different from Explorer Level. Raising your Explorer Level increases your physical abilities, while raising your Skill Level enhances the power of the skill itself. However, Skill Levels are said to be difficult to increase. It's said they increase more easily the more you use the skill. But using magic in a vacuum doesn't seem to raise the Skill Level. It's believed that using offensive magic against monsters within the dungeon accumulates skill experience points, leading to a level-up. 'Skill experience points' is a hypothesis. Whether such a thing truly exists hasn't been clarified, but currently, the mainstream view is that there is information within us that cannot be seen even on the Skill Board."

The Skill Board displays your name, level, possessed skills, and party members.

It is believed that beyond the information shown on the Skill Board, each of us has stats like Strength, Stamina, Agility, and so on. It's also said that the stat increases upon leveling up vary from person to person. One theory suggests that fighting with magic increases Intelligence, while fighting with physical strength increases Power.

Regarding leveling up, it's thought that when you defeat a monster, you gain hidden parameter experience points, and when you accumulate enough, you level up.

For example, going from Level 1 to Level 2 supposedly requires defeating around 100 slimes. It's unclear whether the experience value of slimes varies or the experience needed to level up varies, but there are those who level up after exactly 100, some faster, some slower. However, the average seems to be around 100, which is why the existence of experience points is theorized.

Skill Levels are even more complex, and the timing of Skill Level increases hasn't been fully elucidated yet.

"Also, besides offensive magic, there is a magical skill called Healing Magic. In this class, Hayasaka and Samejima possess it."

Yuno Hayasaka—she went to the same middle school as me; you could call her a childhood friend. She possessed Healing Magic.

And Shizuka Samejima—a girl with a sharp look in her eyes, one of the girls who had been surrounding Murasakimura before class.

"Healing Magic is even more difficult to level up than offensive magic. It's said that skill experience points accumulate when you heal an injured person inside the dungeon. Using Healing Magic outside the dungeon or on uninjured people is believed not to accumulate points. Since this academy's dungeon exploration program is designed to prevent serious injuries, you'll likely have few opportunities. However, once you become a dungeon explorer in society, it's a highly in-demand skill. Even if you don't become an explorer, some people reach Skill Level 2 or higher and take up the profession of Healer. Hayasaka, you said you wanted to become a Healer, right? Magical skills can only be used inside the dungeon at Level 1. You can't use them outside until you reach Level 2 or higher. Hayasaka, work hard to raise your Skill Level."

"I'll do my best!"

Hayasaka replied energetically.

"Next are Physical Enhancement Skills. When activated, they enhance your physical abilities for a certain period. There are skills that increase strength, skills that increase speed, and skills that harden the body to withstand monster attacks."

Apparently, several others in the class possessed Physical Enhancement Skills.

"Finally, Special Skills. These are varied. There's a skill called Analysis that can reveal the same information as the Skill Board. Using it on a person reveals name, level, possessed skills, and party members. Using it on a monster reveals its species name. Using it on a drop item reveals its name. The Detection Skill can detect the presence of living things or special items in the vicinity. Sendo has that Detection Skill, correct?"

"Yes. My skill is Presence Detection."

The handsome vice class president with the black-rimmed glasses, Sendo, sat up straight. He had a skill too.

He would probably form a party with his friend Murasakimura. Both of them had good grades and possessed skills. I was a bit envious.

"Hmm. There seem to be several types of Detection Skills with different detection methods, but Sendo's skill, as the name suggests, likely detects presence. Others include Heat Detection, which detects the heat of living things, and Creature Detection, which detects moving objects. All of them are useful skills for dungeon exploration. Sendo, I hope you master it well."

"Yes."

"Other skills like Poison Resistance, Paralysis Resistance, Hypnosis Resistance—these status ailment resistances are also classified as Special Skills. Physical Enhancement Skills and Special Skills do not have Skill Levels, and most of them can only be used within the dungeon. Magical Skills become usable outside the dungeon from Level 2 onwards, but if you use them and cause trouble, the crime is considered heavier than ordinary crimes. Basically, refrain from using any skills other than Healing Magic outside the dungeon."

After the explanation was over, our class headed towards the academy's dungeon.