After getting his haircut, Ren Isana returned home and began studying the magic books Director Ken had given him in the Spatial Ring. It seemed the director had stuffed quite a few of his own personal additions inside.
Having spent the past few days reading up on potions and mastering a wealth of pharmacological knowledge, Ren was finally ready to tackle these spells.
The collection included magic of every element, along with numerous auxiliary spells like concealment Arrays. This repository of magical knowledge was clearly aimed at cultivating an omnipotent mage.
Director Ken hadn't cared whether Ren could actually learn them all; he had simply dumped everything on him at once. There was even Advanced Magic mixed in, though Ren just took one look at it and tossed it aside.
It was completely beyond his current capabilities, so he decided to ignore it for now and learn it later when he was strong enough.
Ren began studying the Intermediate Magic. Once he figured out the casting principles and confirmed he could manifest the Magic Circles, he tossed those aside as well.
Barring any surprises, he probably wouldn't use most of these spells. After all, some of them were weaker than his own magic bullets. Fern's [Piercing Magic Bullet] alone was enough to last him a lifetime.
If there was any magic Ren truly needed right now, it would be various utility spells and nuclear-yield destructive magic—like explosion magic.
That was his current goal. Unfortunately, Director Ken's collection didn't contain any such earth-shattering spells; it only had single-target attacks and a few small-scale area-of-effect spells.
Once he learned them, he stopped worrying about it. If they proved useful, great; if not, they would stay at the bottom of his arsenal. His philosophy had always been: *I might not need to use it, but I can't afford not to have it.*
As for martial arts, most of the manuals covered fist techniques and saber arts. He could absorb all of these and integrate them into his [Ultimate Ghost Sword Art].
For the next two days, Ren stayed at home. Asuna and Hestia were busy running around buying supplies and didn't come over to bother him.
It wasn't until Monday that they finally came knocking on his door. When the two girls saw Ren's new haircut, they froze for a moment. His handsome features paired with the clean, refreshing hairstyle gave off an incredibly pleasant vibe.
Asuna already knew Ren was good-looking, but she hadn't expected him to look *this* handsome after a haircut. She couldn't help but steal a few extra glances, marveling inwardly at how dashing he was.
"So handsome! As expected of my Captain!" Hestia was much more direct, praising him on the spot. He really did look amazing like this.
"Thanks, I've always been this handsome. Wait a second, I'll be right out," Ren replied casually before heading back into his room to pack up some daily necessities.
After stuffing everything into his spatial storage, he stepped out, grabbed breakfast with the girls, and headed to school.
Just like before, the teachers were already waiting in front of the teaching building. However, this time, there were two new faces: a tall woman and a short, gothic lolita girl.
*New teachers?* Seeing the petite girl in the gothic lolita dress holding a small parasol, a name automatically popped into Ren's mind.
*Natsuki Minamiya... She's here too?* The other teacher had black hair and red eyes. She stood perfectly straight, exuding a very gentle aura, yet all Ren could sense from her was a lethal threat.
It felt as though she could kill him at any moment. This teacher was terrifyingly strong—even more intimidating than the feeling Shizuka Hiratsuka gave off when fighting at full strength.
Furthermore, this teacher looked incredibly familiar to Ren. That hairstyle, that appearance... A flurry of information flashed through his mind, and he quickly locked onto a name.
*Yor? It has to be her, right? Did she become a teacher in this world?* Ren felt incredibly surprised after confirming her identity.
*Is she going to the other world with us? If so, that might be great news.* In a world like this, even Shizuka Hiratsuka had been buffed; it stood to reason that Yor would be strengthened as well.
Ren walked forward calmly. Rina-sensei noticed him immediately and waved him over.
Seeing her gesture, Ren quickened his pace and approached the three of them. Once he was close, Rina-sensei introduced him to the two new teachers.
"This is Ren Isana, the Captain of the Hestia Familia. Ren, these two are your new teachers. This is Natsuki Minamiya, and this is Yor. One will teach magic, and the other will teach various weapons," Rina-sensei explained, introducing both sides.
Hearing their names confirmed his suspicions. It really was Yor. And Natsuki Minamiya was coming along too—was she their safety guarantee?
After all, Natsuki Minamiya specialized in spatial magic. Having her accompany them would undoubtedly provide the greatest possible protection for everyone.
The school had clearly put a lot of thought into this arrangement. Otherwise, they wouldn't have dispatched a spatial magic expert to travel with them.
The two teachers turned their gazes toward Ren. They had just heard that there was a student in this class with an absurdly overpowered talent—someone who could learn almost anything just by looking at it.
Furthermore, his strength was on a completely different level from his peers; Ren was leaps and bounds ahead of everyone else. The two new teachers looked at him with surprise.
"Hello, Professors," Ren greeted them politely, feeling their stares.
Hearing his greeting, Yor smiled happily. "Hello, Ren-kun. I look forward to working with you."
"Hello." Compared to Yor, Natsuki Minamiya simply gave a stern nod, as if trying to maintain her authoritative image as a teacher. The two sides briefly got acquainted.
Natsuki Minamiya then continued, "From now on, we are the supervisors in charge of your expedition to the other world. You can come to me anytime if you have any issues. Normally, aside from teaching you magical knowledge, we won't interfere too much with your activities."
Natsuki Minamiya earnestly explained their roles to Ren and the others. She was the primary supervisor, while Yor was her deputy. The two of them would be fully responsible for the class's journey in the other world.
"In addition, Shizuka-sensei will also be joining you. The three of them will be your main chaperones," Rina-sensei chimed in to clarify.
Shizuka Hiratsuka hadn't arrived yet, but she was part of the team, which meant they at least had one familiar face with them. As Ren pondered this, Rina-sensei began introducing Hestia to the two teachers.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, these women would be spending a lot of time together. After all, Hestia couldn't follow Ren and the students down into the Dungeon, so she would naturally hang out with the teachers.
Beyond that, Rina-sensei hoped Hestia would grant the two teachers her Falna. That way, they could officially be considered members of the Hestia Familia.
This was an idea the teachers had discussed beforehand. Hestia didn't mind at all—in fact, she was thrilled. This meant the two powerful teachers would become her people.
While Hestia took the two teachers aside to bestow her Falna, Ren returned to his squad. Asuna and the others had overheard the conversation.
*Two new teachers... They look really strong. I wonder if they're easy to get along with?* Asuna and the girls were whispering among themselves. Seeing Ren return, Asuna quietly asked him, "Do you think those two teachers will be hard to get along with? That Natsuki-sensei seems so strict."
Asuna voiced her concerns. Hearing this, Ren chuckled in amusement. "They shouldn't be too hard to get along with. Maybe she's just a bit serious on the surface?"
Asuna wasn't entirely convinced. *Is that really it?* She actually felt that the other teacher seemed much more approachable.
Ren didn't dwell on the topic. Instead, he looked at Megumi and said, "Megumi, that Yor-sensei is likely a master with daggers. You should ask her for guidance."
Megumi looked a bit surprised by his suggestion, but she nodded. "Okay, I will."
*A master with daggers?* If that was true, she really needed to seek her out for advice. After all, she was currently just a blank-slate Tier 3 novice.
She naturally looked forward to having someone teach her. Otherwise, relying solely on what she had learned so far, it would be far too difficult to expand her combat repertoire.
"A dagger master, huh? I wish there was a swordmaster here to teach me," Asuna said, feeling a twinge of envy after hearing Ren's advice.
She wanted to master some new Sword Skills too. Her current arsenal was far too limited, consisting of nothing but basic sword techniques.
"A swordmaster? Then why don't you just ask me?" Ren's lips curled into a slight smirk. "I can put together a set of rapier techniques for you, and I guarantee they'll suit you perfectly!"
No one understood what kind of moves suited Asuna better than Ren did. She just needed to ask him directly; there was no need to wait for anyone else.
Asuna couldn't help but look at him, suddenly realizing her blind spot. *Right, why look far and wide when the answer is right in front of me?* Ren could easily help her.
"Care to elaborate?" Asuna's interest was instantly piqued, and she eagerly pressed him for details. Ren knew her talents inside and out, and he had learned a ton of Sword Skills. He really might be able to help her.
"Come on, hand me your sword. I'll give you a demonstration." Seeing her enthusiasm, Ren naturally didn't mind lending a hand. He reached out for her weapon, planning to tailor a set of moves for her.
Or rather, he planned to teach her the Sword Skills that rightfully belonged to her. The rapier techniques Asuna had used in the game were already flashing through his mind.
Hearing this, Asuna didn't waste any time. She pulled her rapier out of her Spatial Backpack and handed it over.
Gripping the rapier, Ren walked over to an empty clearing nearby. Asuna, Megumi, and the others followed close behind. Naturally, their movements drew the attention of their classmates.
*What are they up to?* Everyone turned to watch. Ren removed the scabbard and looked at Asuna. "Watch closely. I'll slow down my attack speed so you can see it clearly."
Asuna nodded eagerly. She stared at Ren with intense focus, incredibly curious about what kind of swordplay he was about to unleash.
Ren held the lightweight rapier vertically in front of him and assumed a combat stance. The next moment, the rapier thrust forward rapidly. In the span of a single second, he unleashed five consecutive thrusts into the air.
And this was with Ren deliberately slowing down; otherwise, he could have been much faster. The rapid strikes tore through the air with a sharp whistle. Those with weaker dynamic vision only heard a series of *swish, swish, swish* sounds before Ren sheathed the blade.
"This is [Neutron Impact]. Five strikes in one second, making it impossible to defend against." Someone without fast enough reflexes might block the first strike, but they would never be able to block the other four.
Asuna nodded. She actually used similar rapid thrusts quite often, so she wasn't too surprised. The main event had to be what came next, right? If it was just this, it wouldn't be of much use to her.
But the next Sword Skill Ren demonstrated made her eyes light up. Ren cast a [Lightness Technique] on himself and suddenly lunged forward.
He opened with an immediate eight-hit combo. Utilizing the agility granted by the [Lightness Technique], he launched a blistering assault. The flashing blade looked like a single streak of light, but within that brief window, it was impossible to tell just how many times he had thrust the sword.
Asuna's rapier displayed terrifying power in Ren's hands. The onlookers could only process his extreme attack speed, with every single strike flowing seamlessly into the next.
The entire purpose was to overwhelm the opponent's defenses. As long as she was fast enough and her attack angles were tricky enough, the enemy would be powerless to guard against her. This was exactly how Asuna's talent was meant to be used.
Striking so fast that the opponent couldn't even react was all she needed. Witnessing this ultimate thrusting speed made Asuna's eyes shine. *That's right! With my talent, I just need to perfect the art of the 'thrust'.*
Using her talent to unleash a frenzied barrage of combos that bypassed all defenses would guarantee victory. If the enemy failed to block, they would die. Once she pushed her thrusts to the absolute limit, she could pierce straight through any shield or barrier.
After finishing his demonstration, Ren stopped, lowered the sword, and walked back to Asuna. "Did you catch that? Practice like this from now on."
With that, he handed the rapier back to her. Asuna nodded emphatically. Of course she understood; she had an epiphany the moment Ren showed her the moves.
Her talent was called [Flash Sword Domain]. Since that was the case, she needed to turn the entire area within her striking range into her personal domain.
The moment an enemy stepped into her territory, she would strike them down instantly. Just thinking about it fired her up. She resolved to focus all her future training in this direction.
She immediately began asking Ren for the specific details of the various techniques. Asuna was incredibly satisfied with this set of Sword Skills and couldn't wait to master them as quickly as possible.
Watching this scene made Yukino Yukinoshita burn with envy. Truth be told, she only used a short sword because it was convenient; she wasn't actually proficient with it. Furthermore, her Status board didn't list anything like [Sword Mastery].
All she had was [Close Combat], and her developmental ability leaned toward being a brawler. In other words, she wasn't suited for swords at all; her true calling was hand-to-hand combat.
Yukino began to seriously consider whether she should ask Ren for some pointers. After all, he was genuinely a master at this. Perhaps he could tailor a combat style for her, just like he did for Asuna?
Just as she was lost in thought, the teachers returned, and Shizuka Hiratsuka was now with them. The rest of the classmates had also gradually gathered. Rina-sensei did a quick headcount, and upon confirming everyone was present, she turned to Natsuki Minamiya.
"Natsuki-sensei, all the students are here. I'll leave the rest to you." With this, her task was complete. The rest of the journey was in the hands of these chaperones.
Natsuki Minamiya nodded. She swept her gaze over the students and stepped forward to officially begin her first address. The class watched in pin-drop silence, all of them incredibly curious about exactly how they were going to travel to the other world.