Return Of The Strongest Player

The night passed in an instant.

As dawn approached, Arthur, Randy, Dino, Harry, and Jenny met up outside the hotel in casual attire. Since the training would begin tomorrow, the group wished to explore the Tutorial World as much as possible.

They would never be able to return to the world beneath the Outer District. Exploring was only beneficial, considering their time in the Tutorial World would revolve around training and preparing for the second trial once the dawn of tomorrow shone upon them.

It was only a matter of time before life became an endless cycle of training and resting for the next couple of weeks. After that, the newbies would stake their lives at a chance to become players and enter the Outer District, where they could access the first floor.

"The weather is nice," said Jenny, staring at the light-blue sky and puffy, white clouds that floated around. The Sun was artificial, but they didn't take away from its majesty. Its rays provided a sense of warmth and illumination to the entire world.

"Truly," said Harry, reinforcing her words as he stared absent-mindedly at the soaring sea.

Arthur, Jenny, Harry, Dino, and Randy had only just exited the hotel, and were continuing aimlessly on the sidewalk. They continued without a destination in their mind, simply observing the world.

"It's much more advanced than my planet," said Arthur. 

As the group continued, they were eventually forced to choose their destination. After much consideration, they settled on a famous cafe a few kilometers away from the hotel they were staying at. The cafe was renowned across the world, and was a staple that newbies must try at least once.

As they arrived at their destination, Arthur and the others gazed upon the cafe in all its glory. It was a tiny building, but a Spatial spell enlarged it from within. There was a signboard out front that said, "Hummers Cafe." 

Since the interior was much larger, there wasn't a significantly long line to enter. Arthur and the others were able to enter the cafe after a few minutes of waiting. They secured a table before ordering shortly after.

"I didn't think you were someone who liked lattes," said Dino, staring at Randy. "You look more like an espresso guy."

"Many people think so," replied Randy, revealing a faint smile. "They think because my body and personality is so rough, I would be someone who enjoyed the bitter, disgusting taste of black coffee."

"Hey! Don't call black coffee disgusting!" Harry and Arthur said simultaneously before glancing at each other. The two cracked smiles before glaring at Randy, who chuckled at their comical behavior.

"You haven't talked in a while…" Dino muttered, staring at Jenny, who simply stared into the distance absent-mindedly. Jolted awake by Dino's words, she raised her eyebrows and glanced at everyone.

"Huh? Sorry, I was thinking about something," said Jenny, scratching the back of her head in embarrassment.

"I forgot to ask this, but which training styles are you guys picking?" Harry inquired. Curiosity was vivid on his face. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his palm and his elbow on the table beneath. 

"I chose research and alchemic training," said Randy. Everyone's eyes widened as they stared at him dumbfoundedly. Didn't his choice stray away from the path he was pursuing? Why choose academic training?

"Why, Randy?"

"My physique and swordsmanship are good enough for now… I don't have mana, so I can't train it or use magic. Then… I'm a little too big to be an assassin. Summoning and blessing and curses require mana. Also, why would I learn to tame beasts?"

"Seems like you thought this through thoroughly," said Arthur, nodding. "Are you any good at academics?"

"Not really…"

Arthur let out a chuckle, and so did the others. Randy would have a difficult time training, but that was what made his time in the Tutorial World worthwhile. Learning an entirely new aspect was commendable.

"I chose mana and magic training," said Harry, brushing his fingers across his hair. "My swordsmanship is refined, and my physique is decent. The other training styles are useless… my apologies, Randy."

"It's fine," said Randy. Unlike his brutal introduction, the man was quite lighthearted… unless provoked.

"I chose physical and swordsmanship training," announced Arthur. "I'm weak in terms of physical combat."

"For me, it was assassin training and mana training," said Dino. "To improve my mana control and perhaps learn to conceal my presence using it. My lanky body comes in handy."

"What about you, Jenny?" Harry asked, turning to face the woman, who had spaced out once again.

"What?"

"What training styles did you choose?" Harry repeated the question.

"Uh… blessings and curses, along with swordsmanship."

"Cool," Harry remarked, flashing a smile. Harry's lighthearted and kind personality was not a good fit for Heaven's Spire, but his sheer talent allowed him to surpass his limits during Arthur's former life.

Stars Of Tomorrow… most of its members had perished during the first trial, and it didn't seem like Harry was recruiting more. In fact, he hadn't addressed the issue yet, which Arthur found odd.

'Does he not care?' Arthur pondered. Stars Of Tomorrow had encompassed almost all the members that participated in the tutorial. Arthur wasn't aware of the details, but the clan was massive before it even reached the Outer District.

It was unsettling that Harry was avoiding the issue.

"What happened to your group, Harry?" Arthur asked, striking a conversation about the matter. He couldn't change things too much, as information was where he received an edge over other participants. And, of course, wisdom.

However, there were others with far more wisdom than Arthur. His advantage was knowledge. He couldn't allow his cheat to eventually dissipate.

"They… they all died," said Harry, letting out a sigh. Faint resentment was evident in his tone, but it wasn't directed towards Arthur. 

"Will you re-construct it?"

"I don't know… At least, not until we reach the Outer District. I don't want more than I can handle."