Limitless Summoner: Rise of the Soul God

An academy right next to where he was forcefully teleported to?

And a ring that could hide his class?

The old hag was definitely not being subtle about what she thought his next move should be. Ethan smiled, a smile with some bitterness and sadness. Even in that dire situation, a life or death moment for her, the old woman took the time to think about him.

He sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. Agnes's tough love was something he had never truly understood, harsh lectures and constant reprimands mixed with small acts of genuine care. The contradictions made his head spin.

But now, standing here in Stonecreek with her ring securely on his finger, Ethan finally saw through her rough exterior. This was her way of pushing him forward, preparing him to survive in a world that didn't tolerate weakness.

A wry smile tugged at his lips. "You could've been a bit gentler, old hag," Ethan murmured softly as he regretted all the times he had cursed her in his mind. "Fuck it. I will just give her a piece of my mind when I meet her later."

He snapped out of the non-productive thoughts and strolled the streets of the small town. Since it was just a town there was no entrance fees or guard checks but that woman

Meredith was not wrong. The place was full of affluent kids and their personal guards.

Everywhere Ethan looked, there were clusters of young men and women dressed in extravagant robes and fine accessories. They laughed and chatted casually, oblivious to the townsfolk around them. The stench of entitlement was very strong.

A couple of them glanced his way and threw dirty looks before returning to their conversation. It was pretty much the same treatment he had received when he was travelling to an academy back with that lord's daughter, whatever her name was. He was probably going to need to get used to this kind of treatment if he joined an academy.

To be fair, it was not like they were being partial to him. The townsfolk also received the same treatment but clearly, the local businesses appreciated the influx of money a little too much to care about it. The academy brats weren't exactly subtle about flaunting their wealth and status.

Ethan quietly observed as he walked, noting how easily they threw around silver coins for trinkets, food, and overpriced lodging. To them, it was probably pocket change but he couldn't afford luxuries like these at the moment.

All of his talismans, his saved up coins and even spare shirts were left behind and he had nothing in his hand.

Fuck! Even the magic pouches he had purchased from the dungeon hall vendors full of valuable raw materials were left behind. How was he going to afford something now? He walked over to a small garden and sat down under a tree. It seemed peaceful enough.

Looking around for a couple of minutes, he decided to bum it out here for a while. He was still very tired and needed to rest. He summoned shadow and the black cat appeared out of a small black swirl. She padded over to him, curled up comfortably by his side, purring softly as Ethan gently scratched behind its ears.

He watched the groups of students pass by, laughing without a care in the world. A pang of envy twisted in his chest. He couldn't help but wonder how life might have been different if he'd started with resources like theirs. But envy wouldn't get him anywhere. He had to focus on his current situation.

"Maybe it's not all bad," he muttered quietly, thinking aloud. "An academy means opportunities, resources, and access to information. And with this ring…" Ethan glanced at Agnes's ring, turning it over between his fingers thoughtfully. "I can hide my class and blend in. At least for a while. Going to the academy is not a bad idea. Its what she wanted me to do."

Personally, he had planned to head over to the wilderness. That's where the slayers guild was located and that's where the best action took place. It would be the best place to give him the opportunities that he needed to grow faster and become more powerful.

Of course, before doing that, he would have preferred to learn a bit more about being a mage and have a few more skills up his sleeve. Skills that could unleash more damage and destruction than what he was currently capable of.

But now everything had changed. The old hag was not around anymore to teach him things and he needed a place to learn. With the ring in his possession, this really seemed to be the right decision.

"Fuck it. I will join the academy for a few days and then get the hell out as soon as I get what I need." He did not like the idea of dealing with this whole class system that was prevalent in this world but he did need the books and the resources of an academy.

His stomach growled again, interrupting his contemplation. Ethan frowned, annoyed at his lack of basic necessities. He had forgotten how frustrating being completely broke was. He had to now hunt his own damn food even though he was tired to the bone.

Or did he? His gaze shifted to the lazy cat who was happily relaxing next to him. "You are it, girl." Ethan gave a sly smile to the thing as he nudged it. "Can you head out and grab me something to eat? Preferably a dead bird I can roast?"

Shadow meowed softly in response. Weirdly enough even after all the level-ups and being level 25, she was still a small cat. She was faster now and more agile, but her strength was not as strong as he had wanted.

Ethan watched the little thing stretch out lazily yet again, arching her back and giving him a knowing look before vanishing into a flicker of shadow.

Leaning back against the tree, he let out a long sigh. A breeze rustled the leaves above, and for a brief moment, he allowed himself to relax. His body still ached from the evolution, and his mind was tired from the weight of everything that had happened.

He wasn't sure if joining the academy was the smartest move. But it was definitely the safe one, at least for now. He needed time to recover, to train, to strengthen his army and himself before heading out to the frontlines. He closed his eyes as he mulled over all the pros and cons.

A few minutes later, Shadow returned, slinking from the underbrush with a limp rabbit dangling from her mouth. She dropped it at Ethan's feet, sat down with an expectant look, and began grooming her paw like this was just another Tuesday.

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Well… not a bird, but I won't complain." He reached out and ruffled her fur affectionately. "Good girl."

He sparked a bit of mana into his fingers and got to work, prepping the rabbit with a basic flame spell. As the meat cooked slowly over a conjured fire, Ethan leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand.

"Alright then," he muttered. "Academy life, huh? Let's see what all the fuss is about."