After completing his discharge, Nozora returned straight to the student dormitory.
The dorms at the National OS Academy were far from ordinary. Each unit was a spacious 2LDK, complete with a private bathroom and living area—luxury, by any student's standards.
It was a clear sign of how much the government valued Explorers… even if that value came with the constant risk of death.
The moment he stepped inside his room, Nozora activated the device known as a "television."
"…No matter how many times I see it, it's incredible."
A vivid landscape unfolded across a thin screen.
In his original world, such an illusion would require the highest level of magic. Yet here, it was common. Cheap. Accessible.
His gaze shifted toward the air conditioner mounted on the wall.
A machine capable of controlling heat and cold with perfect precision…
"…So this is the pinnacle of science."
As a craftsman, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy.
Even the meals were shocking.
Three times a day, the dormitory provided dishes more refined than royal banquets from his past life.
The depth of flavor, the balance of spices, the precision of cooking—
"…This kind of comfort never existed in York."
For a moment, he forgot everything else, his mind already analyzing the tools behind such perfection.
The days that followed were far from quiet.
Word of his survival had spread, and students began visiting one after another.
"Kamiki, you're alive?! I thought you were dead!"
"Here, these are from everyone. Get well soon."
On the surface, their concern seemed genuine.
But beneath it—
He could see it.
Curiosity. Contempt.
Of course he almost died. He's just a useless porter.
The memories of Kamiki Nozora confirmed it.
Most of these relationships were nothing more than appearances.
Ignoring the noise, Nozora focused on what truly mattered.
Testing his abilities.
Improving his equipment.
First, his innate skills:
Create and Teleport.
Both were extraordinary—
And completely unusable.
When he attempted to create even a small amount of water, his mana drained instantly, leaving him collapsed on the floor.
Teleportation wasn't much better. A few meters was enough to nearly knock him unconscious.
"At this level… they're impractical."
Create consumed over 70 MP.
Teleport cost around 30 MP per meter.
At Level 1, they were nothing more than dead weight.
So he turned his attention elsewhere.
To the academy-issued equipment.
The first was a wrist-mounted magical device—an MTA, a Mana Transimpedance Amplifier.
Its purpose was simple: amplify mana and convert it into elemental output.
Fire. Light. Sound. Lightning.
But after examining it—
"…The concept is good. The execution is terrible."
The conversion efficiency was abysmal.
Next came the undersuit—a full-body garment designed to generate a defensive mana field.
Again, the idea was brilliant.
And again—
"…A complete waste."
The mana loss made it nearly useless.
Nozora exhaled softly.
Then, without hesitation, he pulled out an enchantment pen from his inventory.
If the design was flawed—
He would fix it.
He spent an entire day and night in isolation.
Rewriting formulas. Optimizing flow. Eliminating waste.
By the time he finished—
Both the MTA and the undersuit had been transformed into something far beyond their original design.
Something the world had yet to understand.
During a short break, he drank one of the provided potions—
And immediately frowned.
"…This tastes awful."
Without a second thought, he applied alchemy.
The cheap liquid was instantly refined into a high-grade potion.
"…Much better."
With his equipment complete, Nozora headed to the instructor's office.
"I'd like to apply for gate entry."
"Party members?"
"…Just me."
Silence.
Then—
"Are you insane?!"
Professor Okubo slammed her desk, her face flushed with anger.
"You nearly died! Do you even understand that?!"
"I told you, I've already recovered."
"That's not the point! There's psychological trauma—there's risk—there's—"
She stopped, glaring at him.
"What exactly do you think you can do alone?"
For a moment, Nozora hesitated.
Then—
"…I want to see the place where it happened."
Her expression hardened.
"The monster that almost killed you is still there. A Big Horn Rhino. A high-risk target. A task force has already been assigned."
Her voice dropped.
"You're not going anywhere. Not for six months. Understood?"
Denied.
Completely.
On his way back, Nozora sighed.
If he couldn't test his equipment—
Then perhaps he should focus on creating new tools instead.
Inspired by this world's technology.
But there was one problem.
Money.
Checking his account, he found a pitiful balance.
3,400 yen.
Not enough to buy materials.
Not enough to experiment.
Not enough to move forward.
Without realizing it, his steps carried him toward the nearby gate.
The same one where Kamiki Nozora had nearly died.
As he approached, the air changed.
Mana—
Dense. Heavy. Alive.
"…Interesting."
His body reacted instantly.
Cells awakening.
Power surging.
"Appraisal."
His status appeared—
And everything had increased dramatically.
"…So that's how it works."
Inside the gate, his abilities were amplified.
His thoughts sharpened.
A slow smile formed on his lips.
Teleportation required one condition:
A place you've been before.
For Noah Walker, this was new.
But for Kamiki Nozora—
It wasn't.
"…Let's try it."
He moved to a secluded area and took out a stealth robe.
A quick test confirmed it—
No one could see him.
Satisfied, he focused.
A point just one meter ahead.
"Teleport."
A flicker.
A shift.
He checked his status.
"…Four MP."
His eyes narrowed.
"It's working."
Without hesitation, he visualized the interior of the gate.
Then—
"Teleport."
The world twisted.
And the next moment—
He stood inside.
A barren cave-like lobby stretched before him.
But what caught his attention wasn't the environment.
It was the mana.
Denser. Stronger.
Alive.
"Appraisal."
His stats surged even further.
Not quite his former peak—
But enough.
More than enough.
"…At Level 1…"
A quiet laugh escaped him.
"…I can already use teleportation."