The Changing Names of Ranks

Drying his hair, Li Qi sized up the young man beside him.

Calling him young... didn't seem quite right. Judging by his appearance, he was probably no older than twenty.

Calling him a boy would be more accurate.

It was just that he was slightly more robust than average. Judging solely by his build, it was indeed easy to mistake him for someone older.

But... he said his name was Sean Sweet?

Sweet...

The surname sounded somewhat familiar.

As Li Qi dried his hair, he thought about where he had heard that name before.

Just then, Sean suddenly asked:

"Li Qi... you're the officer, right? Sorry for the impertinent question, but do you know... do you know Tonalie? Tonalie Sweet."

"Ah..."

The moment he heard the name, Li Qi instantly remembered where he had heard it.

Tonalie, the First Class Medic at the Frontline Hospital. Her surname was Sweet.

"I know her. Are you her..."

"Her brother, more or less. We grew up in the same orphanage."

Sean immediately answered.

At the same time, he understood why the name "Li Qi" had sounded familiar to him.

That was because Tonalie occasionally sent him letters from the front line. In them, she had mentioned a very special squad leader named Li Qi.

It was only because she had mentioned him so few times that Sean hadn't recalled him immediately.

"I see."

After learning of Sean's relationship with Tonalie, Li Qi nodded and lost interest.

He wasn't particularly familiar with Tonalie, after all. Li Qi wasn't a regular visitor to the Medical Department.

The playboy Rick in his own squad was.

If Rick had been here, he probably would have chatted happily with Sean. Unfortunately, Li Qi was the one here.

All he could do was nod at Sean, change his clothes, lie down on the bed, and take out a book to read by himself.

Li Qi didn't speak, and Sean, sitting nearby, didn't know what to say either. He seemed rather awkward.

At last, he took out his pocket watch and glanced at the time before inviting Li Qi:

"Li... Warrant Officer Li Qi, you probably haven't had dinner yet, right? Would you like to go out and get something to eat together? My treat."

Sean thought that Li Qi would be his future roommate, after all. Besides, he was an officer with the rank of Warrant Officer. It could never hurt to get along well with him.

Unfortunately, Li Qi refused.

"No need. I've already eaten. You go by yourself."

"Th-this... I see..."

Hearing Li Qi's indifferent reply, Sean gave an awkward smile.

After another period of silence, Sean turned to put away his luggage, then left the dormitory and headed for the dining hall.

Regardless of whether Li Qi agreed, Sean still had to eat.

After all, he had been sent here in the morning and had spent the entire time until evening being pursued. He hadn't eaten anything during that time, and his stomach had long been completely empty.

Putting down the book in his hand for a moment, Li Qi glanced at Sean's back.

After that, he paid him no further attention and shifted his focus back to the book in his hands.

What Li Qi hadn't told Sean was that before taking a shower, he had not only gone to the mess hall for dinner, but had also visited the Academy's library and borrowed several books.

After all, he had been the first to pass the assessment and had arrived at the Academy several hours before everyone else. He had plenty of time to do what he wanted.

The book Li Qi was holding was Modern Magic Power Explained, a book the Military Academy had prepared for Mage Masters. Published this year, it contained more detailed techniques for using magic power, as well as the unified international term for magic power users.

According to the book, with Falor and the Uno Kingdom nearly beating each other's brains out, the other countries had redrafted the terms currently used for magic power users.

They had formerly been called knights and mages.

Now, they were uniformly called Mage Masters.

That was because the essence of both knights and mages was guiding magic power to flow through the body. Thus, both knights and mages could be called Mage Masters.

The names of the ranks had also undergone some subtle changes.

The Tactical Rank remained unchanged, but First, Second, and Third Rank Mage Masters had been replaced with Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. The Title Rank was now called the Strategic Rank.

Those with a title could be addressed by that title, while those without one could be called Strategic Rank.

It was simple enough to understand.

The book also listed the different names various countries had formerly used for Mage Masters of these ranks, which broadened Li Qi's horizons.

Of course, that was all miscellaneous information, and Li Qi didn't care much about it.

The knowledge about magic power circulation was what Li Qi considered truly important.

The book explained in greater detail the changes magic power underwent inside Mage Masters at different stages, along with several minor techniques for using magic power.

It even gave examples of ways to create magic and Knight Skills.

These had once been the "secret arts" of mages and knights, but they were now being published free of charge.

Anyone with even a little talent for magic power could try creating magic or combat techniques of their own.

Thanks to the knowledge in the book, Li Qi gained some inspiration and slightly optimized his technique of concentrating magic power in a specific location.

He made it flow more smoothly.

He also gave it a simple, easy-to-understand name.

Concentrated Enhancement.

A large amount of magic power could be gathered in a specific body part in an instant, strengthening its power and defenses.

Combined with the Magic Entanglement technique, Li Qi should be able to withstand attacks such as stray bullets on the battlefield in the future even without using a Magic Shield.

But that was all.

At extremely close range, even Magic Entanglement couldn't block a revolver's bullets.

"...The end of magic."

Li Qi sighed inwardly.

After the appearance of firearms, the development of magic in this world would probably soon reach its limit.

After all, the magic of this world didn't involve the "soul" or "mind." What they controlled were various elements, all of which were straightforward things.

There were occasional suggestive spells, but they could easily be dispelled by certain medical drugs.

As a result, the space in which mages could survive was being compressed further.

And this was only the beginning.

Having experienced three modern societies, Li Qi knew very well what the world would become after the steam engine was invented.

Trains, cars, airplanes, tanks...

Once electricity appeared, the function of Communication Magic would also be replaced by telegraphs and telephones.

As civilization developed, everything magic could accomplish would be replaced by technology. In the end... magic would gradually decline as well.

Li Qi seemed able to foresee that future, but he was powerless to change it—and didn't want to.

There was no helping it. This world was ultimately a Low-Magic World.

Magic gradually disappearing from people's sight was a necessary stage of the changing times. All Li Qi could do was learn as many magic techniques as possible before magic completely withdrew from the world's stage—techniques that might otherwise be lost forever.

He placed Modern Magic Power Explained on the desk and turned off the Magic Lamp.

It wasn't very late yet, but tomorrow was Li Qi's first day at the Academy.

Based on Li Qi's experiences on the front line, the Academy instructors might pull some tricks on this group of new students who had transferred in halfway through.

Therefore, he needed to rest early and build up his strength so he could handle tomorrow's training.

Well, things differed somewhat from what Li Qi had imagined.

The next morning, there was indeed training, but it wasn't the sort of training Li Qi had expected—the kind meant to intimidate these "recruits."

Instead, it was merely the usual morning drills.

Then again, perhaps that was what should normally be expected.

After all, this was the Military Academy in the Royal Capital, not a front-line barracks.

Li Qi and the others weren't raw recruits. They were noncommissioned officers with military ranks, and there were even nobles among them. An instructor would have to be an idiot to try pulling tricks and "teasing" this group of new students.

Since Li Qi and the other nine transfer students had entered the school halfway through the term, they first had to form a separate class.

Only after this Final Assessment would they be reassigned to classes based on their results.

But...

Why were there still ten people?

Hadn't they said that only three people had passed this assessment?

Standing in the class formation, Li Qi looked over the others besides Sean and pondered.

In other words, whether they passed or not didn't actually prevent them from enrolling...

Then what exactly was Captain Bolent's "assessment" assessing?

Thanks to "Your Beloved Wild Dad lhh" for the Qidian Coin reward. Thank you!