It had been a day since orientation had been completed, and Duncan was currently trying to plan for the future. Following orientation, Bastion gave students a five day transition period to move any belongings, and get settled in the campus.

During this time Duncan had been pondering a problem--he currently didn't have any weapon. The only real combat option he had was the inventory, but Duncan was hesitant to use it openly. Everything involving the system defied the logic of the world, so brazenly showing it off was not an option. He would prefer to save the systems inventory as a hidden ace, using it's broken powers only in dire situations.

So Duncan was faced with one large hurdle: finding a suitable weapon. This was easier said than done however. Getting a weapon was one thing, but a person needed a weapon art in order to truly bring out the potential of a weapon.

Weapon arts were ranked with a star system, with no star weapon arts being the lowest of quality, while five-star arts could be considered national treasures. Duncan knew of several five-star weapon arts found throughout the story, but none of them were for weapons that were compatible with his [Unconventional Weaponmaster] profession. Only eight different five-star arts were mentioned throughout the novel, Duncan had already accepted he wasn't going to be getting a reality bending weapon art this early on.

There was one more pressing issue, Duncan was unsure what could even be considered an unconventional weapon. Is a brick an unconventional weapon? He couldn't recall anyone using it in the novel, so a brick could certainly be considered unconventional.

Ultimately, Duncan was unsure, so he consulted the only possible trusted source. Opening his smartwatch, he proceeded to simply search up the answer. "Why struggle in vain, when I have my predecessors to fall back on." He mused to himself.

Scrolling through online articles, he found a wide assortment of weapons that could be considered unconventional. Unfortunately, most of them turned out to be rather disappointing options for weapons.

"Ice pick, pencil, scissors, mop, golf club, shovel..."

He kept scrolling through the weapons, but none of them fit any of the criteria he was looking for. First of all, he wanted a weapon that required a high amount of dexterity. This was Duncan's second highest stat, currently being at [G+] Rank, just barely falling short of his [F-] charm. Furthermore, he had no experience in combat, so he wanted to find a ranged weapon to avoid direct confrontations.

He kept scrolling, and only became more desperate as he realized the lack of weapons that fit this category. But then, his finger paused on a weapon that had caught his interest. He read through the weapon description with slight excitement. "[Unconventional Weaponmaster] Weapon number 193: The Boomerang."

The boomerang was a weapon that was never used throughout the novel, but the more Duncan considered the weapon the more he realized it's capabilities. First of all, the weapon perfectly fit the criteria Duncan had been looking for. But most importantly, he was aware of a four-star weapon art that could be acquired for the boomerang before Bastion classes began.

Well getting it would be a rather big hurdle though, if history hadn't deviated too much Ryan would attend an auction that would be selling the four-star boomerang art. The four-star boomerang art would be one of the highest value items for the night, four-star arts were incomparable to five-star, but still considered priceless.

He had no way to possibly earn enough money purchase the weapon art, so his only option would be figuring out some other method to get it. As Duncan reviewed all of the information he could about the auction, a devious smile formed on his lips. He had a plan for acquiring the weapon art, but it might cause quite a bit of chaos.

The night before Bastion classes began.

Duncan was currently in his dorm, having finalized his plans for the auction. It was going to take place in around an two hours, so Duncan would have to hurry over to the venue. Luckily, Ardenvale had an easily accessibly public transport system that would make getting to the auction quick.

He wore a classy two piece black suit, couple with a enchanting purple tie, that gave him a professional air. If there was one thing ruining his outfit though, it would be the wired earbuds he was currently wearing. But, since they helped so much with distracting from his tinnitus, he refused to take them off. Admiring his outfit one more time in the mirror, he checked his train ticket once more.

With Bastion of Humanity being set in the future, technology for public transport had advanced quite a bit. Normal trains had been replaced with hover trains, that floated through the air through magnetic suspension. The trains, aided by mana, could far surpass the speeds of bullet trains.

Duncan quickly checked his one week commuter pass, as he glanced at his inventory to make sure he didn't forget the most important item of the night.

=== Inventory (1/1) ===

- 1x Aether Tech, Miniature Drone

==================

Nodding his head, he grabbed the duffel bag that was laying on the floor of his dorm, before walking resolutely out the door.

The night had finally arrived, and Ryan was prepared in his chic navy blue suit. Originally he had planned on spending the past five days training, but the system had other plans for him.

[Quest: Getting an Upgrade For The New School Year]

[Purchase An Improved Weapon From The Luminite Auction House (Time Left: 5 Hours)]

- Reward: 400 xp, 1x Common Item Voucher

Wearing a grim expression, he checked his paltry amount of credits hoping it had magically increased. While obtaining a better weapon wouldn't be too challenging, his current financial resources didn't allow for any additional expenditures.

With a resigned sigh, he made his way down the night market road toward the Luminite Auction House. The auction house was well-known in Ardenvale, renowned for its diverse collection of items. Due to its popularity, attendees were required to purchase tickets in advance to secure entry.

Ryan reached into his inner suit pocket, reassuring himself as he felt the soft paper ticket. Crossing a stone bridge, he left the lively Ardenvale night market behind and approached the entrance of the auctions house. A long red carpet unfurled along the road, as individuals donning similar sleek suits and dresses walked towards the Luminite Auction House.

He handed his ticket to the receptionist and submitted to a quick body search before entering the auction house. Its interior resembled a grand theater, with attendees facing a wooden platform embellished with red curtains that cascaded from the high ceiling, creating a sense of grandeur.

Glancing to his left, Ryan noticed someone sitting next to him. The individual was dressed in a sleek black suit with a deep purple tie and sported wired earbuds – a curious blend of retro technology and traditional elegance. The person seemed not to have noticed Ryan yet, as he gently bobbed his head to some music with his eyes closed.

The harsh juxtaposition of the wired earbuds and fancy black suit gave Ryan a slightly irritated feeling, but he wasn't one to judge others fashion. Speaking of which, who even used wired earbuds nowadays? Ryan had only seen them from old movies filmed in the early 2000s.

Observing the man closer, Ryan squinted his eyes as he finally recognized where he had seen the man. He gently nudged his neighbor's shoulder, interrupting the man's rhythmic head-bobbing to an inaudible beat, as he turned to Ryan in confusion.

Ryan: "Hey, you're a student at Bastion too right? I remember seeing you during orientation."

The mans breathing paused for a second, as his mouth hung slightly open. He quickly regained his temperament before smiling awkwardly at Ryan. "Yeah I remember seeing you too. Nice to meet you Ryan, my names Duncan."

Ryan's expression turned a little perplexed, as his voice became slightly tense. "How do you know my name's Ryan?"