But first another test.

John entered the classroom and saw the pile of paper neatly stacked face down on the teacher's desk. A surprise test! He had not studied or done any school work outside of class this whole week. Thankfully, he was smart enough to get at least a passing grade in most subjects even without being prepared.

Mrs Flynn liked to do these surprise tests, firm believer in the fact that students should always be ready for anything. For most students, a Maths test first thing in the morning without notice was a true nightmare, and the fact that some girls would soon find themselves going commando under their short uniform skirts would reinforce that idea.

John took a seat at the back of the room and began sniping the panties of the girls in the first rows that where with him in the bus. Once his mana was depleted, he had 6 more wet panties for his quest.

He had not only focused on this, scribbling down the answers to the Maths problems on the sheet of paper he had received. John had done more advanced math to optimize things in video games than most students used in school during their whole high school years. What was asked of him here wasn't a challenge.

He even took the time to meditate 20 minutes in the middle of the test to get some mana back. He had found little time to do it in the last days and regretted it.

When he opened his eyes he found two pop-ups waiting for him.

Meditation lvl2
x3 hp regen
x4 mp regen
By using an elemental essence and focusing on a spell or item, you can attune it to this element, consuming the essence in the process.

New skill: Charged Strike lvl1, 5mp
You can concentrate magic in a physical attack either through your body or a weapon.
+10 magic dmg + 2x(skill lvl)
You can attune this spell to replace the magic dmg by elemental dmg.

Good, a way to regen faster and a cheap attack to be more efficient with a blade. Maybe he'll get to the point where he would be able to do what Moira was doing with her hammer.

He must have reached the lvl2 really soon because he had more mana than expected. It allowed him to get 4 more pairs of panties before having to turn his test sheet in and go to his next class.

He had a nice stack of 37 pairs of wet panties in his inventory. Not knowing if he would get the option to complete the quest or if it would auto-complete once he reached 50, he would have to be careful not to take any dry pairs or all his effort to get the bonus objective would be wasted.

"A word, Mr Newman. In my office, if you would please follow me," said a now more familiar voice behind him.

Mrs Wentworth was standing in the hallway, apparently waiting for him. John wasn't sure how much he could get away with her yet but at least tried a dodge.

"I have my psychology class starting soon, and Mr Tanaka is very strict on tardiness..." he tried.

"Oh, but I told Shintaro that I needed you for a little interview on your academic pursuits. He was glad to oblige me, and someone will provide you notes on today's lesson. You won't be marked as absent, don't worry. After all, you will be with a teacher."

Almost all teachers had an office at the Academy, it was a necessity as many of them were doing research between classes. This office looked perfectly normal for a History professor, nothing strange in having a few old artefacts on display. And a quick look around with Observe told John that those were just mundane items, without any hidden powers.

He took a seat in front of the large mahogany desk and waited for her to sit down. He was threading murky waters and preferred to wait for her to explain what they were doing here.

"You have interesting extra-curricular activities Mr Newman. And a new hobby? Playing necromancer while being friends with a Warden, you naughty boy. Would you like to learn more about it? There is a lot to learn about this art," she told him.

How she knew what happened was a mystery, but John had to admit she was right. Even with her as a teacher, necromancy didn't seem to be his thing.

"I wasn't dealing with the Undead but fighting them and even then only by accident. I thought I created the barrier I was training in, and I had no way to know it was a forbidden place. I have no interest in necromancy and don't want to know more about it. I'm not even comfortable with what I got from this place," he told her.

"A wise choice, necromancy is for fools and never gives you what you really want. Even the member of the Cabal that made this place was ratted out by his friends to the Order. You would be safer getting rid of anything you took from there very soon, since the blessing from your friend won't contain the blight if the exposure is prolonged," she told him. John could almost guess that the conversation would have been less cordial if he had accepted her offer.

Achievement unlocked: Live and let die.
You saved your life by refusing to raise the dead. It was a wise choice indeed, you're not a lost cause yet!
+3 Wisdom
+50 xp

John was worried and relieved; the other outcome was much worse than he imagined according to the pop-up.

"I actually didn't know what to do with it or how to dispose of it in a safe way. I don't even know what most of it is used for. Some of the things I find are total mysteries," he explained.

His teacher got a huge, rune-engraved, silver platter from under her desk and put it in front of him.

"Please put everything you took in the sealed barrier on this. It will contain the blight, and I will tell you how to dispose of it. Do it without touching them if possible," she instructed him. John took this as what it was: an order more than a request.

He dropped from his inventory on the platter the essence, the shards, the teeth and the dark iron ore.

"Undead essence and very pure at that. You know there are about as many people that would kill you to get it than for having it. There are many people with a vested interest in letting the dead rest and others that would have them rise again. I am not as fanatical as the first group, but I understand their view. Too many times, it has been tried and failed miserably. Direct contact with it should be avoided, and you would be wise to invest in a pair of gloves, your holy friend won't always be there for you," she explained.

"This thing felt wrong from the start, but I couldn't just put it in the trash or let it lie on the ground. What about the teeth and metal, are they dangerous too?" he asked.

"The teeth are a minor alchemical component of low value, both monetary and arcane. The metal is pretty pricey, a lot less unstable than the essence and easier to handle. Still, both would not have a lot of uses that you would find palatable if you think this thing feels wrong. You have a good soul, bent and twisted, but good at heart. Fear the day you find something like this and find it nice and attractive," she answered.

"If only I could get rid of these and get something else in exchange, but it's not like I can sell them. I don't think there are a lot of shops that would take those," he told her.

"We are in the third millennium, those deals are made online not in badly lit antique stores. Have your friends not told you about it? No? I would have guessed so, as they don't like its existence, but it was pretty mean of them to do it. I will give you the way to access the Abyss Auctions, but there will be one condition," she said.

"There is an auction site for magic stuff? This is great! Wait, what is the condition?" he asked, coming back to earth after having his mind lighting up with all the possibilities it offered.

"I cannot let you sell these essences on the site, as they wouldn't be safe in the hands of anyone ready to buy them. So you will trade them with me," she said.

"And what will I get in exchange? You said it was nearly priceless as well as dangerous."

She put on the table a few small items, laying them in a neat line in front of him. It was clear that he was supposed to choose one or more of them and probably haggle and bargain with her.