The room was dim, lit only by a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling, flickering on and off like a dying heartbeat.
It was the kind of scene ripped straight out of a movie: an old wooden table stood in the center, worn and splintered with age.
Behind the table sat a man, head bowed, his face twisted in anguish as he clenched his fists.
The door creaked open, and a man in a black coat and hat stepped inside, a cigarette hanging from his lips. He wore black gloves and boots, and his entire outfit was a deep, impenetrable black.
His footsteps echoed through the room, each one a heavy, deliberate sound.
With each step, the man at the table shuddered, his body betraying his fear.
The man in black finally stopped in front of the table. With a swift motion—
—he dropped a stack of papers onto the table.
The seated man's eyes widened in horror as he saw the photos. His wife. His kids. Smiling, laughing, completely unaware.
Pictures of them at home, out shopping, even asleep.
"...I told you I would find them, didn't I?"
"P-Please... don't hurt them."
The man in black sighed deeply and took a seat across from him.
"That depends on you. Do what we told you, and I give you my word—not a single finger will be laid on them."
Tears welled up in the man's eyes as his body shook with silent sobs.
"What... What you're asking me to do..."
He whispered, his voice choking off as his teeth clenched tighter.
The man in black stood up again, slowly removing the cigarette from his mouth.
He exhaled a cloud of smoke, the haze lingering in the dim light.
Adjusting his hat, he crushed the cigarette under his boot and began to walk away.
Pausing at the door, he spoke one last time.
"You're a good person, but this world won't survive on good people. This... is the least you can do to make sure your family does."
With that, he left, the door creaking open and then slamming shut behind him.
The man at the table was left alone, tears streaming down his face as he stared at the pictures of his family.
"...I'm sorry... Please, forgive me."
"Haa... Seriously, I'm going to die! There's no way I'm surviving the rest of these classes!"
Students slumped over their desks, exhausted and miserable. They looked like they'd just stumbled out of a torture chamber, their faces pale and their bodies trembling.
The day had begun with Instructor Solomon forcing all the students of HCS-1 to run laps around the entire academy for two relentless hours.
There had been no introductions, no easing into the day—just endless running, with Solomon grinning like a maniac the entire time.
After those brutal hours, they were grudgingly allowed to shower and change back into their academy uniforms from the sweat-soaked sports clothes they had been forced to wear.
Apparently, what they had endured was just a "warm-up" in Solomon's eyes.
"Tell me about it... I swear, one day I'm going to wipe that smile off his face!"
"How are we supposed to survive the rest of our classes?"
"At least we should get a break after our Mana Theory class with Instructor Salvator."
"I swear, if he's as crazy as Instructor Ranni or Solomon, I'm done. I'll end it right here."
Complaints flew around the room as the students vented their frustrations, chatting lazily in their exhaustion.
"Hey, but seriously..."
One of the classmates suddenly lowered his voice.
"Those two aren't human..."
The others nodded in agreement.
"Right? They must be skinwalkers or something."
"Instructor Solomon even said he'd give those two different tasks to do."
"It's like they're from another world..."
"Basically, they are. But yeah, I wish we could talk to them too."
The two they were referring to were obviously Azriel and Lumine.
The other students glanced at them—Azriel was watching Celestina with interest as she lay with her head down on the desk, fatigued.
Lumine was beside her, trying to cheer up Yelena, who was in the same state.
They were all seated in the same spots as the day before.
It had become an unspoken rule that they would sit at the front from now on.
"I mean, Lumine seems approachable, but..."
"Yeah, Azriel Crimson... There are so many rumors about him, especially after what happened at the arena."
The other students nodded.
"One punch was all it took to knock out the ninth-ranked student of our year... What's his deal?"
"At least he's handsome, even if the rumors are true..."
"A handsome delinquent prince... I could go for that."
The boys felt a pang of jealousy as the girls muttered among themselves.
"What about Princess Celestina...?" One of the boys asked.
The others nodded, thinking.
"She doesn't belong to our world either... But do you think she's with Prince Azriel?"
One student shrugged.
"I heard a rumor that the children of the four great clans often get together, so maybe that's why?"
"Is that so? Hey, you should go talk to them."
"Huh? Why me? You go."
It seemed the topic of conversation always revolved around the four top students in the class.
It was obvious they had the strongest class among the first years, boasting four of the top ten students: the Apex, the second, third, and sixth ranks.
It was ridiculous, yet somehow it had happened.
But because of that, a clear divide had formed between the top students and the rest.
Some felt unworthy to approach them, some were scared, and others had their own reasons.
The top students, for their part, hadn't approached anyone else either, adding to the awkward atmosphere.
Even though it was only the second day, it was clear that if things continued , the class would end up divided.
It was technically the Apex's responsibility to handle such things... Not that Azriel seemed to notice or care.
"Alright! I'm going to talk to them!"
One student suddenly declared, standing up with his fists clenched in determination.
The others looked at him with admiration.
"Yeah, we believe in you!"
The girls cheered him on, boosting his confidence.
Just as he was about to take his first step...
"Everyone, take your seats. Class is starting."
Instructor Salvator walked in.
Azriel watched Instructor Salvator approach the desk at the front of the class and take a seat, holding a stack of papers.
Salvator dropped the papers onto the desk with a decisive thud.
To his left, Azriel noticed Celestina finally sitting up properly, though she still looked exhausted.
Celestina attempted a smile but failed. She shook her head lightly.
"...I'll be fine in a few hours."
Azriel nodded in understanding. Unlike Azriel and Lumine, who were both Grade 3 intermediates, Celestina didn't have the same physical stamina.
Despite this, she had performed better than most students, even though physical activities weren't her strength.
'Maybe I should buy her a bottle of water later.'
It would be a good excuse to spend some time together.
Instructor Salvator cleared his throat, drawing the students' attention.
"You can be relieved that I'm not like Instructor Ranni, throwing void worms to scare you, or like Instructor Solomon, who probably drained every ounce of energy from you. Instead..."
Instructor Salvator picked up the bundle of papers he had brought with him and smiled kindly.
"We'll start this class with a test!"
A collective groan rose from the students, their spirits deflating further.
"I... I can't lift my hands!"
"I can't feel them... I think I need to see a doctor!"
Instructor Salvator ignored their complaints and began distributing the papers.
His eyes briefly met Azriel's, and he nodded slightly.
Azriel returned the nod.
'I guess that's his way of congratulating me on becoming the Apex?'
After handing out the papers, Instructor Salvator returned to his desk.
"You have the entire class period for this test. If you finish early, you may leave until your next class."
Suddenly, Salvator's eyes locked onto Azriel's.
"Except for you, Cadet Azriel. I need you to stay behind and follow me to the headmistress's office after class."
Murmurs spread through the classroom at Salvator's announcement.
Azriel looked confused but nodded in acknowledgment.
"Silence." Salvator warned. "If I catch anyone talking or trying to cheat, I will send you to Instructor Solomon."
At that, the classmates paled and hurriedly focused on their papers.
"Azriel... Do you know why Headmistress Freya wants to see you?"
Celestina's voice was a quiet murmur beside him.
Azriel's lips twitched at the question.
He glanced subtly around, noting that it seemed Instructor Salvator was either pretending not to notice or genuinely didn't hear.
"It must be because of the... incident with Lumine yesterday."
Azriel replied quietly.
Celestina didn't respond, instead focusing intently on her test.
The education system had advanced significantly in this world compared to Azriel's previous one, but he wasn't behind. As Leo, he had excelled in academics, and as Azriel, he hadn't slacked off either.
Knowledge was power—a belief Azriel held firmly.
He scanned through the test and saw that it was straightforward.
What does "mana stabilization" refer to?
a) The process of increasing mana flow
b) The process of balancing mana to prevent fluctuations
c) The act of storing mana in a physical object
d) The ability to generate mana from external sources
Mana flux refers to the variation in mana flow or concentration within a given area over time. It can occur due to natural events, changes in the environment, or other factors.
After 20 minutes, Azriel completed the test.
He sighed and dropped his pen, glancing up to see Instructor Salvator watching him.
Azriel managed a wry smile.
It didn't seem like the meeting with the headmistress would be about what happened yesterday.