It was absolute horror as his life flashed before his very eyes.
At the same time I saw his expression, I made my calculations. As the world moved slowly before my hyperfocused gaze, numerous thoughts flashed past my mind.
If I killed him, I would have to face expulsion from the school, the wrath of his backers, and the law of the Valorous Government of Aelthrie.
None of which I could deal with at this moment in time. I did not have the power, the connections, and the weapons to decimate them without mercy.
Thus, at the last second, I let go of my blade.
Instead of a sharp, deadly dagger, it was my fist that came slamming into my enemy's chest.
A dull thud rang out as he staggered back. I then pulled my right arm back as I sent my left fist forward.
Another dull thud sounded as my knuckles crashed into his jaw.
I watched as his eyes lost focus just a moment before his body collapsed onto the stone sidewalk.
"Tsk," I clicked my tongue. "Just two well-placed strikes were all it took to knock you out... How sad."
I picked up my dagger while I rubbed my knuckles.
"I can't believe that they're trying to probe my strength with just this. I was expecting more since I stole first place away."
Several thoughts flashed through my mind.
Originally, it was only Virion who was targeted by what was happening to me now. The nobles of Aelthrie had found the guy an eyesore for taking second place despite him coming from a falling noble family. Specifically, Allyas de Nuantra and Jiontar of the Phristines.
Those two were particularly bothered by Virion's presence as Jiontar was pushed out of the top three and Allyas lost her place beside Lily.
Now, however, both of them were pushed out of the top three. They should be even angrier than what I had originally written.
After all, the pressure from their families must be even greater with this revelation.
It was vaguely amusing that I could torment them in such a way.
"But... It is also likely that they know I'm a commoner with no backing..." I pursed my lips.
This little fact was a problem. Virion was harder to deal with for them. After all, a falling noble family still had power even if Virion died. Vengeance was still possible.
But for me...
If they decided to simply have me assassinated, there was no lingering threat.
"F*cking Ambrosya," I cursed myself once again as I headed towards my classroom.
Thankfully, a few important pieces would come into play soon. I could make use of them to boost my strength by leaps and bounds.
...
Upon entering the classroom, I was met with dozens of eyes all falling upon my solitary figure. Traces of battle could be seen on my cloak, and I felt those stares constantly studying every detail of it.
Commoners and nobles alike were scanning me. They analysed my walk, my posture, and my breathing.
Searching, with all their might, for any sign of weakness.
But I had emerged unscathed. My cloak had protected me, and my battle had ended swiftly.
My brow twitched in annoyance, but I kept my rage down. I looked around the class and I instantly recognised a great divide.
Commoners on the far left, nobles on the far right. Talented scholars on my direct left, and children of affluence on my direct right.
Down the centre were three lines of empty chairs.
Everyone had arranged themselves in columns. With the natural-born leaders sitting up front.
Virion, who was ostracized ever since the start of the entrance exams sat in the middlemost column at the very front. He did not fit in anywhere and he knew that. The commoners were afraid of him, the nobles scorned him, the rich looked down on him. Perhaps it was with the scholars that he fit in the most.
But nonetheless, he chose the middle.
I was going to do the same thing too, as I sat a few seats behind him. Unfortunately, Sylfie was in a different class, so there was no one I could call a friend right now.
Virion was in the same predicament.
Without Sylfie, we lived in solitude...
How amusing, that fact was.
Thus, ignoring all the stares and whispers, I pulled the hood of my cloak lower and waited.
My first class was called [ Specialisation: An Endeavour and Goal ], and it was mainly about the different specialisations that have been recorded by the wizards of the world. It also included how one could go about discovering one's own specialisation.
Click, clack—
The door to the classroom opened, and a woman wearing a long robe walked in. She had purple-dyed hair and large, circular glasses. Her body was in the shape of an hourglass, creating a juxtaposition with her cute, scholarly face.
"Hello, students." She said, with a soft smile on her face, "My name is Quafia Ul, and I am a wizard of High Professor Deuzetai's tower."
She glanced at all one hundred of us in the classroom in one breadth.
"I have been studying Specialisations for thirteen years now, and I have authored three books regarding this beautiful topic."
Quafia Ul then tapped the blackboard behind her. A complex set of mana programs appeared all around her.
"It is a pleasure to meet you all."
At those words, the board then began to fill up with an array of diagrams, theories, calculations, and images. The whole class watched in awe as a literal boatload of information was unloaded before their very eyes.
"This will be our topic for the semester. We will be breaking down each portion of what I have inscribed upon the blackboard and analysing their relevance and usefulness. This class will be heavily based around discussions and thought processes, therefore, I highly encourage you all to ask questions and to pose different hypotheses."
With a shimmer in her eyes, Quafia Ul looked back at us once again.
"I hope we can have a great semester ahead."