Chapter 5
The next day, Ray was in class, conversing with his three friends. The young man couldn't help but sigh as he woke up in the morning. He still couldn't fully believe that his soul had been transported to this new world.
After a short while, a mature-looking woman entered the classroom, exuding a sense of calmness. Her presence brought tranquility to the room.
"Alright, children. This week, you all have been assigned to do 'introductions'. The purpose of this exercise is not to reveal the secret of your talents but to help you determine your abilities and learn to use them effectively. There are so many talents out there, and there are also countless ways to utilize them. Therefore, you must understand your talents. If your talent is archery, for example, it wouldn't make sense to use it for cutting, but rather for shooting arrows," explained the teacher.
As the teacher elaborated, the group of students felt a mix of embarrassment and enlightenment. Initially, they had taken the "introductions" lightly, thinking the school had ulterior motives for wanting them to disclose their talents. However, the reality turned out to be quite the opposite. They were indeed expected to introduce their talents, but in a way that left others even more puzzled about their abilities.
By intentionally leaving some gaps in their explanations, they could confuse and mislead others, which could be a matter of life and death for those with special talents. To accomplish this, they needed to have a deep understanding of their abilities.
While everyone listened attentively, Ray, who was sitting not far from the teacher, couldn't help but be astonished. It wasn't the teacher's words that took him aback but rather her appearance, which made him feel like he was in heaven. Even though he had memories of this teacher in his head, seeing her in person was an entirely different experience.
"... Now that you have delved into the topic of introductions for the past week, it's time to demonstrate that you are well-acquainted with your abilities. Let's go to the field now. In fifteen minutes, we will have sparring matches between pairs of you," the teacher declared.
The group of young people became excited upon hearing this. Joyful cheers filled the air as they eagerly moved toward the field. Their eyes gleamed with anticipation of a dazzling and thrilling battle.
...
On the field.
"Hey guys, are you ready? How confident are you in your abilities?" Ray energetically moved around the group of youths, behaving as if they were all lifelong friends.
Agni, Clara, and Hamar could only shake their heads as they observed this. They had known Ray was peculiar from the beginning, but ever since he awakened his talent a few days ago, his behavior had become even more eccentric for no apparent reason.
"Could it be that because he awakened a mediocre F-level talent, he's now trying to gain favor with everyone?" Hamar muttered, contemplating the change in his friend's attitude.
Agni and Clara exchanged glances, silently acknowledging the oddity of Ray's behavior.
Both women, Agni and Clara, were puzzled by Ray's behavior. However, before they could confront him, they had to deal with their friend Hamar, who always tended to think negatively about others' actions. Agni and Clara were certain that Ray wasn't being a sycophant, but they were unaware of the true reason behind his change in attitude.
"Clank..."
"Clank..."
The sound of soft footsteps echoed in one direction. After a moment, two beautiful women emerged in the middle of the field. The first woman was the teacher who had sent the group to the field earlier. Meanwhile, the other woman by her side seemed even more peculiar. Despite her youthful and innocent appearance, there was a subtle air of nobility surrounding her, giving off a slightly imposing aura.
"Alright—"
"Hey, teacher, you're a few seconds late, but that's okay. I just want to remind you that discipline is important for teachers who are supposed to set an example for their students..." a nonchalant voice interrupted the mature teacher. Although it was a whisper, the mature woman could hear it clearly due to her advanced cultivation level.
Upon hearing this, the mature woman noticed a child standing in front of her, extending his hand toward her. Thinking that he wanted to shake hands, she reciprocated the gesture, greeting the young man.
Ray, who had extended his hand, was amazed by the softness of the woman's hand. However, he harbored no impure thoughts toward his teacher; he simply intended to show respect to the person who had taught him. Just as Ray thought everything was done and was ready to leave, his body moved involuntarily, causing him to unintentionally kiss the woman's hand.
"Arghhh, why did I kiss my teacher's hand in this world!" Ray internally exclaimed.
In Ray's home country of Indonesia, it was common for students to kiss their teacher's hand as a sign of respect. However, this practice usually ceased once students reached puberty. The teacher, whose hand had been kissed, flinched for a few seconds before retracting her hand and lightly tapping Ray's forehead as punishment.
"Ouch!"
Ray shouted in distress, covering his forehead in pain. The female teacher felt no remorse as she witnessed this and continued walking past Ray with a subtle snort. Despite her stern expression, a faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
Ray didn't complain about the punishment at all; he was simply grateful that the teacher didn't take any further disciplinary action. As he prepared to return to his place, he noticed a stunning woman and approached her, extending his hand.
"Hey, miss, are you the new student? If so, I'm delighted because you are as beautiful as fresh morning dew on flowers!" Ray flirted, making the woman blush with embarrassment.
"Oh, no, I'm just here to observe," she replied as she took Ray's hand.
Ray didn't pay much attention to her response; he had merely spoken his mind before snapping out of his daze.
Ray was mesmerized by the things in the ocean of his consciousness.
"This is truly amazing!" exclaimed Ray with admiration.