Closing the door behind me, I was heading toward my first class. My changed appearance shouldn't alarm anyone who barely knows me.
Contemplating who I have become and how it would affect my battles, I reached the large door of the class. It was already half open, and students were entering.
A tap on my shoulder startled me as I turned to see who it was. Astrid stood there with her hand still touching my shoulder, her vibrant blue hair ever slightly reflecting the sun's rays.
"Are you in this class?" Astrid said in a puzzled tone.
"Why are you so surprised?" I said. "You're new to school, so I thought you were a first-year. Have you changed? I remember you looking different." Astrid said, pondering how someone could change so drastically throughout one night.
"I changed? What are you blabbing about? You must be confused." I said, trying to sound as confused as I possibly could.
Letting it slide, Astrid pointed toward the classroom. "Come with me; I'll show you the way," she said with enthusiasm glimmering in her dark blue eyes.
Walking toward the classroom, leaves rumbled, and birds chirped, signaling the morning had begun.
The classroom was massive; four large stone pillars kept the roof from collapsing. Hundreds of seats were organized in a stadium fashion, surrounding a stage in the middle of the room on which a professor stood.
Astrid and I took our seats in the third row and took out our subjects for the day. Today's lessons included battle training, monster nullification, and weapon practice.
The professor took a small card object from his white coat and lifted it in the air. He stated, "The one who wins today will be granted this card with one hundred credits loaded.
Astrid's eyes flickered open in astonishment. "One hundred credits! That's enough to buy a grade 2 sword!" she whispered.
Confused about the credits or weapon grades, I decided to look into my storage dimension.
system
weapon: medium-sized iron sword [grade ???]
…
The professor spoke again, "I have decided to provide you with this opportunity because there is a new student in our class. You may all thank Kent Lark for this opportunity."
The entire class of four hundred students heard the sound of hands clapping, which echoed through the loud classroom, creating a massive, unending sound.
The professor calmed everyone down and pointed at me, "Would you like to have the honor of opening our little event?" he asked, raising his voice to show it was not entirely a question but more of a demand.
While contemplating, I considered every possible outcome: I could have lost entirely, and the professor thought I was weak, or I could have beaten my opponent and shown my dominance in the class. It was entirely up to my decision. For the simple reason, I knew I could beat my opponent easily.
As I slowly walked down the stairs from the seats above to the stage below, I concentrated on keeping my steps audible. I didn't want anyone to have the suspicion I was different, and the only thing I could do was strike my feet on the ground with every step.
Each of my footsteps sent faint shockwaves, echoing ominously and startling those nearby. The power I currently held was uncontrollable. I have changed, and with that also came power.
Every step I took emanated an aura of power, and the entire class became dead silent; reaching the stage, I glared at my opponent, my professor himself.
By the time I reached the stage, my professor had already realized I was different, so he decided he would be my opponent, not wanting to risk the danger of the unknown. "Due to the extraordinary strength Kent displayed earlier, I will take the honor of assessing him myself," the professor declared.
"am I allowed to use a sword? It is tied to my powers," I said, keeping my voice as low as possible to create an aura of fear and power.
Approving with a slight nod of his head, I teleported my sword into my hand from my storage dimension.
The entire class stayed silent, afraid of the power I was exuding, while the professor flinched back from the appearance of my sword.
How can this be? This kid exudes an aura of a professional. Am I scared? No, he's just a kid. Why should I be afraid, right? The professor thought to himself, watching my actions.
In a loud manner, the professor called the beginning of the fight.
Without giving him any time, I swiftly dashed in front of the professor. My speed was so fast that the human eye couldn't follow. Slashing diagonally, I infused the strike with my newly acquired strength.
Despite my speed and strength, it was clear: I was outclassed. Yet, I couldn't let myself falter in front of the class. Though I was fast, the professor was still realms above me; he dashed back so fast it seemed like teleportation even to me. Predicting that was what he would do from the countless fights with my father. I teleported my sword mid-swing to behind him.
The professor was dumbfounded; how was he so fast? Isn't he supposed to be only level one? How can this be?
Watching my sword disappear, he sensed the attack from behind him. Turning, the dust under his feat flew, and the rock stage cracked from his force. Without hesitation, he caught the sword with one hand, covering his fingertips in ice.
This boy… he shouldn't be this powerful. It's unnatural. The professor thought, his icy fingers tightening around the blade.
I was shocked, to say the least; watching my attack get nullified so easily was incredibly disappointing, but I knew this battle was destined to end with my loss.
Dashing in a last-ditch effort while the professor was blocking the attack, I waited for the last second possible before teleporting my sword back into my hands, only to be met with an ice spear directly on my neck, barely drawing blood.
A single drop of blood hit the floor, signaling the battle's end. Instead of congratulating me for a well-fought battle, the professor threw me the card from his pocket. His gaze lingered as he tossed me the card, cold and calculating. "You're different," he muttered before turning to dismiss the class. The unease in his voice told me I'd made an impression—though whether good or bad, I couldn't yet tell.