Time has come for a new semester. New year. New students. Some have left last semester, but that is okay, since new ones are bound to come to the Magustin Academy.
While Magustin primarily caters to magicians, there are also those who strive to enhance their swordsmanship. Granted, Vagremton Academy is more catered to swordsmen, but still.
This being said, two academies are in the same city right next to each other, so it isn't rare for students to go to two schools simultaneously.
That being said, it is quite a hassle to the teachers there. Same applies to the teacher Ill Omen. He is a teacher in Magustin Academy, so he has to get ready for the new year of students to come in. Luckily, he didn't have to be there to appraise the students when they applied to the academy, but now that he has become a homeroom teacher, he has to prepare himself for greeting the students.
He walked across the hallways as students looked cheery to start the new year, but Ill wasn't that excited. Nevertheless, he knew what he signed up for when he was recommended to be a teacher, so he just has to pull through.
Not so surprisingly to Ill, he has lost his way to the classroom where his students are waiting for him since he has a bad sense of direction, but luckily another teacher sees Ill and says "Hey Ill. Isn't your classroom in the other building."
Ill just makes an "Ah" sound for a second and then say after looking through the window "So it would seem."
The other teacher, whose name is Ylifia Lefoana and is an elf, says to Ill with a smile "Just make sure you make it to your class in time Ill."
Ill just replies "Indeed. That would be optimal." And hurries to his classroom.
The bell is about to ring and the moment he steps into his classroom, the bell decides to ring, making Ill sigh "Safe."
This makes all of his students look at him in both confusion and disappointment. Some students whisper "Is this guy a teacher?" And another says "He looks so scrawny and he almost was late for his own class."
Then a girl duo comes to the classroom, one of them saying "Sorry! Sorry! We are sorry that we came late." The girl that is apologised has red hair and the other one has white hair.
Trying to lighten the mood, Ill responds with "Don't worry. I was almost late as well."
This made an awkward silence for a moment until one of the girls asks "Are… you our teacher?"
To which Ill responds with an awkward smile "Yep. That is me." And the room fell silent again.
Ill gestured vaguely at the rows of desks, trying to maintain some semblance of authority despite the awkward silence. "Just find a seat, will you?"
Once everyones seated, Ill says to the whole class "Creetings students of the S class. My name is Ill Omen and I'll be your homeroom teacher during your stay here. I specialize in status effects, so my offensive capabilities are a bit lacking, but it is nice to see the new talents of this generation."
A boy with green hair says "You specialize in status effects and you are a teacher for S class? I've never heard of this 'Omen' house you speak of, so it mustn't even be that important. And above all, you almost came to the classroom late, showing your lack of professionalism. What trick did you use to get your position?"
Ill rubbed the back of his neck, his lips curling into a sheepish smile. "While there are several layers of why I was assigned to class S, let's just say someone up top thinks I'm qualified."
A blonde boy says "But what about your household? Although I'm a foreigner, I am still the prince of another kingdom so I must know of your house."
Ill shrugged, his tone casual despite Alfred's disdain. "The 'Omen' house was granted recognition by the king of Strotrie Kingdom himself, Lucipus Strotrie III. Nothing too grand, but enough to earn me this position."
The green haired boy scoffs and says "Ridiculous. To let a commoner to be the homeroom teacher of the S class of the Magustin academy, something has gone terribly wrong to let something like this happen."
Ill says "Why don't we start with the introductions on your part, Alfred."
The green haired boy named Alfred rises up from his chair and announces "My name is Alfred O'luan Ludincroft and I hail from the prestigious Ludincroft family that has served the Strotrie kingdom for generations. I'll let you all know that I am already a tier 3 magician so you may feel honored to bask in my presence."
Then the blonde haired boy from earlier rises up and says "And my name is Winton Algonatron Pontreilas. I am the second prince of the Pontreilas kingdom and due to my brother's illness, I'm currently regarded as the crown prince. Unfortunately, I have yet to reach tier 3, but I am close to a breakthrough."
Ill says "Good, good. 2 out of 15. You two may sit."
Alfred says "Let it be known that I sit down because I feel like it and not because of you said so."
Ill says "Okay we get it. Now let's go with the white fox girl next."
Then a girl with long white hair, fox ears and fluffy white fox tail stands up and says "Greetings. My name is Yui Hymn and I come from a long line of mages."
Alfred says "Hah! You beastkin can't compete with us humans so why bother coming here? Go back to the forest foxie."
Ill raised a hand, silencing the room without raising his voice. "That's enough, Alfred. We won't tolerate baseless insults here."
Yui retaliates to Alfred's comments "I'll let you know that I am tier 4 magician."
Alfred says "I-Impossible! A beastman couldn't possibly reach that level of power at our age! You must be lying!"
Ill confirms Yui's statement by saying "According to the test results, she has been proven to be able to cast tier 4 level spells."
Alfred tries to rebuke this, but he can't seem to find any words, so he just shuts down and says "I'm still better!"
Ill continues the introductions "Now then. Oni girl. Introduce yourself, will you."
Girl with long black hair and two red horns stood up and said "My name is Akagi Crimson of the Crimson oni clan. I am the first daughter of the chief of said clan and I have been given the status of a tier 3 magic swordsman. I also go to the other school as well, so I won't be here all the time. And while I was told to say it is a pleasure to meet you all, I'm honestly not that interested in any of you."
Akagi was short in stature and looked quite slim, but the power she emitted was something to take note of.
Alfred shouts "How dare you…" But with her crimson eyes, Akagi glares daggers at Alfred after being annoyed with his antics the whole time, shutting Alfred up. Then Akagi sits down quite calmly.
Ill then says "Great, the next one is the red haired girl who almost missed the first class."
The red haired girl says "My name is Rosemary Tearwood and I'm a tier 2 magic swordsman."
Ill asks "Nothing else?" And Rose says "Nothing else."
And so Ill moves to the next one with the words "Okay then. White haired girl next to Rosemary who also almost came late."
The white haired girl says "I'm Alice Olygharq. I am tsarevna of Severnyy Tron. I am currently the next in line to be the tsaritsa of Severnyy Tron. As my lineage is known for, I specialize in ice magic and I'm tier 3 magician." Alice was also one of the shorter people there and she wore a stoic impression.
Ill nods and says "Great. Now the dark elf."
A dark elf with ashen hair raises up and says "My name is Fiery Sanguine and I'm tier 2 magician."
Alfred says "Hah! To think someone who is just a tier 2 to get their position in the S class is astonishing. Are you sure you are in the right class?"
Fiery looks away as she has nothing to say, but then Ill says "In terms of combat ability, Fiery is one of the top students in your year, so I wouldn't antagonise her if I were you Alfred."
Alfred made a "humph" sound and Ill continued "Now then, red scaly boy go."
A man with a red mane, reddish skin in some places as well as scales, rises up and says quite loudly "My name is Rufus Lastias and I'm the champion of the red dragons! I specialize in hand to hand combat and I can breathe fire, so beware!"
Ill says "That is great Rufus, you may sit down and…"
Rufus continued "I may not look like it, but I'm sure that I can beat each of you in one on one! When a opportunity arrives, I'll be glad to take any of you on!"
Most of the people in the classroom looked at Rufus with annoyed looks, but some looked at him in interest. Who they were and what they were interested in is another story.
Ill raised an eyebrow, unfazed by Rufus' fiery enthusiasm. "Okay, Rufus, we get it. You can breathe fire. Now sit down before you set something on fire."
Rufus responds with "I don't take orders from weaklings! I…"
Suddenly, Rufus was unable to speak for some reason, which made everyone in the room alert. Only a few students were able to sense that a spell was cast, but to it being chantless and barely noticeable made them worry a bit.
Ill continued "Now then. The dwarf."
While Rufus was panicking a bit that he couldn't utter a word, the dwarf in the room rose up and said "My… My name is Olaf and I made my way up here with my magic tools. I'm not really interested in magic, but I am interested on how can I put them in tools. So that's why I am here, so… Yeah."
Ill says "Good. You may sit, Olaf. Now then, the sand colored student, introduce yourself."
Then a sand colored boy with red tattoos on his face says "Hi. My name is Itti Ril Teraf and I'm from a sandman. We rarely leave the desert, but due to a rare opportunity I have been given, I am now here. I'm on the 5th prestige, which translates to tier 3 magician. It is pleasure to meet all of you, and…"
Itti pauses for a moment and looks at Rufus. Ill asks "What's wrong Itti?"
Itti says "I was just wondering. Was Rufus' silence your doing?"
Ill says "Yeah. I casted a silence spell on him."
Rufus makes an annoyed face and makes gestures that could be taken as him cursing Ill.
Itti says "Could… Could you lift the spell. I don't think that is quite the way teacher should treat their students."
Ill says "I've read the rules that teachers have to follow and I'm perfectly within my rights to cast a silence spell on a rowdy student. Your concern is noted however, and as soon as I see Rufus calm down a bit, I'll lift the spell."
Itti says "Thank you teacher Ill" and sits down.
Then Ill says "Okay then, now let's address the hooded fellow here. Care to introduce yourself to the rest of the class?"
The hooded person with black skin says "My name is Quinty and I'm a shadowkin. As per being shadowkin, I don't have a gender per say, but I do prefer she/her pronouns. I prefer not to talk about myself, but I am still a tier 1 magician in a sense."
This makes Alfred laugh hysterically, which is disturbing the rest of the class. Ill says to Alfred "There is nothing funny about it Alfred. She has earned her way to S class like everyone else."
Alfred mocks Quinty by saying "With what? Her intellect? Don't make me laugh so much. A tier 1 magician in an S class is out of the question. Not only do we have a bad teacher, but we also allow lower classes to come to the S class. This school has surely fallen."
Ill looks at Quinty and Quinty shakes her head, which tells Ill that she doesn't want to tell why she is in S class.
Instead, Ill says "Okay then Alfred. You have made your opinion clear and I'll inform the headmaster about your opinion after the class. Now if you don't quiet down, I'll make you silent the same way Rufus is."
This makes Alfred just scoff and look away in annoyance. But still, that shut him up for now.
Ill continues "Okay then. The dignified looking fellow with black hair and a dragon tail with a puff at the end, go."
A dignified looking student rose up and said "Greetings fellow students and teacher. My name is Xi Lyouyung and I'm a longman. We are people who have descended from eastern dragons and we live high up in the mountains to cultivate our minds and bodies. I am here to learn the customs of this foreign land and see if I can learn better ways to boost my cultivation. Thank you for your patience." Xi bows and sits down.
Ill says "Good. Glad to see we have people from many cultures. Now then. Black dragon lady. You may introduce yourself."
The mention of a dragon lady made Rufus jump from his seat and if he wasn't muted, he would shout something at this point.
A medium sized girl with black dragon horns, dragon tail and draconic eyes rose up and exuded a menacing aura to the rest of the class. She said "My name is Renathokrax and I'm a pure blooded dragon. Don't get me wrong, I'm not here to play your little games. I'm here because my papa said I had to come here. And since he is the patriarch of the dark dragons, I had to listen to him. But if you want to know one thing from me, I'll make this very simple. Do not fuck with me!"
Ill just says "Okay, thank you Rena for your rousing speech. You may sit now."
Rena says "Who gave you the permission to shorten my name, you weakling?"
Ill says "The headmaster."
Rena says "Do you think that some lowly headmaster has an authority over us dragons? I will burn you all alive if you don't show some respect."
Ill folded his arms, leaning slightly on the desk as if challenging her to argue. "Respect isn't given freely. It's earned through actions, sometimes through words. Neither of which you've shown me."
The anger in Rena's eyes goes deeper and she says "You fucking weakling. You fucking dare to disrespect me? I'll show you…"
Then Rena passes out for some reason, which leaves everyone stunned. Everyone looks at Ill, who then says "Okay, now that we are done with her, let's go to the next one."
Rose asks "What did you do to her?" To which Ill answered "I put her in a timeout. A place that you all can end up if you go too far."
Rufus suddenly feels a lot more compelled to act more calmly, as if he realized he got off easily.
Ill says "Okay, well then let's go to our two ladies from the holy capital. First the blonde one."
A blond girl rises up and says gently "Greetings everyone. My name is Silia Sancta L'Attesa di Pierrotta and I am the Holy Saint of the House of Babel. I am considered a tier 3 magician, but I do specialize in holy magic, so I can't say that I'm that impressive. Thanks for your patience, and teacher Ill…"
Ill responds "Yes?"
Silia says "Could you let mister Rufus speak again. I feel like he has learned his lesson."
Ill ponders a bit as he scratches his hair a bit, but eventually he says "Fine. Don't waste make the saint regret her choice now scaly." Ill lifts the silence spell.
Rufus says immediately "Finally. I couldn't even hear myself breathe and I started to freak out a little. Thanks blondie."
Then the blue haired girl that sat beside Silia said "Don't you ever dare to call her that again lizard. If you do, you better pray to the heavens that you will see the next sunset."
Rufus says "Oh? Is that a challenge I hear? I'll gladly take it any time, blue."
The girl with blue hair, while she grew more irritated by the second, didn't dare to do anything in front of someone who just passified a legit dragon.
Ill says "Now then. Blue haired girl. You are next."
The blue haired girl says "My name is Marcia di Luana Elifiti della Spada and I am the Sword Saint of the House Limbo. Feel free to disregard me during magic lessons, as I am only here for Silia's protection. But in case you want to know, I am a tier 4 magic swordsman."
This piqued Akagi's interest as she said "Tier 4 eh? If you are recognised as one, then you might just be someone worthy of my time. But don't get too comfortable there, I'll soon reach tier 4 as well."
Marcia says "I'll gladly see you try to catch up to me."
Akagi smiles evilly and says "Who said that I was below you?"
The two magic swordsmen stare at each other for a good while. Ill just mutters "And where is that witness of mine. I can barely function here, seeing that most of my students are women."
Soon after, the class hears a knock at the door and Ill says "You can come in."
As he said it, the door opens and in comes a woman with light armor that has an insignia of the second princess' personal knights. The woman had dog ears and swirly tail, making her a beastkin.
She says loudly "Wan Baskerville! Reporting in!"
The class just stares at her for a moment, which makes Wan nervous and ask "Did… did I go to the wrong classroom again? I'm sorry, I'll…"
Ill says "Are you one of Iris' knights?"
Wan says "Yes I am. And you must be Ill Omen."
Ill says while rubbing his temple "So you are the one they sent."
Wan is offended by this and says "Why do you look so disappointed?!"
Ill blinked, his tone flat and unfiltered. "Why are you a woman? That's... not what I was expecting."
Wan retaliates "You have a problem with me being a woman?!"
Ill says "I mean… What happened to Mark?"
Wan looks away for a moment and says "He was given other duties to fulfil, so he can't be your witness now."
Inside Wan thought "I can't just say that Iris removed him from his position as Ill's witness because he refused to take pictures of Ill in secret."
Ill says "I see. Well you were informed of why I needed a witness, right?"
Wan says "Yeah. Lady Iris made it very clear why I am here."
Ill says "You don't see the issue here?"
Wan says "I'm sorry, but there aren't any other knights who can take this position."
Ill sighs and says "Well, it can't be helped then I suppose."
Alfred asks "What is one of the second princess' personal knights doing here?"
Ill says "Well, let's just say that I once was accused of something I didn't do by a female acquaintance of mine, which made me have to basically start a new life elsewhere. Now I need there to be at least three people in the room in case one accuses me of doing something I didn't do. Especially if I would be alone with a female oriented person otherwise."
Rufus says "I don't get it. How can a lie hurt someone that bad?"
Winton says "Oh you sweet summer child."
Marcia says "I have to ask you this as Silia's guard. Does the matter involve sexual assault?"
Ill says "That is what I was accused of, yes."
Marcia looks at Ill for a moment with scorn, but then Silia takes a hold of Marcia's hand and says "I don't think that he is guilty of such a thing Marcia. You may let him be."
Marcia says "If… If you say so."
Marcia calms down a little and Ill says "No worries Marcia. I get where you are coming from as well. Which is why I'm supposed to have a witness with me at all times when I would be alone with anyone I didn't trust. Let's just all be glad that Wan being here is best for all of us."
Ill slumped slightly against the desk, clearly still recovering from the chaotic introductions. "Alright, let's get this over with—what you can expect this semester."
Ill adjusted his papers and cleared his throat. "Alright, let's go over how things will work here."
Class Selection and Graduation: "First off, you'll have two weeks to explore and attend different classes to see what suits you best. After that, you'll need to pick four subjects for this module, but remember—at the end of your time here, you'll need to pass final exams in five subjects and write a thesis. The thesis can be about nearly anything, as long as it has academic value and meets the examiners' standards. If any of you plan to graduate through Vagremton Academy, the process is a bit different, so talk to their advisors. For those attending both academies, you'll have mandatory classes to help you balance the workload."
He glanced up to make sure the class was following, then continued. "Any questions so far? No? Good. Let's move on."
Rules and Conduct Points: "Now, some important rules. First, while you're allowed to leave the academy grounds at night, the school won't be responsible if something happens to you out there. During the day, feel free to explore the city in your free time, but if you want to leave the city walls for any reason, you'll need to apply for a permit."
Ill scanned the room, locking eyes with Rufus briefly. "Quarreling is... expected, but keep it within reason. Life-threatening magic is strictly forbidden—even as a prank. If there's a disagreement about whether magic was life-threatening, the staff will escalate it to the headmaster for a final decision. As for weapons, you're allowed to use them, but only under specific conditions. Get a permit or use non-lethal methods, like keeping your sword sheathed."
He sighed. "If things get out of hand, the academy has a conduct points system. Think of it as a trust meter. If your points drop too low, you could be expelled. Reasons for point deductions will always be documented, and you can contest them if they seem unfair. On the flip side, high conduct points come with perks—like leaving the city without a permit or better food options. Benefits are tied directly to your behavior, so keep that in mind."
Food: "Speaking of food," Ill said, shuffling his papers, "here's how meals work. The academy provides one breakfast, one meal, one lunch, and one supper per day for each student. You'll all be given a device that not only tracks your schedule but also lets you know your class's meal time."
"If you have dietary restrictions, you should've already filled out a form. If your restrictions change, update the form ASAP so the kitchen can accommodate you. But here's the catch: if your restriction is unique and the kitchen isn't notified by the previous night, you'll need to handle your meals yourself. The kitchen finalizes meal prep at 9:00 p.m. the day before, so don't wait until the last minute."
Ill glanced at the room, then added, "Oh, and if you prefer not to eat academy meals, students with a permit to leave the city can bring their own ingredients and use the student kitchen. Just notify the staff an hour in advance. If your conduct points are high enough, you can use academy-provided ingredients, or you can join the cooking club."
He folded his papers, giving the class a wry smile. "Any questions? No? Great. Let's move on."
The Student Dorms: Ill flipped through his notes, pausing briefly before addressing the class. "Now, about the dormitories. They're divided into three categories: one for women, one for men, and one for mixed genders. Entry into the mixed dorm requires you to meet specific criteria. You'll need to either be genderless, identify as both genders, or have high enough conduct points to qualify.
"If you don't meet any of these conditions, you can still apply for access to the mixed dorms, but you'll need to submit a valid reason. The Director of Housing, Mama, and the Mixed Dormitory Head, Wagner, will review your case before making a decision."
Ill's tone grew more serious. "And let me make this crystal clear: if any of you are caught in a dormitory you don't belong to, without explicit permission from the Dormitory Head, you'll face immediate consequences. On top of losing conduct points, you might lose access to your own dorm altogether. If that happens, you'll be left to figure out where you'll sleep—and trust me, it won't be pleasant."
He muttered under his breath, a cheeky grin briefly crossing his face, "Not like the academy will let you starve or freeze to death… but you'd have to be on death's door for them to care."
The students leaned forward, straining to hear his muttered words, but Ill quickly shuffled his papers, his tone shifting. "Let's move on."
The Duel System: "Next, let's talk about the duel system. Every student has the right to challenge another to an official duel. These duels take place in the arena, where the damage you sustain is absorbed by a protective system created by Headmaster Mana. The system calculates damage based on your body's toughness, equipment, and overall health. Once your lifeline hits zero, the match ends, and the winner is the one still standing."
Ill paused, scanning the room to ensure everyone was paying attention. "The academies guarantee there's no chance of death during official duels—provided the system is functioning properly. At least two staff members must verify the system before any duel begins. Tampering with it is strictly forbidden and results in immediate expulsion."
He leaned against the podium, his tone shifting to a slightly amused one. "Now, don't get too comfortable. You'll still feel pain when you're hit. The system decides what constitutes an attack, and trust me, it doesn't go easy on you."
He glanced at Rufus. "For training purposes, the system can also be used in group settings, where matches won't end until a staff member deactivates it. And yes, it includes safety protocols to block attacks from reaching spectators. That said, participants are free to leave the arena at any time in case of system failure. We'd rather err on the side of caution than risk a malfunction trapping anyone."
Ill's gaze hardened. "If you see anyone tampering with the system—staff included—report them immediately using your device. Only the headmaster has permission to modify the system settings."
Status and Privileges: Ill sighed as he flipped to the next page, meeting Alfred's gaze. "Let's address the elephant in the room: status. Here at the academy, every student is considered equal, no matter their title, lineage, or social standing outside these walls. Now, we can't stop you from respecting someone else's status—or flaunting your own if you're that kind of person—but if you use your rank to threaten, harass, or belittle others, both academies have the authority to contact your guardians and demand compensation for the victims."
He paused, letting the words sink in. "This policy is enforced rigorously in our host kingdom, but enforcement across borders can be… complicated. Regardless, I'd advise against testing these rules. While I may be lenient in some cases, other staff members won't hesitate to enforce them. I won't name names, but you'll find out soon enough."
Ill turned his attention back to Alfred, his voice dropping slightly. "Oh, and Alfred? Just so you know, your father has been made fully aware of these rules. I don't know him personally, but I've heard he's not above groveling when it comes to saving face."
Alfred sneered. "Noted, you piece of human garbage."
Ill grinned, ignoring the insult. "Glad we're on the same page."
After glancing at the next agenda, Ill looked at his students and remarked, "Well, at least no one's missing on the first day."
A few students exchanged confused glances, but Ill carried on without pausing.
Attendance: "Let's talk about attendance. Your overall attendance will directly affect your grades—not just in the subjects you miss, but also your conduct points. If a teacher notices you're ditching too often, they can deduct points or even penalize your test scores. Of course, if you believe it's unfair, you can contest it. However, a word of caution: filing excessive or frivolous contests can cost you conduct points, too."
Ill flipped to another paper and continued. "If you skip three days in a row, the staff will investigate. If you're sick, make sure to visit the nurse's office; they can approve leave for longer than three days. No skipping just because you're tired—trust me, we'll notice."
Facilities: "Now, for the fun part: facilities. Magustin has libraries, training grounds, medical wings—where the nurse's office is—and meditation chambers. For more physical activities, Vagremton offers gyms, a swimming pool, climbing walls, a running field, an obstacle course, and… what was it?"
Ill squinted at his notes. "Ah, yes. The gravitation room. They can increase gravity in there to help you train under pressure. Even magicians are encouraged to try it occasionally, though…" He hesitated. "Personally, I hate it."
Rufus's eyes lit up, clearly excited, while Xi raised his hand. "Excuse me, did Magustin help build the gravitation room? Do you know how it works?"
"I've heard it was a joint effort between the two headmasters," Ill replied. "But beyond that, I'm not sure."
Xi's face fell slightly, though he tried to hide it. Ill tapped his chin, then added, "Oh, but I did hear something about it using a monster core as a power source."
Xi's expression brightened. "I see," he murmured, smiling faintly to himself.
Clubs: Ill shuffled his notes again. "Right, clubs. While joining a club isn't mandatory, they're a great way to explore extracurricular interests. I mentioned the cooking club earlier, but we also have the Mythbuster Club, Occult Club, Witch Club, Bodybuilding Club, Combat Club, Meditation Club, Literature Club… and more. You can find a full list on your devices."
He paused to let the information sink in. "Each club has its own joining process, usually determined by the club president. Clubs also have assistants—mostly staff members—who ensure things run smoothly. Some subjects recommend joining specific clubs for hands-on experience, but otherwise, it's up to you."
Ill looks at the papers and noticed he had gone through them all.
Ill glanced at the class, raising an eyebrow. "Now then, who knows where the training grounds are?"
Several students—including Rufus, Akagi, Winton, Xi, Alice, Marcia, and Quinty—raised their hands hesitantly. Ill clapped his hands. "Perfect. Those who know the way, lead us there."
Alfred scoffed loudly. "You don't even know where the training grounds are? Unbelievable. You're incompetent."
Ill shrugged casually. "I'm directionally challenged. I know the general direction but always end up lost. That's just how it is."
Silia chimed in, "Aren't you going to wake Miss Rena?"
Ill froze for a moment. "Of course I was," he said hurriedly, snapping his fingers.
Rena jolted awake, her eyes blazing with fury. "You bastard! I was forced to listen to your nonsense while completely immobilized! I swear, I'll—"
Ill smirked. "If you were listening, then you should've heard how we deal with people who look down on others because of their status."
Rena opened her mouth to retort but stopped, realizing his point. She let out an irritated "Hmph" and stormed off with the others.
Ill let out a long sigh, muttering, "First part's done. Now for the interesting part."
As the class gathered at the training grounds, Itti raised his hand. "What are we doing, Teacher Ill?"
Ill's lips curled into a mischievous smile. "You're all going to attack me with everything you've got. Show me what you can do under abnormal circumstances."
Rena sneered. "Abnormal circumstances? You think you can handle—"
Quinty cut her off. "You do remember he immobilized you earlier, right?"
Rena flushed but quickly retorted, "I'll never fall for the same trick twice!"
Ill gestured with a hand. "Alright then. Come at me."
Rena charged, her confidence radiating. "This time, you can't—" But her surroundings vanished into total darkness. She couldn't feel her mana, leaving her utterly disoriented.
Ill's voice echoed mockingly. "What's wrong, Rena? I thought you'd beat me this time."
Enraged, Rena began channeling large-scale magic, but a subtle wave of Ill's hand left her mind clouded. Her focus wavered, and the spell fizzled out. Disoriented and overwhelmed, she collapsed to the ground, unable to stand.
Ill turned to the rest of the class. "Your turn."
The students attacked together, but one by one, they succumbed to the same disorienting effects. Only Akagi and Fiery managed to stay standing, their focus unwavering. Ill raised an eyebrow, impressed. "Two left? That's about average—"
Before he could finish, Xi and Alice staggered back to their feet, fighting through the effects. Ill whistled. "Four this year? That's a new record."
The remaining students eventually fell, leaving Ill standing unscathed. He clapped his hands. "Well, no one's managed to land a hit on the first day. But I hope you'll build resistance over time. Who knows? You might even reach me someday… at least when I'm only this serious."
He let the tension hang for a moment before lifting the spell. The students groaned as they recovered, shaken but determined.
As Ill prepared to leave, Rena called out, "How can you cast such powerful spells?"
Ill paused at the doorway, glancing over his shoulder. "I just trained hard in status effects. But honestly, I only specialize in debuffs."
With that, he strode away, leaving his class to ponder the lesson—and their failures.