The lunch break ended, both Anna and I moved to our classroom talking our seats.
The third period was Monster Analysis. The classroom buzzed with light chatter until the sound of heels clicking against the floor silenced everyone.
The door creaked open a women with blond hair entered the classroom. Her aura was breathtaking. Her sapphire blue eyes that seems to hold the depth of a starry sky, scanned the faces of every students, Her features were flawless, and despite being in her early thirties she radiated the beauty of a princess straight from the fairy tales.
All the students both male and female stared at her, likely captivated by her elegance.
I was no exception, blankly staring at her my mouth hanged open, she was genuinely that gorgeous.
Smack!
"Hey, you has a weird grin on your face, it's creepy," smacking me to the shoulder Anna whispered, freeing me from my dreams.
My cheeks flushed as I turned back to my notes, "Yeah, sorry about that." Feeling foolish.
"Good afternoon, class. I am Ms. Angelica Rainfield, your instructor for Monster Analysis," she introduced, her sweet honey like voice took my breath.
'Oh dear God…'
The lecture began with her explaining the various types of monsters that roamed the world—[Wraths], [Hounds], [Howls], and other species which comes in different ranks and power that posed a constant threat to our world.
Their origins were still unknown, though no one truly knew where the monsters first appeared or how do they spread so rapidly. What everyone did know, however, was their devastating impact on the world.
And among all the monsters the [Fallen] was the most dangerous and powerful monsters known till date. A single Fallen was a calamity beyond imagination.
Their features are of similar to humans, they looked quite a bit like humans, they posses white wings similar to that of an angle from the old fairy tales.
"It requires about two Single Ranked heroes to defeat one," The whole class gasped as Ms. Rainfield described their destructive capabilities.
'Two Single Rankers, huh? Well it's true,' I thought, suppressing a smirk. 'If it's just one Fallen, I can handle it all by myself.'
As Ms. Rainfield continued her lecture, I found myself a little difficult to stay engaged. Monsters? I had fought and killed nearly all of them. This was not anything news to me.
While the rest of the students scribbled notes and listened to her lecture, I leaned back in my seat, letting my thoughts drift.
'Why is [Glory] coming to NOVA?'
I had worked with Glory on few missions. As a Rank-3 hero, he was undoubtedly strong and deserved his title. And the things I knew of him are, he is Born into a noble family, he carried himself with a prideful air, a certain arrogance can be seen in his face but above all, He had the skills to back it up.
I began piecing together the puzzle in my mind. Glory wasn't the type to visit NOVA without a purpose, and knowing the Hero Association, this wasn't just a casual check-in.
Deploying a single ranker even to a seminar, hid a deeper meaning. My chest tightened as I clenched my fists under the desk.
The Hero Association is planning something, they won't use a Rank – 3 powerhouse like Glory unless there is someone of equally powerful as him. And if it's not me then—
'Ruby Oliver. . .'
The thought struck me, It has to be her. The headmistress of NOVA had to be the target. She was hiding something, and the Hero Association had likely sent their "dog" to uncover it.
'But why?'
I considered the possibilities. Ruby could be involved in something dangerous, something that the Hero Association finds difficult to ignore. Or perhaps they viewed her as a threat to their control. Either way, one fact was clear: The Hero Association wanted her monitored.
If all that's true.
'Then I had to make my move quickly.'
Let this be their first taste of my revenge— They won't even realize what will struck them.
I need to act in this behind the scenes, ensuring no one close to me got caught in the crossfire.
Glory, despite his strength, was no match for me. If eliminating him was the only way to protect those I cared about and disrupt Association's schemes, then so be it.
The bell rang, snapping me back to the reality.
"And that's all for today," Ms. Rainfield declared. "Review today's lecture and prepare for the next class."
And with that the fourth and last class for today started, the fourth period was an open elective. Students has to choose from one of the four subjects.
Clicking on the display of my wrist watch a blue transparent holographic display appeared, I browsed through the information about open elective:
[Open Elective-
Basic of Enchantment
Elemental Science
World History
Skill Nourishment]
Anna turned to me with a curious look, "So, what's your choice?"
"Hmm, I am thinking of Elemental Science."
"Figures. By the way I am going for the skill nourishment."
"That make sense," I nodded.
Skill Nourishment was a hands on subject for first years to choose, this subject mainly focuses on refining skills, for someone like Anna and most other first year it was without a doubt a stable choice.
We walked together towards the corridor, "I heard that many students failed to pass Elemental Science but knowing you. . . I think you will do just fine." Anna warned.
According to me Elemental Science wasn't just a subject—it was the fundamental principles of this world. My interest in this subject stemmed from my personal philosophy: everything in this world is interconnected, bound together through quantum entanglement—with Elemental Essence serving as the core force driving these connections.
"Good luck with your class," Anna said with a small wave.
"You too," I replied. "See you later."
With that, I headed toward my classroom. The classroom was tucked away in a quiet corner of the building, as I entered I noticed how less populated it was. There were only about twenty students scattered across the room. It made sense—Elemental Science was primarily theoretical and mostly a challenging subject.
I chose a seat in the last row, where I observe the room without drawing too much attention to myself. As I scanned the space, I spotted a few familiar faces from my own class, 1A, and some unfamiliar ones—likely students from other sections.
With around 500 first-year students, the sections are divided into ten classes (1A to 1J), the low attendance for this subject wasn't surprising. Most students probably opted for the more hands-on or general electives like Skill Nourishment or World History.
I leaned back in my chair, waiting for the lecture to begin. As the minutes ticked by, my thoughts drifted.
"E–Excuse me? C–can I sit here." A sweet voice called out to me.
Looking up from my seat I saw a familiar girl with her cyan hair dropping to her forehead which touched her rounded black framed glasses, She was the one who has casted a spell without absorbing the Elemental Essence during entrance examination.
"Yeah, go ahead," moving to the corner I offered her space.
"T–Thank you,"
Smiling at her I nodded, "No problem."
". . ."
'Why is she staring at me like that?'
"Can I help you," I asked, startling her as she blushed hiding her forehead even more with her shiny cyan bangs.
"N-No! it's just t–that your Essence, it's a b–bit strange."
'Interesting…'
"How come?" I asked maintaining a curious face.
"I d–don't know, they are a bit aggressive around you."
'They?'
"What do you see—"
But before I finished the classroom doors creaked open, and my attention snapped toward it. A black-haired woman entered, her presence caught everyone's eye present in that room in an instant. She looked to be in her late 50s, with sharp eyes that seemed to pierce through your thoughts. The wrinkles on her face weren't just signs of age—they told a story of years of immersed research and hard work.
She stood on the podium, her gaze sweeping across the class as if sizing each of us. "Good afternoon, everyone. I'm Professor Wilma Whitlock. Let's begin."
'Wilma Whitlock, I know her.'
I have read the books and research of her when I was in Hero Association, and to be honest her research was the reason I got hooked in to Elemental Science.
I leaned back in my seat, watching as she began the lecture. Her voice was calm but carried a certain weight, the kind that held your attention whether you wanted it or not.
"The Elementals," she started, "are the core of all existence. They aren't just forces of nature—they are alive, intertwined with every aspect of the world. They sustain life, balance ecosystems, and even influence the very skills we wield."
Her words had my full attention. Finally, a class worth listening to. Her hypothesis aligned very close to my own theories about Elemental Essence. She spoke of their influence on life and their connection to nature, but she hadn't yet touched on the connection I suspected—how Elementals might directly interact with skills.
I couldn't resist. Raising my hand I asked, "Professor, do Elementals and skills share a direct connection? And if so how does it affect ones skill."
Her sharp eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, I felt as though she was studying me. Then, a small smile tugged at her lips.
"An excellent question," she said, her voice filled with warmth. "However, I must admit I don't have a profound answer. While I do suspect there is a link, my research hasn't yet uncovered concrete evidence."
The room fell silent for a moment before whispers broke out among the students.
I could hear the surprise in their murmurs. Professor Whitlock was a legend, known across all five kingdoms for her groundbreaking research on Elemental.
For someone of her status to openly admit like that—it was rare, to say the least.
She chuckled softly, raising her hand to quiet the noise. Then, her eyes found me again. "You must be Zane Skylark."
I blinked, caught off guard. "How do you know me?"
"I was the one who set the written examination paper for your entrance test. Your answers were extraordinary, especially the final one. It was insightful, well-structured, and thought-provoking. You rarely see that level of understanding from someone your age. It was worthy of full marks."
I nodded, unsure of how to respond. While I didn't care much for validation, but hearing it from her made me really proud.
We exchanged a few more theories about Elementals. She encouraged me to continue exploring the subject, which, coming from her, almost felt like a challenge.
As the class ended, I made my way out, as I passed by the bulletin board in the hallway. A brightly colored pamphlet caught my eye.
"Rank – 3 Hero, [Glory], to Visit NOVA for a Seminar in Two Days."
'The clock is ticking.' My hear pounded.
I clenched my fists as the pieces of my plan formed in my mind. If I wanted to eliminate Glory and make my move against the Hero Association, it had to be soon.
But I couldn't do this alone. I needed Ruby's assist for this plan to work.
Meeting her during the day wasn't an option—it would draw too much attention.
"Midnight," I decided. That's when I'll meet her.
As I walked away from the board, my thoughts racing. There was no turning back now.
Every move I made from here on out had to be perfect.
End of chapter.