Overview of Supernatural Abilities (1)
"Wow..."
I let out a breath of awe as Narae and I left the classroom and hurried along. Before us stood a towering circular building that proudly displayed its enormous scale. This was Mongnyeon Hall. According to the timetable, this was where all the mandatory and core subject classes took place.
The stadium-like building where we had our entrance ceremony was Dongbaek Hall, and the ordinary school-like building we had just left was Baekryeon Hall. I already knew this, but just as the teacher had said, what we studied at the academy was completely different from a regular high school curriculum. It was all about mastering supernatural abilities.
With various practical exercises involved, there would be plenty of physical activity. Only now did I understand why the academy's tuition was so expensive and why classes were held in such a massive facility like this.
That said, I wondered if other academies had facilities as impressive as Baekhwa Academy. I vaguely recalled hearing it was a prestigious institution, but I had only come here because my aunt insisted. I barely knew what other academies even existed.
"Hurry up and get inside. It's almost nine o'clock."
Following the other students rushing ahead, I ran up the stairs and reached room 305. From deep inside came the homeroom teacher's voice. Strangely, even though she seemed to be speaking quietly, her words resonated all the way to the entrance where I stood. Was this some kind of supernatural ability too?
As I stepped into room 305—which was nearly the size of an auditorium—I saw the teacher standing in a casual pose. Behind her, a transparent glass wall replaced what should have been a solid barrier, offering a complete view into the room beyond. Next to the large electronic display board by the door, a white mannequin-like object stood inside.
"What is that thing...?"
"R-right... no idea."
Leaving the mysterious space behind, Narae and I moved to where the students were gathered. Just like during the entrance ceremony, we formed two lines. The class beside us had done the same. Oh, that's right—this class was a joint session with Class B.
If it was Class B, then surely... I unconsciously turned my head. There was my roommate from yesterday, chatting away with her tall friend.
She must have sensed my gaze. She paused mid-sentence, turned, and looked straight at me. Uh, s-should I greet her? After a brief hesitation, I gathered my courage and waved my hand back and forth.
"...Pfft."
She let out a laugh like air leaking from a balloon. Instead of returning the greeting, she curled one corner of her mouth into a smirk, then turned her head away without another word.
What... what was that? Was I just ignored?
...Do you know her...?
...From now on, she's a stranger.
...?
Hmph. I left the door open for her, told her a good place to smoke, and tried to be nice. In the end, she decided I wasn't worth greeting because I didn't match her popular status. Fine. I'll treat her as nothing but a business roommate from now on too.
...What on earth am I thinking? Telling someone a place to smoke isn't morally good at all....
"Everyone here? Then we'll begin."
While I was lost in ridiculous thoughts, the teacher—who hadn't even taken attendance and had simply eyeballed the headcount—spoke again in her usual voice.
"The title of this lecture is General Theory of Supernatural Abilities. As the name implies, it covers everything about what we call supernatural abilities. You may have picked up some knowledge from using your own powers or doing your own research, but only the academy can teach you the precise details. So listen carefully."
"A supernatural ability is 'a power that interferes with limits.' We'll cover the exact definition and concepts later.... Simply put, it is a force that makes the impossible possible. Humans cannot create fire from their hands, instantly heal injuries, or fly through the sky. Yet supernatural abilities let us transcend the boundaries of living creatures and accomplish countless feats."
The teacher's gaze swept across me and a few others for a split second before moving on.
"Where does the source of this power come from? It hasn't been fully revealed, but what we know so far is that supernatural abilities depend entirely on an organ called the pineal gland, located beneath the cerebral hemispheres, and the ether it produces. Psychological factors play a major role as well, but we'll save that discussion for later.... Fundamentally, the more ether the pineal gland generates, and the greater the amount one can utilize, the longer, more frequently, and at higher levels one can use their abilities. In short, the strength of a supernatural ability depends on the ether produced by the pineal gland."
This much I already knew. My aunt had explained it, and I had witnessed plenty of ether runaways. The sensation of ether spreading through my entire body whenever I used my power was honestly a little chilling.
"The room you see over there is for measuring your supernatural abilities. It has special treatment, so manifested abilities cannot leak outside, and there is no risk of ether runaway until we measure an individual's maximum capacity. The mannequin inside will automatically transform into the optimal form for each student's ability the moment they enter. Whether your ability falls under the combat or support category, pour out every last drop of your ether and demonstrate your full power."
After catching her breath, the teacher suddenly flashed the students a sly, almost sinister smile. It looked like she was plotting something.
"Furthermore, the measured abilities will be ranked from S to F and recorded on the electronic board in real time. The data will also be saved so you can check it on your pads anytime. In other words, you'll be able to see each other's ranks and gauge one another's level whenever you wish."
"Ehh?"
"Ah... no way..."
"Ugh..."
Complaints rose from several places, but the moment the teacher widened her eyes and glared, the room fell silent again almost instantly.
"For combat-type students, we evaluate how powerful the ability is. For support-type students, we measure how useful it is in battle. We also assess total ether volume and skill in handling ether. Researchers will be watching in real time and scoring you through various methods. This rank contributes to your final grade in General Theory of Supernatural Abilities, so always refine your skills and strive to raise your rank. Understood?"
"Yes!"
Ugh. So this was that kind of system. Stimulating competitive instincts? Where you could go after graduation depended on how excellent your grades were, after all. They were intentionally creating a hierarchy inside the school and encouraging rivalry by letting everyone check ranks in real time. An atmosphere like this would be hard for someone like me to endure.
"I've heard about this from my older sister. She said most people end up around the same level except for a few."
"Is that true? I heard there's an S-rank in the upper years that's on a completely different dimension..."
Just as whispers threatened to break out again, the teacher spoke once more.
"Then we will begin the measurements. The order is random. When your name is called, open the door, enter, and use your ability exactly as instructed. I will not tolerate half-hearted performances! First—Kim Yeon!"
At the call, a girl with a tense expression stepped forward. It was the same female student who had been sitting beside the princess in the classroom earlier, warily watching the surroundings.
When she entered the room, her movements were visible in real time to everyone outside. Sound from inside was completely blocked, yet we could see everything through the glass.
Ack. If I knew people were watching, it would be hard to show my true ability. Wasn't this system far too harsh on timid people?
"...!"
Whether it was a shout or simply lip movement, she instantly created something in midair. It was... a sword. Blue energy gripped in her hand flickered as though it were real flames given substance.
"...That's an incredibly straightforward name."
"Mhm..."
While I was quietly commenting on the subtle naming sense, the motionless mannequin began to move. Its plain arms and legs creaked as they took on proper jointed shapes, then it assumed a ready stance like a martial arts master demonstrating in a dojo.
Oh. Did that mean combat-type students had to fight that thing...? The space looked wide enough for actual combat, but most students had lived ordinary lives before entering the academy. I wasn't sure they could fight a mannequin like that properly.
"She's fighting well...?"
"Whoa..."
But my worries seemed pointless. She drew the sword created by her ability and met the charging mannequin head-on. With outstanding skill, she blocked its attacks and countered. She deflected an outstretched arm using the middle of her blade, used the rebound to slash at its waist, then chased the retreating, guarded mannequin and thrust into its abdomen.
It wasn't an overwhelming victory, but they seemed evenly matched. Given that she sat right beside the princess, she had probably been assigned by the royal family. That would explain why she fought so well if she'd been training since childhood.
I whispered softly to Narae.
"Narae, could you fight like that?"
"Ugh... completely impossible for me..."
"...Yeah, I thought so."
Well, that was probably the normal reaction.
I watched without noticing time passing. The sword in her hand, which had been exchanging blows, began to lose its shape. Eventually it failed to block an attack and vanished. As ether particles scattered in every direction, the mannequin's outstretched fist stopped right in front of her face.
After a brief moment of panic, she made a frustrated expression and bit her lip hard.
"Stop!"
Some time after the teacher's command, new text appeared on the electronic board.
When the door opened and she stepped out, she checked the electronic board, confirmed her ranking, and returned to her spot beside the princess. A faint whisper reached even where I stood.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness... I could have done better..."
"Hmph."
Once the first test finished, the rest proceeded quickly. When a called student entered and waited, the mannequin would transform into a form suited to their ability, and the student would demonstrate their power until reaching their limit.
Some used telekinesis from a distance to restrain the mannequin or caused small explosions, but because they weren't accustomed to combat, they didn't receive good ranks.
"Don't be too discouraged by a low rank. This measurement isn't the end. Build your skills through constant effort and achieve good results. Understood?"
"Yes!"
"Also, any student who remains at F-rank until the end of the school year cannot advance grades. Avoid spending time in optimistic idleness without any plan."
"Yeees..."
From the teacher's occasional explanations, I learned that ranks were divided into six categories—S, A, B, C, D, and F. F-rank was under 1,000 points, S-rank was 9,000 points or higher, and evaluations were comprehensive. Even if an ability wasn't suited for defeating the mannequin, they assessed how useful it could be in practice.
Among the support students, one could fly through the sky. In that case, the mannequin shot rubber-bullet-like projectiles from below to attack her. I had no idea what kind of technology went into making that thing.
"Ugh..."
I gently took the hand of Narae, who had shrunk into herself and was staring ahead with a deeply worried expression.
"Are you okay...?"
"Y-yeah... I'm just really nervous..."
"D-don't worry. Like the teacher said, this isn't the only evaluation. Even if you get a low rank, we can work hard together from now on."
Of course, since I was a support type, it might have been easy for me to say. But in the end, support types still had to be deployed in battle against dimensional beasts. Worrying wouldn't suddenly make me good at fighting, so perhaps it was better to stay relaxed.
"...With Seol?"
"...? Yes. With me."
"R-right. Hehe..."
When I took her hand, she turned and stared at me blankly before her tension finally eased and she gave a small smile. As expected, her smiling face looked far better than her tearful one.
After another few dozen minutes and roughly a dozen more students measured, most had received C or D ranks. Kim Yeon still held first place on the board.
Then the teacher called the princess's name.
"Next, Jeong Wol-ha!"
At that moment, silence descended among the students.