First Class (2): A Bold Challenge
In an instant, the classroom's atmosphere plunged into icy silence. Reglia hadn't even used any power, yet the air had grown this heavy. The reason was simple: someone had found the courage to tell Kena to shut his mouth. And that someone was me.
All eyes snapped toward me. A savage glare bored into me from beneath a fierce scowl. Kena, with the Freya family's signature blazing red hair and crimson eyes, possessed a handsome face, but those razor-sharp eyes dominated his features. When he frowned like this, he looked every bit the wild predator.
"What the hell did you just say?"
He tried to twist his lips into a smile as he asked, but combined with that cutting gaze, it only came across as a sneer. The more timid students shrank back, averting their eyes in fear. Kena ignored them completely, his focus locked solely on me.
"I said you're being loud."
"Ha, so I heard right?"
"That crazy bastard!"
"How dare you spout such garbage at Master Kena!"
Kena's lackeys looked ready to shout me down, but he silenced them with a gesture and strode toward me instead. Thud. Thud. In the dead-quiet classroom, his footsteps echoed like drumbeats. Since I was seated, I naturally looked up at him. He stared down at me and spoke.
Kiiiiing.
Would you look at that? I felt the air grow heavier, sharp magical energy prickling across my skin, and let out a silent, bitter laugh. He was threatening me so openly? This had to be because of how I'd handled that Sand Snake earlier.
"What do you think you're—!"
Reglia moved to block Kena's aggression, but I was faster. I released my own magic power. Sorry about this, Kena. My Magic stat is sitting at 30 right now. In the early stages, my total stats were probably the highest among all the first-years.
Crack.
"......!!"
"Oh my god..."
"You..."
I had literally crushed the magical pressure Kena was exerting on me. Reglia's eyes widened in shock while Kena's face twisted into a deeper frown. Those already fierce eyes now gleamed like sharpened blades, radiating pure threat. The rest of the class stared blankly, unsure what had just happened. I looked at him with perfect composure and spoke.
"Is that all you've got?"
Whoosh.
My provocation hit its mark. Heat flared around him as small flames began to flicker to life. It wasn't deliberate—the natural reaction of the Freya bloodline when emotions ran hot. So it's only appearing around his shoulders for now.
The Freya trait amplified fire's intensity, strength, and range according to emotional surges. From the looks of it, this level of anger was barely enough to summon a spark.
While I studied the flames, Reglia stepped between us like a shield.
"Put that fire out right now."
"Reglia. I was just talking to my friend back there. Why are you interfering?"
"Don't make me laugh. Since when is threatening someone with magic power considered talking? And I said put out the fire. You're the class rep, aren't you?"
As expected from Reglia. She was always the first to step in and stop Kena's nonsense.
But then something completely unexpected happened.
"Besides, you already got crushed a second ago. Why are you pathetically trying to pick another fight?"
"You...!"
Reglia was clearly referring to how I'd overpowered Kena's magic. She smirked as if she'd caught him in the perfect moment. Her laughter was as cold as winter, and Kena answered it with scorching heat. But his flames weren't nearly strong enough to melt that chill.
"For the sake of the Freya family, you should stop here and walk away. If you keep this up, you'll damage more than just your own reputation—you'll tarnish the whole family's image."
"You think I'd lose?"
"Isn't it obvious? Could you take down a Sand Snake by yourself?"
"......"
Kena couldn't bring himself to claim he could.
"See? You can't even answer. So why are you acting so tough?"
"Shut up."
"Haa... I genuinely don't understand how someone can live this long with a brain that's purely decorative."
Reglia pressed a hand to her forehead, looking truly pained. Kena, clearly fed up with her, turned to return to his seat. But at the last moment he twisted his head back, glaring at me.
"See you during sparring time."
Sparring time, huh. The academy's constant training meant there were plenty of opportunities for students to duel. Kena would probably use that window to come after me. At least he had enough sense not to start a fight in the middle of class. He had no idea that was exactly what I was hoping for.
I chuckled inwardly and casually glanced at my smartwatch. They should be here any moment now.
Class had already started, yet the homeroom teacher for Class 1-A still hadn't shown up. I tilted my head, wondering.
"Look at him, picking fights again without even reading his opponent's strength."
"Shut your mouth!"
"The one who needs to shut up is you, Kena."
What? Was he already here?
Rather than entering through the door, a man had suddenly materialized in the center of the classroom. Just as I'd expected from the game, our homeroom teacher for Class 1-A was Garein Sieghart.
"How much noise do you have to make before it carries all the way outside?"
"Professor Garein Sieghart?!"
"Professor Garein Sieghart is our homeroom teacher?"
The students grew noisy the moment they recognized the man they'd seen at the entrance ceremony. Given his reputation, their reaction was only natural. If anything, the strange part was how quiet everyone had been during the ceremony itself.
"Everyone, be quiet and return to your seats. I'll begin attendance."
His calm, weighty voice instantly silenced the room. Garein Sieghart's attendance check began, and it strongly reminded me of yesterday's entrance ceremony. In the game, attendance and classes could be skipped, but this was reality. His mouth kept moving without pause as he called out every student's name.
"Joria Hon."
"Yes!"
I learned the name of the student beside me, then the ones in front, behind, and diagonally across. I nodded slowly, committing my new classmates' names to memory.
"Mir."
"......"
When Garein Sieghart called Mir's name, only silence answered. Students began craning their necks, searching for her. Garein Sieghart's face twitched slightly as he called her name again.
"Mir."
"......"
In that moment, everyone realized the truth. To think someone would be late on the very first day! It hadn't happened in the game either, so even I was surprised. Just then, the back door burst open and someone stumbled in, gasping for breath.
"Huff... huff... S-sorry! I'm sorry!"
It was none other than the student Garein Sieghart had been calling—Mir. I didn't know what had delayed her, but as far as our instructor was concerned, she was now the girl who showed up late on day one.
"Impressive. Being late from the very first day."
"I-I'm sorry!"
His voice had dropped even lower than usual. The student in the front seat actually trembled. Poor kid—why sit in the very front on a day like this?
"...This is your final warning. Be careful from now on."
"Yes! I'm truly sorry!"
"Take your seat."
Since it was the first day, Garein Sieghart let it slide. He looked over the fully occupied classroom and spoke in a measured tone.
"We'll begin with self-introductions. I am Garein Sieghart, and I will be serving as homeroom instructor for Class 1-A starting today. I look forward to working with all of you for the next year."
Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.
After the students' applause died down—he raised a hand to cut it off cleanly—Garein Sieghart nodded and began explaining the upcoming curriculum.
"Our primary goal is monster subjugation. Accordingly, our foundational classes will center on understanding monsters and practical combat. You will each receive personalized training and dedicated time to master your magical power. If you have any questions, raise your hand."
"Um, Professor?"
"What is it?"
"How does one become a direct disciple?"
Direct disciple. The term referred not to ordinary students receiving general instruction, but to a successor chosen to inherit everything a professor had cultivated over a lifetime. Because they passed on their complete knowledge, professors set strict conditions and chose with great care.
For reference, Garein Sieghart had only two direct disciples. One was currently traveling the world to build his reputation, while the other was in their third year.
"You're asking something obvious. If you possess talent and catch a professor's eye, you can become a direct disciple at any time."
"A direct disciple..."
"I absolutely want one."
The students' faces lit up with dreams and expectations. Meanwhile, Garein Sieghart had already gathered his materials and prepared to leave.
"That concludes our discussion. Everyone, follow me."
"Where are we going?"
"...To meet your partners."
Partners. In New World Academy, that single word could only mean one thing.
It's time to obtain my exclusive weapon!