Overwhelming Power -1-
Rohan pushed through the game without hesitation, unlike before.
With the bridge Clara and the others had built holding up sturdier than expected, there was no need to waste energy.
Quitting the low-spec playstyle and actually enjoying it felt refreshing for him too.
'Cute.'
He started blasting through regions at high speed, asking Clara about tricky lore or stuck spots.
And that's when Rohan realized why she'd tried to hype the story.
'...It's definitely fun.'
Once a chapter kicked off, the curiosity made it hard to pause midway.
It took real willpower to stop.
A quick break while cooling off from studying, on the walk back to the dorm after workouts, or munching at the academy cafeteria.
Rohan made efficient use of his time, steamrolling stages like his meridians had cleared, and Clara was stunned.
But thanks to that, he figured out how to really play.
And once he admitted he'd hooked on the fun, her beaming smile lit up with joy.
Each little step was huge progress.
At this rate, maybe one day she'd open up about her real current self—something Abyss City never revealed.
'Someday she'll have to ask for help.'
Harboring those tangled thoughts, Rohan stepped through Orion Academy's main gate, pocketed his phone on the way to Class 1.
Drag!
He pushed open the door and entered Class 1.
Rohan exchanged light greetings with the friends he'd gotten names straight with over the past few days, then sat by Gilbert.
"Rohan! A mighty and strong morning!"
"Yeah. Still the same today...?"
Rohan swallowed the rest of his greeting.
Unlike usual, Gilbert's voice lacked that ear-ringing bass rumble.
He paused sorting his bag and glanced over.
Gilbert looked haggard—not the face that usually boomed with grand sound effects.
"Hey, your face is wrecked!"
"Merely an honorable badge from resisting the gorilla's unjust orders... Nothing happened."
"?"
The "gorilla" Gilbert meant was surely his sister.
He'd heard she graduated Orion Academy, landed a job in Academy City, and kept him under surveillance.
"Simply, as a Carniat, I flapped my wings to reclaim my freedom."
"Didn't go well, huh."
"The attempt itself holds meaning."
Watching this guy's tales of cheating death from sheer curiosity in the past, and his occasional antics...
Rohan figured there might be a valid reason for his state.
"Fact is, that's how he looked back at flight school too. It's even in the top 9 incidents list."
Dick Wikitree announced his arrival by setting down his bag.
"You're here."
"Yeah. I am."
Rohan traded casual hellos.
Gilbert crossed his arms at Dick's words, launching into a curt reminiscence.
"Ah, of course I haven't forgotten the past. Nor this shameful time. I'll train diligently to crush the gorilla."
"That's another line he wore out at flight school. A goal still unmet."
"Gal—!!! The golden spirit of pushing forward without surrender is what matters! Why fixate on results alone?!"
In that brief exchange with Dick, Gilbert regained his energy, cranking up his voice to full volume as always.
Rohan felt a sense of stability from their banter as he prepped for class.
Moments later, Juyeon entered for morning roll call.
"Roll call."
Names called one by one in Juyeon's voice.
No absences today either.
"Any sick students or special circumstances?"
Class 1 already had an unspoken rule.
If no one raised a hand after a few seconds, the answer came in unison.
"""None!"""
"If it's something hard to say here, come during break or message me."
Juyeon jotted on her log.
"Dismissed."
No announcements, so she grabbed her log and clicked out on heels.
Students naturally started prepping for class from there.
"There was a section I told you to memorize yesterday. Review just that, then we'll move on."
Juyeon flicked her hand, and two problems appeared on the board.
"Dimensional rifts that spawn monsters and the black monoliths, Monoliths. I explained how their impact zones differ by size. Use the formula for the minimum range affected by negative fallout. I detailed terrains and materials that skew the range yesterday too."
Period at the end of her explanation, her red eyes locked on a target.
"Rohan and Noah Frozenheart, come up and solve one each. Rohan on the dimensional rift, Noah Frozenheart on the Monolith."
"..."
"Huuuh?!"
Noah blatantly gasped, tail stiffening, while Rohan gulped.
The placement exam fallout lingered.
I stood, glancing at Ichinose, who'd been teaching me studies.
Our eyes met—coincidence?
—Fight. Ing.
Ichinose mouthed it clearly, clenching a fist.
Couldn't smear my theory mentor's face after such precious cheer.
Stepping forward boldly.
"Noah Frozenheart, come solve it quick."
"Y-Yes ma'am!"
At Juyeon's command, Noah stood beside Rohan.
Scribble scribble.
Rohan worked the pen across the board.
His head felt like exploding, but he scraped out an answer.
Didn't know if right, but reaching the conclusion brought a thrill unlike physical feats.
"Rohan. All done?"
"Yep."
Rohan stepped back; Juyeon scanned the formula quick.
"Solid up to the middle. The application wrap-up's sloppy... Fell for the trap too easy. Best way's grinding similar problems to pattern-match."
"Understood."
After the critique, he saw it—regretted missing that.
"Still, effort shows. Good job."
Juyeon patted his shoulder in praise.
Her gaze shifted to Noah Frozenheart.
"Ughhh..."
Noah hadn't even started.
Visibly flustered, lost—endearingly so.
How long had the white tiger heir dueled the problem with tail and ears twitching?
She looked straight at Juyeon and confessed honestly.
"I don't know!"
Juyeon showed no surprise, like she'd expected it.
No anger, no fluster—just pondering how to teach.
"Noah Frozenheart."
"Yes!"
Hand off Rohan, Juyeon approached, gently brushing aside the girl's white-black bangs, stroking her head.
Noah blinked puzzled; Juyeon raised her voice for all to hear.
"After graduating Orion Academy and hitting the field, you'll face endless situations words can't list."
"..."
"One that tanks survival rates hard? Internal conflict."
Unexpected—not a direct theory sermon.
Persuasion, not preaching.
"Even with lives on the line, bad blood or old grudges kill cooperation sometimes. Or refusing to acknowledge strengths leads to endless arguments, botched plans."
Noah's round ears perked, signaling full attention.
Juyeon met the girl's eyes and asked.
"Noah Frozenheart. In a do-or-die judgment call, can you follow orders from someone militarily weaker?"
The girl shook her head vigorously—no way.
Juyeon expected that.
Daughter of the Snow Tiger Emperor—unyielding there.
"Studying theory's like that."
"Huh?"
To the girl's confused voice, Juyeon continued calmly.
"Some see raw power as supreme. Others peg knowledge as the measure. Or wealth, social clout."
"..."
"Opposite you, there are folks who'd die before obeying an idiot who can't read the room."
Minimum theory: your ticket to the negotiation table in battle.
Only then debate the rest.
"Speaking of group friction, one more thing. You asked why no student spars last time?"
"Yes!"
"Everyone here's brimming with confidence and hot blood. Some won't take spar results gracefully; clashing egos bruises feelings. Happens constantly even among pros."
Need more mental maturity first.
Then spars enter curriculum, Juyeon explained.
But Noah pouted, disappointed.
Showing Tigrova-bred values.
"Win or lose... it's pure. Lose means lost, win means won..."
Juyeon saw someone in those words?
She smiled faintly, pinching Noah's cheek.
"Accepting results and finding purity in struggle—admirable. Ideal if all thought like you, but reality differs."
"..."
"Ultimately, it breeds those uncooperative situations from bad blood or grudges."
Student spars need repeated mental prep.
"That's why no spars yet, and why theory matters. Got it?"
"Yes ma'am..."
Noah nodded heavily, seeming convinced somehow.
Juyeon found it admirable yet relatable.
That itchy urge to vent overflowing power? She'd lived it.
Beastkin like her had it stronger— she knew.
Thoughts deepened.
'Am I too stuck on old-school methods...? Carrot Instructor's already doing spars.'
Juyeon regretted her rigid plans but felt again:
Can't teach these intensely unique, nation-bred cadets with one approach.
"Good. Noah Frozenheart properly took this instructor's boring lecture to heart, so afternoon class: light spars. I'll face Class 1, point out flaws."
"!!!"
Noah's drooping tail shot up, wagging wildly.
Her deep blue eyes flashed beast-like.
Students watching from seats buzzed with interest.
Felt like a massive opportunity over plain lessons.
In that vibe, Juyeon drew all eyes and spoke.
"Before spars, this instructor sets one condition."