-CHATTER!
What is the shortest thing in the world?
For students, the answer would be simple.
Holidays.
Sitting in the classroom, students had gathered for the second period of the first semester after a one-week break and were talking amongst themselves.
“How was your holiday man?”
“Oh, you know, the usual. Tried to catch up on sleep but ended up binge-watching shows.”
“Same! I had big plans, but my bed was too cozy to leave.”
“I went hiking. Almost got lost, but it was worth it.”
Amidst the exchange of holiday stories, one student looked particularly contemplative.
“What’s up with you, Jake? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Jake sighed, leaning back in his chair. “I had a weird dream. Like, it’s super weird. Can’t shake it off.”
His friends leaned in, curious expressions on their faces.
“Spill it! What happened in the dream?”
“I was in a surreal forest, and there were these glowing orbs floating around. Each one had a different symbol. And then, there was this voice…”
The others exchanged glances, intrigued by Jake’s description.
“Maybe you’re secretly a fantasy novel protagonist,” someone teased.
“Or maybe too many late-night snacks before bed,” another chimed in.
“Nah…You probably forgot to take your pills before going to bed…Didn’t you say you were an anime-girl hunter last time?”
“You bastard….You know I said it as a joke.”
“It didn’t seem like a joke, though. You were pretty serious.”
“Tch.”
TAK!
The banter in the classroom ceased as the door swung open, and all eyes turned toward the newcomer.
“Ah, he is here.”
One of the students exclaimed, looking at the figure entering.
Ethan Hartley, with a tall build and sharp hazel eyes, entered the room. His presence commanded attention, and the hushed murmurs of the students quieted as he walked to his usual desk.
Normally, his presence wouldn’t gain much attention from the students since he was rather on the lower ranks, even though he was Hartley.
But, because of the performance he had displayed in the mid-terms, those who had witnessed it wrote articles about him on the school forums.
The students exchanged glances, and one of them whispered, “Isn’t that Ethan Hartley, the mid-terms star?”
“I heard he’s got some crazy grades.”
“Yeah. You know, I was there. He slaughtered all monsters like they were nothing.”
“I guess he is a Hartley for a reason?”
Even for the students, witnessing such usual growth firsthand was a unique experience. The student who said to awaken just right before the academy started surpassed them in terms of strength.
And they couldn’t do anything about it because he was from one of the most renowned families.
“Ah, Ethan, you are here.” Just at that moment, two students made their presence in the room.
Julia, with her tomboyish charm and short white hair, grinned at Ethan. “Hope you had a good holiday, big guy.”
Lucas, the teasing brother, nudged Ethan playfully. “Any monsters give you trouble over the break?”
Ethan said seriously, without any change in expression, “Not anything worth mentioning.”
“…..” Lucas’ expression deadpanned for a second, and then he nodded to himself. “As expected, no one can surpass you in terms of denseness.”
“Hah? What did you say?”
“I said what I said.”
“…..” Not being able to refute Lucas’ claims, Ethan averted his gaze.
Amidst the lighthearted banter, Julia shifted the conversation to more serious matters. “Speaking of, have you seen the mid-term results, Ethan?”
Lucas chimed in, “The whole academy is buzzing about your scores. They’re calling you the prodigy of the mid-terms.”
Ethan’s expression remained stoic, but there was a subtle twitch at the corner of his lips. “It’s just grades. Nothing to make a fuss about.”
Julia laughed, a teasing glint in her eyes. “Come on, Ethan, don’t downplay it. You’re like the hero of the academy. We’re just regular students in your presence.”
Lucas joined in the teasing. “Yeah, we should probably start calling you Sir Ethan of the Honor Roll.”
Ethan sighed, feigning exasperation. “You two never change.”
THUMP!
The laughter and banter were interrupted by a sudden thump as Julia slammed her hand on Ethan’s back, creating a loud sound that echoed in the classroom.
“Hey, big guy, how about a little spar after the class to celebrate your genius moment?” Julia suggested with a mischievous grin. “I want to see if you’re as tough as those grades of yours suggest.”
Lucas joined in, throwing a challenging smirk on Ethan’s way. “Come on, Sir Ethan of the Honor Roll, show us your moves. Or are you afraid your grades won’t hold up in a real fight?”
Ethan’s serious fa?ade crumbled at the sight of his friends laughing. With a glint of competitiveness sparkling in his hazel eyes, he answered. “Fine, if you insist. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
After all, the last week wasn’t something ordinary for him. He returned to his home, but rather than resting, he had been honing his family’s technique all this time. ‘Hehe, it is finally payback time.’
The elixirs and resources he had consumed also increased his stats, and overall, he had already reached the strength of the first 1000 in terms of ranking.
And, he had yet to completely absorb the effects of the elixir on his body, leaving room for another rapid improvement.
As the trio playfully bantered among themselves, the door swung open, and in walked Irina. Her vibrant personality and fiery spirit added an extra layer of energy to the room.
“Yo!” Irina greeted with a wave, making her way toward Ethan and the twins. She pulled up a chair and sat down beside them, her eyes filled with curiosity.
“What’s all this excitement about? Did I miss something?” Irina asked, looking at each of them in turn.
Julia and Lucas exchanged amused glances before filling her in on the playful banter about Ethan’s recent achievements.
“We are just here to greet Mister Honor Roll here.”
Irina chuckled. “Ah, Sir Ethan of the Honor Roll, huh?”
‘Ah, I missed this.’
Finally, away from her family’s suffocating atmosphere, Irina was free to speak what she had in her mind.
“So? What did you do in the holiday?” Julia focused her attention on Irina this time, looking at her with a smile.
Not being able to say what she was doing all the time, Irina went with a slightly awkward tone. “Well…..Homework, I guess.”
“Homework? Did we have one?”
“Hmm? I don’t remember.”
“Is it because you are a mage?”
“You can say that.” Feeling stiff, she averted the conversation. “Anyway, today, they will announce our new rankings, right?”
Ethan nodded with a slightly expectant smile. “Yes, they’ll announce the new rankings today. Let’s see if there are any changes.”
CREAK!
At the opening of the door, another important figure made his entrance. The young man had an incredibly handsome face and a commanding presence that gathered everyone’s attention.
“Maybe someone will dethrone him this time,” Julia mumbled, looking at the newcomer. The guy was immediately approached by another two of his lackeys.
Lucas chuckled. “Dethroning Sir Victor? That’s a tall order.”
Julia grinned. “I’d pay to see that.”
Irina, who had been quietly observing the friendly banter, couldn’t help but feel a little uncomfortable at the mention of Victor.
‘Where is that guy?’
For some reason, her eyes looked for another person in the classroom. The moment they left the train, he disappeared, leaving her alone. Of course, he didn’t have any responsibility to stay with her, but
‘He could at least say a goodbye.’
Of course, she knew she was at fault, but that guy was also not the brightest either.
Her eyes gazed around on the backseats where that guy would usually sit, but he couldn’t find any traces of him.
“Humph, whatever.”
She huffed and turned her head to the conversation they were having.
Just then, the classroom door opened once more, and Professor Eleanor, a figure of authority, made her entrance.
-SILENCE!
As Professor Eleanor entered, a hush fell over the classroom. Her stern demeanor and no-nonsense attitude commanded respect, and the students quickly settled into their seats, the air of casual conversation dissipating.
Eleanor’s sharp gaze surveyed the room, ensuring that everyone was in their assigned place.
“Good.” She mumbled to herself. She thought the students would lose their discipline after coming back from the holiday, but that didn’t seem to be the case.
The students, aware of her reputation for punctuality, cast occasional glances at the clock. There were only two minutes left before the class officially started, and Eleanor was known for her strict policy of not allowing latecomers.
“Hmm….”
-CREAK!
At that moment, the door opened, and another student made his appearance. He had a bulky body with a military haircut.
NOD
He simply nodded his head without saying anything and made his way to his desk.
As Carl took his seat right behind Ethan, he gave a friendly nod to the others. The trio – Ethan, Julia, and Lucas – greeted him with a mix of nods and casual gestures. Carl, with his military-style haircut and solid build, exuded a disciplined aura.
‘Where is that guy? Is he planning to ditch the first class?’
Irina thought. She was well aware of Professor Eleanor’s habits and how she didn’t let any students come late.
“Huh?”
However, as she looked back once again, she couldn’t help but be surprised.
‘He was here?’
The guy she was looking for was sitting on his usual seat with his head on the desk. Even though his face was covered, Irina could easily see who he was.
TAP!
Before she could think anything, though, a sound echoed in the front side of the classroom.
Professor Eleanor wasted no time. “Good morning, cadets. I trust you all had a restful holiday. Now, let’s get straight to business.” She began addressing the students immediately.
Professor Eleanor, standing at the front of the class, pulled out a stack of papers from her bag. The room fell silent as she began the announcements of the new rankings. The students’ eyes were fixed on her, and the air was thick with anticipation.
“In the mid-term rankings, we have some notable changes compared to last year’s,” Eleanor stated, her gaze sweeping across the room. “As expected, Student Victor retains his position at the top, showcasing exceptional proficiency in both theory and combat. However, we have a new name in the top rank.”
Eleanor paused for effect, allowing the curiosity to simmer among the students. Julia exchanged a quick glance with Lucas, both intrigued by the prospect of someone challenging Victor’s reign.
The student from class HA217, Seraphina Frostborne, is now another occupier of the first rank.” Eleanor’s voice echoed through the classroom, the revelation hanging in the air.
CRACK!
The sudden, sharp sound of a pen breaking cut through the brief silence. All eyes turned towards Irina, who sat frozen with the remnants of her broken pen in hand. A mixture of surprise and frustration crossed her face, realizing the unexpected reaction.
“Eyes on me, Irina,” Eleanor’s stern voice cut through the room, and Irina reluctantly met her gaze. “Control your reactions. This is a place of discipline and focus.”
The announcement of Seraphina’s name had stirred something within Irina as she knew the possible reactions coming from her household.
‘Tch.’
She clicked her tongue, but she calmed her feelings down.
“….Understood, Professor.”
“Good.” Eleanor nodded in satisfaction at Irina’s answer. She was one of the fiery characters that Eleanor knew she needed to take care of.
While analyzing and grading her past dungeon explorations, she came across that habit of hers.
‘I guess she is calmer now, good.’
“Now, I will start announcing your new ranks.” She said as she grabbed the list from her desk.
“Rank 2419, Timothy Grey.”
.
“Rank 2256, Mia Anderson.”
.
“Rank 2121, Oliver Park.”
The names continued to be called, each student’s rank announced with precision. The room remained mostly quiet, with occasional shuffling as students checked where their peers stood in the hierarchy.
“Rank 1729, Astron Natusalune.”
At the mention of this name, some of the students turned their attention to him.
“Wasn’t he ranked last?”
“Yeah, he jumped 700 ranks?”
Of course, not many were interested in lower ranks. It was pretty common for students of the lower ranks to jump ranks at a higher rate since the numbers would be piled up more on the lower scores.
“Rank 1555…..”
“Rank 1401…..”
Eleanor continued to announce the names of the students.
“Rank 970. Ethan Hartley.”
Until she mentioned Ethan’s rank.
“What?”
At that exact moment, the room fell silent, with nobody giving any reactions…..
——————A/N——————–