The classroom had yet to recover from what had just happened.
The air felt impossibly heavy, as if even breathing required effort. The image of Ethan's shattered arms, the countless blades disappearing into nothingness, and Siva's cold, emotionless gaze remained burned into everyone's mind.
Then…
BOOM!
A deafening explosion tore through the room.
Every classroom window rattled violently before shattering into thousands of glittering fragments that scattered across the floor like shards of ice.
For a split second, nobody understood what had happened.
By the time their eyes focused again…
Siva was already standing directly in front of Ethan.
No one had seen her move.
Not a single student could explain how she had crossed the entire classroom in an instant.
Her large hand wrapped tightly around Ethan's throat, effortlessly lifting him off the ground as though he weighed nothing at all. His legs kicked helplessly in the air, desperately searching for something to stand on.
A single thought flashed through Kai's group at the same time.
How… did she…?
Ethan's face turned pale.
His eyes bulged from their sockets, and his mouth hung open without a sound. His body trembled violently—not from pain, but from the instinctive terror that came when death was staring him in the face.
Siva looked directly into his eyes.
Her expression never changed.
"If this had been a real battle," she said calmly, her voice carrying the weight of a final judgment, "someone like you would have died the moment they spoke."
She released her grip.
Thud.
Ethan crashed onto the floor.
He collapsed onto his knees, his broken arms hanging uselessly at his sides as he coughed violently, gasping for every breath like a drowning man who had barely escaped the depths.
His entire body continued shaking uncontrollably.
Siva turned her back on him and began walking toward the front of the classroom before stopping midway.
"I'll give you two choices," she said without looking back. "Consider it an act of mercy, since today is your first day."
No one in the classroom dared move.
"You can either submit, or..."
She paused."….Become an example of foolishness for the next classes of this school."
She laughed…quietly but loud enough for ethan to heard it
Silence consumed the room.
"Don't misunderstand," Siva continued. "We value talented people here."
Her voice became colder.
"But that doesn't mean you can do whatever you please."
The pressure behind every word felt overwhelming.
"So."
"Choose."
Ethan shook uncontrollably.
Sweat poured down his face.
His broken arms prevented him from even supporting himself.
All he could do was bow until his forehead nearly touched the floor.
After what felt like an eternity…
"I… I…" His voice trembled "…I surrender…"
His forehead finally pressed against the ground.
The arrogant young man who had challenged the teacher only moments ago had completely collapsed.
Siva said nothing.
She simply returned to the podium.
Closing her eyes, she stood there in silence.
Only a few seconds later…
The classroom door opened.
Four people dressed in spotless white uniforms entered the room.
Their clothing was so immaculate it almost seemed to glow against the gloomy atmosphere of the classroom. Their expressions were cold, and every movement was precise.
"Miss Siva," one of them asked respectfully, "was there an emergency?"
"Take that boy to the infirmary," Siva replied with an awkward cough. "I… may have gone a little overboard."
"YES, MA'AM."
The four answered in perfect unison.
They walked over, lifted Ethan as if carrying a sack of sand, and quickly left the classroom.
The door closed, Silence returned.
A hand rose from the front row.
Siva opened her eyes.
"Go ahead."
Hajime stood, His expression remained surprisingly calm.
"I have a question," he said clearly. "If this academy doesn't care whether students live or die… then why send him away for treatment?"
Several students immediately turned toward him.
It wasn't a question most people would have dared to ask.
Siva smirked.
"Good question," she admitted.
"I'll give you credit for that."
She stepped down from the platform.
"You're right."
"We don't particularly care whether students like you live or die."
No one reacted.
"But…" Her voice dropped lower.
"That doesn't mean we're willing to waste a life."
The room became deathly still.
"Whether you're a beggar from the streets…"
"…or complete human trash…"
She looked across the classroom.
"Even if you die…"
"…your death should still bring value to this country."
Silence answered her.
The cold realization that she meant every word.
Siva returned to the front of the room.
"That said…"
She swept her gaze across every student.
"Don't assume that having a Red, Orange, or Yellow Blessing places you above everyone else."
Her eyes stopped briefly on several students before moving on.
"Now then…"
"Can anyone tell me why that boy lost so miserably?"
A hand rose near the front.
"You."
"He underestimated his opponent," Daniel answered calmly, "and overestimated himself."
"And your name?"
"Daniel." He answered with calmly voice yet carefully
Siva nodded.
"Correct." She folded her arms..."Underestimating your enemy…"
"…or overestimating yourself…"
"Those are the most common reasons inexperienced heroes die."
She slowly looked around the room.
"On the battlefield, information is everything."
"And staying alert…"
"…is the only way to survive."
Another student raised a hand.
"Go ahead."
"So… what exactly will we learn here?" Chad asked.
Siva smiled.
"What will you learn?" She paused… "How not to die."
The answer was simple.
Yet it sent a chill through every student.
"The details…"
"You'll learn those soon enough."
She scanned the room once more.
"Any more questions?"
No one raised a hand.
At the back of the classroom, Duke sighed inwardly.
This is exhausting…
And it's only the first day.
A year and a half of this is going to be brutal.
He glanced toward Mike.
Mike was clutching his head with both hands, trembling slightly while mumbling something completely incoherent.
This idiot is overreacting…
Then Duke turned toward Kai.
Kai had his head resting on the desk.
Fast asleep.
…This guy is beyond saving.
Just then…
BWOOOOOO!
A loud horn echoed throughout the academy.
Siva turned toward the door.
"Class is over." She spoke as calmly as if nothing unusual had happened.
"That's enough for your first day."
After a brief pause, she added,
"I hope…we'll be able to cooperate with each other for a long time."
A faint smile crossed her face.
There wasn't a trace of warmth in it.
"Classes begin at seven tomorrow morning."
"Don't be late~"
Without another word, she walked out of the classroom.
The door clicked shut behind her.
Silence lingered for only a few seconds.
Then the classroom exploded with noise.
"That was terrifying!"
"I seriously thought someone was going to die!"
"My heart almost stopped!"
Voices echoed everywhere.
Mike dropped his face onto the desk, clutching his head.
"Oh, come on…"
His voice shook.
"I don't want to study under that woman…"
"I don't want to die…"
Duke sighed before kicking Kai's chair.
"Hey….Wake up, idiot."
"It's time to go home."
Kai slowly lifted his head, still half asleep "I wasn't sleeping."
"Oh really?" Duke asked "Then why were you lying on the desk?"
Kai rubbed his eyes.
"When I saw that lion lady choking that guy…"
"I thought she was actually going to kill him."
"So I panicked…and just closed my eyes."
Duke stared at him in silence.
Only one thought echoed through his mind.
I'm stuck with these two idiots…
At this rate, I'm definitely not going to live a long life.