One Month After the Academy Attack
One month had passed since the monster attack on the academy.
The lecture hall had been repaired, all the injured had been treated, and the victims had been buried.
The classroom door opened, and the students entered, each taking their seat.
Ren, Eugene, and Rim sat next to each other.
After a few seconds, Alex entered the hall and walked toward his desk, then turned to face the students.
He looked at their faces.
Most of them were still filled with anxiety and fear, while others had their passion and excitement ignited by the attack.
A blond-haired student glanced at Ren.
"Damn it…" he muttered.
"Why do a bunch of poor commoners get all the attention, while someone with wealth and status like me gets ignored?"
He shifted his gaze toward Rim, grinding his teeth.
"And that village girl—her cat got killed, yet she still comes to class. Why?"
His face was red with anger.
"I won't take much of your time," Alex said.
"I know some of you haven't fully recovered yet… As you can see, a class that once had thirty students now only has sixteen."
He picked up some papers and a pen from the desk.
"Due to the recent attack, the potions you were supposed to consume were destroyed.
So I will now record the name of the potion each of you chose. And don't even think about lying—"
He pointed at the papers, which contained each student's name and all the potions assigned to them.
"I know exactly which potions were given to you. Anyone who lies will face severe punishment."
Ren raised his hand nervously.
"Excuse me, Professor… Will I be punished for drinking the potion?"
Alex gestured for Ren to lower his hand.
Ren did so, and Alex replied:
"No, you will not be punished.
Although academy law forbids the use of powers inside the academy, the monster attack was an emergency situation."
Ren relaxed, his heart finally at ease.
"But Eugene will be punished instead."
Eugene raised an eyebrow, his voice a mix of irritation and confusion.
"Huh? Why?"
Alex looked at him.
"You put your life in danger, which forced Ren to drink the potion. For that reason, you should be punished."
Ren lightly patted Eugene's back.
The blond-haired student, on the other hand, looked extremely pleased.
"But—" Alex continued, glancing at Eugene and then at the blond student,
"Melissa's mother has requested that Eugene not be punished. Therefore, there will be no punishment."
The expressions of both Eugene and the blond student changed instantly.
Joy appeared on Eugene's face, while shock and rage twisted the blond student's features.
The blond student stood up, shouting:
"And who is he to avoid punishment?! He made a mistake—he should be punished!"
Alex shot him a sharp glare, their eyes locking.
"Do you think you're at home, raising your voice and standing without permission?"
The blond student felt fear from Alex's angry tone and sat back down.
"Listen carefully, Ralph. There is no rule in this academy that requires Eugene to be punished for what he did.
The idea of punishing him was merely to make him realize his mistake. Since he has already realized it—and Melissa's mother asked for leniency—there is no reason to punish him.
Do not raise your voice again."
Ralph clenched his fist beneath the desk in anger.
He glared at Eugene, only to see him sticking out his tongue provocatively, which nearly made him explode.
Eugene leaned back toward Melissa behind him, smiling lightly.
"I'll have to thank your mother later."
Melissa smiled faintly.
"As long as you keep your promise, that will be more than enough."
Eugene sat properly again.
"Don't worry. I won't break it."
Alex then went around the class, collecting the names of the potions each student had chosen.
After some time, the academy's alchemy department sent replacement potions, which Alex distributed to the students.
Eugene stared at his potion carefully and reached for it.
"A strange feeling… a mix of excitement and fear," he whispered.
As soon as his hand touched the vial, he opened it and drank it.
His eyes widened as he felt the potion spreading through his body.
After a few seconds, it felt as if the air around him became clearer, his body lighter, and even his breathing sharper.
"Huh… that's it? Just drink the potion and get its power?"
Eugene muttered, feeling slightly disappointed.
Alex returned to his desk, picked up a book, and said:
"What? Were you expecting explosions and flashing lights like we're in a circus?"
"Well… not exactly. But I kind of hoped for it."
Some students chuckled lightly.
A student raised his hand.
"Excuse me, what are we going to do next?"
Alex turned while holding his book.
"Simply put, you'll start training in using your potions and weapons, and you'll also be assigned missions from time to time."
"Missions? What kind of missions…?"
Countless questions raced through Eugene's mind.
"We're really stepping into the world of cultivators now."
A student interrupted his thoughts.
"What are we doing now?"
Alex walked toward the exit.
"Simple. You'll head to the weapons training grounds."
He stepped out, glanced back at them, and said:
"What are you waiting for? Move."
"Weapons?! Are we going to get hurt?!"
Ren's voice was filled with anxiety.
Eugene walked toward the exit confidently.
"We already survived a monster attack. A little training won't be more dangerous than that."
Rim stood up, agreeing with Eugene.
Ren, however, still didn't look convinced.
---
The Training Grounds
The training grounds were enormous, surrounded by white brick walls and a massive wooden gate,
with a circular roof made of heavy iron chains.
The students entered, their faces filled with excitement, awe, and tension.
After walking for a while, they reached a large sandy area.
In the center stood a glass barrier with small bullet-sized openings.
A long brown table held ammunition and pistols.
"Welcome, dear students."
A man's voice—clearly in his fifties—came from a small room beside the table.
They turned toward the sound.
A man with long hair, an eyepatch over his left eye, and a wooden prosthetic leg stepped forward.
Despite his age, his body was muscular and powerful.
"I am Professor Roger, your weapons instructor.
Are you ready for training?"
The students nodded in agreement—except for Ren, who shook his head nervously.
Roger gestured toward the table.
"Go ahead. Each of you, take a pistol.
Today's training is about handling weapons and firing basics."
Each student picked up a gun.
Eugene held his with a small smile and shining eyes.
Ren, on the other hand, looked tense and fearful.
Rim's face reflected tension mixed with anger.
Roger moved among them, teaching the basics.
"First, hold the weapon with both hands."
Everyone gripped their guns tightly.
"Second, raise the weapon toward the opening in front of you."
They followed his instructions exactly.
"Now… pull the trigger."
Gunshots echoed.
The recoil was strong, causing some students to stumble backward.
"Aim at the wooden dummy on the other side of the barrier."
Shots continued, but all the bullets missed the target.
Roger sighed, rubbing the space between his eyes as he sat down.
"Ahhh… looks like we've got a long day ahead of us."
---
Later – The Cafeteria
Three hours later, Eugene, Ren, and Rim entered the cafeteria to find Fred waiting for them, having already ordered food.
"Ugh… what a long, boring lesson," Eugene muttered, staring at his hands as he sat down.
They were still trembling from continuous firing and recoil.
Fred lifted his teacup and took a sip.
"Looks like you were training with pistols."
Rim sat down and rested her head on the table, exhausted.
"Yes… the pistols were heavy, and the recoil was strong."
After a moment of silence, Eugene looked at Fred.
"What do you say you tell us why you hate your family?"
The question made both Ren and Rim turn toward Fred, clearly agreeing with Eugene.
Fred placed his teacup down, his voice hesitant and heavy.
"No… knowing the reason won't benefit you."
Eugene raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, it will. We'll understand you better."
He gestured toward Ren and Rim.
"You already know my past and Rim's past. All that's left is yours."
Rim took a piece of cake.
"He's right. It's not fair that you know our pasts while we know nothing about yours."
Fred sighed deeply, staring into his teacup as memories flooded his mind.
"My parents… well, I don't even know if I can call them that.
But what I do know is this—
They were criminals."
Rim's eyes widened.
"Criminals?!"
"Yes. Criminals.
My father started stealing small amounts because he grew up in extreme poverty.
Over time, he stole more and more."
He continued:
"Eventually, he began stealing for specific people in exchange for money.
That continued until one night, while escaping from people he had stolen from,
he ran through the streets in the rain…"
"He collided with my mother—who was also stealing from a group of people.
At first sight, they fell for each other."
Rim blinked in shock.
"Wait… you mean your parents fell in love while stealing?"
Fred took a sip of tea and glanced at her.
"What did you expect? They were criminals, after all."
Eugene leaned forward, teacup in hand.
"Go on. What happened next?"
"They went to a hotel after escaping their pursuers.
Nine months later… I was born."
Pffft—
Eugene spat out his tea in shock.
Rim's mouth fell open, her expression a mix of disgust and disbelief.
Ren was still processing.
"You mean… they decided to have a child on the very day they met?!
Without even getting married?!" Eugene exclaimed.
Ren stared at the ceiling.
"My god… how?"
"I told you—they were uneducated criminals.
What did you expect? They were blacklisted due to their crimes, so they couldn't even register a marriage."
Ren grabbed a piece of cake, staring at Fred.
"What happened after you were born?"
"Nothing changed. They continued their life of crime, stealing larger sums—around three hundred silver pounds.
Eventually, my father stole a massive amount from a gang leader."
Fred's voice darkened.
"The gang leader caught them and forced them to work for him to repay the debt."
He paused.
"Five years later—when I was seven—my parents became the gang leader's closest allies.
They stole, killed, and smuggled contraband across the country."
"But—"
That single word made Eugene, Ren, and Rim lean forward.
Rim asked softly, curiosity filling her eyes.
"But what?"
Fred's voice grew heavy.
"My parents made the biggest mistake of their lives."
To be continued…
End of the Chapter