One week had passed since the students of Haoutaro High School had mysteriously disappeared from New York City.
During that single week, their lives had changed completely.
The students who once worried about examinations, school schedules, homework, friendships, and ordinary city life were now living far beyond the safety of the city.
They had been brought to Louf Magnian Academy.
At first, many students believed that entering the academy would be easy.
After all, they were students. They assumed the teachers would be kind, patient, and understanding.
They were wrong.
Very wrong.
Today was the first official class for the students who had come from Haoutaro High School.
The academy had divided them into two separate groups.
G Group.
L Group.
The letters did not represent power, rank, talent, or social status.
They were simply names used to divide the students into two equal groups.
Each group contained approximately fifty students.
Unfortunately for some friends and family members, the groups had separated them.
Lam Hinteing, Yugris Bultes, Zoé Min Diang, Kreil Goyenlargen, and Mina Hinteing had been placed in G Group.
Meanwhile, Jeis Macken and Kupo Goyenlargen had been placed in L Group.
Kreil stood outside the classroom assigned to G Group.
His expression was unusually serious.
He looked around repeatedly.
"Huh..."
He sighed.
Kreil thought about his younger brother.
Kupo is just a kid.
How is he supposed to keep up with students much older than him?
Kreil clenched his hand.
"Huhhh... Where is Kupo now?"
Lam, who was standing nearby, looked toward another corridor.
"I saw him earlier."
Kreil immediately turned toward him.
"You did?"
Lam nodded.
"Yeah. He was walking with Jeis."
Kreil's expression changed.
Lam continued.
"And listen, Kreil."
"Jeis isn't a good person."
Kreil silently listened.
"Try to keep Kupo away from him."
Kreil remembered the things that had happened at Haoutaro High School.
Jeis had once been bullied by older students.
But later, he had also bullied Lam.
Kreil couldn't fully understand Jeis.
Was he simply a victim?
Or had the pain he received from others turned him into someone who hurt weaker people?
Kreil sighed again.
"I understand."
He looked toward the distant corridor.
I should have protected my brother better.
This isn't even our city anymore.
Outside the city is dangerous.
Before he could continue thinking, an announcement echoed throughout the academy.
Attention, students. Your classes will begin in ten minutes. Please proceed to your assigned classrooms immediately.
The students began moving.
Soon, the members of G Group entered their classroom.
Many students looked around with curiosity.
This classroom was much larger than an ordinary classroom from Haoutaro High School.
However, something about the room felt different.
It didn't feel like a normal school.
There were no colorful decorations.
No cheerful posters.
The atmosphere was cold and professional.
Yugris looked around.
"So..."
He crossed his arms.
"Who is going to teach us?"
Some students began whispering.
"I heard one of those mysterious people might teach us."
"Mirken?"
"Yeah. Maybe him."
Many students remembered the five mysterious people who had appeared at Haoutaro High School.
They expected someone like Mirken Williamsonk to enter the classroom.
However...
The door opened.
A man wearing a normal black overcoat walked inside.
The classroom immediately became quiet.
He didn't appear particularly mysterious.
He didn't have an extravagant outfit.
His appearance was calm and ordinary.
The man stood in front of the class.
"Hello, students."
His voice was calm.
"I am your teacher."
The students stared at him.
"My name is Zeris Phelijun."
Zeris looked across the entire classroom.
"I will teach you many things that you will need in the future."
He raised one hand.
"Fighting."
"Knowledge."
"Intelligence."
"Survival."
"And many other things."
The students listened carefully.
However, Zeris suddenly smiled faintly.
"But learning depends on you."
The classroom became silent.
"If you want to learn..."
"I can help you become better."
His expression became serious.
"But if you don't want to learn..."
"Then even if I try one hundred times, you will learn nothing."
Kreil quietly listened.
Unlike their old teachers, Zeris didn't seem interested in forcing them to become perfect students.
He was simply giving them a choice.
Learn...
Or remain ignorant.
Zeris turned toward a table.
"Now."
"I will give each of you five books."
Several assistants entered the classroom and began distributing the books.
The students received them one by one.
The books looked old.
But their covers contained strange symbols.
Zeris spoke again.
"These five books are extremely important."
He pointed toward the books.
"You will learn about monsters."
"People who live outside the city."
"Magic."
"Aura."
"And how to survive in this world."
The students became quiet.
Magic.
Aura.
Monsters.
A week ago, many of them would have laughed if someone had mentioned those things.
But now...
They had seen a massive barrier cover their school.
They had watched mysterious people fly in the air.
Their entire school had disappeared from the city.
They could no longer deny reality.
Magic was real.
Meanwhile...
Inside the classroom of L Group...
The atmosphere was completely different.
The students were waiting for their teacher.
Kupo sat quietly.
He held his books and looked around nervously.
Jeis sat not too far away.
Many students were talking loudly.
Then...
The classroom door opened.
A beautiful woman walked inside.
The students immediately turned toward her.
Her name was Alisa Marinein.
She carried a steel stick in one hand.
Several students immediately smiled.
"She's our teacher?"
"Seriously?"
"She's beautiful."
Some students began making disrespectful gestures.
Others laughed among themselves.
They didn't take her seriously.
Alisa slowly looked around the classroom.
Her eyes moved from one student to another.
She understood immediately.
Impertinent.
Obscene.
Disrespectful.
Alisa sighed internally.
Huhh...
No problem.
I will make them behave.
She walked toward the front of the classroom.
"Shut up, kids."
The classroom suddenly became quieter.
"Sit properly."
Some students immediately obeyed.
Kupo was one of them.
He quietly sat in his seat.
However, several students continued laughing.
One student even made another disrespectful gesture.
Alisa stared at him.
"Okay."
Suddenly...
An unusual aura spread throughout the entire classroom.
The students froze.
Their eyes began burning.
"Ahhh!"
Several students covered their eyes.
Then...
Something even stranger happened.
They suddenly began laughing.
"Hahahaha!"
"What?!"
"Why am I laughing?!"
Some students began crying.
Others continued laughing uncontrollably.
Then...
Everything suddenly stopped.
The classroom became completely silent.
The students stared at Alisa in fear.
They didn't understand what had happened.
Kupo held his eyes.
My eyes...
They really hurt.
It feels like they're burning...
Jeis stared at Alisa.
She really used magic.
So it's true...
Magic is real.
Alisa calmly spoke.
"I used a simple magic on all of you."
The students remained silent.
"You are too weak."
Her words were merciless.
"You couldn't even control yourselves."
Suddenly, one student stood up.
"Huhhhh!"
"You foolish teacher!"
"What did you do to us?!"
"Argh! We don't want to listen to you!"
"Get lost!"
Alisa's expression became cold.
"Oh?"
Suddenly...
An invisible force grabbed the student.
"WHAT?!"
The student was lifted into the air.
Everyone watched in shock.
Then—
BANG!
The student crashed onto the floor.
Alisa walked toward him.
She raised her steel stick.
THWACK!
She struck him.
The student screamed in pain.
"I don't like impertinent students."
The student stood up angrily.
He attempted to attack her.
However...
Alisa casually moved aside.
The student's attack missed.
Then—
BANG!
Alisa kicked him away.
Before he could recover, she grabbed his leg.
The student's eyes widened.
"Wait—!"
BOOM!
She threw him toward the wall.
The entire classroom became silent.
Alisa raised her hand.
"Attack Magic."
Her eyes became cold.
"Knife Rumbling."
Suddenly...
A massive number of magical knives appeared throughout the classroom.
The students froze.
The knives moved toward them.
"AHHH!"
Several students screamed.
Then...
The knives stopped.
They floated extremely close to the students.
Near their necks.
Everyone stopped moving.
No one dared to breathe loudly.
Alisa looked around.
"Listen, students."
Her voice was calm.
But her aura was terrifying.
"I am far stronger than all of you."
The students trembled.
"You are currently nothing more than weak children."
Alisa pointed toward herself.
"I came here to make you stronger."
Her expression suddenly became colder.
"And I am warning all of you."
"If you refuse to follow my commands..."
"I will not hesitate to punish you."
She looked directly at the students.
"This is outside the city."
"This isn't the place where you can do whatever you want without consequences."
The magical knives disappeared.
The students finally breathed again.
Kupo silently looked down.
The beautiful teacher they had been excited about...
Wasn't kind at all.
Alisa sighed.
"Huhh."
"What a waste of time."
She turned toward a table.
"Now."
"I will give all of you five books."
The students received the same books as G Group.
Alisa spoke.
"These books will give you basic knowledge about magic."
"About this world."
"And about survival."
Then her expression softened slightly.
"You kids have potential."
Several students looked up.
Alisa smiled faintly.
"I like that."
"Okay."
She opened one of the books.
"Open your first book."
The students followed her instructions.
"The first book is called..."
Omni.
"Open page one."
The students opened the book.
Alisa stood before them.
"Today..."
"I will teach you the basic method of gaining magical power."
Kupo's eyes widened slightly.
Jeis also looked toward the book.
For the first time...
The students were truly interested in the lesson.
Meanwhile...
Inside Nightglass Covenant...
Black ViSage sat alone on a chair.
His black knight mask covered his face.
He remained silent.
However, his thoughts were moving rapidly.
How did the number of students suddenly increase so much?
He remembered seeing a massive academy building in Corapta Village.
At first, he hadn't fully understood the situation.
But after hearing that Nightglass Covenant had suddenly begun focusing heavily on recruiting students...
Everything became clearer.
Black ViSage leaned back.
Huhh...
They kidnapped students from the city.
His eyes became colder behind his mask.
He didn't immediately take action.
He needed more information.
Black ViSage understood something important.
Sometimes...
Acting without understanding the entire situation created even greater problems.
Meanwhile...
Back inside L Group's classroom...
The lesson eventually ended.
Alisa closed her book.
"Okay, kids."
The students looked toward her.
"Now listen to your homework."
The students immediately became less happy.
Alisa continued.
"Tomorrow..."
"You will explain to me how magical power can be gained."
"And you will also explain the basic control system."
She smiled slightly.
"Study properly."
"Okay."
"Goodbye."
Alisa turned around and left the classroom.
The moment she disappeared...
The students began talking.
"Huhhh..."
"She's terrifying!"
"That woman is beautiful, but she's not kind at all!"
"Who throws students around like that?!"
Kupo quietly held his books.
That teacher is really scary...
Soon, it was time for the students to rest.
The tiffin period began.
Kupo quickly left his group's area.
He wanted to find his brother.
After searching for a while...
He finally saw Kreil.
"Kreil!"
Kreil immediately turned around.
"Kupo!"
He walked toward his younger brother.
Kreil's expression was full of guilt.
"Huhh..."
"Sorry, Kupo."
Kupo looked confused.
"For what?"
Kreil looked around at the massive academy.
"For me..."
"You became trapped in this place too."
Kupo became silent.
Kreil lowered his head.
"I should have protected you better."
Kupo looked at his brother.
Then he smiled slightly.
"It's not your fault."
Kreil looked up.
Kupo held his books tightly.
"And don't worry."
His voice was innocent.
"But also determined."
"We will find a way."
Kreil remained silent.
Kupo continued.
"One day..."
"We will return home."
Kreil looked at his younger brother.
For a moment...
He didn't know what to say.
Outside the academy...
The world was dangerous.
Inside the academy...
They were surrounded by people they barely understood.
And somewhere in the distance...
Their families still didn't know where they were.
Kreil slowly nodded.
"Yeah."
He placed his hand on Kupo's head.
"We'll find a way."
But neither of them knew...
That their journey inside Louf Magnian Academy...
Had only just begun.