The week of recovery was finally over.
That was the official term the academy used.
In reality, it had felt more like a week of luxurious solitary confinement, with a side of forced physical therapy meant to rebuild torn muscle tissue, and ridiculous counseling sessions with doctors who looked at me with one eye full of professional curiosity and the other filled with outright fear—as if I were a ticking time bomb that might explode at any moment.
I had regained some of my physical strength, or at least, I no longer felt like every bone in my body was groaning and demanding early retirement.
But the mental exhaustion… ah, the mental exhaustion was a heavy guest, hanging over me like a dense fog that refused to lift.
"Ding!"
A dry, concise message appeared on my Cardinal device from my dear supervisor, Professor Aurora Fenix, informing me that my "special medical observation" period had ended.
Translation: they had confirmed that I wouldn't suddenly turn into a shadow monster and devour half the academy while proclaiming myself the emissary of the Lord of Masks.
At least… not today.
I was now required to rejoin Class Alpha in their regular training.
'Great. Back to the stage,' I thought as I put on the black training uniform, which still felt rough and uncomfortable against my skin, like it was made of sandpaper.
Truth be told, I wasn't worried about the training.
What worried me was what came with it… people.
When I arrived at the main training ground—a massive dome with a glass ceiling that revealed a pale gray sky—most of Class Alpha had already gathered.
The noise and chatter I had grown used to dulled slightly when I entered. It wasn't complete silence, but there was a noticeable drop in volume, as if someone had turned down a radio.
Conversations turned into scattered glances.
My legend hadn't faded. If anything, it had left a lasting mark.
It was amusing to analyze their reactions.
Some looked at me with curiosity, as if I were a strange artifact recently unearthed. The "analysts," trying to understand what had happened, how I survived, and what the nature of my abilities truly was.
Others looked at me with suspicion, as if I were a contagious disease. The "pragmatists," seeing me as a dangerous variable—an unstable element that could put the entire team at risk.
And a few, like Rex Barnes and his group of bullies, simply threw me openly hostile looks before turning away in disgust.
The "simple ones." To them, I was just someone strange and unsettling who deserved to be hated.
'Social psychology at its finest.'
I spotted my former team—Delta. The survivors of the art exhibition incident.
Leo von Falkenhayn was there, his left arm still secured in an advanced medical sling that emitted a faint blue glow.
He looked less pale, and his steel-blue eyes had regained some of their sharp intensity.
When our gazes met, he gave me a slight, neutral nod.
I couldn't tell whether it carried gratitude, doubt, or simply acknowledgment. But coming from Leo, that acknowledgment was practically a public declaration that I was "part of the narrative"—something I had been trying to avoid.
Noor Akim and Sam Owens stood beside him.
Noor looked better, but her eyes no longer carried that excessive, childlike enthusiasm. She seemed more cautious now.
As if she had learned the hard way that "hearing" everything wasn't always a blessing.
As for Sam… as usual, he was just silent.
Unchanged. Or perhaps… he had always been in his final form.
"Welcome back, Lester."
Ethan Riddle—the story's original protagonist—approached me with his usual heroic smile.
It was perfect, the kind you'd see on recruitment posters, but I noticed a slight tension around his eyes.
"We heard you were… under observation. Is everything okay?"
'I'm perfectly fine, hero,' I wanted to say. 'Just a few nightmares about crawling hands, haunted hotels, and therapy sessions with people who think I might be the devil incarnate. Nothing serious. How about your training? Save any cats stuck in trees today?'
"I'm fine, Riddle," I said with a faint smile. "Just a bit of fatigue. Nothing a good dose of bad coffee can't fix."
He didn't look convinced, but he nodded and left.
Ethan Riddle was great at fighting monsters.
He was surprisingly terrible at reading people.
Then again, heroes in stories don't usually need that skill. Villains tend to loudly announce their intentions.
At that moment, Professor Fenix appeared at the center of the arena, and everyone fell silent immediately.
She wore her long white coat, her face as expressionless as ever—like a statue carved from ice.
"Today," she said in her usual cold voice that seemed to cut through the air, "you will undergo group tactical training. The objective is not individual strength, but coordination, communication, and the ability to execute orders as a unified team."
"You will be divided into teams of four," she continued. "You will engage in simple combat scenarios against other teams. Focus on tactics, not brute force. Each team leader will be evaluated on their ability to command, and each member on their ability to follow orders and adapt."
Her gaze swept across the students, but I felt it linger on me a moment longer than necessary.
As always… I looked away.
Then the large screen in the arena lit up, displaying the new team assignments.
I searched for my name, expecting to find myself once again among the "outcasts" or "special cases."
But what I saw was… completely unexpected.
Worse.
[Team Gamma]
[Assigned Leader: Serena Valerian]
[Members:]
[Ethan Riddle]
[Chloe Jensen]
[Adam Lester]
Haha… I'm dead.
Serena and Ethan? Was this some kind of sadistic joke?
It was like placing a depressed clown in a heroic play and expecting him to deliver an inspiring speech.
I looked around.
Serena Valerian—the class's mastermind—was staring at the screen with her usual composed expression, though I caught a flicker of surprise in her amber eyes.
Ethan Riddle looked both confused and happy, like he had won the lottery and lost his wallet at the same time.
As for Chloe Jensen—the girl with the colorful hair—she was smiling.
A bad smile.
Not the kind a good person makes.
I knew her well.
'Oh God,' I thought. 'They put me with the original protagonist… and main characters.'
Well, I wasn't entirely sure if Chloe counted as a "main character," but she was definitely a monster in the making—someone who would become one of humanity's leaders in the future.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that everyone in Class Alpha possessed monstrous talent, each with their own role in the story.
They weren't called the "Golden Generation" for nothing.
Back to the point.
What could possibly go wrong with this wonderful combination?
Everything.
Everything could go wrong.
Serena approached us, standing before us as her sharp gaze examined each of us. She looked like a general assessing her soldiers before battle.
"Alright, Team Gamma," she said clearly. "It seems we're together in this. Our goal isn't just to win, but to complete the mission with maximum efficiency and minimal chaos."
She cast a meaningful glance at Chloe, who was cracking her fingers excitedly, small sparks flickering between them.
"Understood, Leader!" Ethan said enthusiastically. "We'll be the best team!"
As for me, I gave a faint smile. "Don't expect too much from me, Leader."
Serena looked at me intently. I couldn't tell if she was amused or annoyed.
"For now… all I ask is that you follow instructions and refrain from doing anything… unexpected."
'That's a very difficult request,' I thought.
This team was the worst-case scenario.
Because now… I was no longer in the shadows.
I had been placed under the spotlight, next to shining stars.
And that meant only one thing.
I was doomed.
---
After the teams were formed, Professor Fenix didn't give us much time to get acquainted or form complex strategies.
As usual, her orders were clear and direct.
Each team was sent to a designated area within the vast training ground, which had been transformed to resemble the ruins of a destroyed city—filled with collapsed walls, burned-out cars, and narrow alleys that provided perfect cover… or deadly ambush points.
"Team Gamma," Serena said calmly as she gathered us.
"Our objective is to reach the extraction point at the center of the field. However, another team—Team Theta—has been assigned to intercept and delay us."
"There are multiple teams in the field, so expect the worst."
She looked at each of us in turn. "Ethan, you'll take the lead. Your offensive power will be our spearhead. Chloe, I want you to use your ability to disrupt them or create openings when necessary. I'll stay in the middle to provide support and coordinate."
Then she turned to me, her amber gaze carrying a mix of doubt and cautious expectation.
"Adam… stay in the back. Do not engage in direct combat unless absolutely necessary. Your role is observation—alert us to anything unusual. Is that clear?"
'Oh, perfectly clear, Leader,' I thought.
You've assigned me the role I excel at the most… hiding and doing nothing.
What confidence. I'll be sure to live up to it.
"Crystal clear," I said with an innocent smile, giving her a mock salute.
And so, we moved through the ruins.
Ethan took the lead, moving with agility and confidence, his blue eyes scanning every corner. Chloe followed closely, a mischievous smile on her face, her fingers dancing as if ready to spark at any moment.
Serena stayed behind them, calm and disciplined, guiding them with precise hand signals.
And me…
I was at the rear, dragging my feet and pretending to observe our surroundings.
We didn't have to wait long.
"Ahead! On the right!" Ethan suddenly shouted, dashing toward a narrow alley.
Three students from Team Theta emerged from behind a collapsed wall, and the clash began instantly.
"BOOM!"
Ethan threw a punch reinforced with stellar energy.
The strike was surreal, making the air tremble for a moment and forcing one of the students back.
"Clack-clack-clack-clack!!!"
At the same time, Chloe raised her hand, releasing a small but irritating electrostatic burst that struck another student's arm, making him recoil in pain.
"Adam! Stay back and watch the left flank!" Serena shouted as she channeled her spiritual energy and rushed in to assist Ethan.
I looked at the escalating fight.
"Boom—!!"
"Baaam!!!"
"Whooof!!"
Punches, kicks, flashes of energy, shouts… pure chaos.
'Watch the left flank?' I thought, glancing at a nearby pile of rubble that looked comfortable and perfect for hiding.
Great idea, Leader.
But I have a much better one.
While everyone was busy with the fight—including Serena, who was now facing Team Theta's leader—I seized the moment.
With quiet, swift steps, I retreated and slipped behind the large pile of concrete debris and twisted metal.
I crouched in the shadows, completely invisible to anyone on the battlefield.
'Much better,' I thought with relief, listening to the distant sounds of combat.
Now I could "observe" in comfort and safety.
From this angle, the team's performance looked… quite good. Yes, that's the "analysis" I'd give them later.
One minute passed. Then two.
The fight was still ongoing.
"Boom!!"
"Baaam!!"
Occasional crashes and bursts echoed through the ruins.
"Kyahahahaha!!!"
I heard Chloe's shout, followed by a muffled laugh and a small explosion.
She seemed to be enjoying herself.
[Lester! Do you see anything?]
Serena's slightly strained voice came through the Cardinal device.
I hesitated for a moment, then pressed the transmit button.
"All quiet on the left flank, Leader," I said calmly, as if delivering a report from a safe watchtower.
"Keep up the great work. I believe in you."
"..."
There was a brief silence on the other end, followed by a muffled sigh of frustration before the connection cut off.
'I guess she didn't like my encouraging tone,' I smiled innocently.
But suddenly—
As I was enjoying my moment of relative peace behind the rubble, I heard a faint sound directly behind me.
"Clack…!"
Footsteps.
Soft.
I froze, feeling my heart drop into my stomach.
'Damn it! Did someone find me? A member of Team Theta flanking me…?'
Slowly, I turned around, my heart pounding, bracing for a strike from the unknown.
But the person standing there, staring at me from above the rubble…
Wasn't from Team Theta.
It was Kai Morgenstern.
He stood there silently, his mysterious gray eyes fixed on me with intense focus, his face completely unreadable.
"..."
He wasn't on my team.
Nor was he on the opposing team.
He was supposed to be with his own group—Team Zeta—in a completely different sector of the field.
"What are you doing here?" I muttered, feeling like I had been caught red-handed.
Kai didn't answer immediately.
He continued staring at me for another moment, then said in a calm, emotionless voice—
"Are you bored?"
"..."
I didn't know what to say.