Shiro sat silently in his seat, scanning the unfamiliar classroom with a calm, observant expression. His sharp, perceptive eyes took in every detail—from the flickering classroom lights to the subtle movements of the students around him. Despite the usual chatter among classmates, a strange hush hung over the room, brought on by the mysterious aura of the new student. The class was still processing the shock of Shiro's sudden arrival, but what unsettled them more was his demeanor: cool, composed, and completely detached.
He hadn't said much since walking in. His only words were his name during the brief introduction. There was no further dialogue, no effort to make friends or exchange pleasantries. That silence was louder than any speech, leaving the class with a flurry of thoughts:
"Wow, he's so cool..."
"He looks handsome."
"What a freak..."
"He doesn't even try to be friendly."
"What's with his attitude?!" "His attitude is awesome!"
The classroom buzzed with gossip. Some were in awe, others in confusion, but Shiro didn't react to any of it. He simply continued sitting quietly, absorbing the atmosphere.
From the back of the room, Isamu and Yumi were watching him closely. Yumi was visibly stunned by Shiro's striking looks, though his cold attitude didn't impress her much. Isamu, on the other hand, felt a bit overshadowed by the attention this new boy was receiving. Although the spotlight was never truly on Isamu to begin with, he found the whole situation slightly amusing. He chuckled softly to himself at his own goofy jealousy.
That soft chuckle didn't go unnoticed.
Shiro subtly turned his head, searching for the source of the laughter. His gaze landed on Isamu.
"Is he laughing at me? At this whole situation?" Shiro thought to himself, misinterpreting the moment. His brows narrowed slightly, though his expression remained composed.
Yumi quickly averted her eyes the moment she realized Shiro had noticed them watching. He turned back around, his mind still on that small laugh.
"Wow... he's so cute..." Yumi blushed internally, holding her cheeks with both hands and a dreamy look spreading across her face. In her mind, cartoonish love-shaped pupils practically popped out, giving the scene an endearing and comedic air.
Meanwhile, Isamu thought to himself, "Man, the class is going crazy just because this guy walked in. Even the teacher's losing their grip."
His thoughts quickly shifted.
"And just when I finally unlocked my first Elenvyr through my Mindcore energy... all this chaos is making me forget! I better focus and not lose track of today's lesson."
With a small sigh, Isamu returned to his textbook, refreshing his memory on the elemental channels. Yumi, too, turned her attention back to her notes.
But Shiro heard that sigh. Again, he turned to glance at Isamu.
"Sighing now? What is with this guy? First laughing, now sighing? Is he mocking me?" Shiro thought, growing mildly irritated.
Despite the swirl of assumptions in his mind, he kept his composure and faced forward just as Teacher Takao re-entered the classroom.
"Alright kids," Teacher Takao called out, "let's move on to the next part of our session."
But the students weren't ready to move on. A chorus of voices broke out, mostly from the girls in the class:
"Teacher, let the new guy introduce himself more!"
"Let us see what he's capable of!"
"Why don't you let him take the class today?"
In contrast, the boys responded:
"No way, teacher!"
"Don't hand your class over to some newcomer."
"We want your lesson, not his!"
The classroom turned into a chaotic mix of admiration, jealousy, and confusion.
"Silence!" Teacher Takao raised both hands. "Everyone, calm down!"
Yumi raised her hand.
"Yes, Yumi?" the teacher asked.
"Why not just have Shiro take the same practical test we did? That way, we get to see his skill level and it keeps things fair."
"Hmm, a fair point... but we don't yet know what Shiro is capab—"
Before he could finish, Shiro stood up.
"There's nothing to worry about, Teacher. Just tell me what the test involves. I will demonstrate."
"I like that spirit," Teacher Takao said, nodding with a grin.
Meanwhile, Shiro threw a sidelong glance at Isamu.
"Watch carefully, laughing boy. You'll regret mocking me."
With that thought, Shiro walked to the center of the class. The test involved channeling one's Mindcore energy into a target—a practice doll used for demonstrations.
Shiro raised his hand, centering his energy. Then, he assumed a stance no one had ever seen before—precise, graceful, and completely unique.
He pointed a single finger at the doll. In an instant, several sharp, invisible air slices cut through the target with flawless accuracy. Gasps echoed through the classroom.
Without stopping, Shiro shifted his stance and fired more air slices at random points—the walls, the benches—each hit clean, powerful, and intentional.
The message was clear: Shiro was an Air Elenvyr user. And he was talented.
"Remarkable... simply remarkable," Teacher Takao said, visibly stunned.
The class, once chaotic and noisy, was now filled with awed silence that slowly turned into scattered clapping and murmurs of admiration.
"That is pure talent," Teacher Takao announced. "We wish you continued success, Shiro."
Shiro stood confidently in the center of the room, a quiet smile on his face. His eyes flickered to Isamu once more, the rivalry in his mind growing stronger.