Lucien took a deep breath and opened the classroom door. As he stepped inside, he saw the room was empty except for a girl sitting at the last desk in the left corner. The classroom had red and white walls, a large teaching board, and several brown desks and chairs arranged in an auditorium style.
Large windows opposite Lucien let sunlight stream into the room. The girl at the desk had messy dark blue hair that covered her eyes. Her skin was pale, and her uniform was striking: a white, long-sleeved shirt with puffed upper sleeves, a dark overcoat with a long, flared back, a red tie, and a pleated skirt with a layered hemline. The school symbol was displayed on her chest. Lucien could clearly see her unique uniform from where he stood.
Not only have the buildings changed, but the students' uniforms are different too. In the main building, they wear red, but here it's white, he thought.
The girl, who had been busy with something, noticed him looking her way. She opened her mouth and said in a sweet voice, "Good morning, mister." She stood and gave a slight bow.
"Good morning," Lucien replied calmly. Seeing her discomfort, he looked away and walked to his desk. He set his things down and glanced around. "Where are the other students?"
"Lady Heisenberg told us about you," the girl said, her eyes lowered. "When they heard your rank is nine, they said they wouldn't attend your class. She also mentioned your two-month deal, but they left anyway. I stayed because I want to improve."
Lucien gave a small smile. *So it won't be that easy,* he thought.
"I'm Lucien Kaelhart. What's your name?" he asked.
The girl hesitated, then took a deep breath. "I'm Amara Ellison," she said.
She's not at ease with me yet. I should adjust my tone to something warmer, something she'll find easier to get used to, he thought.
"Do you know where they've all gone?" Lucien asked Amara.
She nodded and stepped toward him. "I'll lead you there."
They left the classroom and walked through the corridor until they reached a staircase leading upstairs. They climbed to the rooftop, which served as the training ground for the class.
As they opened the rooftop door, the sound of weapons clashing filled the air. Lucien's eyes adjusted to the scene: all the students were there, training with each other. When they noticed him, they seemed to recognize who he was but didn't stop, continuing their practice without acknowledging him.
Lucien clapped his hands. "Everyone, stop and come back to the classroom."
None of them paused; they kept fighting. Amara placed a hand on Lucien's shoulder and said, "Sorry, Mr. Kaelhart, but they're all good people. They just…" She trailed off, not finishing her thought.
Lucien glanced at her for a moment. She's kind, he thought, then turned his attention back to the students. He stretched his body, and a sword materialized in his hand.
At the sight of it, the students didn't seem intimidated but instead mocked him. "Now, now, are you getting angry?" said an elf with blonde hair, slightly taller than Lucien, perhaps six feet or more.
"I don't think so. Besides, beating kids who don't listen isn't how I teach," Lucien said with a calm expression, his tone devoid of arrogance or mockery, carrying a straightforward hollowness.
"Mere kids? I don't think you can call us that when you're the same rank as us," a deep voice said from behind. It belonged to a demon with medium-length dark purple hair. He wasn't particularly striking: average height, no remarkable physique, with a stern face, horns on his forehead, and a silver earring. He wore the male version of the same uniform as Amara.
"If you think we're just kids, how about a duel with Lucan?" said a dwarf with a greatsword strapped to his back.
"I don't raise my sword unless there's something worth fighting for," Lucien said.
"If we lose, we'll go back to class with you peacefully. But if we win, you won't come back," the dwarf added.
Behind the dwarf stood two girls. One was a vampire with red eyes and white hair, her expression cold. The other, a human with brown hair, smirked and said, "That guy can't beat Lucan. He's the strongest in our class."
The vampire girl remained silent. She sat on a bench beside the human girl and adjusted her skirt.
---
Lucien didn't respond immediately. After a moment, he said, "I think I know what to do." He stepped into the makeshift duel circle, and the sword in his hand vanished.
Lucan, the demon, entered the circle as well. "What a waste of time for both of us. I almost feel sorry for you," he said.
Is this arrogance? I was taught on the battlefield that arrogance is a black hole, an absolute point where a person begins to destroy themselves, Lucien thought.
Lucan drew his sword from its scabbard and assumed a stance. Lucien, however, stood without a weapon, having already decided how to handle the duel without raising one.
He's not using his sword. Maybe he's too arrogant, underestimating Lucan, the vampire girl thought.
---
The dwarf stood at the edge of the circle, his hand raised high. "The duel begins… Now!" He dropped his hand.
Lucan charged at Lucien with alarming speed, his sword just an inch from its target.
[Suppressor Activated!]
Suddenly, Lucan dropped to his knees, along with the other students. A strange, heavy pressure weighed on them all. What's this? the vampire girl thought, her body and the human girl's pressed into their chairs. To escape the force, they slid forward onto the ground.
I can't fight my own students, but with my Suppressor ability, I don't have to, Lucien thought. He walked toward Lucan, grabbed him by the collar, and began dragging him out of the circle. Just drag him out and win.
As they neared the edge, Lucan broke free and jumped back. Lucien's eyes widened slightly in surprise. That demon freed himself from my grip. He looked at Lucan, who was now standing, though clearly struggling.
Lucan's legs trembled under the pressure, but he raised his sword and assumed a stance, refusing to collapse.
Pride. It's the pride of demons, Lucien thought, a flicker of respect for Lucan stirring within him. In my past life, I fought every race, defeated them all, and was defeated in the end. But through every battle, the only ones who never gave up, no matter the cost, were the demons. They always stood again, fighting even if it meant losing everything.
This boy carries that same pride. He knows he can't withstand this pressure much longer, yet he's still trying. Lucien studied Lucan's eyes. That look tells me you may abandon your body, but you must preserve your honor.
Lucan struggled to speak, his voice strained. "You… instructor, come and… fight me!" But his vision blurred, and he collapsed to the ground.