"Time to get expelled," I muttered, grabbing the book and wand from my locker.
I turned and followed the stream of students until a floating sigil marked A–CLASS came into view, glowing fainty dark purple above a massive door of reinforced wood.
"…This better work," I whispered.
I pushed the door open.
The moment I stepped inside, I froze.
The classroom wasn't a classroom, it was a classroom-room. Damn that's corny.
A massive circular chamber stretched outward, tiered stone seats rising high like a colosseum. The floor below was carved with overlapping arcane circles, dozens of them— each etched with ancient runes that glowed faintly beneath transparent crystal platforms. Mana drifted through the air like dust, rearranging themselves every few seconds as if the room itself was thinking.
Runes floated lazily near the ceiling, constantly shifting position, reacting to whoever entered, and on the other side of the classroom where some blue haired girl sat, there was a huge window, like the one you see in Church.
It was absurdly grand.
And yet—
"…Why are there only six people?"
My voice echoed slightly.
Scattered across the enormous room were only a handful of students, each occupying an entire section like they owned the place.
At the far back, I spotted Luna.
She was already seated, leaning back casually, one leg crossed over the other like this was just another day. When she noticed me, she lifted a hand in a lazy wave.
I exhaled and walked up the steps, sitting beside her.
"Why does it feel like I'm not supposed to be here?" I whispered.
She shrugged. "A-Class is just like that."
"No… I mean it." I said looking at her.
"Okay…"
I glanced around again, properly this time.
In the front row sat a red-haired girl, posture straight, arms crossed tightly over her chest. She radiated irritation, no… like hostility. Like the air around her was permanently overheated. Her expression looked perpetually annoyed, sharp eyes daring anyone to speak to her.
She was… undeniably beautiful I guess.
But in the way a drawn blade was beautiful.
"Damn," I muttered.
Luna smirked. "Don't stare. She looks like the type who'd bite."
"I believe you."
The other students were just as strange— one quiet blue-haired girl sitting stiffly near the side, hands folded like she was afraid to touch anything, another girl with short hair lazily spinning a wand between her fingers, completely uninterested.
Then—
The door slammed shut.
Every rune in the room pulsed once.
Footsteps echoed.
A woman walked in.
Green hair, tied neatly behind her back. Thin circle glasses. A stack of thick files tucked under one arm. She wore a professor's coat layered over formal academy robes, runes stitched subtly into the fabric.
She stopped at the center platform and placed the files down.
"Smack."
The sound echoed through the entire room.
"Good morning," she said calmly.
Her voice wasn't loud.
Yet somehow, it reached every corner of the room perfectly.
Not a single echo. Not a single distortion.
Definitely magic.
"I am Professor Myra Leafwind," she continued, adjusting her glasses. "But you may call me Myra."
She scanned the room, blue sharp eyes and analytical, as if dissecting each of us without mercy.
Beside me, Luna leaned closer and whispered, "Isn't she beautiful?"
"…Sure," I replied.
Professor Myra tapped the files once more.
"Welcome to A-Class," she said. "If you're here, it means the academy believes you are either exceptionally talented…"
She paused.
"…or exceptionally problematic."
Her gaze lingered on me for half a second too long.
A bad feeling crawled up my spine.
"By the end of today," she continued, "you will understand which one you are."
The arcane circles beneath our feet flared brighter.
I tightened my grip on the wand.
"…Perfect," I whispered.
Professor Myra's gaze drifted across the room, sharp and measured, until it landed on the red-haired girl in the front row.
She lifted one finger slightly.
"Miss Emberlyn," Professor Myra said. "Would you care to introduce yourself?"
The red-haired girl clicked her tongue immediately.
"Argh—why do we even need introductions?" she groaned, pushing herself up from her seat. Her chair scraped faintly against the floor as she stood.
She stalked to the center platform, fiery hair swaying.
She cleared her throat, visibly annoyed.
"Hana," she said flatly. "Hana Emberlyn."
The moment she said her name, the runes in the room reacted—just slightly. A faint ripple of heat shimmered in the air around her boots before settling.
Luna leaned closer to me, whispering excitedly.
"Oh! Rex, that's her. One of the prodigies. They say she's been learning magic since she was six!"
I blinked. "…Six?"
Before I could process that, Hana's sharp eyes snapped toward me.
We locked gazes.
Her glare was intense. Not confused or curious. Hostile.
Like… what the fuck did I do???
"…the fuck? Did I do something?" I muttered under my breath.
"Thank you, Miss Emberlyn," Professor Myra said calmly. "You may return to your seat."
Hana turned on her heel and walked back— but as she sat down she shot me one last glare, like she was silently promising future violence.
Huh??? The fuck???
Professor Myra didn't comment. Instead, her eyes shifted to another student.
A blue-haired girl sitting stiffly near the side of the room.
She was fidgeting with her fingers, shoulders drawn inward like she was trying to make herself smaller.
"Miss Frostwyn," Professor Myra said gently. "Please come forward."
The girl jolted.
"O–Okay!"
She stood up too fast— and somehow tripped on nothing.
Her foot caught midair, and she stumbled forward with a small yelp before barely catching herself.
The room went silent for half a second.
"Pfft." Luna muffled a giggle beside me.
The blue-haired girl straightened, face burning red, and hurried to the front, hands clasped nervously in front of her.
"I–I'm Iris… Iris Frostwyn," she said softly. "I'm nineteen. Th–thank you."
Her voice was barely louder than a whisper.
Luna leaned in again. "Woah… Frostwyn? She's a noble."
Of course she is.
Before Professor Myra could even respond, Iris bowed too deeply, panicked, then immediately turned and ran back to her seat.
She practically dove into it, covering her face with both hands the moment she sat down.
Professor Myra smiled faintly.
Her gaze shifted again— this time toward Luna.
Luna straightened instantly.
"Oho! My turn!"
She hopped down from her seat and skipped toward the center like this was a stage built just for her. She bowed dramatically.
"I'm Luna Ebonveil!" she announced brightly. "Twenty years old. Hehe."
Her presence alone seemed to brighten the room slightly, mana reacting in soft, playful ripplyes.
"…Cheerful," Professor Myra remarked. "You may return to your seat."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Luna spun once and practically bounced back to her desk beside me, grinning like she'd just won something.
The introductions continued briefly— names, titles, murmurs, until finally, the room grew quiet again.
Professor Myra turned.
Her blue eyes met mine.
She smiled.
"Mister Knox," she said. "Please come forward."
"…Of course," I muttered.
I stood, and stepped toward the center of the classroom.
Every eye in the room turned toward me.
Some are curious. Some are confused. But there's One… hostile.
Hana's glare burned into my face like she wanted to set me on fire right there.
Perfect.
"Mister Rex," Professor Myra said calmly, her voice carrying across the classroom without effort. "Please introduce yourself."
I exhaled, then stepped forward.
"Rex Knox," I said, clearing my throat. "Twenty years old."
Everyone, is gonna know anyways.
"…No mana."
The room went silent.
The blue-haired girl, Iris, she stiffened in her seat, eyes wide.
"W–What!?" she blurted. "No mana? But… this is A-Class."
Hana clicked her tongue loudly.
"Tch."
She leaned back in her seat, arms crossed, eyes sharp.
"Figured," she muttered. "So the rumors were true."
Luna laughed on the back of the class, sharp and disbelieving, like she thought I was joking.
Professor Myra slammed the files in her hand against the desk.
SMACK.
"Quiet," she said firmly.
The sound echoed through the small classroom.
She inhaled slowly. "It is true. It was an accident during the Academy's registration process." Her eyes hardened. "But it cannot be undone. Rex Knox is officially registered in A Class."
Gasps.
"But," Myra added, eyes sweeping the class, "the decision is irreversible. He remains your classmate. I expect you all to treat him accordingly."
"WHAT?!" Luna shouted.
Hana leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, a crooked smile on her face, and she looked at me straight.
"Imagine," she said in an annoyingly sweet voice, "all those students in the lower classes giving everything they have… and a manaless loser gets into A Class by accident."
Something inside me snapped.
"SHUT THE FUCK UP," I said, staring straight at her. "It's not like I wanted this."
Her chair scraped loudly as she stood.
"And how dare you shout at me?" she yelled, pointing straight at my face. "You shut the fuck up!"
"No— YOU shut the fuck up, BITCH" I shouted back.
She lunged forward and grabbed my collar.
I grabbed hers without thinking.
For a moment, we were locked there, fists clenched, teeth grinding.
Great, I thought.
Now I know. She's officially my most hated person.
"So this is how it is?" Hana hissed, eyes blazing inches from mine.
"Good."
"Hey— stop!" Professor Myra shouted. "Both of you!!"
Hana released my collar with a sharp shove and took two steps back, fiery eyes never leaving mine.
She clicked her tongue, clearly irritated, then calmly turned away from me and reached into her desk.
Slow. Deliberate.
She took out her wand.
For a split second, I thought she was backing down.
Then she flicked her wrist.
And threw her wand straight at my face.
I reacted on instinct— my hand shot up and caught it mid-air, the impact stinging slightly as the smooth wood slapped against my palm, then I dropped it on the ground.
"I challenge you to a duel," she said sharply.
"WAIT—WHAT?!" Luna shouted from the back of the classroom, already half out of her seat, panic cutting through her voice.
Iris gasped, both hands flying to her mouth.
"W–what…?" she whispered, eyes trembling as she stared at both of us.
At the far end of the room, the two figures seated in the back exchanged glances—
Then smirked.
Like they were watching something entertaining finally begin.
Due to my pride, "I accept."
"W-wait— S-STOP!" Myra cried.
Too late.
The air shuddered.
A sharp pulse rippled through the room as glowing hexagonal patterns burst outward, forming a translucent barrier around Hana and me.
The runes carved into the floor flared violently.
"What the—?" I muttered, stepping back as the barrier sealed with a low, resonant hum.
Professor Myra stepped forward instinctively. Only for the barrier to activate fully.
"W–Wait—!"
A sudden lift tugged at her coat as glowing runes flared beneath her feet, and she was gently but firmly levitated backward, glasses slipping slightly down her nose as she flailed for balance.
Her hand stopped just inches from the barrier's surface before a soft pulse of resistance pushed her away, floating her back to safety like the system was politely escorting her out.
"…T–T this system really doesn't respect faculty authority," she muttered, adjusting her glasses in defeat.
"…The Duel Regulation System," Hana whispered sharply.
Hana grinned.
"Haha. I knew you'd accept, you manaless loser." She lifted her wand against the floor. "In this academy, when one challenges and the other accepts, the Duel Regulation System activates automatically. Modern technology mixed with magic."
Her eyes burned with excitement.
"Magic fused with modern technology. Once it's up—" she spread her arms slightly, "-no one outside can interfere."
She smirked.
"The only way it ends," she continued sweetly, "is surrender… or defeat."
"Oh.. Then I surre—" I said.
She tilted her head, and smirked.
(Another!!!! Illustration baby!!!)
"After all that, you wouldn't surrender, right?"
"…Fuck."
Mana flared.
She raised her wand and began chanting.
Mana gathered in her palm, heat warping the air as a fireball formed.
She hurled it at me.
I dodged.
The explosion shattered the stone where I'd been standing, cracks across the floor.
My heart pounded.
She knows I'm manaless, is she trying to kill me?!
———
"Rahhh yessirrr is so peak, want the next part? Support me broochachoo." *INSERT TWO SKELETON BANGING THE SHIELD.*