Athena didn't wait long.
The moment the last piece of debris was cleared and the healers gave the all-clear, she raised her hand and called out calmly, "Class Zero. To me."
Lucian looked up first.
The others followed without question.
They walked across the half-shattered arena, past stunned students and broken formations, past other instructors who still hadn't decided what they'd just witnessed. No one tried to stop them. No one spoke. Just eyes tracking them—half in awe, half in fear.
At the edge of the field, Garos was already waiting. The dean stood in his usual plain clothes, arms folded behind his back, gaze sharp but steady. Not smiling. Not clapping.
But when they reached him, he nodded once. Deep.
"You did well," he said. "All of you."
Lucian tilted his head slightly. "You watched the whole time?"
Garos smirked. "Hard not to, considering the noise you made."
A few of the Class Zero members chuckled quietly.
