[This is yesterday's chapter, sorry for late post. Next chapter will come in few minutes. If you want extra chapter get ps to 30]
[Also get PS by end of week for 3 extra chapter release. Enjoy!]
The day after the Captain selection trials, Alpha Class had their first official session together. Lukas arrived at the designated classroom, a spacious room on the academy's third floor with large windows overlooking the training grounds.
It was different from the regular classrooms. Instead of rows of desks, there were comfortable chairs arranged in a semicircle around a central platform. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with advanced texts on combat theory, magic, and strategy.
Students were already gathering when Lukas entered. He recognized everyone from the tournament bracket display and the entrance exam rankings.
Cassius Drakos stood near the front, surrounded by a small group of students congratulating him on his victory. He accepted their praise with casual confidence, like someone who'd expected to win all along.
Elara Ven sat near the window, reading a book on wind magic theory. She looked up briefly when Lukas entered, gave a small nod of acknowledgment, and returned to her reading.
Ace Reinhardt sat alone, his expression thoughtful as he stared out the window. He'd fought well in the tournament but losing to Cassius seemed to weigh on him.
Princess Seraphina occupied a seat near the middle, her attendants standing behind her. Several students kept glancing in her direction but none dared approach without invitation.
Lyra Ashford leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, looking bored. Her purple eyes tracked each person who entered the room, assessing them like potential opponents.
Marcus waved Lukas over to two empty seats near the back. "Saved you a spot."
Lukas sat down just as more students filed in. Kieran Voss entered with his usual easy smile, immediately striking up conversations with multiple groups. Elena Cross came in carrying a stack of notebooks, nearly dropping them before finding a seat.
And near the entrance, partially hidden by shadow, Vera Noctis slipped in silently and took a seat in the corner. Most students didn't even notice her arrival.
"Attention, Alpha Class."
A woman entered the room, tall, with silver hair tied in a braid and sharp green eyes that missed nothing. She wore the academy's instructor uniform with several medals pinned to her chest.
"I am Professor Kaine, your primary instructor for advanced combat and strategy. Alpha Class is not like your standard courses. Here, you will be pushed beyond normal limits because you have the potential to exceed them."
She walked to the center platform, her presence commanding immediate silence.
"You thirty students represent the best of this year's intake. That means expectations are higher, training is harder, and failure is not tolerated. If you cannot keep up, you will be moved to Beta Class. Am I understood?"
"Yes, Professor," the class responded in unison.
"Good. Now, as you know, Cassius Drakos has been selected as your Class Captain." She gestured toward Cassius, who stood and gave a slight bow. "He will represent Alpha Class in inter-class competitions and lead during group exercises. However, leadership can be challenged. If anyone feels they deserve the position, you may issue a formal challenge at any time."
Several students glanced around, but no one spoke up. Challenging Cassius after watching him dominate the tournament would be foolish.
"Moving on," Professor Kaine continued. "Your first major evaluation will be next month, a practical field exercise in the Whispering Woods. You will be divided into teams and tasked with hunting silver-rank monsters. Performance will be graded on teamwork, strategy, and individual contribution."
Murmurs rippled through the class. The Whispering Woods were more dangerous than the Crimson Waste used for the entrance exam.
"Until then, we will focus on advanced combat techniques, mana manipulation, and tactical coordination. Today's lesson begins with combat assessment. I need to see where each of you stands."
She waved her hand, and the classroom furniture shifted, pushed to the walls by magic. The center opened up into a sparring area.
"Pair up. I want to observe how you fight, how you think, and how you adapt. Begin."
Students immediately started forming pairs. Lukas stood, looking for a partner, when someone approached.
"Lukas Grant, right?"
He turned to find a tall boy with brown hair and a friendly expression. One of the students from the middle rankings, around twentieth or so.
"I'm Adrian Cross," the boy said. "Want to spar?"
"Sure," Lukas replied.
They moved to an open space and drew their practice swords. Professor Kaine was circulating around the room, watching each pair with analytical eyes.
"Ready?" Adrian asked.
Lukas nodded.
Adrian attacked first, his strikes steady and controlled. He had decent technique, probably trained by his family's swordmaster. But his stats were lower than Lukas's, and his movements were predictable.
Lukas parried easily, guided by Intermediate Sword Mastery. He countered with a quick strike that Adrian barely blocked. They exchanged blows for about a minute before Lukas landed a clean hit on Adrian's shoulder.
"Nice one," Adrian said, catching his breath. "You're faster than I expected."
They continued sparring, and Lukas kept his performance measured. He didn't want to dominate too obviously, but he also couldn't afford to look weak. It was a careful balance.
Around the room, other pairs were fighting. Cassius was sparring with another top-ranked student, and the difference in skill was obvious. Every movement Cassius made was efficient and powerful, completely overwhelming his opponent.
Elara was sparring with a girl using wind magic to enhance her speed. Their exchange was fast and technical, with both landing hits.
Ace fought against a larger student, using determination and grit to compensate for the strength difference. He was improving, his system was clearly working.
"Interesting," Professor Kaine's voice came from behind Lukas.
He turned to find her watching his match with Adrian.
"You have good fundamentals, Grant. Clean technique, efficient movement. But you're holding back."
Lukas kept his expression neutral. "Just being careful, Professor."
"Careful is good. But in real combat, hesitation will get you killed. Don't forget that." She moved on to observe other pairs.
After thirty minutes of sparring, Professor Kaine called everyone to attention.
"Adequate. Most of you have decent foundations. But decent won't be enough when you face real threats. Starting tomorrow, we'll begin intensive training. I expect improvement from all of you. Dismissed."
Students began filing out, some looking exhausted, others energized. Lukas grabbed his things and headed for the door.
"Grant."
He stopped. Cassius was approaching, his expression neutral but his eyes sharp.
"You fought well today," Cassius said. "Better than your ranking suggests."
"Thanks," Lukas replied carefully.
"I've been watching you since the entrance exam. You're skilled, but you don't stand out. That's deliberate, isn't it?"
Lukas met his gaze. Cassius was perceptive, more so than he'd expected.
"I'm just trying to improve at my own pace," Lukas said.
Cassius studied him for a moment longer, then nodded. "Fair enough. But remember, in Alpha Class, standing out is inevitable. Whether you want it or not."
He walked away, leaving Lukas with an uneasy feeling.
Marcus appeared beside him. "What did Cassius want?"
"Just making conversation," Lukas said.
They left the classroom and headed toward the dining hall for lunch. The academy grounds were busy with students moving between classes and training sessions.
"Alpha Class is intense," Marcus said. "Did you see how seriously everyone took those sparring matches? It's like they're already preparing for war."
"Maybe they are," Lukas said, thinking about the Cataclysm.
They found a table and sat down with their food. Kieran Voss appeared a few minutes later, sliding into a seat across from them.
"Mind if I join?" he asked with that easy smile.
"Go ahead," Marcus said.
"So, how are you two finding Alpha Class so far? Pretty different from regular courses, huh?"
"Definitely more intense," Marcus replied. "Professor Kaine doesn't mess around."
"She's one of the academy's best instructors. Fought in the northern border conflicts a few years ago. Killed over a hundred monsters single-handedly during a demon incursion." Kieran leaned forward conspiratorially. "Rumor has it she was offered a position as Royal Knight but turned it down to teach."
"Where do you hear all this?" Lukas asked.
Kieran grinned. "I have my sources. Information is valuable, so I make it my business to know things."
"Like what?" Marcus asked, curious.
"Like the fact that Beta and Gamma Class trials are happening tomorrow. Or that Princess Seraphina has been asking questions about certain students. Or that there's talk of an emergency security meeting among the senior professors."
That last part caught Lukas's attention. "Security meeting?"
Kieran shrugged. "Just rumors. But apparently, there have been unusual monster sightings near the academy's outer perimeter. Nothing confirmed yet, but the instructors are taking it seriously."
Lukas filed that information away. In the novel, monster attacks near the academy didn't happen until much later in the story. Another sign that the timeline was shifting.
They finished lunch and went their separate ways. Lukas returned to his dorm and collapsed onto his bed.
[You have been idle for 3 hours]
[+3 to all stats]
[Current Stats: Strength 52, Agility 52, Mana 52, Endurance 52]
He'd crossed fifty. His stats were now solidly in the range of veteran knights and experienced combat mages. And he'd achieved it in less than two weeks just by existing.
The system was terrifyingly efficient.
[Daily Skill Lottery Available]
[Would you like to draw?]
Lukas selected yes.
[Drawing...]
[Skill Acquired: Advanced Mana Control (A-Rank)]
[Previous skill Basic Mana Control (C) has been replaced]
Another upgrade. With A-rank mana control, he could now manipulate magical energy with precision that most mages spent years developing.
A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts.
He opened it to find Elena Cross standing there with her notebook.
"Sorry to bother you," she said. "But I was reviewing my notes from today's sparring session, and I noticed something interesting about your fighting style. Do you have a moment to discuss it?"
Lukas hesitated, then stepped aside. "Sure, come in."
Elena entered and immediately began flipping through her notebook. "Your technique is unusual. You adapt mid-combat in ways that suggest either extensive experience or some kind of predictive ability. I've been trying to figure out the pattern."
"Maybe I just react quickly," Lukas suggested.
"It's more than that. The way you shifted your stance three times during your match with Adrian, each shift was in response to tells he hadn't even completed yet. Like you knew what he was going to do before he did it."
Lukas realized Elena was more observant than he'd given her credit for. Her analytical mind had picked up on the effects of Intermediate Sword Mastery.
"I just pay attention," he said carefully.
Elena looked at him, then smiled. "You're hiding something. That's fine, everyone has secrets. I just wanted you to know that I'm documenting combat patterns for research purposes. If you ever want to collaborate, let me know."
She left, and Lukas closed the door, feeling slightly unsettled.
People were paying attention. Cassius had noticed. Elena had analyzed his fighting style. Even Ace kept watching him during class.
He was trying to stay in the background, but the more he existed in this world, the more impossible that became.
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
[Timeline Divergence: 27%]
[Multiple characters showing increased interest in Host]
[Warning: Continued observation may accelerate plot deviations]
Lukas lay back on his bed and stared at the ceiling.
He wasn't doing anything dramatic. He was just living his life, defending himself when challenged, and trying to survive in this world.
But apparently, that was enough to make ripples that were growing into waves.
And he had no idea where those waves would lead.