Above the arena, gray clouds churned slowly. The students' murmurs had long since died; every gaze was locked onto a single point: Arthur and Gilbert.
On the stone floor, Gilbert spread his arms wide and unleashed his aura. The power of a B+ rank swept through the arena like a crashing wave. Many students staggered back involuntarily, their knees trembling under the pressure.
Amanda narrowed her eyes.
"This pressure… Has Gilbert's strength really grown so much? And yet… the masked man doesn't even flinch."
Melissa watched coldly.
"Nonsense. He's not resisting Gilbert's pressure—he's completely unaffected. This isn't aura suppression. This is… a wholly different level."
Emma bit her lip, her heart racing.
"The harder Gilbert presses, the less that masked man reacts. He's not a wall… he's an abyss of ice."
Kevin crossed his arms, exhaling sharply.
"Gilbert is a fool. He can't see who he's standing against."
Ren remained silent, though his pulse quickened.
"In the novel, Gilbert never challenged anyone like this. This scene… it's completely new. And that masked man… he feels familiar, as though bound to my fate."
Gilbert roared, his fist cloaked in blazing blue mana. The stone beneath his feet cracked as he lunged forward with frightening speed.
"This is it! Show me, masked fraud!"
Arthur did not move. At the last instant, he shifted Shinkai no Yari with a single motion. The spear's tip brushed Gilbert's fist aside. The lightest of touches—and Gilbert was hurled backward.
The students gasped.
"What… happened?"
"He didn't even hit him!"
Snarling, Gilbert sprang back to his feet. Mana condensed around his arm like a blade, his fist raised high.
"Shattering Strike!"
Arthur's eyes gleamed behind the mask. He angled the spear downward, its tip kissing the floor. Sparks radiated outward in a circle. The instant Gilbert's fist entered that zone, it stopped dead, as if colliding with an invisible wall.
"Impossible!" Gilbert cried, veins bulging in his arms.
Arthur lifted the spear, holding it effortlessly in one hand. His voice was glacial.
"Is this all? A B+ rank dares challenge me?"
Lightning burst from the spearhead, cracks spiderwebbing across the arena floor as glowing runes pulsed in response. A cold terror stabbed into the hearts of every student watching.
Amanda held her breath."Such power… he can't be an ordinary teacher."
Melissa's eyes widened."If he turned against us… we wouldn't last a second."
Emma clutched her chest."Why… why does his gaze feel so familiar?"
Kevin clenched his teeth."I can't even perceive his level. He's beyond my horizon."
Ren screamed inwardly."This never happened in the novel! Who is he?!"
Arthur leveled his spear at Gilbert.
"See the truth. For in this place… only those who learn survive."
Thunder cracked overhead. The arena fell silent. The real battle was about to begin.
Sweat poured down Gilbert's face as he grit his teeth. The arena floor split and fractured, sparks still clinging to the air around Arthur's spear.
"It's not over yet!" Gilbert bellowed. Mana surged from his body like an exploding storm, the air around him growing heavy. With fists brimming with force, he charged again.
Arthur turned the spear sideways. Gilbert's punch slammed into it—
CLANG!
A deafening metallic ring resounded, cracks spiderwebbing in waves across the stone. Gilbert pressed with all his strength, yet Arthur's single-handed grip did not waver.
Arthur's voice cut through the air like ice:
"You can't control your power. Your strikes are nothing but noise."
He twisted the spear gently. Gilbert's balance broke. The youth was hurled sideways, crashing into the stone floor.
The students froze.
Amanda gasped."Incredible… Gilbert's punch could shatter mountains, yet the masked man swept him aside with a single move."
Melissa's gaze sharpened."Technique. Against brute force, flawless technique reigns. This… this is true mastery."
Emma whispered behind her hand."If that punch had landed on me… I'd have died instantly."
Kevin scowled."Gilbert's an idiot. The difference between them is as vast as the sky."
Ren swallowed hard."In the novel, Gilbert was never humiliated like this… This masked spearman is rewriting the story's rhythm."
Gilbert staggered up, his eyes bloodshot. Slamming his hands to the ground, he summoned mana into the stone itself. Massive blocks tore free, hurling toward Arthur like boulders.
Arthur raised his spear.
"Tempest Step."
In a blink, he vanished.
When the students blinked again, he was behind Gilbert, the spear's tip pressing against the back of his neck.
The crowd erupted.
"What happened?!"
"I didn't even see it!"
Arthur's voice was a death sentence:
"If this were a real battle… you would already be dead."
Gilbert collapsed to his knees, aura sputtering out. His face twisted with rage and helplessness.
Arthur withdrew the spear, his eyes glinting coldly from behind the mask.
"Remember this. Pride will not keep you alive. In my lessons, only one truth exists: survival."
Silence swallowed the arena.
The Witnesses' Thoughts
Amanda:"Who is this man… truly?"
Melissa:"We can't even perceive his level. To have him as an instructor… it's both a chance and a danger."
Emma:"Why does my heart beat so fast? His gaze… cold, yet familiar."
Kevin:"If he trains us… maybe we stand a chance of surviving this Academy."
Ren:"This scene never existed in the novel. The masked spearman… who are you?"
Donna stood at the side, arms folded, a sly smile tugging at her lips.
"Splendid show, Arthur. The students will never forget you now."
Arthur said nothing. He slid the spear back onto his back, casting one final gaze across the crowd. That look carved an icy scar into the heart of every student present.
"Class is over."
The words echoed across the arena. And with them, a new era at Lock Academy had begun.
AUTHOR NOTE:
You can ask me your questions in the comments section. Also, if you see any errors, please let me know. The translation sometimes makes mistakes, and I will correct them.