The lecture hall buzzed with quiet concentration as chalk scraped against the wide slate board. Professor Han's voice carried across the rows, steady and firm.
"Focus on precision. A single mistake in execution can cost more than points—it can cost your life."
Elena sat upright, her gaze sharp, but she wasn't just listening—she was waiting. Every day in this second chance was another opportunity to tip the scales.
Across the room, Adrian leaned back in his chair, arms folded, his eyes locked on her instead of the board. His stare was heavy, unreadable, but she refused to flinch.
Professor Han turned suddenly. "Elena Zhou," he called. "Step forward. Demonstrate the binding seal from yesterday's lesson."
A ripple moved through the class. Some students smirked, eager for her to fail. Elena rose slowly, her heartbeat steady.
She walked to the center, brushed her fingers across the carved table, and began weaving the seal. Her movements were precise, sharper than before, her mind recalling every failure of her past life and refusing to repeat them.
The lines glowed faintly. The seal snapped into place with a clean hum.
Gasps scattered across the hall.
Professor Han raised a brow. "Not bad."
Before Elena could return to her seat, Adrian's voice cut through the silence. "Her form was flawed. If you look closely, the third stroke wasn't stable, It would collapse under pressure."
Murmurs erupted. Adrian's tone was smooth, confident, but Elena caught the edge underneath—he wasn't correcting her. He was challenging her.
Professor Han turned to inspect, but before he could speak, another voice rang out.
"She was flawless" Ryan said.
He stood from his seat without hesitation, his jaw set, his eyes locked on Adrian. "You're nitpicking because you can't stand the fact she executed it better than half the class."
The room stilled.
Adrian's gaze snapped to Ryan, cold and sharp. "Watch your words."
Ryan only smirked faintly, then shifted his eyes to Elena. "Don't let him rattle you. What you did was perfect."
Heat rushed to Elena's cheeks, not from embarrassment, but from the deliberate way Ryan had thrown his support behind her—loud, undeniable, in front of everyone.
Adrian's jaw tightened, the faintest twitch betraying his composure.
From the side, Clara whispered, "Go, Elena," her grin wide, clearly enjoying the spectacle. Lila however, didn't smile. She leaned forward, her eyes narrowed, calculating every reaction, storing it away.
Professor Han cleared his throat. "That's enough. Zhou executed well. Adrian, you'll demonstrate next."
Adrian rose, every movement controlled, his eyes flicking to Elena just once before he strode to the front. The seal he formed was flawless, steady as stone. The glow shone brighter than Elena's had, but it wasn't victory he sought—it was dominance.
When he finished, he turned slightly, his voice quiet enough that only Elena and Ryan caught it.
"Try to keep up."
Ryan let out a low chuckle. "Looks like you're the one playing catch-up, Chen."
The tension crackled like fire between them.
Elena sat back in her seat, her fists tightening beneath the desk. Two rivals, circling her like wolves—one out of suspicion, the other out of loyalty.
This time everything is confusing her: Adrian's sudden challenge, Clara's sudden change of character, literally everything was confusing.
What exactly is in their minds?