The classroom buzzed with nervous energy, the air thick with the sll of chalk dust and the faint tallic tang of mana lingering from yesterday’s lessons.
Ms. Lira stood at the front, her tall fra commanding attention as her glasses glinted under the flickering torchlight on the stone walls.
Jae slouched in his seat, his body still heavy. His eyes burned with exhaustion, but he forced himself to focus as Ms. Lira’s sharp voice cut through the chatter.
"Listen up," she said, her tone all business. "Today’s exercise is about putting yesterday’s mana shield to the test. You’ll pair up, two by two. One of you coats your body in mana and hardens it into a shield. The other attacks. The shield should repel the hits. Then you switch. Got it?"
The students nodded, so eagerly, others with a flicker of dread.
Jae glanced around, catching the eyes of his classmates, most of whom still whispered about him being a non-noble like it was a disease.
His gaze landed on a wiry kid with dark hair and a smug look, so punk who’d been muttering crap about him yesterday, probably egged on by Sun.
Jae’s jaw tightened. If he got paired with that guy, he’d make sure the kid regretted opening his mouth.
Ms. Lira called out the pairs, and sure enough, Jae’s na ca up with the wiry kid, Ryn. Perfect. Jae stood, rolling his shoulders, the ache in his muscles fading as adrenaline kicked in.
He could feel the eyes of the class on him, especially Sun’s, boring into him like daggers from across the room. Ryn sauntered over, his smirk dripping with arrogance, like he thought he could school the "scrawny" non-noble.
Jae kept his face neutral, but inside, he was itching to teach this guy a lesson. Not just for the whispers, but for every noble who’d looked down on him since he got here. He’d show them what a farmboy with a system could do.
The pairs spread out in the training yard just outside the classroom, the packed dirt crunching under Jae’s boots. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of sweat and faint traces of mana, like ozone after a storm.
Ms. Lira clapped her hands, signaling the start. "First group defends," she said. "Coat your body, harden the mana. Attackers, hit with everything you’ve got, but no weapons. Let’s go."
Jae went first, hardening his mana shield. It flared around him, a blue sheen that felt like a second skin, solid and unyielding. Ryn cracked his knuckles, his smirk widening as he wound up for a punch.
"Let’s see if you can take a hit, peasant," he sneered, loud enough for the class to hear. Jae didn’t flinch, his eyes locked on Ryn’s fist as it swung with all the force the kid could muster.
The punch slamd into Jae’s chest, but the mana shield held firm, not even a ripple. Ryn’s smirk faltered, his hand recoiling like he’d punched a wall.
Jae’s lips curled slightly. "That all you got?" he said, his voice low and taunting.
The class murmured, so impressed, others annoyed. Ms. Lira nodded approvingly. "Good, Jae. Now switch." Ryn, still rubbing his hand, coated himself in mana, his shield flickering slightly, nowhere near as solid as Jae’s.
Jae’s heart pounded, not from nerves but from the chance to make a point. He wasn’t just so nobody, they’d learn that today. As he stepped forward, he subtly activated Gravity Touch, the system’s power humming through his veins like a shot of adrenaline.
He didn’t need to overdo it, just enough to make Ryn regret his big mouth. Jae swung his fist, the air crackling faintly as Gravity Touch amplified the force.
The punch connected with Ryn’s chest, and Jae felt the hardened mana shield crack like glass under his knuckles.
Ryn’s eyes went wide, his face twisting in pain as he doubled over, dropping to his knees with a choking gasp. Blood sprayed from his mouth, splattering the dirt in violent red streaks.
The class froze, gasps rippling through the air. Jae stepped back, schooling his face into a mask of innocence, though his pulse raced with a mix of satisfaction and unease.
He hadn’t ant to go that hard, but damn, it felt good to shut Ryn up. Ms. Lira rushed over, her heels kicking up dust as she knelt beside the coughing boy, her hands glowing with faint healing mana as she checked his injuries.
Before Jae could say anything, Sun was on him, grabbing the front of his robes with a snarl. "You did that on purpose, you filthy non-noble!" he spat, his dark eyes blazing with rage.
The class leaned in, whispers buzzing like flies. Jae’s heart skipped, but he kept his cool, raising his hands like he was clueless.
"How could I have done anything?" he said, his voice calm but edged with defiance. "I just threw a punch. Didn’t use any mana or anything. Maybe he didn’t coat his shield right."
Sun’s grip tightened, but Ms. Lira stood, her expression stern. "Enough, Sun," she said, her voice cutting through the tension. She’d been watching closely, and Jae’s punch had looked clean, no visible mana, no obvious foul play. "Jae’s right. It was just a strong hit. Ryn’s shield must’ve been weak."
She shook her head, muttering about shoddy technique, then pointed to two students. "Take Ryn to the clinic. Now."
Sun let go of Jae’s robes, his face twisted with fury, but he didn’t argue with the teacher. Instead, he stepped forward, raising a hand. "I’ll go with him," he said, his voice tight. "He’s my friend."
One of the assigned students stepped back, and Sun took his place, helping lift Ryn, who was still coughing weakly, blood staining his lips.
Jae, feeling a twisted mix of guilt and defiance, saw an opportunity to twist the knife. "Hey, I feel bad," he said, stepping forward with a fake frown. "Let co with you guys to the clinic."
Sun’s head snapped up, his glare so intense it could’ve burned a hole through Jae. "You’ve done enough," he growled, his voice low and venomous. "Stay away."
Jae held up his hands, playing innocent, but inside, he was smirking. Sun could hate him all he wanted, Jae had just shown the class he wasn’t soone to ss with.
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