Jack stood outside the classroom for a mont, his hand resting on the door handle. Draco's presence flickered in his mind, the familiar's subtle energy a quiet reassurance. He had sent the creature into a pocket space to rest and recover—both a necessity and a tactical move. His bonded servant would remain hidden unless needed, a card up his sleeve in a ga where every advantage counted.
With a deep breath, Jack pushed the door open. The mont he stepped inside, the hum of quiet conversation abruptly stilled. All eyes turned to him, the air thick with curiosity and unspoken questions. He could feel their stares, a mix of intrigue, skepticism, and perhaps a hint of awe.
'So this is what it ans to be the center of attention,' Jack thought, his lips curling into a faint smirk. It wasn't entirely unexpected. His performance in the tournant and his unsaid identity had turned him into a puzzle everyone wanted to solve.
As he scanned the room, his gaze landed briefly on a group of beast people seated toward the back. Their distinct features—furred ears, tails, or scaled skin—stood out starkly even amidst the eclectic mix of students. He wasn't surprised by their presence; he had suspected they'd be here.
'The beast people... makes sense. Not all beasts are tied to elental powers,' he mused. 'So grant abilities that border on supernatural—strength, agility, senses. It's no wonder they're drawn to an academy like this.'
Jack had read about beast people before. They relied heavily on their relationships with the beasts they contracted, their strength varying based on the bloodline and level of the beast. An awakened beast with an inferior bloodline (I-bloodline) was hardly better than an average human—maybe a touch stronger, but nothing exceptional. However, an awakened beast with a middle-class bloodline (M-bloodline) could rival an awakened mage. The stronger the beast's lineage, the greater the power it conferred upon its summoner.
'They're essentially summoners,' Jack thought, glancing at a silver-haired student with feline ears. 'Except instead of elentals, they call forth creatures of flesh and blood.'
He couldn't help but compare their abilities to his own. As a necromancer, his powers didn't allow him to summon beasts in the traditional sense. His magic ca with its own limitations—restrictions he was still unraveling. Experinting with his abilities had revealed sothing intriguing: his class wasn't stagnant. He was evolving.
The system screen had confird it not long ago. Where it once displayed [Noble] under his class, it now read [Necromancer Noble]. The realization that he was ranking up as a necromancer had both thrilled and unsettled him.
'If I enter the planes, I might find sothing to push my abilities further,' Jack mused, his fingers twitching slightly at the thought. There was power out there, waiting to be claid—and he intended to take it.
The door to the classroom suddenly swung open with a resounding clank, snapping Jack from his thoughts. A man strode in, his heavy steps reverberating against the stone floor. His towering fra was clad in gleaming silver armor, and a sword hung at his hip, its hilt intricately engraved with runes that faintly glowed. His face was stoic, his sharp eyes scanning the room with an air of authority.
Whispers erupted almost instantly.
"Isn't that Hay Jerek?"
"Yes! One of the Seven Kings' Knights of Avalonia!"
"I heard he survived an attack from a higher devil."
"Impossible! That's just a rumor—no one survives a higher devil!"
Jack's gaze sharpened as he studied the man. There was no mistaking the power radiating from him. Hay Jerek wasn't just any knight—he was a living legend.
Kurt leaned closer to Jack, whispering, "He's one of the best. My dad always talks about him. Hay played a major role in conquering the first plane."
Jack activated his system to appraise the knight, but his brows furrowed when the stats appeared.
[Hay Jerek]
[Title: The Sixth King's Knight; Conqueror of Planes]
[Level: ???]
'Blurred stats,' Jack noted, disappointnt flickering across his face. The system only revealed details for opponents within his potential range. For soone like Hay Jerek, the disparity in their power was too vast to asure. 'Not that I'd try fighting him directly anyway,' Jack thought with a smirk. 'But with the right thods, even he's not invincible.'
Hay stepped forward, his commanding presence silencing the whispers. His gaze swept over the students before settling briefly on Jack. Sothing unspoken passed between them, though the knight said nothing.
"I'm surprised the church decided to place in this role," Hay began, his voice deep and steady. "But that's irrelevant. You're here for combat and weapon training, and that's exactly what we'll focus on."
He paused, his sharp eyes flickering with faint amusent as he added, "And before you ask—no, I'm not here to coddle you."
The class straightened collectively, their attention unwavering.
"I've seen so of your capabilities during the tournant," Hay continued. "Impressive, but so of you held back. That ends here. Today, we'll address the essence of being a warrior and the driving force behind your power."
As he spoke, Jack felt a piercing gaze on him. He turned his head slightly, catching Jas staring at him. The other boy quickly averted his eyes, but Jack's lips twitched in irritation.
'What's his problem?' Jack thought, annoyed.
Hay's voice cut through his thoughts. "Aura," the knight said, his tone decisive. "It's the foundation of all power. You should all know this by now, but for those who don't—Aura is the life force you build around yourself. Weapon masters perceive it more acutely than mages, and we manipulate it with precision through relentless training."
A red-scaled beastman near the back of the class snickered. His sharp features and cocky smirk gave him an air of arrogance. "We already know about Aura, Sir Hay," he drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "No need for a lecture—just cut to the chase."
The room fell deathly silent. The beastman's smirk faltered as a crushing pressure bore down on him. His body trembled, his head slamming against the desk as he struggled to lift it.
'It was a joke!' the beastman thought, panic rising as he gasped for breath.
Hay's voice was calm but cold. "Disrespect will not be tolerated. I've treated you as nobles and expect the sa in return. This is no laughing matter. After this training, you'll enter the planes. Joke around, and you'll die there."
He let the pressure ease, and the beastman collapsed back into his seat, his face pale.
Hay's lips curled into a faint smile, though it held no warmth. "Since you're all so knowledgeable about Aura," he said, his tone almost mocking, "let's put that knowledge to the test."
Jack's instincts flared. There was sothing in Hay's deanor—sothing almost playful yet undeniably dangerous. A flicker of anticipation sparked in Jack's chest as he leaned back slightly, his mind already racing.
'This isn't going to be just any test,' Jack thought, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. 'Let's see what kind of mischief you're planning, Sir Hay.'
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