The Author's POV

[Lock, class A-25, Friday 4:45 P.M.]

Sitting in my usual seat, I listened attentively to the class lecture.

Or at least I tried...

Despite the fact that two weeks had passed since the Hollberg incident, the classroom's atmosphere wasn't as lively as it was back before the incident.

Glancing at the classroom, I could see why...

Almost a quarter of the students that used to sit around me were now gone.

Despite not knowing many people, I found out, a couple of days after the incident, that Evan and Cassandra were part of the people that had died during the incident.

...the same two people that were part of my group.

In spite of the fact that I didn't know them that well, the fact that two people I was acquainted with had died went to show how tragic those events were.

Literally, anyone could've died that night...

"Alright, that marks the end of the lecture"

Snapping me out my thought was the engineering professor's charming voice. Just like before, throughout the whole time I had stayed in the lock, she was the only professor that didn't pay special attention to lineage or rank.

Whenever I asked her questions regarding the lecture she would always patiently and calmly explain what I didn't understand.

Therefore, although I didn't necessarily understand what she was teaching, I didn't hate this class.

Right after the lecture ended and the professor left the classroom, everyone remained seated.

That was because we still had to have our end-of-week tutor time. This was a small session we had every Friday and it was where Donna, our tutor, would spend the last remaining fifteen minutes of the day to share any announcements that have been made by the school.

-Clank!

Right on cue, entering the classroom, Donna made her way towards the podium. Walking, as though the wind was blowing, each of her steps caused a thin purple undulation of magic power to spread across the classroom.

Instantly the whole room fell silent. The pressure that emanated from her body caused everyone to stop whatever they were doing.

It was evident that she wasn't in the best of moods, and everyone could feel it.

Arriving in front of the podium, Donna staked a few papers on the table before clicking her tongue and dismissing them.

Sighing, Donna looked at the classroom and spoke.

"Alright, as most of you can probably tell, I'm not in the best of moods"

Raising two fingers she said

"I have two announcements for you guys today..."

"One, there will be a rank readjustment, and that wi'”"

Right after she finished the first half of her sentence before she could continue speaking, disrupting her speech were whispers that resounded throughout the whole classroom.

"...rank readjustments?"

"It isn't even the midterms..."

"What's going on?"

-Smack!

"Quiet!"

the podium, a small shockwave swept through the classroom. As if a strong gust

I spent two minutes styling

...great

after smacking the

your ranks are being readjusted...the answer is simple. It's because

to readjust your ranking according

hands on the podium, Donna's eyes swept through the classroom before

finish announcing the new rankings before announcing the second

-Nod

could only helplessly nod their head

trace of a

are

her tablet, Donna quickly read through

Voss, still

Hall, still

.

.

.

Dereks moves up a rank and is now rank

.

.

.

five

.

.

.

was so subtle that only

Ren Dover moves up a total of 200 ranks and is

rank were announced,

I tried my best to keep a stoic face. With what

denying the fact that I had now caught the interest of a few important individuals. Though I didn't like the attention, there was no use crying over

the fact that my rank rising by 200 ranks may have contributed to adding a couple of extra

...

name, the rank adjustment came to an end. Following that, she cleared her voice

the second announcement, due to recent unfortunate events, after long and arduous hours of talk, the higher-ups have finally have come to a unanimous decision to

right before anyone could celebrate, Donna instantly poured cold water

you return, there will be mid-term exams so more than

the classroom as

I was probably the one that was the most depressed

went down these couple of months, I hadn't had time to focus on my

exams. The

to judge my strength, I was currently in the top 100. Maybe top 50 if

was to one day reach the top 10. Being top 100 didn't really

I was most worried about

study, I barely got any of the concepts they were talking

that I was totally hopeless, it's just that for some of the stuff I had to learn, I had to go back and relearn things that were taught back

time to study

bit longer, I just threw it at the back of

used to

is the end of the announcements. I hope to see

everyone's attention, Donna could only conclude tutor time ahead of

stuff, she

-Clank!

as Donna left, I too started packing up my stuff. Today was the last day I stayed in the lock

finally time

always get messages from them. Be

in my

I