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 classroom. As if a strong gust of wind had

of her action, the hair I spent two minutes styling this morning was

...great

couple of seconds after smacking the podium, Donna

confused as to why your ranks are being

or for worse, we have to readjust your ranking

podium, Donna's eyes swept through the classroom before she

finish announcing the new rankings before

-Nod

could only helplessly nod their head in

of a smile appeared on Donna's

here are the new

onto her tablet, Donna quickly read through

Voss, still

still rank

.

.

.

Dereks moves up a rank

.

.

.

up five ranks

.

.

.

brows. It was so subtle that only by paying close attention would anyone have been

Dover moves up a total of 200

were announced, I

With what had happened in

interest of a few important individuals. Though I didn't like the attention, there was no use

also wanted to point out that the fact that my rank rising by 200

...

end. Following that, she cleared her voice and once again spoke. Though her voice was sweet, her

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 send the

before anyone could celebrate, Donna instantly

will be mid-term exams so more than a holiday this is a short

as

all the people here I was probably the one that was the most depressed by

these couple of months, I hadn't

exams. The theoretical and the

worried about the physical exam since if I had to judge my strength, I was currently in the top 100. Maybe top 50 if I fought with my life on the

really matter. My goal was to one day reach the top 10. Being top

aside, what I was most

got

not that I was totally hopeless, it's just that for some of the stuff I had to learn, I had to go back

I barely had enough time to study for the courses let

bit longer, I just threw

procrastinator, I was used to leaving problems

of the announcements. I hope to see you in a months

she had already lost everyone's attention, Donna could only

up her stuff, she soon

-Clank!

I too started packing up my stuff. Today was

time

parents in this world, I would always get messages from them. Be it

my parent's death back in

couldn't say I