บท 39: Lupus Class II

"Rank 1987, Niah Hayes…"

"Present!"

Carolina began calling out the names of the students one by one, in ascending order–from the lowest rank to the highest rank.

She was taking the time to learn her students' names.

When she reached my name, Carolina paused a moment and smiled warmly at me, just like what she did to every student she had called.

"Rank 911, Zio Varrez."

"Present."

She nodded and continued taking attendance.

During which she called out students' names, I could feel a few gazes on me after my name was called out. No, it was not a warm or affectionate gaze I'd received the first time I came here but something entirely different.

Something like a predatory gaze, perhaps?

They—mostly the male students openly showed their hatred for me through their gazes and snorts. They were probably jealous that the girls were flocking to me who was a low rank, and only had a good look.

Well, of course, I ignored them. It was not even my fault that the girls were acting like that. If anything, it was their fault for not having the privileges of a good look.

As I said some time ago, there were three types of force in this world that could help someone gain standing in society.

Money, power, and charisma or charm. Though I didn't have money or power, my look and charisma were compensating for those two aspects.

I murmured to check my status, it had been a long time since I checked it.

===

[Status]

Name: Zio Varrez (♂)

Age: 17

Race: Human

► Stats:

Strength: F+

Agility: E-

Intelligence: C

Stamina: F+

Magic: F

Charisma: D

Luck: E

► Talents:

[Dual Wielding Lv.2] (▼ Expand)

[Swordmanship Lv.2] (▼ Expand)

► Skills:

[Clairvoyance Lv.2] (▼ Expand)

===

'Hmm. My magic stats still hasn't gone up…'

It had been a month since I came to this world, and during that time, I practiced every day. But I thought that my growth rate was below average. It shouldn't be that hard to raise low-rank stats such as my Strength, Agility, Stamina, and Magic.

In this world, ranks were used to measure one's abilities. <E> rank and below were equivalent to normal human adults, and it was only when you reached <E+> rank that you were considered to have surpassed human limits.

However, it was when you reached <D-> rank that the world truly started to reveal its secrets, warning you that you had achieved a new perspective of the world.

At <D-> rank, one's perception of the world changed.

Senses were heightened, powers were unlocked, and the world was revealed to be more dangerous than one could have ever imagined.

It was a world beyond the comprehension of normal humans, where hidden dangers lurked and hidden powers awaited those who were strong enough to uncover them.

Yes. That was what the world of the Enhanced looked like. Full of dangers. Ambition to become stronger might lead them to their doom.

After all, Greed was one of human nature that couldn't ever be erased from them.

That was why academies were important. To guide the greenhorn so they wouldn't fall into their temptations of achieving greater power that might destroy their life.

Well, at least, that was what I wrote in the novel. Who knew there might be differences in this world?

"Rank 91, Enzo Ruiz."

"Present…"

The black-haired boy beside me raised his hand wearily.

I made a mental note to remember his name. He might come in handy, considering the fact that he was ranked 91st, which I honestly didn't expect. I thought he was another low or mid-rank like me.

Although, I felt like it was unnecessary to use my Clairvoyance on him the first time we met. He really didn't interest me in the first place, but now, it was different.

Carolina continued, and I listened half-willingly.

"Rank 49, Lumi Alicia Alexa."

But, when she called out a name that sounded familiar to me. I immediately shifted my gaze toward that student, with my Clairvoyance already activated.

[Name: Lumi Alicia Alexa (♀)

Age: 17

Race: Human]

"Present!"

'What the hell is she doing here?!'

Lumi Alicia Alexa, was one of the main characters, someone that supported and helped the Protagonist, Lux, in the field of resources. I called her the 'sugar mommy'.

She had dark violet hair that fell right above her shoulders, framing her face in a stylish manner. Her eyes were a mesmerizing shade of green, reminiscent of emeralds, adding to her enigmatic aura.

Despite her serious demeanor and poker-like face, Lumi always remained composed and level-headed. She was, after all, the heir of the Nova Corps.

For the record, Nova Corps was a prominent company that created the Nova Watch and had a significant presence in the world of Enhanced. Under their banner, they not only entered the market but also established the Nova Guild, which held a high rank of second place.

The issue with Lumi being in the Lupus class instead of the Dragon class with Lux, Ayano, and Seo Yeong-ha puzzled me.

It was yet another unnecessary change.

I shook my head dejectedly and shifted my attention back to the front of the class.

Finally, the roll call attendance finished after Carolina called out Ember's name.

"Rank 1, Ember Crimson."

Carolina's eyes were slightly widened as she called Ember's name.

"Present."

Carolina looked in my direction, precisely at Ember whose seat was in front of me. There was excitement written on her face as she nodded in acknowledgment.

Clapping her hands, the sound of the clap was heard throughout the room, it could be because of the amplifying sound that she made from utilizing the mana.

"Alright, class. Now that we have done with the attendance, it's time for our first lesson in my class…"

She reached for a thick book and held it up for everyone to see. The front cover was adorned with an illustration of various fantasy monsters, each one intricately detailed and menacing in its own way.

"This is a record book about the monsters that have been found and identified."

Her eyes shone in excitement as she said that.

"Today, we'll be delving into the world of common monsters, creatures that you may encounter in your future adventures. We'll learn about their anatomy, characteristics, abilities, and more."

She paused and scanned the room to see the student's reactions. Noticing most of them had expectant expressions, she smiled brightly and continued.

She flipped through the pages, revealing detailed drawings of the monsters they would be studying.

"I doubt that some of you could see this. So…"

Rummaging her small bag, she took out a remote-looking object. When she pressed the button, the whiteboard on the wall behind her changed to a graphical, display board, like a television.

Pressing another button, a sphere support tool came out from under the board. She registered the book inside the sphere and immediately the display board was turned on, showing the earlier page of the book.

Satisfied, she continued. The first one was a fearsome creature with sharp claws and teeth, covered in thick, armored scales.

"Meet the Dracolion," Carolina said, her voice tinged with excitement. "A majestic beast that rules the mountains and forests with its fearsome prowess."

She traced her finger along the illustration, her eyes alight with enthusiasm as she described the creature's anatomy.

"Its jaws are lined with rows of razor-sharp teeth that can crush through the toughest of prey. Its scales, as hard as a fortress wall, provide impenetrable armor against all but the most powerful attacks."

"Well. The exaggerated description only applied to you all greenhorns who don't have any experience in hunting monsters and are not yet reached the <D> rank yet," she winked.

The student laughed at her joke.

Hearing her mention the mountains and forests, made me remember something.

It was true that this world was the earth that we knew, but the thing that made it different except for the fact that we got magic and fantasy creatures that existed here was the environment.

Since the first catastrophe, many mountains, forests, and other inhabited areas had become home to wild beasts and monsters.

They called it the 'Base Dungeon'.

It was a dungeon that came to the surface and took over the area around it, becoming a field dungeon or red zone area for a long time where monsters and wild beasts would magically spawn over time. Usually in an inhabited area with dense magic energy such as a forest and mountain

It was not like it would occupy the area permanently. Once the magic energy was depleted because of the monster spawning, the area would return to normal condition. Though, that would be useless for most people as there was nothing to be looked for in an empty area.

The Base Dungeon was the dungeon type that appeared the most. The appearance of this dungeon had reached thousands, scattered all over the world. Another term for the Base Dungeon was the hunting field; a place where people, presumably Enhanced could hunt monsters and sell monster parts for money.

Back to the present, Carolina then moved on to the next monster in the book, a cunning and elusive creature with sleek fur and razor-sharp claws.

"This is the Shadowcat," she explained.

"A stealthy hunter that lurks in the shadows and strikes with lightning speed. Its night vision allows it to see in complete darkness, making it a formidable opponent in the dark…"

As Carolina continued to describe each monster, she brought their illustrations to life with vivid explanations of their abilities, behaviors, and habitats. She encouraged questions and discussion, engaging the students in an interactive learning experience.

She used her vast knowledge of monsters to captivate the students' imaginations and instill in them a sense of awe and curiosity about the creatures that inhabited their world.

The lesson lasted for two hours.

By the end of the lesson, the students were buzzing with excitement, eager to learn more about the monsters that Carolina had brought to life through her teaching.

She smiled, her eyes lit up with pride, knowing that she had succeeded in igniting their curiosity and sparking their interest in the world of Monstronomics.

"Okay, class. That's it for today!"

I stretched my body as I yawned.

Looking at Carolina who was looking at her Nova Watch, I smiled.

"It's more fun than I expected."

Noises started to fill in the classroom once again as Carolina sat on her desk, looking at her Nova Watch more seriously than earlier.

When she was done, she immediately stood up and put all her stuff in her small bag.

Clapping for attention, the class noise stopped.

"Since there is no more class after this, you guys are free to do anything around the campus. Training, learning, or anything. Just don't do any scandal, alright?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Good. Then, see you next week!"

She rushed toward the door after that, her face looked grimacing.

'I guess the evidence has been found. Let's see what are their reaction to this…'