The classroom had emptied out quickly. Groups of confident, laughing students left in clusters, discussing their team strategies, who would lead, and how many beasts they hoped to kill. Shin sat alone in the corner, his chair creaking slightly as he leaned forward and rested his head on the desk.
He wasn't surprised no one had asked him to join. Not even the pity of the weakest groups reached him. He'd become invisible a long time ago.
"Still no group?" a voice said mockingly.
Shin looked up to see Riku Amasawa , a smug-faced B-rank with lightning abilities. His arms crossed, eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Why don't you sit this one out, Chikara? I hear the school nurse needs help cleaning the supply room," Riku sneered as a couple of his lackeys laughed behind him.
Shin said nothing. He simply looked at them, then returned his gaze to the window.
"You're pathetic," Riku muttered before walking away.
As the classroom fell silent again, Shin slowly stood and walked through the halls. He passed bulletin boards covered in announcements: recent beast sightings, training rankings, and posters for elite tournaments he would never qualify for.
But none of that mattered to him. Not yet.
After school, he went to the forest behind the academy grounds. It was forbidden, but the security there was lax and most students feared the weak roaming beasts. For Shin, it was a place to think—and practice.
He walked past fallen logs and tangled vines, eventually reaching a small clearing where a pond shimmered under the setting sun. Here, he sat and focused.
His hand trembled slightly as he summoned water from the pond, a small ripple lifting into the air. It barely floated before collapsing with a splash.
"Tch… still unstable," he muttered.
But he didn't stop. Again and again, he repeated the motion—lifting, shaping, holding. His body ached and his eyes burned, but he continued until the sun vanished completely.