Zara sat cross-legged on her bed in her dorm room, a soft sigh escaping her lips. The room was cozy, filled with warm lighting and elegant furnishings, but her focus was on the small, fluffy creature beside her.
Fluff, her system beast, sat upright on the blanket, his tail swishing lazily.
[Host, you need to start training to improve your physical strength,] he said, his voice calm but firm.
Zara raised an eyebrow and looked at him.
"Don't I get stronger with the sign-in rewards? Do I really need to train?"
Fluff lifted his little paws in a shrug and gave her a knowing look.
[While it's true the system can make you stronger, the rewards vary. It could be strength... or it could be a loaf of bread.] He paused, then added seriously, [Besides, this world's aura is intense—far denser. I just scanned the area, and there are beings here who could flick you into oblivion without even you noticing.]
Zara blinked. "...Seriously?"
[Dead serious,] Fluff said, ears twitching. [And unlike Mia, Elira, or Selena, you don't have a luck aura. You can't just hope your way through danger—you need to earn your survival.]
Zara fell silent, biting her lip.
"Of course I don't get a luck aura. That's just my fate, huh? Always average, always catching up..."
"...Fine. I'll train. But if I die, I'm haunting you."
Fluff smirked,
[Good. I'll make you a grave shaped like a dumbbell, then.]
With a determined huff, Zara jumped off the bed and stretched her arms.
"Alright, training it is," she muttered.
Fluff raised a paw in approval.
[That's the spirit, Host.]
Zara left the dorm and made her way through the quiet corridors of the academy, her footsteps echoing softly against the stone floors. The sun was beginning to dip beyond the horizon, casting long shadows across the training grounds.
As she approached the entrance to the training hall, a sharp whoosh cut through the air.
Zara paused.
The sound of a sword slicing again and again echoed within the hall, rhythmic and fast—almost too fast.
That's strange… she thought. Senior students usually train this late because of the monthly tournament. But new students don't have any events like that. So who's training this intensely...?
Curious, she walked deeper into the hall, following the sound. The closer she got, the more intense the atmosphere became. Magic lights glowed faintly above, casting an eerie, focused light onto the training floor.
Then she saw her.
Zara's eyes widened in shock.
At the far end of the hall stood Selena—her striking blue hair clinging to her skin, drenched in sweat. Her body moved like a blur. Each swing of her sword was a flash of silver, faster than Zara's eyes could fully track. The air around her seemed to ripple with pressure.
She's so fast… I can barely even see her movements!
Selena's blade struck the target dummy again and again with surgical precision, the force behind each blow enough to make the wooden frame shake. Her expression was unreadable—cold, focused, like she was fighting an invisible enemy.
Zara stood frozen at the edge of the hall, watching in awe.
She's not training like a student. She's training like someone who's trying to survive.
Selena's sword came to a sudden stop mid-swing. Without a word, she turned her head toward the sound behind her.
Zara froze under that cold, piercing gaze. But after a beat, she raised a hand and offered a casual wave, trying not to sound awkward.
"Uh... hello."
Selena stared at her for a long moment—expression unreadable, blue eyes sharp.
Then, without responding, she turned back and resumed swinging her sword. The swishing sounds of metal cutting air filled the hall once more, as if Zara had never spoken.
Zara blinked.
"...Okay then."
Feeling a strange mix of rejection and curiosity, she walked over to the weapons rack at the side of the hall. Her fingers brushed over the handles until she found a simple wooden training sword. She lifted it, tested its weight, and squared her stance.
"If I'm going to train, might as well go all in," she murmured, then started practicing her swings.
The two girls trained in silence—one with icy precision, the other with quiet determination.
Meanwhile, in the principal's office, the atmosphere was far from peaceful.
Four people were present.
Principal Elric sat behind his grand mahogany desk, fingers steepled in thought. Across from him sat a mysterious woman clad in the white and gold robes of the temple. A black cloth covered her eyes, her long blond hair falling in soft waves down her shoulders. Despite the covering, it was clear she saw more than most.
To the side, Instructor Jason leaned casually against the wall, his usual smile in place—but his eyes were sharp and alert, betraying the seriousness of the moment.
On the couch nearby, Natalia—another of the academy's elite instructors—sat with her legs crossed, arms folded, silently observing the room with cool detachment.
The air was heavy with unspoken tension.
The blind priestess was the first to speak.
"The aura of darkness has stirred. This world will not remain stable for long."
Principal Elric's expression darkened.
"So… the seal is weakening?"
The woman nodded slightly, her tone calm but grim.
"And worse—someone is helping the chaos. From inside."
Jason's smile faded completely.