The door creaked open, and a hush fell over the classroom. Every pair of eyes shifted to the figure stepping inside.
She walked with a confident grace, her heels tapping softly against the polished wooden floor. Her long black hair fell neatly over her shoulders, framing a face that seemed to belong on the cover of a magazine rather than in a classroom. Her sharp, intelligent gaze swept across the rows of students, and for a moment, even Jay found himself blinking twice.
"Good morning, Class 1-A," she said, her voice clear and firm. "My name is Professor Elara Veylin. I'll be your Theory instructor for this term. I expect punctuality, respect, and—most importantly—focus."
She set her stack of books and notes on the desk at the front, her posture straight, almost regal.
"Before we begin," she continued, "does anyone have any questions?"
There was a moment of silence. A few students exchanged nervous glances, as if afraid to be the first to speak. Jay, however, leaned back in his chair, raised his hand lazily, and waited.
Her eyes fell on him. "Yes…?"
Jay lowered his hand with a casual smirk. "Why are you so beautiful?"
The room froze. A ripple of muffled gasps spread through the class, and a few students had to clamp their hands over their mouths to stifle laughter. Flora, sitting beside Jay, pinched the bridge of her nose like she couldn't believe he'd just said that out loud.
Professor Elara's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before her expression returned to neutral. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me," Jay said, his tone as smooth as if he'd asked about the homework. "Why are you so beautiful?"
This time, several boys in the room turned to look at him with wide-eyed admiration, as if he had just ascended to some mythical Alpha Male status before their very eyes.
The professor blinked once, then exhaled slowly. "And… your name?"
"Jay," he replied without missing a beat. "I'm Jay, Miss."
Her lips pressed together briefly. "Miss?" she echoed, as though testing the word. "Jay, this classroom is for discussing demons, abilities, and survival techniques—not… whatever this is."
"Understood," Jay said with mock seriousness, "but you really are magnificent."
A faint laugh slipped from one of the students in the back, and soon the rest of the boys were exchanging grins. A couple of them even gave Jay a discreet thumbs-up, as if he had just taken a bullet for them all.
Professor Elara let out a small sigh but didn't entirely hide the ghost of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Thank you, Jay. Now, if you're done charming the entire room, shall we begin?"
"Please," Jay said, leaning back and folding his arms like a king giving his blessing.
She turned to the chalkboard and began writing, her voice returning to that commanding tone as she dove into the fundamentals of demonic classifications and the core principles behind ability manifestation. Still, every now and then, Jay caught one of the boys glancing at him with that same silent message—You're a legend.
Professor Elara turned from the chalkboard, her sharp gaze sweeping over the room to ensure everyone was paying attention. The brief humor from earlier was gone, replaced by an air of gravity.
"Now," she began, tapping the tip of her chalk against the board, "it's time you understand exactly what you're dealing with in this world."
She drew a long vertical line and began writing categories along it in bold, clean strokes.
"Demons," she said, underlining the word at the top, "appeared on Earth one century ago. The reasons for their arrival remain… unknown. No scientific explanation, no magical ritual we can confirm, no divine sign. One day, they were simply here. And from that moment, everything changed."
The class leaned forward slightly, the weight of her tone pulling them in.
"They are classified into five main tiers based on power, intelligence, and threat level." She pointed to the first word she'd written.
'Inferior' — the lowest class of demon. "These are the most common and, fortunately, the weakest. They often attack in groups and rely on sheer numbers to overwhelm their prey. They are dangerous in large packs but manageable for even low-ranked Awakened."
She moved her chalk down to the next category.
'Intermediate.' "Stronger, faster, and more cunning than the Inferior. They often have minor abilities—poisonous claws, camouflage, or control over a single element. Many of you will spend your early years as Awakened fighting these."
Her chalk clicked against the board as she wrote the third tier.
'Superior.' "Rare compared to the first two. These demons are extremely dangerous. They are highly intelligent and, in some cases…" She paused, scanning the class. "…capable of disguising themselves as humans. Perfectly. They can walk among us without raising suspicion until it's too late."
A murmur went through the students. Flora crossed her arms and leaned slightly toward Jay, whispering, "Creepy."
Professor Elara's gaze flicked to her before moving on.
'Advanced.' "These are the generals of the demon ranks—commanders who can manipulate large groups, bend multiple elements, and tear through cities if left unchecked. Encounters with these are rare, but when they occur, casualties are inevitable."
Finally, she circled the last word.
'Chaotic.'
Her voice lowered slightly. "These… are different. Most of what we know about Chaotic-class demons is based on unconfirmed sightings and survivor testimonies. They are catastrophes given form. Their mere presence can alter the environment, twist the land, and break the minds of those who see them. They are not enemies to be fought—only avoided. For now."
The room was silent.
She placed the chalk down and walked slowly in front of the first row of desks. "Understand this: three-fifths of our planet is now overrun by demon territory. The majority are Inferior and Intermediate classes, but Superior demons are not unheard of—especially in border zones. And any encounter with an Advanced or Chaotic-class should be reported immediately. Do not attempt to engage."
Jay raised an eyebrow. "So basically… if it's too scary, run?"
A few students chuckled nervously. Elara's lips curved in the faintest hint of amusement before she continued.
"Now… on to you. Awakened—or 'Evolved Humans,' as some call you—are classified according to their abilities and power levels. Your rank is determined through both physical testing and your capability to handle demonic threats."
She turned back to the board and began listing letters.
"From lowest to highest: F, E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, and SSS. An F-rank Awakening means you are barely above a normal human in terms of combat capability, while SSS-rank… well, there are only a handful in recorded history."
She underlined the last three letters with a deliberate stroke.
"Your rank is not permanent," she explained. "Finally only for those who can absorb more than one awakening stone"
Jay tapped his pencil on his desk and leaned toward Flora. "So what rank do you think I am?"
Flora smirked. "Somewhere between 'troublemaker' and 'suicidal.'"
He grinned, unbothered, while the professor continued.
"Class 1-A," she concluded, "will serve as the foundation of your training—not just to survive, but to understand the enemy. Knowledge is your first weapon. Underestimate the demons, and they'll make sure you don't live long enough to regret it."
Her words hung in the air like a quiet challenge, the weight of them sinking in with each heartbeat.