His voice drifted through the entire hall like a soft murmur.
Everyone there felt a chill run down their spine after hearing his greeting.
Among them, Marcus and James could not help but look solemnly at the figure standing before them.
This… if I remember correctly, this should be the second professor of the combat class, Marcus thought.
Each class had two professors. If one was busy or encountered a problem, the other would teach.
This was also their first time meeting this mysterious professor. The reason they believed he was the second professor was simple: aside from the lords and professors, no one else had permission to enter the class.
Because of this, they assumed he had to be the second professor.
The figure stood unmoving, the smile still lingering on his face. This time, however, the smile seemed even wider.
The most unfortunate person was the man who had stepped forward to knock on the door.
Now standing closest to the figure, sweat quickly appeared on his face.
"I only wanted to compare the door's height with mine… I didn't expect it to open," he said with difficulty. The professor before him felt less like a man and more like a demon.
As soon as he finished speaking, he hurriedly retreated into the crowd and vanished among the students.
The hall unknowingly fell into a deadly silence. Every gaze focused on a single point: the figure standing in front of them.
After a long pause, the figure finally spoke. "Hello everyone. The morning breeze is very cold, right?"
He paused briefly, then continued, "I am your new professor from now on. The rules are set by me. Everything related to the combat class is controlled by me."
"As for why… because it is." after finish this sentence. He suddenly burst into loud laughter.
His laughter filled the entire hall. It sounded almost like a clown's cackle.
Hearing it, the students couldn't help but look at one another.
"Hey… do you think this professor is more like a clown?" James whispered to Marcus.
"Hmm… his personality is very similar to Raven from The Fallen Hero novel. Don't you think so?" Marcus whispered back.
James thought for a moment before replying in a low voice, "Yes, he really does. But why do I feel like I already like him more than the previous professor?"
Just as Marcus was about to respond, the figure cut him off. The professor stopped laughing, and an arrogant smile flashed across his face.
He raised his hand and removed the black top hat from his head. In a deep voice, he said, "I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Figo, the combat class professor."
After introducing himself, he turned around and added, "The class is officially starting. Those who want to study in my class, follow me. Those who don't want to study… also follow me."
He calmly put his top hat back on and walked into the hall, disappearing from sight.
Upon hearing the professor's final words, Marcus couldn't help thinking:
Isn't that the same thing?
Is he really the combat professor? James added.
"Should we go in?" James asked.
Marcus was about to answer when Lilian, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly stepped past them and walked toward the door.
Her actions drew everyone's attention. The students quickly cast their gaze toward her, including Marcus and James.
She walked with a calm, emotionless expression. After a short while, she reached the door and stepped inside without hesitation.
Seeing this, everyone exchanged looks before following her lead.
"This girl is really confident," James muttered.
"Why does her entrance feel like a protagonist from the novels I read?" Marcus said.
Without wasting time, they followed the others into the combat class.
Inside, Marcus and James froze on the spot.
There was nothing extraordinary about the hall. It was only slightly larger than the knowledge class, yet its emptiness made it feel much wider. There were no chairs, no tables, not even a podium. The floor was perfectly flat, covered with smooth white stone slabs. The walls were mottled with pale white patterns.
Tall rows of glass panels lined both sides of the room, allowing strong beams of morning light to cut across the floor like pale blades. Orange chandeliers hung from the ceiling, their crystal pieces trembling slightly as they cast a soft yellow glow across the hall. Combined with the warm sunlight, the room felt bright and strangely warm.
"Did we enter the wrong class?" Marcus blurted out.
"Last time this hall was filled with sandbags and training tools… but now it's completely empty," James added.
They weren't the only ones shocked. Everyone else froze the moment they saw the empty room.
Last time they attended combat class, the hall was filled with sandbags, training dummies, and other equipment. Now, none of it remained, not even a trace. The floor was completely bare.
Lilian, who had entered first, showed no sign of emotion. It was hard to believe someone her age could control her expression so well, almost like a professional.
Once everyone had entered, that familiar voice echoed again.
"Again, welcome everyone! Ahh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Figo, your new professor."
Then he laughed again.
At that moment, the same thought flashed across everyone's minds:
Is he insane?
Didn't he already introduce himself a moment ago? Marcus thought.
Does he have mental problems?
"Hey… is he crazy?" Marcus whispered.
James covered his mouth, trying to suppress his laughter.
"If you ask me, who should I ask for an answer?" James replied quietly.
"But isn't it kind of a good thing that he's crazy?" James added.
"What do you mean good? If he's crazy, we might die. Think about our last professor. He was perfectly sane, but studying under him felt like torture. If this professor is insane, who knows what kind of training he'll give us? He might even make us fight him," Marcus said.
James paused, then nodded seriously. "Makes sense. Why didn't I think of that?"
Professor Figo laughed so hard he shed tears. After wiping them, his face instantly turned serious.
"The class is officially starting. I will count to ten. You must find a spot to stand. Everyone must stand separately, five inches apart."
His voice echoed throughout the hall with absolute authority. Every word he spoke demanded obedience.
Everyone felt another chill run down their spine.
"One," he said, raising a finger.
The students immediately rushed to find a place to stand, including Marcus and James.
"Two."
Because the hall was huge, it didn't take long for them to find a spot.
Marcus and James scanned the room for Lilian.
"Three."
They finally found her standing ahead of them.
They sprinted toward her.
"Four."
Dodging left and right, they managed to reach her.
"Eight."
The professor skipped straight from four to eight.
The students panicked and scrambled to their spots. Some stood beside their friends; others nearly collided in confusion.
Soon, everyone found a place, keeping five inches between each other.
"Ten. The count is finished."
His smile widened brightly.
Seeing that smile, many students felt their legs weaken.
He was far scarier than their previous professor.
With his hands behind his back, Professor Figo walked slowly between them, inspecting their positions.
After a moment, he clapped once and said, "Very good. You are all very obedient."
"Now let me announce my rules. You must follow them, no matter what. Anyone who violates them…"
He paused, his grin growing wider, revealing his teeth.
Seeing this, everyone began to tremble—even Marcus and James.
Only Lilian remained expressionless, calm as always.
Marcus and James exchanged uneasy looks.
Why does he sometimes look like a clown… and sometimes like a demon? Marcus thought.
Why did I think he was just crazy? The correct word should be devil, James thought and almost wanted to slap himself.
"The rules are simple. There are three rules in my class:
1. Anyone who comes late will be punished.
2. Anyone who does not do as I say will be punished.
3. Anyone who is weak will be punished."
As he said this, he glanced directly at Marcus and James.
Realizing they were being watched, the two boys immediately felt sweat appear on their faces.
Why is he looking at me after finishing his last sentence? What does that mean? Uneasy thoughts flashed through Marcus's mind as a doubt filled his face. His eyes flicked nervously toward the professor, trying to read the intent behind that piercing gaze.
Did he think I'm the weakest among the students? James wondered. Unable to come up with an answer, he cast a doubtful glance at Marcus.
Marcus also glance at James. The two gaze met each other, on their eye, there are nothing more than nervous and doubtful.
Is James thinking the same thing as me? Marcus's mind was in chaos as he struggled to interpret James's gaze.
James was just like Marcus, trying to read the meaning behind Marcus's gaze.
The two of them had always developed their own way of communicating silently, especially in class. When speaking aloud was impossible, they relied on subtle signals to convey their thoughts to each other.
Professor Figo withdrew his gaze from Marcus and James and began to speak again. "The rules have been set, and in the future, I will not repeat them."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "As for why I didn't open the door for you and made everyone wait outside, it is because I was busy removing all unnecessary decorations and items from this room."
"That is why, when you entered, the room was completely empty, with only the chandelier remaining. I actually wanted to remove the chandelier as well, but the others did not agree with me."
"Ehh, if the chandelier were removed, the only light left would be the sunlight streaming in from outside, that makes keep the hall warming."
"Warming is also part of the training for you all, but since this is our first meeting, there is no need for you to learn it just yet."
After hearing the final sentence of the professor a scene immediately surfaces in everyone mind.
Under the bright sunlight, which made their eyes squint, they ran around the garden. Sweat soaked their shirts, making it look as if they had just taken a shower.
After imagining this, they couldn't help but wish they could go back to when they were five years old, running around carefreely and playing without a single worry.