Elden paused just as the students were about to settle.
"Before we go any further," he said, adjusting his glasses, "there's something I forgot to mention."
The room quieted instantly.
"An A-rank does not mean equality."
A ripple of confusion passed through the class.
Elden continued, voice even. "An A-rank first-year and an A-rank senior are not the same. Not even close."
He turned slightly, hands clasped behind his back.
"The higher your year, the harsher the evaluation becomes. What earns you an A-rank now would barely qualify as a B—or even C—among seniors. Standards rise. Expectations rise. Pressure rises."
Some students stiffened.
Others frowned.
"So don't comfort yourselves with letters," Elden said. "They are temporary. They shift as you grow—or fail to."
He let that sink in before continuing.
"And understand this clearly."
He raised a finger.
"These rankings exist only inside the academy."
A few students blinked.
"Outside these walls," Elden said calmly, "no one cares if you are A-rank or D-rank. There is no ranking board. No evaluator."
His gaze sharpened.
"If you are strong, your presence will speak for you.
If you are weak… you will not be given a second chance to explain your rank."
The room felt colder.
"There are beings in this world that far surpass anything you will face here," Elden continued. "Demons, beasts, some with monsters strength that do not fit neatly into letters or numbers."
He lowered his hand.
"Out there, no one asks your rank. They only see whether you are strong"
Silence followed.
Raze leaned back slightly.
So ranks are just training wheels…
Elden turned toward the board.
"Now," he said, "with that understood—let's continue."
Elden paused, as if remembering something.
"Before we move on," he said, eyes scanning the classroom, "some of you looked confused earlier."
A few students straightened.
"You heard me mention beasts," Elden continued. "And I know what you're wondering."
He raised one hand, a faint glow forming above his palm—two opposing lights, one radiant, one dark.
"There are beings that have absorbed divine energy," he said calmly. "And there are those that have absorbed demonic energy."
The light split.
"The former are called Solbeasts—creatures of light and raw mana."
The darker glow pulsed.
"The latter are Duskbeasts—born of dark mana. Violent. Unstable. Often uncontrollable."
A low murmur rippled through the class.
Raze's eyes narrowed slightly.
So they aren't artificial… they evolved that way.
"These creatures exist naturally," Elden went on. "Some roam the wilds. Others are bound to demons, forced into servitude."
His gaze sharpened.
"Their strength depends entirely on what they absorb."
The radiant light brightened.
"Solbeasts draw upon divine energy—pure, orderly, and overwhelmingly strong."
Then the darkness flared.
"Duskbeasts draw upon dark mana—chaotic, corrosive, and lethal."
He closed his hand, extinguishing both.
"Remember this," Elden said. "They are not born monsters. They become monsters."
The room fell silent.
Elden raised his hand again.
"There's something else you need to understand," he said.
"Solbeasts and Duskbeasts are not measured by academy ranks."
A simple projection appeared beside him—six descending marks.
"They are classified by Grades."
He pointed to the lowest.
"Grade VI — weak creatures. Dangerous only to civilians or untrained people."
A few students relaxed.
"Grade V," Elden continued, "can injure trained fighters. Alone, they're manageable. In groups, they become a threat."
His finger moved up.
"Grade IV are where battles begin to matter. They possess clear combat instincts, strong bodies, and the ability to kill careless fighters."
The atmosphere shifted.
"Grade III beasts," Elden said calmly, "are serious opponents. They require coordination, planning, and control to defeat."
"Grade II beasts are rare. When one appears, veteran fighters are deployed."
Silence settled.
"And Grade I," Elden finished, "are apex existences. Few have faced them. Fewer have survived."
The projection faded.
"These grades exist so you don't overestimate yourselves," Elden said.
"Not every enemy will be unbeatable. But every enemy will be lethal if you are careless."
Elden let the projection fade.
"There's a reason I'm explaining this now," he said.
The room quieted instantly.
"In this world, heroes do not survive alone."
His gaze moved slowly across the classroom.
"Power means nothing without coordination. Talent is wasted without trust. Even the strongest individual will fall if they fight without their team."
A few students exchanged looks.
"Which is why," Elden continued, "after you've gained basic control over your class abilities, you will participate in a field activity."
That got their attention.
"In that activity, you will fight beasts," he said plainly.
"Not simulations. Not tests. Real opponents."
A ripple of tension passed through the room.
"I will explain the details when the time comes," Elden added calmly. "For now, understand this—those fights will not measure how strong you are individually."
He adjusted his glasses.
"They will measure how well you function together."
Elden turned toward the door.
"That will be all for today."
He paused, then added without looking back—
"Starting tomorrow, you will be assigned instructor according to your class."
The room erupted instantly.
Elden opened the door.
"Prepare yourselves," he said.
"This academy does not train heroes to survive exams."
He stepped out.
"It trains heroes to survive the against demons."
The door closed.
And just like that—
The classroom slowly emptied.
Chairs scraped against the floor. Voices overlapped as students discussed rankings, beasts, trainers—everything at once.
Raze remained seated for a moment longer.
His eyes drifted to the doorway.
"…I guess she found something," he murmured quietly.
No one heard him.
He stood and left without another word.
---
The dorm room was silent when he returned.
Clean. Ordered. Temporary.
He had just closed the door when a soft knock followed.
A servant stood outside, head lowered, holding a sealed letter.
"For you," he said, placing it into Raze's hand before leaving.
Raze closed the door and broke the seal.
The handwriting was familiar.
Seris, she did her work.
He asked her work information on lara.
He skimmed it once.
Then again, slower.
Not much information.
Too little, in fact.
Lara had been summoned six months ago.
Her growth rate was abnormal.
Due to her immense potential, she was advanced rapidly—treated as a senior despite her time.
Seraphina herself held her in high regard.
And one final line stood out.
Multi-class holder.
I see why it was showing question marks,
Raze lowered the letter.
So that's it…
Six months. Senior status. And more than one class.
No wonder she feels off.
He folded the paper carefully and set it aside.
"…Interesting," he muttered.