The Mentor Selection Room was quiet.
Except for the tension.Every student's gaze burned into me like molten iron.
Three mentors stood at the front:
Professor Emilia Vain — Soft smile, healer type, everyone wanted her
Professor Kaen Orvel — Support/magic specialist, calm, approachable
Professor Lyselle Snow — Elder 3, trained students to death twice, sharp eyes like blades, impossibly beautiful and terrifying
The room collectively held its breath.
"Zayle Cross," the headmaster intoned. "Choose your mentor."
Instant panic from my classmates.
"Choose anyone but her!" Derek hissed under his breath."Seriously! She'll kill you!"
I raised an eyebrow."Kill me? Already done that once. Honestly, what's the worst she can do—give me homework?"
Jensen groaned."This guy is insane. Absolutely insane."
I walked straight toward Lyselle. The other students parted like the Red Sea.
Her eyes snapped onto me."Wait. You… voluntarily choose me?"
I smiled, completely straight-faced."Yeah. She's scary. Perfect teacher material. Plus… death doesn't scare me anymore."
Lyselle's lips twitched. Slightly. Like she wasn't sure if I was stupid or fascinating.
[SYSTEM LOG]New Path Triggered: The Teacher Who Breaks Her Students.Warning: Survival rate 42%.
First Impressions — Danger Zone
She didn't speak. Just stared.Then she said, in a tone that could cut metal:"Zayle Cross. Stand in the center. Now."
I did.
Her eyes swept over me.
Strength 30
Agility 22
Stamina 18
Spirit 25
Perception 21
"Your numbers are… unusual," she said. "And yet sloppy.""Sloppy?" I thought. Uh oh… she's already judging me.
"Do you even know what discipline is?"
I tilted my head."I thought it was optional?"
Her glare could have frozen water."Optional? Then die optional."
The First Lesson
She pointed to a training dummy. Then to me.
"You hit it 50 times perfectly. No hesitation. Every strike counts."
I clenched my fists.[SYSTEM LOG]Predicted damage output: Strength 30 → dummy survives, needs more precision.
I swung. Missed by inches.She clapped once. Hard."Again."
Thirty minutes later, my knuckles were bruised.System pinged:[SYSTEM LOG]Pain registered → activating hidden passive: Pain Conversion. Strength +1, Agility +1, Spirit +1.
I blinked."Wait… all this suffering actually makes me stronger?"
"Yes," the system said."Yes," I muttered aloud. "Perfect. I'll get tortured for fun every day."
Observing the Gap
Lyselle pulled out her dagger."Now dodge and counter 20 of my strikes. Fail even once, and you'll be knocked unconscious."
Normal students? Their Agility ~15–20.My Agility: 22.
She moved like a shadow.I moved like… well, a slightly faster shadow.
I felt each strike coming, reading her motion.[SYSTEM LOG]Perception 21 > average 15 → dodged 15/20 strikes. Damage minor.
Not bad. Not amazing. But better than yesterday.
Derek and Jensen peeked from the door.Derek whispered:"He's… actually holding his own."Jensen muttered:"Impossible… he should've been shredded."
I smirked inside.Yes, yes. Watch me survive and confuse everyone.
Lyselle Notices Something Strange
After the exercise, she stepped back."Hmm… unusual. Pain doesn't slow him. Spirit output… abnormal. He absorbs punishment and grows."
My heart skipped a beat. She's noticing my Broken System's hidden passive.
She muttered almost to herself:"This kid… has the scent of an anomaly. Very well. We'll see how far you can go."
I grinned.Good. She thinks I'm a freak. She'll push me harder. Exactly what I want.
Class Reaction & Bullies
The rest of the students whispered:
"He actually chose her?!"
"He's going to die…"
"I saw him dodge her dagger! How?!"
Derek stomped out in frustration."This is ridiculous. Everyone's watching him now."
I shrugged."Sorry. Being ridiculously strong is kind of my thing."
Jensen muttered:"Emotions lower your attack speed. Typical."
I blinked."Wait, did he just… quote me?"
End-of-Day Reflection
Back in the dorm, bruised and exhausted, I checked my stats again:
Strength: 31 (+1 from Pain Conversion)
Agility: 23 (+1)
Stamina: 18
Spirit: 26 (+1)
Perception: 21
Normal students would be lucky to hit Strength 20, Agility 18.
System pinged:[SYSTEM]Hidden Passive: Host thrives under extreme punishment. Future growth potential: absurd.
I lay back."Perfect. Pain = power. Chaos = growth. And everyone else still thinks I'm some broken talent."
Tomorrow?
More training
More pain
More confusion for Derek and Jensen
And a growing curiosity from Lyselle Snow
Yes. My education under the most dangerous teacher officially began.