The teaching assistants stepped in and began setting up the practice equipment for each student.
To the right of each station stood a cactus-like plant planted in a small sandpit. To the left was a magic circle mold—a casting frame designed to guide beginners. It functioned as a correction tool, helping novice necromancers shape their spells properly.
"It's a little embarrassing for Kizen students to rely on correction tools,"
Bahil said lightly, "but since this is your very first class, it can't be helped."
A few students laughed awkwardly.
"It's fine to use it to get a feel for the process," Bahil continued, "but don't depend on it too much. Relying on tools like this for too long will only build bad habits."
He clapped his hands once.
"Now then—let's begin practicing the Exhaustion Curse, Exhaust."
Bahil demonstrated calmly. He gripped the twin handles attached to the mold, drew out Darkness, and guided it into the frame.
The black substance flowed smoothly through the mold, slowly taking shape as a magic circle.
"The most important part," Bahil said, tapping the center, "is how precisely you form the main rune."
A rune was, at its core, a letter infused with magical meaning. By shaping Darkness into these symbols, necromancers activated specific effects.
"Once you've completed the circle," Bahil added, "try floating it in the air."
At his words, the classroom fell into focused silence. Students furrowed their brows, carefully channeling mana, afraid of making even the smallest mistake.
Everyone—except Knox.
For him, something like Exhaust barely qualified as a spell.
The moment Bahil finished speaking, a completed magic circle rose smoothly into the air above Knox, perfectly formed without the correction tool.
It happened so fast that several teaching assistants froze mid-step.
"…Already?" one of them muttered under their breath.
Knox, meanwhile, looked completely unfazed, as if he had merely lifted a piece of paper rather than cast a curse spell.
Knox's relaxed, almost leisurely demeanor as he cast the magic circle drew more attention than he realized.
Bahil noticed it immediately. His eyes lit up for just a brief moment—before he calmly masked the reaction, returning to his usual composed expression.
Among the students, however, reactions were far less restrained.
Awe. Curiosity. Shock.
And, annoyance.
"Tsk."
Hector clicked his tongue, eyes narrowing as he watched Knox's magic circle hover effortlessly in the air—as if forming it had been no more difficult than taking a breath.
This wasn't how things were supposed to go.
Hector had planned to make his move today. To stand out in Class A, showcase his skill, and naturally draw people toward him—forming a circle, a clique, with himself at the center.
Once he became the most noticeable figure, recruitment would be easy. That was the plan.
But with Knox Aznable here—
Grabbing the class's attention suddenly felt far more difficult than Hector had anticipated. His fingers curled slightly.
Damn it…
Not long after Knox finished, about half of the class managed to levitate their magic circles successfully.
Knox glanced to the side and noticed Simon gripping his correction tool a little too tightly, his expression tense.
"Simon," Knox said quietly, "calm down. Go back to the basics. Use your core properly."
At those words, something clicked. Simon blinked—then took a steady breath.
After a brief struggle, the Darkness finally flowed smoothly through the mold. A magic circle formed… and slowly lifted into the air.
"I—I did it!" Simon said, unable to hide his excitement. "Look, Knox!"
Knox smiled. "Good job. Remember that feeling."
As expected of the main character! Knox thought calmly. Even without solid fundamentals, he pulls it off anyway.
"Students who can maintain their circles in the air, proceed to real application!" Bahil announced.
"Use the curse on the plant in front of your desk!"
At that, Knox blinked.
Ah. Right. I haven't actually used it yet.
"Exhaust."
The moment the word left his lips, the magic circle pulsed.
Fwoom!
A surge of black mist shot forward, crashing into the cactus-like plant. The effect was immediate.
The plant shriveled violently, its body sagging, thorns drooping—far more dramatically than any other example in the room.
"If the plant shows a noticeable change, your magic circle was successful," Bahil said calmly.
Knox turned his head and glanced at Simon's desk.
Simon's plant, which had stood stiff moments ago, now drooped visibly—clearly affected.
Noticing Knox's gaze, Simon peeked at Knox's plant. Then froze.
Knox's plant looked less wilted and more on the verge of death.
"…Oh."
Simon's spirits, which had soared after successfully casting his first curse, plummeted just as quickly.
Seeing Simon's reaction, Knox spoke up casually.
"Simon," he said, "the one I cast Exhaust on was the plant. So why do you look more wilted than it?"
Simon stiffened.
From the side, Cindy—who had watched Simon sneak a glance at Knox's plant and then compare it to his own—finally lost the battle against reality.
"Pfft—!"
She clapped a hand over her mouth, shoulders shaking as she tried—and failed—to hold back her laughter.
"All right, that's enough."
Bahil clapped his hands, cutting through the noise.
"Those who couldn't succeed today, practice in your dorms."
Sighs of disappointment echoed around the room. Bahil returned to the podium and picked up the attendance sheet.
"For the remaining time, we'll conduct live practice using the spell you learned today," he said. "When I call your name, come forward."
The atmosphere instantly tightened.
Students avoided Bahil's gaze, suddenly finding their desks, notes, or even the ceiling far more interesting than the professor standing right in front of them.
Bahil smiled faintly as he scanned the list.
"Hmmm… a duel between joint special entry number one does sound interesting."
The class froze.
Then—everyone turned at once.
Toward Knox and Simon.
Simon paled instantly, sweat beading on his forehead.
I just cast my first curse today, he thought frantically. And now a live practice? Against Knox?!
Before panic could fully take over, Bahil chuckled.
"But let's save that for later."
Simon nearly collapsed in relief.
"Knox Aznable," Bahil called. "Step forward."
Simon exhaled deeply as Knox rose from his seat and walked toward the podium at an unhurried pace.
"Now then," Bahil said, looking around the room. "Who would be a good opponent for our brilliant special admit number one—the White Devil?"
The students flinched.
They had expected a dramatic showdown: unknown special entry Simon versus the famous Knox Aznable.
Villager versus Devil. But instead, the villager wasn't even summoned.
Faced with the reality of dueling Knox alone, the students avoided Bahil's gaze with desperate sincerity. Some merely looked away. Others turned their heads outright. A few even raised books to block their line of sight entirely.
Amused, Bahil continued scanning the list.
"There are a few students with impressive entrance scores…"
At that, a beautiful girl with sea-blue hair and matching eyes flinched slightly.
After a brief pause, Bahil spoke.
"Hector Moore. Step forward."
"Yes, sir."
The large boy stood and made his way to the podium.
Knox and Hector faced each other.
"Let me explain the rules," Bahil said.
Assistants wheeled in standing desks, each equipped with the same Exhaust correction tool used earlier.
"You're only allowed to use Exhaust. Complete your spell and strike your opponent. The first person whose knee—or butt—touches the ground loses."
Simple and direct.
"Professor."
Hector raised his hand.
"Yes?"
"I'll compete without the correction tool."
Ooooh—!
Whistles and murmurs erupted from the crowd. The tension melted into excitement.
"Excellent attitude," Bahil said approvingly.
He had already hinted at his distaste for the correction tool, and Hector seized the moment perfectly. Despite his bulky, bear-like build, he knew exactly how to read the room.
Bahil turned his gaze toward Knox.
Catching it, Knox smiled lightly. "I won't need the correction tool either, Professor."
Unlike the reaction to Hector's declaration, the students barely reacted this time. There was no gasp. No cheer. Not even surprise.
If anything, a few students simply nodded, as if that answer was the most natural thing in the world.
"Very well," Bahil said. "When I give the signal, begin. Show your classmates a good match."
Hector lowered himself into a fighting stance, muscles tense and ready.
Knox, meanwhile, stood casually—both hands tucked into his pockets, posture relaxed. His expression wasn't nervous in the slightest. If anything, he looked like he was out for a leisurely stroll.
Seeing that, Hector snapped.
"You—!"
Knox tilted his head. "Hmm? What's wrong?~" he asked, smiling innocently.
Veins pulsed at Hector's temple.
"Do you think this live test is a joke?!" he barked. "Don't underestimate me!"
"A joke?" Knox replied lightly. "No, no. How could I think that?"
He paused, still smiling.
Of course, Knox knew exactly why Hector was angry. He also knew that standing there so casually looked like blatant provocation.
Which was precisely why he was doing it.
Knox wasn't a saint. If he disliked someone, he didn't see the need to pretend otherwise. And while Hector might grow into a better person later in the story—
Right now?
Knox found his attitude annoying. And, more importantly—
This looks fun.
Sorry, Simon. This was supposed to be your debut.Guess I stole your stage.Blame the professor for calling my name.
The thought passed through Knox's mind as he smiled casually. Unfortunately, that smile only made things worse.
To Hector, it didn't look casual at all. It looked like mockery.
The veins on Hector's temple throbbed as his irritation flared even higher.
Watching the scene on the podium, the students couldn't help but feel like they were looking at a Demon King facing off against a lone Warrior.
Some cheered for Hector, secretly hoping he might actually defeat Knox—convinced that all of Knox's achievements so far had been nothing more than flukes.
Others cheered for Knox instead. To them, the idea of Hector beating him was far less believable than Kizen suddenly deciding to reduce their future homework.
Realizing the banter was over, Bahil raised his voice.
"Start!"
Hector moved instantly. Fueled by anger, he cast his spell at full speed, launching the Exhaust curse toward Knox the moment the signal was given. The black mist struck cleanly.
Hector smiled, triumphant.
Let's see how you react now, Knox Aznable. I'll wipe that arrogant, smug look right off your face.
"Ooooooh!"
"Nice one, Hector!"
"That was fast!"
But that grand ambition shattered before it could even take shape.
The students erupted in cheers—only to fall silent a heartbeat later when they noticed Knox.
Knox was still standing there. Leisurely. Relaxed.
He hadn't moved. Both hands were still tucked casually into his pockets.
The same relaxed smile rested on his face.
As if nothing had happened at all—despite the Exhaust curse having landed squarely on him.
Knox didn't say a word. Instead, noticing Hector's confusion, he simply tilted his head.
The sight only made things worse.
Gritting his teeth, Hector poured even more Darkness into his spell.
A second Exhaust.
A third.
A fourth.
A fifth.
One after another, the curses slammed into Knox.
Seeing this, the students who had cheered earlier burst into applause again.
Let's see how you endure this! Hector thought.
Reality slapped him once more. No—Knox's reaction did.
Because Knox still hadn't moved. Not even a step. Not even a shift in posture.
Then Knox spoke.
"Hmmm… Hector," Knox said lightly, tilting his head again. "Did you skip breakfast? You really shouldn't do that. If you don't eat, you won't have any energy at all~"
His tone was bright and innocent—almost playful.
Laughter broke out.
A few students snorted, trying and failing to hold it in.
Cindy, who had been bottling up her laughter ever since Simon's earlier mishap, finally lost the battle.
"Pfft—HAHAHA!"
Jamie covered her mouth, shoulders shaking. Even Merida smiled faintly.
Hearing Knox's innocent answer, Hector felt something snap inside his head.
Veins throbbed at his temple as he gathered everything he had left.
Another Exhaust curse—stronger than the rest—shot forward.
And then—
As if answering Hector's desperate effort, Knox finally moved.
He slowly pulled his right hand out of his pocket. Brought it to his mouth.
And yawned.
"Hoaaam…" Knox blinked lazily. "Huh?"
Then he tilted his head once more.
"Hector, this class is supposed to use the Exhaust curse, not a sleep curse," he said calmly.
"If Merida hadn't already introduced herself as Senior Phantasus's little sister, I might've thought Senior Phantasus had another sibling."
Hearing what Knox just said, Merida—who had been smiling until just a moment ago—finally broke.
"Pfft—"
She quickly covered her mouth, shoulders trembling as she tried to hold her laughter.
Hector, already pushed to the brink, wanted to cast another curse.
But his body betrayed him.
He had already burned through everything by forcing himself past his limits.
Seeing this, Knox understood.
"All right," Knox said gently, his smile calm and almost kind.
"Are you done now? If so… then it's my turn."
That smile—
Was anything but gentle for what came next.
Knox raised his right hand. His left remained casually tucked into his pocket.
Then, he cast Exhaust.
To the students watching—including Hector—it looked almost absurdly simple.
Just a raised hand. Nothing more.
And yet—
Hector's legs gave out instantly. For a brief second, he dropped to one knee.
Then his strength vanished completely, and his body collapsed forward, face-down against the floor.
Thud.
The classroom fell dead silent.
Then—
Cheers erupted.
WHOAA!!
Bahil stared at the scene for several seconds, clearly taken aback. Then he snapped back to himself.
"Student Knox," Bahil said, smiling.
"You did very well. Your endurance, casting speed, and curse strength are truly outstanding. You may return."
His smile was warm—
But there was something sharp, almost feverish, flickering in his eyes.
With a snap of Bahil's fingers, the Exhaust curse weighing Hector down was released.
The curse vanished. The fatigue did not. Hector still couldn't lift himself, let alone stand.
Seeing him like that, some of the students who had cheered for Hector earlier swallowed nervously, suddenly worried that their enthusiasm might somehow draw Knox's attention—or worse, his displeasure.
Bahil turned to his chief assistants.
"Chehekl, could you please help Student Hector?"
"Yes, Professor," came the reply.
A short-haired woman with gray hair and glasses stepped forward.
Then, the assistant professors moved in to help Hector up, but he was clearly displeased—humiliated by his overwhelming defeat. His frustration leaked out as a sharp glare toward the assistants supporting him.
That glare was immediately met with a frown. Chehekl frowned as well.
Several students also noticed.
Hector froze. Realizing his reaction had crossed a line, he stiffened, shame flashing across his face.
"I—I'm sorry," he muttered quickly.
The assistants only responded with a sigh. Chehekl said nothing. She simply stared at him.
And Hector understood. That glare wasn't anger. It was a warning.
Still smiling, Knox said, "Thank you, Professor."
He gave Bahil a light bow, then turned and walked back to his seat—earning no small number of stares along the way.
As soon as he sat down, Simon leaned over and the two of them exchanged a quiet high five.
Cindy grinned wide and gave him an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
"That was amazing, Knox!" Jamie said, her voice bright. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, eyes shining with excitement as she looked at him.
"Good job!" Claudia added cheerfully. She was smiling too—but there was something more in her gaze, a clear note of admiration that lingered just a bit longer. Or even more than that.
Even Merida, who was usually half-asleep, opened her eyes fully.
"Next time," she said lazily, a faint smile tugging at her lips, "I'll show you the real sleep curse."
Knox chuckled softly and thanked them all with the same gentle, easy smile.