Time seemed to pass in a whirlwind.
Before they realized it, the second Elementary Black Magic class had begun, and one by one, each group stepped forward to present their strategies before Professor Jane.
After Groups One through Six completed their presentations, tension gradually thickened in the room.
Group Eight's turn was approaching.
But before that—
It was Group Seven's turn.
"One main dealer, one summoner, two curse casters."
Jane lifted her eyes from the documents in her hand and looked directly at the four students standing before her.
Simon and his teammates stood stiffly in a straight line.
"Your group members have different majors," Jane continued calmly, "yet your roles lack diversity."
There it is!
Meilyn placed a hand over her chest, her expression brimming with confidence.
"Of course, it would be ideal if our roles were more evenly distributed," she said clearly, "but since our priority is hunting the Cyclops as quickly and efficiently as possible, we determined this formation to be optimal."
"So you believe this setup is the best option."
"Yes. We do."
Jane slowly turned her gaze.
"What about you, Simon Polentia?"
Simon stiffened internally.
Ugh… that was sudden.
He quickly sorted through his thoughts. He had a vague idea of the kind of answer Jane might expect.
However—
"We're aware that our formation lacks creativity in terms of black magic combinations," Simon admitted calmly.
The room remained quiet.
"However, this is still the student protection period. Our focus is safety above all else. Rather than taking unnecessary risks for the sake of creativity, we aim to secure stable results."
He met Jane's gaze directly.
"We'll hunt the Cyclops more consistently than any other group and compensate for any deductions in creativity with performance."
Meilyn clenched her fist slightly.
Nice!
Jane chuckled softly.
"If you insist that much… very well."
Her attention shifted.
"Camibarez Ursula."
"Y-Yes!" Camibarez's response came out stiff and slightly shrill.
Jane tilted her head slightly.
"A Haematology-focused student who would normally lead offensive operations has instead relinquished that role and chosen to provide support. I would like to hear your reasoning."
That's harsh. Simon glanced sideways.
Camibarez's pupils were trembling like an earthquake.
Kami… you need to answer this properly.
If she said something like, "Meilyn is stronger than me", that would immediately disqualify her from serious consideration in Kizen.
Even if it were true, it could never be stated that way.
Camibarez's eyes flicked desperately toward Simon.
He couldn't speak. There wasn't time to mouth a full explanation.
So he shaped a single word with his lips.
Cyclops.
Her eyes widened slightly. Then she turned back to Jane.
"I-It's because of the special characteristics of the Cyclops!"
Simon clenched his fist discreetly.
Good!
"What do you mean?"
"The Cyclops has extremely thick hide and tough skin. Haematology-based magic struggles to penetrate it efficiently. We judged that Meilyn's Dark Flare, which specializes in burning through durable targets, would be more effective in this scenario."
Meilyn's expression brightened instantly. Rick also looked relieved.
"I see."
Jane rested her chin lightly on her hand.
"Then what if a different monster appeared instead of the Cyclops?"
Camibarez faltered.
"Th-Then…"
Her hands trembled.
She was timid by nature. But moments like this required resolve. She shut her eyes tightly.
"Then I'll take the main dealer role!"
Her voice cracked slightly at the end. Even the assistants blinked in surprise at the sudden outburst.
Jane smiled faintly. "I will remember that statement."
Strangely enough, she seemed more satisfied with Camibarez's answer than with Simon's or Meilyn's.
In a way, it was the best possible outcome.
Well done, Kami!
Camibarez covered her face with both hands, mortified. Simon couldn't help thinking how endearing she looked.
"Lastly, Rick Hayward."
Rick immediately straightened. "Yes, Professor!"
He had prepared over three hundred potential Q&A scenarios the night before. Whatever Jane asked, he was ready.
Jane looked at him calmly. "Do not chat with the person next to you during class."
Rick blinked.
"…Sorry?"
"That is all."
Jane tapped her documents lightly and passed them to the assistant.
"There is no need to repeat questions already asked to Camibarez. Good work, Group Seven."
She lifted her gaze again.
Before Knox and Cindy could fully savor the comedic aftermath of Rick being scolded, Jane's voice cut cleanly through the room.
"Group Eight. Step forward."
The four immediately straightened their backs.
Knox rose first, followed by Cindy, Claudia, and Merida. They walked toward the podium with measured steps.
Jane flipped through the strategy documents they had submitted, page after page. The soft rustling of paper echoed faintly in the otherwise quiet classroom.
Then she looked up.
Cindy, Claudia, and Merida stood with visible tension. Only Knox appeared relaxed.
Jane's gaze moved across them one by one.
"A necromancy user (spirit user) as main dealer. One curse caster. One poison specialist. And one… summoner who also functions as a buffer."
She paused slightly. "The roles are diverse."
Her eyes sharpened. "But clarity of position is crucial."
Then—
"The strongest individual in this group did not take the front line."
Her eyes settled on Knox.
"Instead, a necromancy user was assigned as main dealer."
Now she looked at Cindy.
The room grew quieter.
Jane's gaze returned to Knox.
Then, Knox stepped forward calmly and bowed his head slightly.
"Professor Jane, the reason we chose this arrangement is simple."
His tone was steady.
"We determined this formation to be the most beneficial for our group as a whole."
Jane narrowed her eyes slightly.
"The most beneficial formation for your group?"
"Yes."
Knox nodded.
"This assignment is meant to evaluate teamwork. Each member has to contribute according to their role. If I take the position of the main combatant, not only would the team's overall growth stagnate, but the test would also end far too quickly."
He extended his hand lightly toward his teammates.
"Cindy possesses exceptional mobility through Spiritualization. Her reaction speed and evasion capability allow her to engage the Cyclops dynamically."
He continued without hesitation.
"Of course, at first glance, this strategy might appear naive. This is Kizen, after all. It may seem like Group Eight chose the safest possible approach."
A faint smile appeared. "But the real question is — can this strategy defeat a Cyclops?"
Knox looked at Cindy and gave a small nod, signaling her turn.
Jane's gaze shifted to Cindy.
Cindy stepped forward, bowed, and began.
"What Knox said is correct. I have high mobility, but comparatively lower raw firepower."
Jane nodded slightly.
Cindy inhaled once before continuing.
"So, in our strategy, Knox will deploy his summons to draw the Cyclops's attention and absorb damage. At the same time, my Spiritualization will allow me to pressure and distract the Cyclops continuously."
She spoke more confidently now.
"While we divide its focus, Merida's curses will slow its movements. Claudia's poison will chip away at its stamina and target exposed wounds."
Jane remained silent for a moment, then nodded.
"So this is a strategy that considers not only direct combat, but also indirect damage."
"Yes, Professor."
Jane continued.
"A creative approach. The main dealer also plays a support role, while the back line contributes to damage."
Her eyes moved to Claudia.
"Student Claudia Menzies."
Claudia straightened immediately.
"Yes, Professor."
"You specialize in poison. Why incorporate Haematology magic into your strategy as well?"
Claudia answered without hesitation.
"Yes. It is the result of considering both my abilities and the Cyclops's characteristics."
"Characteristics?"
"The Cyclops is a medium-sized monster. It is difficult to expect significant effect from low-level poison magic alone."
She spoke calmly.
"Instead, I will use bleeding magic on the wounds inflicted by my teammates to deal continuous damage. At the same time, poison will be applied not only to slow the Cyclops but to attack the wounds directly."
She met Jane's gaze.
"In short, we attack not only from the outside, but also from the inside."
Jane nodded once before turning to the last member.
"Merida Hugh Ickel."
Merida stepped forward immediately, her usual sleepy aura completely gone.
"Yes, Professor."
Jane stared at her for a few seconds.
"…Do not sleep during class."
Merida blinked.
"…Yes."
A faint ripple of suppressed laughter spread across the room.
Jane's gaze shifted back to Knox.
"Lastly, Knox Aznable."
"Yes, Professor."
"In this strategy, you function as both summoner and buffer. Explain in detail."
Knox nodded calmly.
"First, as a summoner, I will deploy tank-type summons to distract the Cyclops and absorb incoming damage."
Jane, who had lived with Knox for a few years, had developed a certain kind of instinct — something like a "spider sense," but specifically for Knox. It could almost be called a "Knox-sense."
Whenever Knox spoke with that calm and gentle tone, she knew the next words might not be normal.
Still, she asked, "What kind of summon will you use?"
Knox answered gently. But the content of his answer was anything but gentle.
"I will use two Death Knights. Tank-type variants. Both of them equipped with large shields."
The classroom instantly fell silent.
The students stared at him as if they had just heard something unbelievable.
"…What? Did he just say Death Knight?"
"Impossible. A first-year using Death Knights?"
"But… this is Knox Aznable…"
The murmurs spread rapidly across the room.
Jane let out a quiet sigh.
"Silence."
The noise immediately stopped — as if someone had cast a global mute spell.
"…Normally, I would doubt a first-year student claiming they could summon Death Knights," Jane said calmly. "But… since it's you, it's not unexpected. Continue."
Knox gave a small smile.
"Second, as a buffer, I will enhance my teammates with buff magic. My buff magic will increase their strength, speed, and defense by approximately twenty percent."
The students went silent again. It felt as if Knox kept dropping one bomb after another.
Then Jane dropped another bomb. "In this strategy document, it states that you also can use music to buff your teammates."
She looked directly at him.
"Can you demonstrate it?"
For a brief second, it almost felt as if there were an imaginary background voice — a child excitedly shouting, "Boom boom bakudan!" while tossing bombs everywhere without a care.
The entire classroom fell into stunned silence once more. as if their brains had short-circuited.
Music?
Buff magic?
Then—
Knox reached into his subspace and pulled out a portable piano.
Knox placed the portable piano gently on the floor in front of the podium, adjusting the bench with unhurried movements as if this were nothing more than a casual performance rather than a live demonstration in front of Professor Jane and the entire class.
The room was silent.
Some students were confused. Others were skeptical. A few simply stared.
Knox rested his fingers lightly on the keys.
Then he began.
The first notes were steady and restrained, forming a simple melody that carried a subtle tension beneath it. It did not sound like classical music. It did not sound elegant or ceremonial.
It sounded like something that was building toward a clash.
The tempo rose gradually, the chords growing stronger, more decisive. The air in the lecture hall shifted almost imperceptibly, as if mana itself was responding to the rhythm. By the time he entered the refrain, the melody burst forward with confident force — bold, driving, unyielding.
It felt like a declaration.
And then the effect began.
A faint shimmer of red-gold light flickered in the air around the students. It was not real fire, yet it moved like flames caught in a steady updraft. Heat did not scorch their skin, but warmth spread through their bodies, starting from their chest and flowing outward to their limbs.
Several students inhaled sharply.
It was as if they were standing in the middle of a blazing battlefield — surrounded by fire — yet instead of pain, they felt their blood surge with energy. Their hearts beat harder, not from fear, but from rising excitement. Muscles that had felt tired moments ago now felt lighter. Their breathing steadied. Their thoughts sharpened.
The flames did not burn them. They fueled them.
The warmth was not destructive; it was invigorating, like standing before a roaring bonfire on a freezing night, feeling life return to frozen fingers. The illusion of fire rose higher around them, reflected faintly in wide eyes, in tightened fists, in the sudden straightening of backs.
Even those who had doubted him felt it.
The urge to step forward.
The urge to fight.
The urge to prove themselves.
The urge to survive!
At the front of the room, Jane's expression changed subtly. She could clearly sense the layered mana structure woven into the music. This was not simple enhancement magic. Knox had synchronized emotional stimulation with physical amplification, channeling it through harmonic resonance rather than direct mana injection.
It was refined. Controlled. And dangerously effective.
The refrain reached its peak, the melody blazing with intensity before tapering into a final, resolute chord that lingered in the air like the echo of a distant battlefield cry.
The red-gold glow slowly faded.
Silence followed.
But it was not the same silence as before.
The students were still standing in the lecture hall — yet many of them felt as if they had just walked out of a burning battlefield, stronger than when they entered.
And Knox simply lifted his fingers from the keys, looking as calm as if he had done nothing remarkable at all.