Surprisingly, the classroom did not erupt into chaos.
No imdiate shouts, no confusion spilling into noise. Instead, the entire class sat in suffocating silence, waiting for Vera to explain what was going to happen.
Ronan watched the silent reactions carefully.
So students’ eyes were sharp with excitent, while others looked nervous and uncertain. The word ’war’ seed to have that effect on them.
"Miss," one of the students yelled from the back. "What is the Inter-Class War?""
Vera did not look pleased, but she answered the question regardless.
"You will go to a designated region in the southern region. The area has already been secured by the Academy." She paused. "Relatively."
Students froze at the ntion of the southern region.
The southern region was a dense area filled with mana beasts. It was mostly dense forests, barren deserts, and marshes. But most importantly of all, it was extrely dangerous.
"Each class will operate as an individual unit. Cooperation and conflict are allowed. "Your performance will be evaluated based on accumulated points."
"How are points earned?" a student asked.
"Territory control. Objective completion. Combat performance." Vera tapped the board once. "Details will be explained upon arrival."
"What about safety?" Elara asked.
It was a good question. The southern continent was dangerous, and the addiction of that final "relatively" didn’t help lighten the nerves.
Vera looked at her, her eyes condescending.
"This is not a simulation." The words landed heavier than they should have. "Injuries will be treated and fatalities will be... minimized."
Minimized. Not prevented.
"Interesting," Kazuma said from beside him.
"In what way?" Ronan asked.
"I have not heard of anything like this in the previous years," he explained. "This implies so type of urgency. Sending the students of the academy to the southern region is no joke."
Ronan humd, pretending to be clueless as well. "That’s true. Perhaps they’re changing up the curriculum?"
Elara cut in.
"I doubt it. This screams way more than just changing the curriculum."
"Perchance."
Vera continued, uncharistaristically ignoring the murmurs from the students.
"You will be given twenty-four hours to prepare. Equipnt, supplies, and team organization will be your responsibility." Her eyes hardened slightly. "Failure to prepare adequately will not be tolerated."
The classroom fell into a low murmur despite Vera’s presence.
Students leaned toward one another, voices hushed but urgent as they began discussing preparations.
Ronan remained seated.
Twenty-four hours.
That was consistent.
From what he rembered, the original announcent had been just as vague. The Academy never revealed the full rules beforehand. It forced the students to adapt on the spot, separating those who could think under pressure from those who relied on preparation alone.
It also ant most of them would waste the next day doing the wrong things.
Ronan rested his chin lightly against his hand, gaze drifting toward the front of the room.
Vera had already stopped speaking.
She stood there, watching the class with a disinterested expression, as if everything unfolding in front of her was expected. Or perhaps irrelevant.
Either way, she offered no further guidance.
"Elaborate?" soone pressed again, more hesitant this ti.
Vera didn’t respond.
Instead, she turned and walked toward her desk.
"That is all you will be told."
The finality in her tone cut off any further questions.
Ronan exhaled quietly.
As expected.
"Twenty-four hours..." Elara muttered beside him. "That’s not enough ti."
"It’s more than enough," Kazuma replied.
Elara frowned. "For what? We don’t even know what we’re preparing for."
Kazuma tilted his head slightly, as if considering the obvious.
"That is the point."
Elara looked like she wanted to argue, but no imdiate response ca to her.
Ronan stood.
Both of them glanced at him.
"You’re leaving already?" Elara asked.
"There’s nothing else to hear," Ronan said.
That was true. Everything that mattered had already been said – or rather, everything that would be said.
The rest would be revealed on-site.
Which ant the real advantage ca before that.
Kazuma rose as well without hesitation.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"To prepare."
Elara narrowed her eyes. "You said that already. Prepare how?"
Ronan didn’t answer imdiately.
Instead, he stepped into the aisle, pausing just long enough to glance back at the classroom.
Groups were already forming.
So clustered around stronger students. Others stuck with familiar faces. A few stood alone, unsure of where to go. Predictable.
"They’ll focus on the obvious things," Ronan said. "Supplies. Formation. Strength."
Elara crossed her arms. "And that’s wrong?"
"It’s incomplete."
Kazuma’s eyes sharpened slightly.
Ronan continued walking, the two of them falling into step beside him.
"The Academy is withholding information. That ans whatever they didn’t say matters more than what they did."
Elara frowned. "You’re overthinking it."
"Am I?"
She didn’t respond.
They stepped out into the hallway, and the noise increased instantly.
The entire first-year building seed to be moving at once – students rushing between rooms, calling out to one another, forming groups on the fly.
Ronan slowed slightly, letting his gaze sweep across the crowd.
"We should join our class in the discussions," Elara said. "If we’re supposed to operate as a unit, then we should at least know what they’re planning."
"Go ahead," Ronan said.
She blinked. "What?"
"If you want to coordinate, then do it now."
Elara stared at him. "What about you?"
"I have sothing else to do."
Her expression shifted, suspicion creeping in.
"Sothing else?" she repeated. "Like what?"
Ronan t her gaze, his expression unchanged.
"Preparation."
"That’s not an answer."
"It’s the only one you’re getting."
Elara clicked her tongue, clearly dissatisfied.
"...You’re going off on your own," she said.
It wasn’t a question.
Ronan didn’t deny it.
Kazuma looked between the two of them.
"Independent action at this stage is inefficient," he said. "Information sharing increases overall survivability."
"Only if the information is useful," Ronan replied.
"And you believe you can acquire better information alone?"
"I believe I can acquire different information."
Kazuma didn’t respond imdiately.
After a mont, he nodded.
"That is reasonable."
Elara looked at both of them like they were insane.
"You’re both ridiculous," she said. "We just got told we’re being sent sowhere dangerous and your first instinct is to split up?"
"We’re not splitting up," Ronan said.
That didn’t reassure her.
Ronan turned slightly, already shifting his attention away.
"Be ready by tomorrow morning," he added. "We’ll regroup before departure."
"And if we don’t?" Elara challenged.
Ronan paused.
"For your sake," he said simply, "you should."
There was no threat in his tone.
That made it worse.
Elara watched him for a mont longer before letting out a quiet breath.
"...Fine," she muttered. "But if you disappear, I’m not coming to look for you."
Ronan didn’t reply.
He stepped into the moving crowd, his figure quickly blending into the flow of students.
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