The lesson continued, seamlessly blending theory and practice, and before anyone realized it, time had flown by.

  The sharp chime of the bell rang through the room, signaling the end of the css.

  Professor Graves closed his book with a soft thud, gncing at the students.

  "It seems our time is up. That’s all for today."

  His piercing emerald eyes swept across the css, making sure they were still paying attention.

  "My st piece of advice—practice this technique in your spare time. It is incredibly safe, and if you’re doing anything wrong, you’ll feel it long before any sting effects occur."

  "Your next css should be Potion Crafting after lunch, but unfortunately an accident happened with the old professor and we are searching for a substitute. In another words, no Potion Crafting css until the new teacher is hired. You are all free for today!"

  He pced his wand back into his coat, his tone firm yet instructive.

  "If you have any questions, you may visit my b between 18:00 and 19:00, after your final lesson for the day. I will answer only during that time, so don’t come bothering me otherwise."

  A few students nodded hesitantly, while others quickly jotted down the time in their notebooks.

  Professor Graves picked up his belongings, offering one final remark before dismissal:

  "Now, go grab your meal—but don’t overeat. A sluggish body leads to sluggish mana flow."

  With that, he turned back to his desk, packing up his things.

  Ethan and Oliver gathered their belongings, stretching slightly after sitting through an unexpectedly intense lesson.

  Just as they stepped through the doorway, a voice called out behind them.

  "Hey, friend—wait up."

  They turned around, finding themselves face to face with Daniel Rooks, the handsome pyboy who had spend all his time chatting with girls at the day before.

  The broad-shouldered student grinned, extending his hand in a rexed posture.

  "Hello! We haven’t been properly introduced yet! I’m Daniel! Nice to meet you two!"

  "Oh! Nice to meet you, Daniel."

  Oliver responded first, his voice polite but slightly uneasy. He couldn’t help but feel a little intimidated by the strong-looking handsome student standing before him.

  "Yeah, please take care of us." Ethan added, also extending his hand for a handshake. "So, what’s up?"

  Daniel grinned, taking Ethan’s hand in a firm shake before offering the same to Oliver.

  "Oh, nothing much. It’s just that the three of us are the only guys in this css full of girls, so I figured we should stick together."

  Ethan nodded in understanding, but before he could respond, Oliver narrowed his eyes slightly.

  "As long as you’re not gay, that’s fine with me."

  Daniel blinked, caught completely off guard.

  "Eh? Why’s that?"

  Ethan chuckled, crossing his arms as he expined.

  "Oh, it’s nothing serious. Our dear Oliver here is just a bit traumatized by the rumors the girls have been spreading about us."

  Daniel’s confusion quickly faded into amusement.

  "Then there’s no problem." He smirked. "In the first pce, the whole reason I joined this css was to flirt with the cute girls."

  Ethan’s eyebrows shot up in interest.

  "Oh? Had any success yet?" He leaned in slightly, eager to hear more from a like-minded individual.

  Daniel’s sly grin widened.

  "It’s a work in progress, but I wouldn’t say there’s been no progress at all."

  Ethan sighed dramatically, lifting both hands in surrender.

  "That’s already better than me. After all the rumor mongering, I got completely disillusioned and gave up entirely."

  Oliver, who had been quiet for a moment, suddenly snorted.

  "You say you gave up, but you still came to css holding a girl’s hand…"

  Ethan froze, then immediately whipped his head toward Oliver.

  "This and that are completely different things!"

  But Daniel and Oliver weren’t buying it.

  "Sure, sure." Daniel grinned knowingly, nudging Ethan’s shoulder.

  Oliver crossed his arms, a smirk forming on his lips.

  "Whatever you say, ‘hand-holding champion.’"

  Ethan let out an exasperated groan, but his protests were drowned out by the ughter of his new friends.

  "Anyway, what's up next?" Daniel questioned, wishing the lessons would end as soon as possible.

  "Today? Hmm... The guidebook says there's still Ancient Language and Math." Oliver answered as he checked his guidebook.

  "That sounds boring as fuck!" Daniel cursed, massaging his forehead.

  "Yeah, this is going to be a long day..." Ethan smiled helplessly, agreeing with him.

  A brand new day arrived, and it was time for physical education.

  Ethan met Daniel and Oliver by the running field first thing in the morning, where the lesson would take pce. The sun was barely up, casting a soft glow over the dewy grass as students gathered around the edge of the field.

  "Morning." Ethan greeted the two as he stretched his arms.

  Oliver answered with a tired yawn, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Morning…"

  Daniel, on the other hand, was as energetic as ever, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Finally! A css where I don’t have to sit still and pretend to care about theory!"

  The three of them chatted idly about the differences between the Academy and the pces they used to live. Ethan and Oliver came from fairly simple towns, while Daniel’s background was more complicated—he always avoided giving too many details about it.

  The atmosphere was rexed until—

  "Alright, line up!"

  A powerful, commanding voice rang out across the field.

  Ethan’s eyes widened slightly as he turned toward the source.

  A woman was walking toward them with the sun at her back, casting a long shadow over the field. She looked to be in her mid-20s, with long, braided red hair that swung down her back like a whip.

  Her beauty was striking—fwless, sun-kissed skin, high cheekbones, and sharp amber eyes that gleamed with a predatory intensity. Her body was the perfect bance between strength and femininity—toned muscles defined her arms and legs, and her figure… well, let’s just say her uniform strained dangerously around her chest.

  Holy…

  Ethan blinked. Even Oliver, who was barely awake a second ago, straightened up and adjusted his gsses.

  But Daniel…

  Daniel was gone.

  His mouth was hanging open, and his eyes were wide with the kind of dazed expression that screamed, Love at first sight.

  "I’ve seen the gates of heaven…" Daniel muttered under his breath.

  Ethan rolled his eyes. "Seriously?"

  "Bro… I think I’m in love."

  "You’re in heat, more like."

  The woman walked up to the group with a confident, almost predatory stride. Her sharp amber eyes scanned the gathered students, sizing each of them up with a single look.

  "Good morning, everyone." Her voice was low and smooth, ced with the calm authority of someone used to giving orders. "I am Professor Rhea Falken, and I will be responsible for your physical education from now on."

  Rhea Falken… Ethan vaguely recalled hearing her name before. Some rumors about a young combat instructor who had graduated with top honors and had battlefield experience.

  Rhea crossed her arms beneath her chest, unintentionally—or perhaps very intentionally—accentuating her impressive figure. Daniel visibly struggled to keep his gaze on her face.

  "Let me make one thing clear," Rhea continued. "It doesn’t matter if you’re a Warrior, Scout, Healer, or Mage. It doesn’t matter if you’re big or small, man or woman, rich or poor."

  Her eyes fshed dangerously.

  "You will all be trained equally hard under me."

  The atmosphere grew heavier under her commanding tone.

  "Some of you may think that physical training is unnecessary for non-combat roles." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "You’re wrong."

  Her gaze swept across the students.

  "What good is a healer who colpses from exhaustion before the fight ends?"

  She shifted her stance, her arms still crossed beneath her chest.

  "What good is a mage who’s defenseless once their mana runs out?"

  Her eyes narrowed even further.

  "And what good is a scout who can’t even run from danger?"

  Ethan had to admit… the logic made sense.

  Rhea’s gaze sharpened.

  "That’s why this css exists. You will all be pushed beyond your limits. It will be painful. It will be exhausting. But if you survive this training…"

  Her lips curled slightly upward.

  "…you’ll thank me."

  Daniel’s hand shot up. "Professor!"

  Rhea’s gaze settled on him. "What?"

  Daniel’s grin widened. "I’m more than willing to push myself… in any way you want."

  A brief silence followed.

  Ethan’s mouth twitched. "Oh my god…"

  Oliver looked ready to crawl into a hole.

  Rhea’s amber eyes remained steady. For a moment, it seemed like she might acknowledge Daniel’s lewd remark.

  Then—

  "Start running."

  Daniel blinked. "Huh?"

  "All of you. Start running. Ten ps around the field."

  "T-Ten!?"

  Rhea’s eyes gleamed dangerously. "Did you think this was a democracy? Get moving. Or you can make it fifteen."

  Daniel paled. "Yes, ma’am!"

  The students groaned but began jogging around the field. Daniel stayed close to Ethan and Oliver, though his usual smile was repced with a look of growing dread.

  "Bro…" Daniel whispered as they started running. "I think… I still love her."

  "That’s nice. Run faster."

  Daniel’s expression twisted in betrayal. "Where’s your loyalty!?"

  "I’d rather not do fifteen ps because you can’t keep it in your pants."

  Daniel turned to Oliver, hoping for some backup.

  Oliver simply shook his head, wearing the kind of expression someone in a higher position might give when watching those below them make a mistake.

  Seeing his reaction, Daniel felt a little dejected—but he quickly brushed it off by convincing himself that at least this meant less competition for him down the road.

  The group continued running: One p… two ps… three ps…

  By the time they reached the fourth p, Ethan’s legs were already screaming in protest. His lungs burned with every breath, and his heartbeat pounded in his ears like a war drum.

  Oliver wasn’t doing much better. He trailed half a step behind Ethan, his face flushed and his breathing ragged.

  Meanwhile, Daniel…

  Daniel was still running as if it was nothing. His pace was smooth and rexed, his expression calm. And he wasn’t the only one—Misha and most of the girls were running alongside him, keeping pace without showing any real signs of struggle

  Ethan grit his teeth.

  "Ugh… My male pride wants me to keep up with them… but my legs just aren’t complying."

  The fact that he was losing to girls—to Misha—was frustrating as hell.

  It wasn’t like he had been some kind of sports star in his past life, but at least he had never lost to girls. Here, though? Losing to girls had become so common that he had started wondering if something was fundamentally wrong with his body.

  "Reincarnating as a mob sucks..."

  It wasn’t like he hadn’t tried to improve himself.

  He had been reborn with the mind of a 17-year-old, so he knew the importance of exercise. Back in his vilge he had trained regurly, doing everything from strength exercises to endurance runs.

  And yet… nothing had changed.

  No matter how hard he trained, no matter how much effort he put in—his strength never increased, his stamina didn’t improve, and his agility remained the same.

  It was like his stats were fixed at some invisible ceiling.

  And that was another one of the reasons why he had never expected to be able to enter the academy. His experience had taught him that he was just a mob—nothing special. How could someone like him get into a pce meant for the elite?

  And yet… here he was.

  Luck? Fate? Some twisted cosmic joke?

  It didn’t really matter. The fact remained that he had gotten in somehow.

  But now…

  Would this really make any difference?

  Ethan tried to distract himself from the burning in his legs by focusing on his thoughts. He was still only on the sixth p, and people had already pped him twice.

  Oliver was still hanging in there, but he looked like he was going to colpse at any moment.

  As for Daniel and Misha…

  Damn bastards. Ethan shot a gre toward them, watching them easily keeping pace with the leading girls, not even breaking a sweat.

  "Ahhh! This won’t do! I’m gonna die!" Oliver suddenly whined.

  Ethan’s eye twitched. "Shut up, Oliver. Talk less, run more! We’ve still got three more ps!"

  "No! I can’t do it! I just can’t!"

  "We’re almost there—keep focused!"

  "I—Ahhh—!"

  **Puff! Oliver tripped over his own feet and face-pnted into the dirt.

  Ethan groaned. He could have kept running—but…

  Damn it.

  Gritting his teeth, Ethan slowed down, turned back, and grabbed Oliver’s arm, pulling him up.

  "Come on, man! Where’s your pride?! Did you work this hard to get into the academy just to give up in the first css?!"

  Oliver groaned. "It’s our second css…"

  "WHO CARES!" Ethan barked. "Now MOVE! The professor’s already gring at us—if we stand still, we’re screwed! Come on! One! Two!"

  "One… two… what?"

  "When I say ‘One, two!’ you say ‘Three, four!’ Now come on! ONE! TWO!"

  Oliver’s eyes fluttered in confusion. "Uh… Three… four?"

  "ONE! TWO!"

  "Three! Four!"

  "That’s it! Keep going! ONE! TWO!"

  "Three! Four!"

  They fell into a rhythm, their footsteps falling into sync with the chant.

  "One! Two!"

  "Three! Four!"

  Oliver’s breathing evened out as his body adjusted to the cadence.

  "One! Two!"

  "Three! Four!"

  Some of the other students started gncing toward them with a mix of confusion and amusement. Even Daniel, running ahead, turned and raised an eyebrow.

  "One! Two!"

  "Three! Four!"

  Oliver’s face twisted in determination as his steps grew more stable.

  "That’s it! Keep moving! ONE! TWO!"

  "THREE! FOUR!"

  Rhea Falken, standing at the edge of the field, watched them with crossed arms and an amused smile.

  Interesting.

  Finally, after the st painful p, they crossed the finish line. Ethan practically colpsed onto the grass, his chest heaving as he y on his back. Oliver colpsed beside him, equally drained.

  Daniel strolled over, looking far too comfortable for someone who had just run ten ps. He grinned down at them.

  "You know, if you guys had just paced yourselves better—"

  Ethan shot him a gre.

  "Shut up."

  Daniel ughed, stretching his arms.

  Oliver groaned into the dirt. "I think I’m dying…"

  Ethan rolled his head toward Oliver. "You’re not dying."

  "I’m pretty sure I’m dying."

  "Well, if you die, I’m not dragging your body back to the dorm."

  "Savage."

  Daniel’s grin widened. "Ah, don’t worry, Oliver. I’ll carry you back. Rice pack style. Over my shoulder."

  Oliver weakly raised a hand. "Pass."

  A shadow suddenly loomed over them.

  "Did I say you could rest?"

  The three boys froze. Slowly, they looked up.

  Rhea Falken stood over them, arms crossed beneath her chest, casting a long shadow over their exhausted bodies. Her amber eyes gleamed coldly.

  "I said ten ps."

  Ethan narrowed his eyes. "We finished ten ps."

  Rhea’s smile sharpened. "Yes. But you walked during the st one. That’s against the rules."

  Ethan paled.

  "Five more ps. All of you."

  Oliver’s soul visibly left his body. "W-We’re going to die…"

  Ethan’s face twisted in horror. "W-Wait, hold on a second—"

  Daniel grinned.

  "Five more ps? Sounds good to me."

  Ethan whipped his head toward him. "What part of this sounds good to you!?"

  Daniel’s grin sharpened. "I just thought you’d want to impress the professor."

  Ethan stared at him for a moment.

  Then—

  Daniel winked and took off running.

  "…Son of a bitch."

  Rhea’s smile widened as Ethan and Oliver dragged themselves to their feet.

  "What are you waiting for?" she called out.

  "Get moving."

  This school is going to kill me before kicking me out, Ethan thought bitterly as he forced his legs to move.