Amy stared at Tallen across the platform, her mind racing through her limited options.

She'd watched him during the conditioning exercises—his movements were fluid and controlled, speaking of years of formal training. And now, the determined glint in his eyes told her everything she needed to know: this wasn't just an assessment for him. For whatever reason, he seemed to be extremely tense…and prepared.

[You're screwed.]

I'm so screwed…

[Perhaps you should just surrender now? Save yourself the embarrassment of getting thrown across the platform like a ragdoll. Like c'mon, you can barely do a proper push-up without collapsing.]

Amy clenched her jaw, unable to form a retort. The worst part was that Libris was absolutely right. Her lungs were still burning from the conditioning exercises, her muscles trembling with fatigue. Tallen, on the other hand, despite the sweat on his forehead, looked absolutely fine.

She narrowed her eyes, watching Tallen carefully. The rational part of her brain agreed with Libris—she was outmatched in every physical aspect. But giving up before it even started was too much, like actually embarrassing.

[C'mon just surrender, what are you waiting for— Oh, I see. Pride. How predictable. Well, don't say I didn't warn you when you're lying flat on your back in approximately thirty seconds.]

Amy didn't respond, instead focusing on her breathing as she tried to recall what little self-defense training she'd received back on Earth when she was little. A weekend workshop her ‘father’ had insisted on after a mugging in their neighborhood.

I'm so screwed…

"You may begin," Professor Drayke's voice echoed within the barrier.

Amy immediately activated her ability, and the response was basically something akin to a scream in her mind: No.

She could see there were paths where she won, but it felt as if she even tried to use her ability to reach them, she would immediately pass out. It was a completely different feeling from last time, during the nightmare. Maybe it was because her mastery had reached level four, but now she knew her limits somewhat.

How was this thing harder than breaking a damn satanic ritual!

Luckily for Amy, neither of them moved immediately, each sizing the other up. The gathered students fell silent, their collective anticipation filling the dome. This gave her a few precious seconds to think about what to do.

In the end, she decided to just use her ability so she could at least dodge a few strikes, which put a strain on her body that was barely manageable. That was better than just straight up losing.

"I've heard impressive things about you, Stake," Tallen called, beginning to circle slowly. "Saving those students. Fighting monsters. Quite the heroic debut. Impressive, really." His tone held a barely concealed edge.

He really seemed nervous, which honestly was almost funny. If only he knew that he had nothing to worry about… Truly, after all these events that had happened these last few days, Amy had forgotten just how much of a fraud she was. This was a nice reminder of how weak she actually was.

She needed to become strong, this wouldn't work forever. If she kept being this weak, it would eventually lead to another—

Right now wasn't the time to think about that, she reminded herself.

Instead of wasting more time in her thoughts, she took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and began to psyche herself up.

I can do this. I'm Amy Stake. I survived a literal nightmare dimension. I fought those... whatever-they-were creatures, and battled (ran away) from an eldritch being. I'm basically a seasoned warrior at this point.

Tallen, pffft! Who is he compared to me? Probably just knows a few fancy rich-kid combat moves. Nothing I can't handle. Maybe he'll trip on his own shoelaces! Maybe he'll spontaneously develop a cramp! Maybe a meteor will conveniently strike the exact spot where he's standing…

Please, please, something happen. Please…! Anyone? Help…

[So, are you guys going to fight or what…?]

Shut up, Libris. I'm manifesting.

[Seriously, just surrender. Even though nothing wrong is going to happen with the teacher here, it won't change the fact that you might sully your character.]

You know what, Libris got a point… I think I'll just surrender—

[Wait, wait, wait. I saw the subtle change in your facial expression. You really are surrendering, aren't you? I was just trying to act like the archetypal wise voice in your head while you irresponsibly throw yourself into an unwinnable fight. But if you surrender now, I'd be disappointed. Even I didn't think you were that pathetic. I mean, giving up before you've even tried? That's a special kind of weak. At least try to get your ass kicked with some dignity.]

"..." She really wished she could burn this book right now.

You know what, watch me. I'm going to win somehow…for sure…

Tallen, growing tired of their staring contest, shifted his stance, his movements fluid and practiced as he began circling her with predatory focus. Amy mirrored him awkwardly, trying to look like she knew what she was doing.

Around them, the other students watched with bated breath. Amy caught snippets of whispered bets and speculation, most of which seemed to favor her based on the Building B rumors. If only they knew.

Okay, my power is telling me he is going to attack from the left. I'll dodge right, sweep his legs, then... do something impressive. Yeah. That'll work.

She caught a flicker of movement as Tallen's expression shifted. His eyes, previously dark brown, began to glow with a golden light. The change was subtle at first, but then his entire body tensed, muscles bulking beneath his training clothes as his form began to... change.

What the—. Amy took an instinctive step back.

Tallen's face broadened, his features becoming more massive as dark, coarse fur sprouted across his skin. His fingers thickened into heavy paws tipped with deadly claws, and his posture shifted into something powerfully hunched. Within seconds, he stood before her as a human-bear hybrid—not a full transformation, but enough of one to make Amy's eyes widen in alarm.

[Oh. You didn't know? How interesting, did you also skip this chapter…?]

Interesting? INTERESTING? He's a freaking BEAR! With CLAWS! And FANGS! And BIG!

[C’mon. You got no balls.]

"..."

At this point I'm in too deep…

Amy made a mental note to never try gambling before taking a hesitant step forward, readying for the inevitable attack. Compared to the nightmare creatures of that day this wasn’t that scary…just a little bit…

After a few seconds of more silence, Tallen moved, putting all his strength into his charge, not hesitating one bit.

He charged forward with startling speed, his right arm—just like she had predicted—morphing midstrike as fingers elongated into even bigger, deadly claws.

Amy barely dodged, throwing herself sideways as his claws sliced through the air where her head had been a split second earlier. She stumbled, barely keeping her footing as she retreated to the edge of the platform.

"Grrrr!" The impact of Tallen's missed strike shook the platform beneath them, his claws leaving visible gouges in the stone where they struck. Amy stumbled back, her heart hammering against her ribs as she realized how close she'd come to being seriously injured.

Holy fuck!!

"GrrRrRr!!" Tallen growled even more furiously.

Amy's instincts kicked in after seeing the predator in front of her, her core going into overdrive. Her ability was screaming warnings at her with each of Tallen's movements, giving her just enough foresight to avoid his attacks—but only barely. Each dodge felt closer than the last, her reflexes slowing as fatigue set in.

[You're doing surprisingly well for someone with the physical capabilities of a particularly unfit sloth. That ability truly is overpowered. Though, at this rate you won’t last long…]

Amy would have retorted if she'd had the breath to spare. As it was, she could only gasp as she twisted away from another swipe of Tallen's claws, the wind of his attack ruffling her hair.

"Storrr runNningr and fightrrr!" Tallen snarled, frustration evident in his voice. His golden eyes blazed as he circled her, muscles bunching as he prepared for another lunge.

Amy tried desperately to find a path to victory, pushing her ability harder than before. The response was immediate—a searing pain behind her eyes, a sense of impossibility so profound it made her dizzy. The paths where she won existed, but they felt like trying to jump to the moon.

Fuck this, this is not worth the trouble!

"I surrender," Amy said while looking towards Drayke, straightening up and letting her arms fall to her sides.

For a brief moment, the platform was utterly silent. Then Tallen launched forward with a roar, his massive clawed hand aimed directly at her chest, seemingly not caring at all about her words.

Amy didn't flinch, didn't raise her arms to defend herself. She knew the claws wouldn’t hit her. Though, it sure felt scary seeing a seven-foot-tall monster charging towards her. Still, she had trust that no harm would arrive…probably…surely…right…?

The claws were inches from her chest when everything... stopped. The air around them shimmered with a strange distortion, like heat waves rising from summer pavement. Tallen hung suspended mid-lunge, his expression frozen in a snarl, claws extended but unable to move forward.

"I believe the match is concluded," Professor Drayke said calmly, stepping onto the platform, eyes glowing softly as he used his ability.

He regarded Amy with a thoughtful expression, his wolf ears twitching slightly as he studied her face. After Amy moved away from Tallen’s trajectory, he released whatever hold he had on the half-bear-boy, who stumbled forward before catching himself, his momentum disrupted.

"The match goes to Tallen Blackwood," Drayke announced, his voice carrying easily to the watching students.

The tension in the barrier dissipated as it shimmered out of existence. The watching students erupted into whispers, many looking between Amy and Tallen with expressions ranging from confusion to surprise.

Amy turned to leave the platform, but Tallen's voice stopped her.

"Wharrr the hellt warrss tharrt?" he demanded, his voice still roughened by his partial transformation as he shifted back toward his human form, fur receding and muscles returning to their normal proportions. "You didn't even try!"

What…?

[What…?]

"I did try." Amy turned back to face him, barely concealed confusion all round her face.

"Bullshit!" Tallen's eyes widened with shock as soon as the curse left his mouth.

He quickly clamped his lips shut, a flush of embarrassment rising to his cheeks as he subtly glanced toward the noble students spectating from the sidelines.

With visible effort, Tallen composed himself, squaring his shoulders and forcing his features into a carefully neutral expression. Without another word, he turned on his heel and strode stiffly toward the seats, though the tension in his back betrayed his lingering frustration.

Amy stood rooted to the spot, staring after him in disbelief.

[Did he just... get upset because you lost?] Libris sounded genuinely confused. [And what is with that “you didn’t even try”?]

"I... the fuck…?" Amy muttered under her breath, still bewildered by Tallen's reaction. The logic escaped her complet— Actually…

“He didn’t misunderstand, did he…?”

[...]

Amy trudged back to her seat, her legs still wobbling from the exertion of dodging Tallen's attacks. Several students shifted subtly away as she approached, while others leaned in to whisper among themselves.

She slumped down, letting out a long sigh as the next pair of students was called to the platform.

[So... are we going to discuss what just happened?]

"That a seven-foot-tall bear almost ripped me apart?" She whispered.

[No, the important part. The part where, just like with Kaelen, bear-boy misunderstood your abilities. I'm genuinely curious, how do you do it?]

“I wish I knew…”

[Liar. Once is a coincidence, but twice… I'm trying to understand humans better, and you're providing excellent case studies in how to deceive them while showing them the truth. With Kaelen, you demonstrated your real capabilities during the test, yet he misunderstood somehow and instead believed that you hid your real powers. Now with Tallen, you surrendered instead of fighting, and he equally misunderstood. It's fascinatingly consistent. Please explain this phenomenon to me, I beg you.]

Amy ran a hand through her sweaty hair. "You think I know? I'm just as confused as you are..."

[Perhaps it's a special talent. Your real ability isn't fate navigation, nor the readers, but the ability for people to believe whatever stupid bullshit you come out with—it's the supernatural capacity to confuse and trick people regardless of your intentions.]

"..." Amy said eloquently.

[But seriously, I want to understand. Please tell me, please.]

If I had that kind of ability, then I’m sure it's working on this guy right now…

After a long sigh, Amy glanced across the room, where Tallen sat rigidly, anger clearly visible on his face.

She also noticed Stella, who looked awfully happy, a grin was plastered all over her visage as she stared at Tallen’s annoyed frown. Meanwhile, Alba was nudging her friend to stop her from smiling.

Not wanting to be caught staring, Amy quickly averted her gaze to the students fighting, second years both. Letting her mind drift in the brief respite.

"...I should have just surrendered at the beginning…"

[With your talent, I bet it would have made things worse.]

"..."

-————-　■　-————-

The fights continued, Amy watching with a mixture of fascination and envy as her classmates displayed abilities that ranged from impressive to downright terrifying. A second-year boy manipulated shadows into solid weapons, while his opponent countered with blinding flashes of light that made several students shield their eyes. Alba was paired against a wiry third-year who could harden his skin to stone-like density; she surprised everyone by demonstrating an unexpected talent for illusion magic that left him swinging at empty air until he stumbled off the platform.

It also showed just how much stronger the protagonist group (not Lyra) was compared to others of their year with the exception of Zayd and Iris. Crow straight up did not even use any of his abilities and just swung Bloodedge, winning quite easily. Maybe Amy should have done the same with Libris, wasn’t the book indestructible…?

[Is it really cold in here, or is it just me?]

Stella's match proved particularly memorable—her "unique" ability revealed itself when her opponent's fire attack suddenly reversed direction mid-air, returning to engulf its caster. Professor Drayke had to intervene before any serious harm occurred, but the look of shock on everyone's faces suggested that Stella's peculiar talent for reflecting magical attacks was rarer than she'd let on. Amy wondered how she did not remember her from the manga, but then again, she had skipped many chapters and only read when the main story progressed or something important happened.

As the class progressed, Amy became increasingly aware of her own inadequacies. Every match highlighted just how unprepared she was for the physical demands of this world. The magical feats she witnessed only drove home her reliance on a power she barely understood and could hardly control. She needed to become stronger—not just in terms of her prophetic abilities, but in combat as well. Dodging had kept her alive against Tallen, but dodging wouldn't be enough against real threats.

When Professor Drayke finally dismissed the class, Amy felt a profound relief wash over her. She gathered her things from the locker, retrieved Libris, and headed toward the exit, her muscles protesting with every step.

"Amy!" Ash's voice called out.

She turned to see Crow approaching, flanked by Ash, Lyra, and Lain. The sight of them together—the protagonist squad—still felt surreal, but she was beginning to get used to it.

"Wasssup, good to see you healed and all," Ash said with a grin. "You know, Lain over here has been talking a lot about how brave you were. I wish I could have seen it."

Amy stared at the inexpressive Lain, unable to tell whatever was going on inside her brain.

"Ash," Crow interrupted, his tone measured but impatient. "We're not here for small talk."

Ash rolled his eyes dramatically. "Always straight to business with this one. No fun at all. Don’t judge him harshly, Amy. He is just especially grumpy today."

Crow ignored him, focusing on Amy. "We're planning to open the box tonight. After what you and Lain went through to retrieve it..." He paused, something almost like respect flickering across his face. "You should be there when we see what's inside."

The box. With everything that had happened—Libris's request, her disastrous combat assessment, Kaelen's thinly veiled threats—she'd almost forgotten about the golden box they'd retrieved from the nightmare.

Amy breathed deeply, considering her options. Her original plan to maintain distance from the protagonist group seemed increasingly impractical. The story was moving forward with or without her, and staying on the periphery wouldn't help her grow stronger or influence events.

Plus, she already knew what was in the box. Might as well be there to see their reactions.

"Can we do it now?" Amy asked, surprising herself with the directness of her question. "I have... plans later."

Crow's eyebrows rose slightly. "Plans?"

"Tea," Amy replied, then after a second she hesitated. Should she tell him…? If he found out after, then a misunderstanding might occur, and she was already fed up with those.

"With Zayd Gaspard." She eventually added.

A tense silence followed her words. Lyra's eyes widened, Ash looked confused, and Lain's expression remained carefully blank. Crow's face, however, darkened noticeably.

"Zayd," he repeated, his voice flat.

"His uncle invited me," Amy explained, keeping her tone neutral. "Quite insistently."

After careful consideration of Kaelen's warning, she'd decided that avoiding the Gaspards entirely would likely create more problems than it solved. Better to meet with Zayd, assess the situation, and navigate carefully than provoke open hostility. At least for now.

Crow seemed to understand the implications without her having to elaborate. "I see." He exchanged a glance with his group, some unspoken communication passing between them. "We can open it now..."

As they walked across campus toward the Class S dormitories, Amy felt the weight of eyes following their little group. Whispers and stares followed them—or more specifically, Crow and Ash—as they passed groups of students.

I’m really never going to get used to this…

Crow's dormitory was on the top floor of the Class S residential tower, a spacious corner room with tall windows that offered an impressive view of the Academy grounds. The space was surprisingly austere for someone of his status—functional furniture, neatly organized books and scrolls, and a collection of weapons mounted on one wall. The only personal touch seemed to be a small, worn photograph on his desk that Amy couldn't quite make out from where she stood.

"Wow, I thought your room would be a mess since you wouldn’t let me in, but it’s actually kind of cool," Ash commented, flopping down onto Crow's perfectly made bed without invitation, messing up the covers. "Very... you."

Crow ignored him, instead retrieving the box from his desk drawer. He placed it on the table in the center of the room, then took the golden key from a chain around his neck.

Tension suddenly filled the room as Crow set it down.

Lyra shifted nervously from foot to foot. "Are we sure about this? What if it is a trap?"

"I checked," Crow replied shortly. "No magical traps that I could detect."

"That doesn't mean there aren't any," Lyra persisted, glancing at Amy. "Maybe... maybe we should have Amy look first? With her abilities?"

Amy raised an eyebrow at that suggestion. "I don't think that's necessary. The box’s contents aren’t dangerous."

"How can you be so sure?" Lyra asked, suspicion creeping into her voice.

Before Amy could answer, Lain spoke, her quiet voice commanding attention simply by its rarity. "We should open it. Now."

Since when does she speak while there are strangers around…?

The others stared at Lain with the same question, but no one voiced it.

Crow nodded in agreement to Lain's words, his fingers tightening around the golden key.

"Anyone want to do a dramatic drum roll?" Ash suggested.

Amy barely managed to contain her snort, while Lyra shot him an annoyed look.

Crow, after a long second of hesitation, inserted the key into the lock with careful precision. The mechanism clicked softly, the sound unnaturally loud in the tense silence.

No one breathed as Crow's hand rested on the lid. Even Ash had abandoned his casual sprawl, now sitting up straight on the edge of the bed, his usual smirk replaced by an expression of intense focus.

Crow hesitated, his fingers tracing the intricate patterns on the box's surface.

“Wait.” Lyra wrapped her arms around herself, as if suddenly cold. "Maybe we should wait. Consult someone—"

"We've come too far," Lain interrupted, her voice soft but firm. "Open it."

The air in the room seemed to grow heavier, charged with anticipation and dread. Amy found herself holding her breath, even knowing what they would find.

Crow's jaw tightened. With one fluid motion, he lifted the lid.

Light spilled from within—not the blinding flash Amy had half-expected, but a subtle golden glow that illuminated their faces from below, casting strange shadows across the ceiling. For a heartbeat, no one moved. No one spoke. They all leaned forward, eyes wide, as they stared at the contents.

And inside was...

Rat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tat….

Another key!

Ba-dum-tss.