Gerald and Van could not help but be shocked by the sudden appearance of their respective extracurricular class' instructors. But even then, the two still stared at each other's eyes, their breaths trembling in anger.

But soon, Van's expression started to calm down, and the snarl on his face slowly disappeared as the corners of his mouth slightly rose up.

​​

Gerald's expression twisted as he saw Van smiling at him, looking down on him as he slowly retracted his fists.

"You!", Gerald could not help but grit his teeth as he tried to stand up and strike Van. Van also moved, but before the two could even move, their bodies limped to the ground as their visions instantly turned dark.

"Really a fascinating student you have here, Ms. Elton", the tall man named Michael slightly chuckled as he lifted Van by the neck, "To make my strongest student bleed, how admirable"

Michael was the instructor for the sophomore's Enhancer-type extracurricular classes. And seeing his strongest student reduced to this pathetic state, he could not help but be in awe as he stared at the boy he was holding.

Even though Van was not wearing his uniform, he was still famous enough in the faculty for him to be able to recognize him. After all, Van was considered to be the number 1 freshman due to Jacobs' and Lang's yearly dispute.

"Hmph", Ms. Elton shook his head as he examined Gerald, "No. The boy might have lost if their fight continued"

"You think so?", Michael chuckled as he gently handed Van to Ms. Elton.

Ms. Elton, on the other hand, kicked Gerald, throwing him a few meters away.

"..."

Michael could not help but let out a long sigh as he pulled back his silver hair. He then lazily walked towards Gerald and picked him up with one hand.

"What's going on here!?"

It was then that the Academy guards finally appeared, unsheathing their swords as their eyes wandered all over the place.

"They really should replace all of you", Michael could not help but comment as he patted one of the guard's shoulders, his voice filled with disappointment.

"W… what happened here?", one of the guards asked.

Ms. Elton, however, did not answer as she just lifted Van, waving her hand and shooing the guards away.

Harvey, Beatrice, and Victoria quickly followed Ms. Elton as she dragged Van away from the commotion.

"...Friends?"

Ms. Elton noticed that three students were following her, one a student of hers.

Beatrice and Harvey quickly nodded, with Victoria only shrugging her shoulders.

"...", Ms. Elton squinted her eyes, but after a few seconds, she let out a sigh, "Keep up then", she said before nonchalantly running at a fast pace, not caring if the three were able to catch up to her.

The guards who arrived late, and the students who watched the whole battle, could not help but look at each other in confusion. The students enjoyed the surprise show, but what exactly were the two fighting about? And was the boy in rags a student of the Academy?

And so, the unexpected battle ended as soon as it began, leaving the younger students feeling inadequate as they weren't even able to follow the battle.

***

"Will… Van be alright?", Beatrice could not help but ask as she stared at Van, who has been unconscious for more than an hour now.

"He's just asleep. Michael knows how to control his strength", Ms. Elton lightly scratched her chin, "...I am sure he is not dead"

"O… okay"

"...But check his pulse just in case", Ms. Elton then added.

"!!!", Beatrice quickly ran beside Van and raised his wrist, feeling if he still had a pulse. After a few seconds, she could not help but let out a deep sigh of relief as she felt Van's slowly beating pulse.

"Is the boy alive?", Ms. Elton slightly turned her eyes towards Beatrice.

"Y… yes"

"Good, good. Would be a shame if he was dead", she then nodded her head a couple of times before suddenly stepping out of the house.

"..."

"That's your instructor?", Harvey blinked a couple of times as he watched Ms. Elton left the room without even saying a word. Just where could she be going?

His eyes then wandered across the house. He wondered why the Enhancer's classroom wasn't this big, or why it wasn't a house for that matter. He then settled his eyes towards Victoria.

"So… are you part of the group now?", Harvey slightly chuckled.

Victoria, however, only blinked her eyes a couple of times as he stared at Harvey's eyes. And then, without even saying anything, walked towards the unconscious Van to also check if he was still breathing.

"..."

"..."

So even Harvey had someone he was not able to talk to, Beatrice thought as she slightly let out a chuckle.

***

"I told you! I told you the boy was nothing but trouble!"

Chris, the leader of Sarah's guards, was once again arguing with her in her office. The huge scar is more prominent now that a huge scowl was on his face.

"He is dangerous, Sarah!", he waved his hand, "2 men were injured, 1 bled to death, and 1 missing according to the reports I received!"

"What makes you think he was the one who did that?", Sarah said in a cold tone as she stared outside her office window.

"His friend was attacked and the house he's staying on was ransacked", Chris once again raised his voice, "It could only be him!"

"They are Lauder's men, Sarah!", he continued, "This will surely become something big once the Lauders get the information that the granddaughter of the Explorer Association's chairman is supporting the boy who killed one of their men!"

"Good", Sarah turned around and looked Chris straight in the eyes, "They burnt Scarlett's clothes, Chris", she said, her voice slightly trembling.

"T… that", Chris could not help but stutter as soon as the name of Sarah's sister came up. His eyebrows twitched as he slowly looked to the side.

"Let the death of their man be a message", Sarah's eyes slowly turned red, "I want them to know..."

"...I want them to know who they messed with"