Theo's POV
The next day felt… different.
Not quieter.
Not louder.
Just heavier.
Like something had shifted beneath the surface.
The moment I stepped onto academy grounds, I felt it again—
Eyes.
More than yesterday.
More than after the duel.
Students weren't just whispering anymore.
They were watching.
Me.
"…That's him."
"The water mage."
"The one who pushed Lucian."
I walked past them without reacting.
Same as always.
But inside—
I was thinking.
This is bad.
Attention wasn't something I wanted.
Not yet.
Not when I wasn't strong enough to handle what came with it.
Class D was already gathered when I arrived.
Kairo waved immediately.
"There he is!"
I took my seat without responding.
Mira glanced at me.
"You're early."
"I didn't feel like being late."
"Liar."
I ignored that.
Kairo leaned forward with a grin.
"So… famous now, huh?"
"I wouldn't call it that."
"Everyone's talking about you."
"I noticed."
He laughed.
"Man, even some Class C guys were arguing about you this morning."
Mira crossed her arms.
"That's not a good thing."
Kairo shrugged.
"It means he's getting recognized."
"It means he's becoming a target," Mira corrected.
Silence.
Kairo scratched his head.
"…Yeah, that too."
The classroom door opened.
Professor Drayke walked in, his presence instantly quieting the room.
"As you've all noticed," he began,
"the academy has taken interest in yesterday's evaluation."
His gaze briefly passed over me.
Not lingering.
But intentional.
"From today onward, your training will intensify."
A few students groaned quietly.
He ignored them.
"You will begin practical development."
"Combat refinement."
"Team coordination."
"And dungeon preparation."
That got everyone's attention.
"Dungeons?" someone asked.
Drayke nodded.
"Artificial gates will be introduced within the academy."
Murmurs spread.
Excitement.
Nervousness.
Anticipation.
"Raider teams will be formed."
At that word—
Something in my chest tightened slightly.
Raiders.
Not hunters.
Raiders entered gates.
Fought monsters.
Risked their lives.
Drayke continued.
"Your performance will determine your future placement."
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"Not your current rank."
The room went quiet.
Everyone understood what that meant.
Ranks could change.
"Before that," Drayke said,
"we will begin with sparring."
Groans filled the room again.
He ignored them.
"Controlled matches."
"Rotation-based."
"No serious injuries."
Kairo leaned over.
"Guess you're fighting again already."
"…Looks like it."
Mira glanced at me.
"You're injured."
"I'll manage."
She didn't look convinced.
But she didn't argue.
Pairs were called one by one.
Students moved to the training area.
Fights began.
Some clumsy.
Some decent.
Some one-sided.
Kairo went early.
He lost.
Badly.
When he came back, he dropped into his seat.
"…I hate this place."
Mira went next.
She won.
Clean.
Efficient.
She sat back down like nothing happened.
"…Not bad," I said.
She shrugged.
"As expected."
Then—
"Theo."
I stood up.
My body still ached slightly.
But it was manageable.
I stepped into the arena.
My opponent was already there.
A Class D student.
Nervous.
Uncertain.
He looked at me like I was something dangerous.
"…I don't want to fight you," he admitted.
I paused.
"…You don't have a choice."
He winced.
"…Yeah."
The instructor signaled the start.
He attacked first.
Fire magic.
Unstable.
Rushed.
I stepped to the side.
Water formed quickly in my hand.
I didn't overthink it.
Didn't hesitate.
A quick, controlled strike.
The compressed water hit his defense—
CRACK
It didn't break completely.
But it shattered enough.
He stumbled back.
Lost balance.
Fell.
The instructor raised a hand.
"Match over."
Silence.
It ended quickly.
Too quickly.
I lowered my hand.
Still needs work.
As I stepped out of the arena—
I felt it again.
Eyes.
But this time…
Different.
Not just curiosity.
Expectation.
"Not bad."
I turned slightly.
A student from Class C stood nearby.
Watching.
Not hostile.
Not friendly either.
Just… measuring.
"You're better than I thought."
I didn't respond.
He smirked slightly.
"But let's see how long that lasts."
Then he walked off.
Kairo jogged over immediately.
"Dude, that was clean!"
"…It was basic."
"Still! You're making it look easy now."
Mira shook her head.
"He's adapting."
She looked at me carefully.
"Faster than expected."
I didn't answer.
Because I already knew that.
From the upper level balcony—
Someone was watching.
Silver hair.
Calm eyes.
Arielle Virel.
She stood quietly, arms crossed, observing the training below.
Her gaze rested on me for a moment longer than the others.
Then—
She turned and walked away.
I exhaled slowly.
Attention…
It was spreading.
Growing.
Changing things.
And I could feel it clearly now.
This wasn't just about surviving the academy anymore.
It was about proving something.
Not to them.
But to myself.
Because if I wanted to stand at the top—
If I wanted to face people like Lucian again—
Then this level…
Wasn't enough.
Not even close.