Chapter 233 – Heavenly Class (2)

The newly inaugurated Heavenly Class was wrapped in that peculiar atmosphere that comes with the first days of school. A vague mix of awkwardness and excitement.

Maybe that’s why silence reigned. After all, gathering personalities like Leon van Reinhardt, Abel von Nibelung, Rachel of Mura, Saki Ryozo, Speedweapon, Chloe Auditore, and Horntail into a single group was simply too much.

I didn’t expect them to talk to each other comfortably on day one.

And besides, the goal of this class was to be different from all the noisy ones.

So that suffocating silence was part of the plan I had worked on with the director. Still.

I raised my left hand in greeting. But they—especially the girls—barely moved their lips before quickly averting their gaze.

I discreetly lowered my hand and scratched my chin. How awkward.

The only ones who at least smiled at me were Horntail and Chloe. Even then, it was only with their eyes, like they didn’t want to attract attention.

I turned my gaze. I saw Speedweapon, one of the few other guys in the class. His eyes said, “I can’t breathe, I’m suffocating.” I replied with my eyes too. “Same here.”

‘When I get a chance, I’m going to ask what’s with this atmosphere.’

Even if the main goal of the Heavenly Class is to foster the Hero, it’s still part of the academy. Even if the Second Great Human-Demon War is on the horizon, I want these kids to enjoy their student life.

—Learning to relate with others. That only comes from living alongside peers your own age.

That’s what my first teacher in my past life told me. And it applies here too. Even if a few years from now they end up fighting on the front lines and shedding blood, until then, they have the right to live out their youth.

I sincerely hope that in addition to growing stronger, they deepen their bonds of friendship.

‘They’re real teenagers, not a guy like me who’s already seen everything.’

I walked slowly through the class and observed. The only seat left…

‘Why is the center seat the only one left?’

That’s way too much of a protagonist’s seat. Sure, it makes sense for me to be at the center of the class—but I was surrounded entirely by girls. It looked like a peacock caught in a sea of spread feathers.

It was obvious that was supposed to be Leon’s seat. But he was sitting in a corner, far from the center.

‘Did this guy Leon leave it to me on purpose?’

I don’t need that kind of consideration. I sighed a little in resignation and sat down.

Thump.

I felt a tingle on the back of my neck. Even though they were looking away, I could clearly sense all the girls watching me. The phrase “seat of thorns” became literal.

It wasn’t like I had a choice. The desks were arranged exactly by student number. And being close made it easier to talk and interact. But I never imagined it would backfire like this.

I leaned forward uncomfortably. I looked at the wall clock above the blackboard. Five minutes to 9 a.m.

At that moment, the classroom door flung open.

Tap, tap.

The rhythmic sound of heels echoed. The students’ pupils widened like paper lanterns. The stifling silence vanished in an instant. It was understandable.

‘Don’t fuck.’

Even I, who knew who was coming, stood up on reflex. Ryozo and Speedweapon did the same.

Light green hair, mint-colored eyes. Up to that point, everything was familiar. But.

With firm steps, she walked to the front of the podium. She smiled with satisfaction.

“Good morning!”

The podium, which used to come up to her chest, now barely reached her navel.

“Some of you may already know, but I’m the instructor in charge of the Heavenly Class, Meain Poison.”

That senior we recently knew as San Ha-na…

“Nice to meet you, my little ones.”

…Was now standing before us, not as a girl, but as a full-grown woman.

***

At the same time, in the director’s office.

Media was pacing around the reception table, constantly biting her thumbnail.

“Don’t tell me my sister is about to stir up some disaster?”

She muttered, visibly anxious. Just then, the internal phone rang annoyingly. Media snatched the receiver with desperation.

“Hello? Who is this? Did Meain Poison cause a problem? I’m sorry, she’s my twin sister…”

— It’s me.

The voice on the other end was the Swordmaster. The phone cord, taut like a string, slackened in a gentle arc. The tension in Media’s shoulders also eased a little.

She sighed deeply, then grumbled.

“Ugh, you scared me. I almost had a heart attack.”

— You know you shouldn’t joke about death so lightly? At our age, we’re already in our seventies. Say that enough, and it might come true.

Media scowled at the Swordmaster’s scolding and snapped back.

“I’m going to live much longer than you, so I don’t care.”

— Are you flaunting your ancient bloodline in front of modern humans?

“Yup, exactly. If that bothers you, you should’ve been born ancient too.”

— ……

“And if you’re not calling with something useful, hang up. Even breathing gives me a headache today.”

— I saw the news. They say Meain returned to Joaquin Academy.

“She didn’t return. Turns out she’s been hiding here as a student since the beginning of the year.”

The Swordmaster let out a dry chuckle. Media toyed with the phone cord and said,

“Under the lamp, it’s the darkest. There’s no better hiding place than the academy. Security and everything else is top-tier. And who else would know that better than my sister?”

— Always incomprehensible. I tried to locate her through the Association but found nothing. Never imagined she was there. Now it all makes sense.

Ever since Kang Geom-Ma left Hawaii, the Swordmaster had been searching for Meain’s whereabouts. His intention was the same—he wanted Meain to protect the students from within the academy.

Knowing she was already there brought some relief, but he couldn’t help but feel uneasy. If Meain had shown herself, it meant the world’s current state was truly dangerous.

The anomalies at the Gehenna Gate, the sudden reappearance of Meain Poison—it all seemed connected, like gears turning.

The Swordmaster tried to shake off the ominous thoughts and continued.

— I imagine the press is in a frenzy. How are things at the academy?

“What do you think? Chaos! Thankfully, the Association’s people are holding the reporters at all the gates. Thanks to that, the students are safe.”

— The Association is pretty good at that, gotta admit.

“But the ones who are furious are the parents. Complaining that we opened the Heavenly Class without informing them, that it’s discriminatory, questioning what kind of class this is…”

The Swordmaster scoffed.

— Funny. They’ve always discriminated by status, but now that there’s a fair selection, they call it unfair.

“I’m exhausted… seriously. Reporters outside, parents complaining inside, and on top of that, worrying that my sister might cause a scandal. I feel like I’m losing a year of my life every minute. Though even so, I’ll still outlive you, old man.”

— …You’ve got a terrible personality.

The Swordmaster shook his head.

— Oh, by the way. Meain must have manifested the Poison family’s exclusive Blessing, right?

“Yeah. If she showed her true form, everyone would know we Poison are direct descendants of the ancients. But whatever. That’s how she’ll look in a few years anyway. Though by then, you’ll probably be dead.”

— Media! You really are…

Media let out a mischievous laugh. Talking to the Swordmaster had lifted her mood a little.

After all, they’d been lifelong friends since their own academy days.

“This reminds me of the old days… You remember who our teacher was, right? Our sister…”

Media shuddered. Her mint-green pupils trembled. Reaching into her memories, she muttered.

“…Old man, do you remember the lessons my sister used to give?”

— How could I forget…

The Swordmaster paused. Clearly shaken.

— To be honest, I doubt they could even be called ‘lessons.’ They were so extreme…

“Damn it! I forgot! I’ve got to go stop her right now! If I don’t, our students might end up like you or Changseong, with their personalities shattered!”

— Why are you excluding yourself?

Media ignored the jab. The Swordmaster, weary-faced, added,

—Calm down. Even if you complain, you know well that Meain, as strange as she is, has unmatched talent in bringing out the best in her students. She’s a natural educator.

“W-Well, yeah. Gotta admit it. The reason the Seven Stars got so far so fast was thanks to her special training… but still…”

— I get your concern. But that’s exactly why they need those classes.

The Swordmaster’s tone softened. His breath weighed with concern. The thought of his granddaughter going through that made him uneasy.

— Though yeah… she’s more than a little sadistic…

***

Meain scanned the classroom and gave a small smile.

“Since all the faces here are familiar and you probably already know each other, we’ll skip introductions. Besides, I don’t have much to share beyond my name, so I’ll pass! Oh, and don’t even think of asking about my first love—I don’t have one. Let’s get straight to class!”

She turned around, picked up a piece of chalk, and began writing on the board. Every gaze was drawn to her neck, white as snow.

“Combat, battle, fight, slaughter. There are many words, but in the end, what do you think is the most important thing in a fight?”

“Training and discipline.”

Speedweapon replied.

“You need to strengthen basic skills through constant practice and training.”

“And the reason?”

“Because only with a healthy body and mind can you push a blessing to its limits. That’s why the academy’s curriculum prioritizes physical training and practical work over theory.”

“As expected of you, Speedweapon.”

He scratched the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed. Thanks to that, Meain’s class started to flow more naturally.

“Correct. The reason why humans can maintain a balance of power with demons, who are naturally strong by birth, is precisely ‘training,’ as Speedweapon said. They evolve slowly, but humans are born weak and must constantly push themselves.”

Her firm tone immediately captured the students’ attention, their eyes now fixed on the board.

“Unlike demons, humans can grow stronger through training alone, without consuming external resources. But that comes with pain. Just as muscles tear and heal stronger, mental strength also grows through wear. The more intense the psychological impact, the greater its effect. That’s what we call shock therapy.”

The students sat up straighter. They even forgot to take notes, fully focused on listening.

“Increasing physical strength is your own responsibility. You’re old enough that I shouldn’t have to tell you to exercise, right? That’s why the focus of the Heavenly Class will be on strengthening the mind.”

Leon, arms crossed, asked,

“And how exactly are we going to do that?”

The chalk stopped. A fine white dust fell from its tip.

Meain turned slightly, locking eyes with Leon. Her mint-colored eyes glowed with deep intensity.

“Do you know the fastest way to strengthen the mind?”

Then she wrote a single large character on the board.

『Death』

“Getting used to it.”

Snap!

She snapped her fingers. A subdimensional field spread across the ceiling, walls, and floor of the classroom, enveloping it in a violet veil.

“From now on, you’ll die twenty times a day inside this subdimensional space until you lose your fear of death. Personalized learning will come after that.”

The students’ gazes turned blank. Meain put down the chalk.

“What are you waiting for? Move the desks and chairs aside.”