After some time had passed, students began making their way toward their next lecture, moving in small groups through the academy as conversations slowly faded into a more focused anticipation of what was to come, since the earlier classes had already given them a taste of how unpredictable the academy could be.

The next lecture was held inside the academy, but the change in location made it feel like a completely different part of the place, as the usual clean and simple halls slowly transitioned into stronger and more reinforced passageways where the walls were built from dark metal panels, each one lined with thin strips of soft light that ran through them in a steady and quiet rhythm, giving the entire corridor a controlled and almost mechanical atmosphere that contrasted heavily with the rest of the academy.

As the students continued forward, the space gradually widened until the arena revealed itself the moment they stepped inside, opening into a massive circular structure where the floor sat slightly lower than the seating around it, and its smooth surface carried faint grid lines that only became visible when the lighting above shifted ever so slightly, creating the subtle impression that the ground itself was not fixed and could change form at any moment without warning.

Around the arena, the seating rose in curved layers that allowed everyone a clear and uninterrupted view, while above them, several floating panels drifted slowly through the air as they adjusted their positions, displaying different streams of information such as movement outlines, body readings, and even delayed replays of certain motions, making it obvious that the arena was not just designed for simple demonstrations but for precise observation and analysis of everything that occurred within it.

The space itself felt tightly controlled, as sound did not travel far beyond the arena floor and voices naturally lowered without anyone being told to do so, creating a quiet tension that settled over the students as they entered and took in their surroundings.

Shadow walked in without hesitation, his eyes moving steadily across the arena as he took in the walls, the floating systems, and the smaller details hidden within the structure, while the rest of the group followed behind him more quietly than usual, as if even they could sense that this place operated under a different kind of pressure compared to their previous classes.

"Woah, this place looks amazing," Lucian said, his voice carrying a mix of excitement and disbelief as he looked around.

"Such a high level of technology embedded into the arena, it seems the academy really put a lot of thought into making this," Shadow added, his tone calm but observant as he continued scanning the environment.

"Looks like our next lecture is about combat," Jaden said, narrowing his eyes slightly as he focused on the central platform.

"I just hope the lecturer is not as creepy as the last one," Jane commented, a slight shiver running through her body as the memory of the previous professor surfaced in her mind.

Students began spreading out across the seating in a natural manner, while the quiet atmosphere in the arena grew heavier as more people entered and settled into their places.

The panels above shifted again as if responding to an unseen command, and a soft but steady hum filled the space, not loud enough to disrupt the silence but noticeable enough to remind everyone that the entire arena was active and ready for whatever was about to happen.

Even without the instructor present, the arena itself communicated everything clearly, as every part of its design suggested that this lecture would not simply involve explanations, and that whatever was going to be taught would be demonstrated, tested, and observed in real time.

Suddenly, the center of the arena began to change, as the floor split apart along the faint grid lines and a circular platform slowly rose from below, moving with precise control until it locked perfectly into place, followed immediately by the formation of a thin and nearly invisible barrier around it, clear enough to see through yet undeniably present. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

The barrier shimmered briefly before stabilizing, and within it, the silhouette of a curvy female figure appeared, her long gray hair falling down her back. This woman most distinguishing trait was her big breasts as they were unnecessarly huge.

The woman’s form stood confidently at the center of the platform, making it immediately clear to those who recognized her that it was none other than Professor Claire.

A wave of quiet gasps spread through parts of the seating, particularly from students who were familiar with her reputation, as the realization set in.

"Isn’t that Professor Claire, why is she here, she isn’t supposed to teach first year students," one student whispered, unable to hide their confusion.

"Don’t ask me, I’m as clueless as you," another responded just as quietly.

Shadow could hear similar conversations happening around him, and he made a mental note of it, especially since he already had lingering doubts about her after the way she had treated him differently from the others during the last test, which made her presence here feel less like a coincidence and more like something intentional.

Professor Claire raised her right hand in a simple gesture, and almost immediately, the scattered voices in the arena began to fade as the students fell silent without needing to be told twice.

Once the noise had completely died down, she began to speak, her voice calm and steady yet carrying clearly across the entire arena without the need for amplification.

"Many of you may already know me, but for those who do not, I am Professor Claire, and this year I will be teaching you about combat and how to sharpen your skills using magic," she said, her tone composed but firm enough to command attention without effort.

Without pausing for long, she made another small gesture with her hand, and in response, the handles attached to the students’ seats began to shift as small openings appeared within them, revealing compact circular black bracelets neatly placed inside.

"Everyone take the device and put it on your wrists, this device will allow your entire body to be transferred into a controlled virtual environment within this arena, where you will be able to fight, train, and experience combat without any risk of real injury or harm to your physical body," she continued, her explanation smooth and direct as if she had given it many times before.

As the students reached for the bracelets, a low murmur spread across the arena, curiosity and excitement mixing together as they examined the devices in their hands, some turning them over to inspect their design while others immediately began putting them on.

The bracelets felt light yet solid, and the moment they were secured around the wrist, a faint glow appeared along their surface as if confirming activation, sending a subtle but noticeable sensation through the wearer’s arm.

Claire watched the students for a brief moment before continuing, her gaze steady as she spoke again.

"This is one of, if not the most advanced inventions ever created, developed by none other than the legendary Victor Hale," she said, her tone carrying a slight emphasis on the name as if expecting it to hold weight among those listening.

The name alone caused another wave of quiet reactions, as even those who were not deeply familiar with him had at least heard of his reputation.

As the last of the students finished putting on their devices, the arena seemed to respond once again, the panels above shifting into new positions while the faint hum in the air grew slightly stronger, signaling that everything was now prepared.

Claire lowered her hand slowly, her eyes scanning the arena one last time before the next phase of the lecture was about to begin, and in that moment, the entire space felt as though it was holding its breath, waiting for what would come next.

Shadow, however, remained silent as he looked down at the bracelet resting on his wrist, his expression calm on the surface while his thoughts ran far deeper than anyone around him could notice, as if something about the device had already begun to pull his attention in a way that felt different from simple curiosity.

The bracelet suddenly began displaying different rune samples, each one forming in shifting patterns of colorful light that moved across its surface in a smooth and almost fluid motion, as if the symbols themselves were alive and constantly rearranging into new combinations.

Shadow’s eyes widened slightly as the patterns continued to change, not out of simple amazement like the others, but from something much sharper and more focused, as if he was recognizing something that should not have been there.

’This is... how is this possible?’ he questioned inwardly, his gaze locked onto the glowing symbols without blinking.

’System, analyze these rune symbols and determine if there are any similarities between them and your core algorithm.’

[Scanning rune structures...]

[Processing visual data...]

[Decoding symbol patterns...]

[Cross-referencing with stored system architecture...]

[Comparing rune sequences with base algorithm...]

[Analysis in progress...]

The symbols continued shifting as if unaware of the weight they carried, their colors blending and separating while forming sequences that looked random to anyone else, yet to Shadow, they were beginning to form a structure that felt disturbingly familiar.

[Match detected...]

[Pattern synchronization confirmed...]

[Structural alignment: 100%]

[The runes in the bracelet are identical to the ones used in the creation of the system.]

Boom~

It felt as if something exploded inside his mind the moment the conclusion was delivered, not physically but mentally, as the weight of that single piece of information hit him all at once without giving him time to process it step by step.

Shadow’s hands began to tremble slightly, the movement subtle but noticeable, as disbelief and confusion clashed violently within him, making it difficult to maintain the calm composure he had been holding until now.

The others quickly picked up on the change in his behavior, as it was far too sudden to ignore, especially for someone like him who rarely showed such visible reactions.

Talia was the first to speak, her voice carrying clear concern as she looked directly at him.

"Are you alright, what’s wrong?"

Shadow slowly lifted his head and looked at her, his expression returning to something more controlled, yet his eyes betrayed the storm of thoughts raging beneath the surface, as if he was trying to piece together something that refused to make sense no matter how he approached it.

’Fuck.’