CHAPTER 47: [47] THE KLEIN-GORDON WHAT NOW?

Professor Rousseau beamed at the class as everyone stared down at the surprise assessment. Xavier flipped over his paper, expecting basic questions about gate formation and hunter protocols. Instead, he found himself staring at what looked like advanced theoretical physics.

Question 1: Explain the quantum relationship between Essentia manifestation and the Klein-Gordon field equations, with particular attention to dimensional boundary conditions during gate formation.

Xavier blinked. He read it again. The words remained the same.

What the actual fuck?

He glanced around. Nolan was already scribbling furiously, his pencil moving at lightning speed. Alexander had his brow furrowed but seemed to be working through the problem methodically. Most of the other students looked as lost as Xavier felt.

"You have forty-five minutes," Rousseau announced, perching on the edge of his desk. "This assessment covers everything we discussed yesterday in our introductory lecture. Remember, precision matters!"

Xavier turned to look at Calypso, who sat a row ahead. She had twisted in her seat, her silver hair catching the light as she mouthed something that looked suspiciously like a curse word.

He looked back at the paper.

Question 2: Calculate the probability threshold for gate collapse using the Miyazaki formula, assuming standard dimensional pressure at sea level and Tier 3-C crystal saturation.

Xavier ran a hand through his white hair. Yesterday had been their first day. The last class. After using his essentia for the first time, a headache had been building behind his eyes. By the time they reached Rousseau’s class, the pain had been throbbing in time with his heartbeat. He’d spent most of the period with his head down, occasionally nodding when it seemed appropriate.

He hadn’t absorbed a single word.

Question 3: Diagram the twelve primary Essentia circuits within the human body, labeling the critical nodes where dimensional energy interfaces with biological systems.

Xavier tapped his pencil against the desk. He could bluff his way through most situations, but this was beyond even his considerable bullshitting abilities.

"Professor," Naomi raised her hand, her gold jewelry jingling slightly with the movement. "Is this really first-day material?"

Rousseau’s eyebrows shot up. "But of course! Did you not attend yesterday’s lecture? We covered the foundational mathematics of dimensional interference patterns and their relationship to Essentia manifestation."

"We did?" Beppo whispered, loud enough for half the class to hear.

"Indeed!" Rousseau spun in place, arms wide.

Xavier caught Alexander’s eye. The tall, serious student gave a small nod, as if confirming that yes, this had actually happened.

"Perhaps," Rousseau continued, his enthusiasm undimmed, "some of you were distracted by the wonder of your first day? No matter! This assessment will simply show us where we need to focus our future discussions!"

Xavier looked down at his paper again. He’d written exactly nothing.

"Is this some kind of sick joke?" Kyrie asked bluntly, his pink eyes narrowed. "These are graduate-level questions."

"Joke? Non, non!" Rousseau looked genuinely perplexed. "These are the basics! The mere introduction to gate theory! How can we progress to the fascinating complexities if we do not first master the fundamentals?"

Xavier raised his hand. "Professor, I think there might be a misunderstanding about what constitutes ’fundamentals’ for first-year students."

Rousseau’s hazel eyes widened. "You think so?" He moved to Xavier’s desk in three strides, peering down at the blank paper. "But surely you remember our discussion of the Klein-Gordon equations? I used the red chalk for the critical variables!"

"I had a migraine," Xavier admitted, deciding honesty might be his best approach. "I wasn’t able to focus on much of anything yesterday."

"Ah!" Rousseau straightened, snapping his fingers. "A medical condition! That explains one student, but..." He looked around the room, noting the many blank papers. "Surely not everyone suffered from migraines?"

Silence met his question.

"I remember," Alexander finally said. "You covered the mathematical underpinnings of dimensional theory, but perhaps at a pace that was... challenging to follow."

"Challenging?" Rousseau pressed a hand to his chest. "But I was so clear!"

"Professor," Nolan spoke up, "I followed most of your lecture, but I believe you may have started at a point beyond standard first-year curriculum. The Valdez-Miyazaki formula is typically introduced in third-year advanced gate theory."

"Is it?" He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "But it’s so fundamental to understanding gate dynamics! How can one progress without it?"

"We usually start with basic gate classification and structure," Nolan explained, pushing his glasses up. "The mathematical models come later, after students have practical experience with gate environments."

"How pedestrian," Rousseau sighed dramatically. Then he brightened. "But perhaps you’re right! I sometimes forget that not everyone sees the mathematical beauty of dimensional theory as intuitively as I do!" He clapped his hands together. "Very well! We shall adjust!"

He collected the assessment papers with the same theatrical flair he’d used to distribute them.

"Instead, let us begin anew! A fresh start!" He pulled a piece of chalk from his pocket and wrote on the board in large letters: GATE BASICS.

"Now," he turned back to the class, "who can tell me the primary classification system for gates?"

Alexander raised his hand. "Gates are classified by tier, one through five, with additional subdivisions of low, medium, and high within each tier."

"Excellent!" Rousseau beamed. "And what determines a gate’s tier classification?"

"Size, stability, monster strength, and crystal yield," Naomi answered without raising her hand. "Higher tiers are larger, less stable, have stronger monsters, and produce more valuable crystals."

"Perfect!" Rousseau spun to write these points on the board. "And how many Primal Gates exist in our world?"

"Seven," multiple students answered at once.

"And why are Primal Gates significant?" Rousseau asked, pointing his chalk at the class like a conductor’s baton.

"They’re the original tears in reality from the Genesis Event," Xavier answered. "Unlike normal gates, they never close naturally and serve as permanent connections to other dimensions."

"Very good, Monsieur Valentine!" Rousseau nodded approvingly. "And have any hunters successfully closed a Primal Gate?"

"No," Xavier said, thinking of his own mission with Calypso. "Many have tried. None have succeeded."

"Indeed! The ultimate achievement still awaits its hero! Perhaps someone in this very room will one day accomplish what no hunter has managed!"

The class continued in this vein, with Rousseau guiding them through basic gate theory at a much more reasonable pace. His teaching style remained theatrical—he used his entire body to illustrate concepts.

"Now, we must discuss something beyond the standard curriculum," Rousseau said, his voice lower than before. "Gate types—not tiers, but categorical variations that exist within our classification system."