CHAPTER 66: CLASS RESTART

Chapter 65 : Class Restart

1st year Class A

The silence in the room was suffocating.

Evelyn Whitehound stood at the front, arms folded loosely, her silver-blonde hair catching the light as if spun from glass. Her heels clicked once, twice, against the marble, the only sound daring to exist in the tension-choked classroom.

Then—unexpectedly her lips curved.

"You did well."

The words struck harder than any mana pressure.

Dozens of cadets blinked in disbelief, like soldiers braced for a sword only to be offered a hand instead.

"During the demon incursion," Evelyn continued, her voice smooth but carrying the weight of command,

"you were first-years. Children, still untested, unsharpened. You were supposed to be the victims."

A ripple moved through the class. Some stiffened, others lowered their eyes. Memories of blood, screams, and crushing mana surged like a tide none of them wished to relive.

"And yet," Evelyn said, her tone sharpening, "you fought. You survived. More importantly you stood together."

Her gaze swept the front row. Leon, posture stiff as ever, swallowed faintly, pride and frustration warring in his chest. Selena met Evelyn’s eyes calmly, violet gaze betraying nothing. Chris lowered his head slightly in quiet acknowledgment, while Lyra’s grin widened, fiery hair glowing brighter in the light.

Evelyn’s eyes moved down the second row. Eric leaned back in his seat, smirk already twitching at the edges. Elara folded her arms, composed but cold. Aurelia wore her noble grace like armor, while Aiden looked like he might burst from restless energy.

Finally—her gaze found the third row.

Me.

Michael Willson.

The faintest smile tugged at Evelyn’s lips again, though it carried something different or something calculated.

"And above all... it was Michael Willson who held the line."

A pin dropped in the silence.

Every head turned toward me.

My stomach twisted, but I forced my posture to remain steady, my chin resting on my palm as though I hadn’t expected this. My heart pounded loud enough I swore half the class could hear it.

Evelyn’s voice sharpened, each word deliberate.

"Without his strategy, many more of you would have died. He thought quickly, assigned roles, created formations, and turned panic into order. You lived because of it. Remember that."

Leon’s jaw tightened. His fists clenched against his thighs, eyes flicking toward me with something unreadable—resentment? Envy? Or perhaps shame.

Eric snorted loudly. "Strategy, huh. More like dumb luck."

Several nobles murmured agreement. Whispers tangled in the air.

"A commoner...?"

"Does he think he’s a commander now?"

"This is ridiculous—"

I didn’t move. I let them glare. Let them whisper daggers.

Because Evelyn’s words weren’t for them.

They were for me.

And I felt the weight of them like fire on my skin.

"Do not misunderstand," Evelyn said suddenly, cutting through the muttering.

.

"Michael Willson is not your savior. Nor is he your shield. What he proved is that strength is not only the swing of a blade or the flash of mana it is the mind that wields both. Without strategy, you are children swinging sticks at shadows. Remember that lesson."

She let the silence stretch. The tension coiled tighter.

Then her smile vanished, and her voice hardened.

"But survival is not enough."

The air chilled.

"You survived once. Barely. If you believe that makes you strong, you are mistaken. Survival without growth only guarantees you will die later, slower, and far more painfully."

Her words hit like hammers against bone. I could feel the class collectively hold its breath.

"That is why your next trial begins." Evelyn unfolded her arms, her aura rising faintly a reminder of the sheer gulf between her and us. "The VR Dungeon Simulation."

Evelyn’s heels clicked once against the floor, echoing in the still silence.

"The VR Dungeon Simulation," she repeated, her tone colder now, stripped of all softness. "Your next test will not be fought in flesh and blood, but do not mistake that for leniency. The simulation mirrors reality. You will feel exhaustion. You will feel pain. And you will feel fear. If you hesitate, you will fail."

A buzz of whispers immediately broke out across the rows.

"VR dungeon... already?"

"That’s second-year level!"

"Wait, I thought those were just for Hunter trainees, not cadets—"

Evelyn raised a single finger. Silence returned like a curtain falling.

"You will enter the Academy’s VR Chambers. Each of you will be assigned a cabin. Inside, the AI system known as SORA will generate a virtual avatar—an exact reflection of your current strength, skills, and attributes. Every technique, every spell, every ounce of mana you possess will be replicated."

Her eyes swept the room, sharp as blades.

"SORA was designed by the Hunter Association and our own researchers. It exists for one purpose: to strip away illusions. Nobility, wealth, birth—none of it matters in the simulation. Only your skill, your decisions, and your strength will determine your ranking."

That hit. Even from my seat, I could feel the ripple of discomfort spreading through the nobles. Their power had always been propped up by family crests, enchanted heirlooms, and carefully tailored training. A world where only their raw selves mattered? That was terrifying.

Evelyn smirked faintly. "You will log in with your Academic Watches. Each watch contains your ID, your mana signature, and your combat record. Once linked, your body will enter suspension, and your avatar will enter the dungeon."

Chris raised his hand, voice even. "Instructor... what kind of dungeon?"

Evelyn nodded once, as though she expected the question. "A standard D-rank. The monsters inside will range from F to D, culminating in a D-rank core guardian. Your objective: find and destroy the Dungeon Core."

She let the words hang before finishing:

"Teams of five. Your ranking will be determined by time taken to complete the trial. The faster your team clears, the higher your standing. Fail to clear within the time limit... and your team will be ranked dead last."

Gasps, mutters, and nervous glances rippled through the room.

Leon straightened in his seat, jaw tightening. Selena’s calm never faltered, though her scythe-calloused fingers drummed faintly against her desk. Lyra actually pumped her fist, grinning from ear to ear.

Meanwhile, Eric leaned back lazily, his smirk spreading wider. "So... we just have to clear faster than everyone else? That’s it?"

"Correct." Evelyn’s eyes narrowed, though not at him specifically. "But remember—time isn’t just speed. The system evaluates efficiency. Recklessness, wasted mana, unnecessary injuries... all of it will slow you down. And if even one of your team falls, your ranking suffers."

Eric chuckled low. "Hah. Then this’ll be easy."

I felt his gaze slide toward me, sharp and mocking. "Some of us won’t need to hide behind ’strategies’ when the time comes."

Several nobles snickered. Ren smirked in sync with him, trying far too hard to copy Eric’s swagger.

I didn’t respond. I kept my eyes on Evelyn.

But inside... my blood simmered.

Evelyn’s gaze flicked between us, lingering on me again. For the briefest moment, I saw her eyes narrow—curiosity? Amusement? Calculation?

Then her voice cut sharp across the tension.

"Good. Let that fire burn. You’ll need it."

The class stilled as her aura pulsed faintly, brushing against our skin like static.

"Your trial begins next week. Until then—train, sharpen, prepare. Because once you step into the VR world, there will be no excuses."

She turned on her heel, silver hair swaying, and strode toward the door.

"Class dismissed."

The door shut behind her with a soft clack.

The room erupted instantly.

"She praised him again—"

"Tch. Does she really think a commoner led us?"

"VR dungeon... this is insane."

"Hah. Let’s see Willson try to command us in there. See how long he lasts."

I ignored the venom. I stared at my Academic Watch, the faint rune-light pulsing against my wrist.

A D-rank dungeon. Five-man team. Rankings by time.

It was just a test. Just a simulation.

...But something in Evelyn’s eyes told me it was going to be far more than that.

But I was ready for VR Test because this morning I got my rewards of my hard work.

(Michael POV— Morning)

The ceiling above me was white, too white. Sterile, glowing faintly with the enchanted lamps that lined the corners. For a moment, I couldn’t place where I was. My chest rose and fell in shallow breaths, each one a reminder that, somehow, I was still alive.

"...Hospital?" My voice rasped against my throat.

The faint smell of healing incense confirmed it. Arcade Academy’s infirmary, the highest-tier one reserved for combat injuries.

Memories flooded back in fragments—the roar of the demon commander, the shattering of ice, the screams of classmates, the way my own body gave out when the mana pillar collapsed. My muscles ached even now, phantom pain threading through my limbs.

A week. That’s what the healers said. I’d been unconscious for seven whole days. My classmates had already returned to their training. Leon. Selena. Lyra. Even Eric. And me? I’d been stuck in this pristine cage of white sheets and glowing runes.

But strangely... I didn’t feel frustrated. My body was light, stronger, as if every cell had been reforged in fire and quenched in ice. The healers called it "remarkable recovery speed." They didn’t know it was something else.

Something the System had woven into me.

I exhaled slowly. Alright. Let’s see it.

"System. Status."

The translucent blue screen snapped into existence with a faint chime, hovering just above my bed. Rows of text unfolded, neat and merciless.

---

[ Ding! Quest Completed ]

MAIN QUEST: Survival of the First Arc Event

⏳ Time: Ended

✅ Status: Complete

Rewards:

+20 Stat Points

+1 Skill Upgrade Card

+20,000 SP

---

[ Ding! Side Quest Completed ]

Side Quest 1: Save Major Main Cast

Targets: 1. Eric William, 2. Maria Frostheart

(2/2) ✅

Reward: 1x Trait Selection Card

---

Side Quest 2: Kill 10 Demon Soldiers

Task: (10/10) ✅

Rewards: +5 Stat Points, +10,000 SP

---

Side Quest 3: Kill the Demon Summoner

❌ Incomplete

Reward Locked.

---

I stared at the last one for a long moment. My lips thinned. The summoner got away... Derisu Vengraud. I should’ve known he wouldn’t die that easily.

Still, the completed quests made the screen flare with light, showering my body with warmth. My muscles tensed, then relaxed, as if they were soaking in liquid fire.

Twenty-five unallocated points. Thirty thousand SP. Cards I haven’t even touched yet...

This wasn’t just recovery. This was evolution.

The System had rewarded me for surviving. For fighting. For changing the script.

A faint laugh escaped my throat. "So I really did it. I changed the story."

Leon hadn’t been the commander that night. I had. And because of that, we were all still alive.

The thought made my chest tighten with something I couldn’t name. Pride? Fear? Responsibility? All of it tangled together like barbed wire.

I clenched my fists against the sheets, nails biting into my palms. No. This isn’t the time for weakness. If the script is shifting already, then I need to be ready for everything that comes next.