CHAPTER 254: CONTROVERSAL OF FIRST AND THIRD YEARS.

The same day where Cecelia was unconscious.

At the Orwen mana class.

Students were slumped over their desks, tired after a long day of lessons and practice.

Mr. Orwen, the mana theory instructor, had just left.

The moment it closed, the class fell into that strange half-silence of relief — some students chatting quietly, others yawning, some already dozing off.

Elysia rested her head against the desk, her hair covering part of her face.

A few seats away, Edwin stretched his arms and groaned.

"Ahhh... what a boring day," he muttered, slumping deeper into his chair.

His voice was drowsy, the kind that said he didn’t care about anything in the world right now.

He yawned once more, scratched his head, and closed his eyes.

Within moments, his steady snore joined the hum of mana stones glowing along the classroom wall.

Outside the windows, it was the day sun shining.

A sudden shout cut through the stillness.

"Oyee... Oyeee!"

The voice was bold and mocking, coming from the corridor outside.

Several first-year students stiffened, turning toward the door.

The sound was followed by loud footsteps, several of them, getting closer and closer.

Then came the pounding.

THUD!

THUD!

THUD!

The entire wooden door rattled against its frame.

Some students near the entrance flinched. A few hurried to the door and pushed it shut, locking the latch.

"W-what’s going on?" whispered one of them nervously.

Another student peeked through the narrow window slit. His eyes widened. "It’s... it’s the third-years!"

Murmurs spread across the class.

"What do they want here?"

"what?..."

"Didn’t they already cause trouble last week outside Arcadia?"

The noise outside grew louder, laughter, boots scraping, someone whistling mockingly.

Then a voice with arrogance, spoke from beyond the door.

"Are you all scared in there?"

Everyone was silenced.

Inside the classroom, no one answered. Most of the first-years looked uneasy.

A few clutched their books and glanced toward the window as if wondering whether to escape through it.

At the back of the room, Elysia stirred slightly but didn’t wake.

Edwin turned over on his desk, still half asleep.

"Eh, what’s that noise?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "Can’t they just let me nap for five minutes?"

BOOOM!

The door flew open with a deafening crash.

The wooden frame splintered as the metal latch snapped.

The sound echoed through the class like an explosion.

Dust rose in the air.

Standing at the doorway was a man.

His uniform sleeves were rolled up.

It was Ethan, the Rank 2 student of the third-year class.

He stepped inside with slow, deliberate confidence, his presence immediately filling the room.

Behind him stood four other third-year students, all grinning as if they were there for entertainment.

The first-years froze.

Only a handful of top students that are Jin, Elysia, Edwin, and two others, didn’t flinch.

But Elysia was still asleep, her head resting peacefully on her folded arms.

Ethan’s gaze swept across the room.

"Who are the rescue team members from Blackstone Valley?" he shouted.

No one answered.

Ethan’s smirk twisted into a scowl.

"What? Cat got your tongue?"

No one dared to speak.

Some students looked away; others stared at their desks, pretending not to hear.

From the corner of the room, a soft voice spoke up.

"Does the third year have no manners?"

Heads turned instantly toward the sound.

It was Elysia, who had just woken up, blinking drowsily as she brushed her hair from her face.

Her tone wasn’t loud, but the quietness of the room made her words ring clearly.

A few students nearby panicked.

"Shhhh... Elysia! What are you saying?" whispered a boy urgently.

"Don’t provoke them!" hissed another girl.

But it was too late.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

"What was that?" he said, stepping closer. His boots clacked sharply on the floor.

No one replied.

He glanced around the classroom, scanning faces.

Then, without warning, he grabbed a girl near the front by her hair and yanked her head back.

"Was that you?" he growled.

"Ahhh—!" she cried softly, her hands trembling as she tried to pull away. Her eyes were welled up with tears.

The entire class froze.

Then, from the back of the room, a voice spoke.

"Oy."

It was a deep voice.

Jin, who had been lying across two chairs with his eyes half closed, slowly sat up.

"What the hell do you think you’re doing?" Jin said evenly.

Ethan laughed, releasing the girl’s hair with a shove.

"Ohhh, look who’s finally awake. The so-called hero of the first-years," he sneered.

"You’re one of the rescuers from the valley, aren’t you?"

Jin’s jaw tightened. "You got a problem with that?"

Several first-year students glanced nervously between them.

They knew the history, ever since the Blackstone Valley mission, the relationship between the third- and first-years had been on edge.

Ethan took a slow step forward, crossing his arms.

"I’ve got a problem when arrogant brats think they can play hero and mess up."

Jin stood up fully.

"And I’ve got a problem with cowards who kick down doors and threaten girls."

The words struck hard to Ethan.

Ethan’s grin faded. "What did you say?"

Jin didn’t blink. "You heard me."

For a moment, the entire classroom held its breath.

Then, with a flash of movement, Ethan’s mana surged.

His right hand glowed faintly, energy pulsing through his veins.

He raised it, forming a faint mana whip — a practice-level combat spell, weak but painful enough to humiliate.

Several students gasped.

"Stop!" someone shouted. "This is against the rules!"

But Ethan ignored them and swung the whip down.

Jin raised his arm just in time.

The mana whip struck his forearm with a sharp crack, and a spark of energy scattered through the air.

Jin winced slightly but didn’t step back.

"Still standing?" Ethan mocked.

"Barely felt it," Jin replied.

Before Ethan could swing again, a faint humming sound filled the room — the sound of concentrated mana.

Elysia had stood up.

"That’s enough," she shouted.

Even Ethan hesitated.

She took a step forward. "You’ve already made your point. Now leave."

The third-years behind Ethan exchanged uncertain glances.

They all knew who Elysia was — one of the academy’s most promising first-years, someone

Professor Sylvia herself had praised publicly.

But Ethan wasn’t one to back down easily.

"Or what?" he said, smirking again. "You’ll fight me too?"

Elysia’s expression didn’t change. "If I have to."

The room went utterly silent.

Even Edwin, who had been half-asleep through most of the chaos, finally sat up and scratched his head.

"Damn, I can’t even nap in peace," he said with a sleepy voice.

He glanced toward Elysia and sighed. "You sure you wanna pick a fight now?"

"Stay out of this, Edwin," Elysia said without looking back.

"Fine, fine," he said, leaning back casually, "but if the room explodes, I’m blaming you."

Ethan clenched his fists.

His mana flared again, but before he could make another move, a new voice boomed from the doorway.

"What in the world is going on here!?"

Everyone turned.

It was Mr. Orwen, holding a stack of scrolls. His eyes blazed with fury as he looked at the shattered door, the frightened students, and the manner still crackling faintly in the air.

"Third-years," he said coldly, "I leave for now, and this is what you do?"

Ethan tried to speak. "Sir, we were just—"

"Silence!"

Mr. Orwen’s aura flared slightly, heavier than any student’s. The very air seemed to press down on everyone.

"You will all report to the disciplinary chamber immediately," he said. "And if I ever hear of this behavior again, you’ll be expelled before you can blink."

"What do you do for your juniors?" he said.

No one said anything.

"Now leave".

The third-years lowered their heads, muttering under their breath as they left. Ethan shot Jin one last glare before turning away.

When they were gone, Mr. Orwen turned to the first-years.

"Are you all alright?" he asked.

The students nodded hesitantly.

He sighed. "Good. But next time, don’t try to handle this yourselves. Call for a teacher."

Elysia nodded respectfully. "Yes, sir."

Mr. Orwen gave a small nod, glanced once more at the broken door, and muttered something about repair requests before leaving again.

When the tension finally eased, Edwin stood up, stretching with a loud yawn.

"Well," he said lazily, "that was more exciting than the entire lecture."

Jin chuckled softly. "You really slept through all of it, didn’t you?"

"Mostly," Edwin said with a grin. "Next time, wake me up before things explode."

Elysia sighed, rubbing her forehead. "You’re impossible."

The other students slowly began to relax, whispering among themselves. The fear that had filled the room was finally fading.

But as Jin glanced toward the door, he couldn’t shake off the feeling that this was only the beginning.

That evening everyone was leaving the class.

Edwin was waiting for Elysia and Jin at the gate of the academy.

Only Elysia came that time.

Jin was asleep in the class itself.

When he woke everyone left the class.

Then he hurriedly left the class and headed towards home.

After he left the gate several meters there he saw five persons like a shadow from the distance.

"Edwin and Elysia? Is that you?" he said to himself.