C22 The First Lesson of the Semester

Every student fixed a steely gaze on the trio from the Dawn Society.

They had tolerated the trio's disregard for the Goddess.

But now, these same three had the audacity to sleep during Captain Reira's lecture.

That was simply unforgivable.

Yet, to everyone's surprise, Captain Reira, standing at the podium, looked at the Dawn Society's members and broke into a smile.

She was reminded of her own rebellious days at the academy, where she too was a troublemaker.

Back then, the empire had no War Net. Students trained in live combat, honing their Spiritual Energy and combat skills.

To grow stronger, one had to constantly fight for real.

Students brawled, challenged upperclassmen, and even ambushed teachers—such occurrences were daily events.

Reira had risen to the top of the academy by defeating every elite expert to establish the Academy Team.

Attendance at lectures was optional, provided you were strong enough.

Reira's return to the academy was at the dean's behest. He had mentioned several promising students this year and wanted her to assist in their training, to form a team that could bring back the academy's former glory.

This very first class was also the dean's idea.

He tasked her with selecting a handful of powerful second-year students to be potential team candidates.

He chose the second year as the starting point because they were the most exceptional class to date.

After the second year, the selection would move to the first years, then the third and fourth years.

With just one month until the Imperial Academy Competition, assembling the Academy Team was urgent.

"Now, let's begin the class!" Reira announced.

With that, she unleashed the ferocious Spiritual Energy within her, a hallmark of a Master Stage combatant in the War Net, signifying she was at least a Class A Psionic Warrior of the empire.

Captain Reira's Spiritual Energy manifested as a colossal storm, carrying with it a sharp killing intent that swept through the hall in an instant.

Her selection method was straightforward and brutal. Those left standing in the wake of the storm, still conscious, would be deemed qualified.

The entire venue was like a scene from a tempest, with countless students collapsing and losing consciousness.

Oddly enough, the tables and chairs remained perfectly in place, untouched by the chaos.

Such is the might of the Empire's Class A Psionic Warrior—her mastery over Spiritual Energy is nothing short of formidable.

In the wake of the Spiritual Energy Storm, only two remained conscious: the revered Goddess Selina and Lee Yuan, the president of the Flame Dragon Society, the academy's second-largest club after the Thorns.

Lee Yuan, much like Selina, was among the academy's top three masters.

He was also one of Selina's many admirers.

"Congratulations, Selina!" Lee Yuan beamed with a self-assured smile.

As designated members of the Academy Team, they had been privy to certain confidential details from the dean. They were well aware that this was Captain Reira's unique method of selecting her team, so they remained unfazed.

But Selina seemed unimpressed by Lee Yuan's grin.

Her cheeks were rosy as her gaze settled on the trio from the Dawn Society.

More specifically, she was looking at Lin Luo.

Her eyes blazed with an intense fervor.

In the moment Captain Reira unleashed her Spiritual Energy, Selina distinctly felt an equally warm surge of Spiritual Energy.

This energy had cocooned the Dawn Society trio, shielding them from Captain Reira's powerful blast.

Thanks to that, they were now sprawled across their desks, still intact.

And the source of that protective Spiritual Energy? Lin Luo himself.

Was this an outward projection of Spiritual Energy?

Noticing Selina's disregard for him and her heated stare towards the slumbering Lin Luo, Lee Yuan's face clouded over with displeasure.

Both were esteemed masters at the academy, and many had informally paired Lee Yuan and Selina as an ideal couple.

Lee Yuan had taken to considering Selina as his to win over, pursuing her with relentless fervor.

Yet Selina had always maintained a cool distance.

And now, she was bestowing such an impassioned look upon someone deemed worthless.

Lee Yuan's eyes flickered with a glint of resentment as he glanced at Lin Luo.

And in that moment...

The trio from the Dawn Society gradually came to their senses.

Su Xiaoyu stretched languidly, only to notice his classmates sprawled out unconscious around him.

He was momentarily dazed, scratching the back of his head in confusion.

What exactly was happening?

The Assassin Girl, on the other hand, remained nonchalant.

It seemed that nothing, save for matters concerning the War Net, could ruffle her—even if the sky were crashing down.

Lin Luo, on the contrary, was well aware of the situation.

But he had no desire to speak at the moment.

He was just so very tired...