Shiritori, huh... What a thrill

Eliminating over 300 people in one go… No matter how I try to spin it, that's still a massive number.

It honestly made me worry about just how brutal the curriculum at this place was. For some reason, I couldn't find much information on what kind of tasks or lessons the academy actually gave its students, so I figured I'd better start expecting the worst from now on.

And maybe… maybe the elimination tests weren't over yet. From what I could tell, this academy had no interest in anything but polishing the best of the best to their very limits.

"Sorry to ask out of nowhere… but you were the one who unleashed that crazy fire vortex during the second test, right?"

Hikaru, speaking with polite curiosity, dropped the question on me.

"Ah… yeah. Though I have no idea how I even pulled it off, honestly… heh."

I replied with a half-joking tone, hoping he’d just drop it and not dig deeper.

Ever since I woke up this morning and sat in this chair, I'd been getting all kinds of looks—curious, wary, even fearful. It was stressing me out more than I wanted to admit.

"Man, it was terrifying to watch… but also really impressive. You looked super strong."

"...No, not really."

Impressive, huh…? He actually called that disaster an impressive skill. Twice.

I was honestly surprised by how he reacted. I mean, that whole thing had been labeled in so many different ways—disaster, vortex, explosion, technique… Each word reflected how people felt about what happened in that forest. About what I did to that forest. No doubt about it, the incident had completely changed how people saw me, even those who didn’t know me before. Now they looked at me with caution, even if they didn’t know my name.

And really, how was I supposed to answer someone asking about something like that? Especially when it was something completely unintentional. I was getting sick of hearing about it over and over in every conversation, but… it didn’t seem like the topic was going away anytime soon.

"....Everyone, take your seats."

Before I realized it, one of the supervisors—probably a teacher—entered the classroom, instantly drawing everyone's attention. A well-known figure… someone I’d just talked to an hour and a half ago.

And as soon as the class recognized him, most of the students stiffened up like soldiers responding to a superior officer’s command.

"Good. Wolf Class. I don’t think I need to introduce myself at this point, but for the sake of formality…"

With that usual steady—though slightly softer—tone, the supervisor began to speak.

"My name is Shin. I’m your instructor and class supervisor. First of all, allow me to congratulate you on passing and joining the academy. That in itself is no small feat, and you should take pride in it."

Yeah, this was different from the first time he spoke to us. This time, he was actually acknowledging our success instead of threatening us. He sounded more composed, less terrifying… or maybe I was just getting used to him.

"But don’t let that success weigh down your steps. This is just the beginning of your journey—a journey I can promise will be far more brutal and punishing than you expect. The end of that road might be the depths of hell… or the peak of the world. That, of course, depends entirely on you."

Aaaand he’s back. The fire-breathing dragon of a class instructor who serves up hell before heaven!

After lobbing that bomb into the classroom and watching it land with varying effects on every student, supervisor Shin scanned the room, as if reading everyone’s reactions one by one.

Wait… Is that guy smiling after hearing that speech? No matter how I try to look at it, that’s not excitement. That’s… something else.

Standing tall in front of the giant blackboard, Shin’s gaze moved slowly around the room, as if taking mental notes of every face. Of everyone here, I only knew Leo, Hikaru—who I’d just met—and that monster.

"Now that introductions are out of the way, let’s talk about how we operate this year."

After finishing his scan of the room, supervisor Shin dove straight into explaining how this hellhole worked—and more importantly, how to survive it without getting burned alive.

"There are two first-year classes in total. Each class has thirty-two students, and those are divided into eight teams—four students per team."

I kinda figured that might be the case… especially when I saw how these desks were arranged.

The moment supervisor Shin said that, he paused—and sure enough, I could see the waves of surprised and downright annoyed reactions spreading through the class.

Wait, really? They didn’t expect this? Shouldn’t most nobles at least have some idea about how this academy operates, or basic stuff like this?

Then again, I get it. If you're a noble or someone who prefers working solo, the idea of forced group work probably sounds like a nightmare. Or maybe they were just worried about teammates dragging them down.

But as it turns out, they really didn’t have much to worry about.

"Being placed in a team doesn’t necessarily mean every assignment must be done together. There are no strict rules forcing you to stay with your team at all times—not even during class. Even if a task requires teamwork, there’ll be a minimum contribution requirement. You won’t always have to do everything as a unit. That said, teamwork is a crucial priority, and if you want to advance, you’d better start treating it as such."

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

So basically, while teams aren’t mandatory for everything, they do matter. A lot.

"As for lessons and assignments, they come in two types: those done inside the classroom, and those out in the training grounds. Both will have midterms and finals. Failing either means repeating the entire year. Fail again, and you're expelled for incompetence."

Okay, that was more or less what everyone expected. Nothing too shocking there… though seriously, Shin, you don’t need to look directly at me when you say “incompetence.”

But what he said next—that was the real kicker.

"There will also be special exams that are unannounced. They can be triggered at any time during the academic year. These exams won’t just test your physical and mental capabilities—they'll evaluate everything you’ve learned, and everything you will learn in the academy. Failing even one means immediate expulsion. No exceptions."

With those cold, suffocating words, supervisor Shin dropped another bomb on the class like it was just his hobby.

I can’t say I expected that, but it really hammered home the academy’s philosophy: if you can’t make use of your talents, you’re dead weight.

It’s starting to feel like this place is less about teaching and more about filtering as many people out as possible. Even the gifted.

And it seems… I wasn’t the only one getting that impression.

"I have a question, Instructor…"

Finally, someone raised a hand—her hand—to ask something that probably every student was wondering about.

Supervisor Shin nodded slightly, giving her permission to speak. I think I even saw her hand trembling a little.

"…Do the special exams require teamwork?"

A simple question, but one everyone desperately wanted the answer to. Even I was curious.

Looking around the room, it was obvious—nobody wanted to take some unpredictable, dangerous test while being weighed down by someone else. Especially with the risk of expulsion hanging over their heads. Even solo, those tests sounded brutal. Add team dynamics into the mix? Total nightmare.

Everyone waited, hoping for some reassuring answer.

"Yes. Some special exams will require teamwork. In some cases, you’ll be working with more than four people to complete a mission and pass the exam."

"..."

Neither the girl nor the rest of the class looked thrilled about that answer.

Seriously, this man’s only talent seems to be tossing knifes into our morale.

But he’s right—we have to think this through. Now that we know some of these deathtrap tests require teamwork, anyone who’s bad with people—whether it’s because of their personality or lack of social skills—is gonna be a serious liability.

On the flip side… it doesn’t always have to be bad. There are rare cases where teamwork can be a blessing… if you’ve got the perfect team.

But that’s the thing—even if every student in this class is crazy talented, working with someone means more than just dealing with their skills. You have to deal with their personality, their habits, their methods.

For example: working with some stuck-up noble? That’s gonna be twice the effort and half the result. And hilariously enough, I can already spot more than a few nobles in this room—despite us all wearing the exact same uniform.

How do I put this…? They just stood out.

The majority of the nobles’ expressions were clear on their faces, while a few had different expressions, but looking at all of them, I couldn't spot a single happy face.

The possibility of being stuck with a weak member on my team, someone who could be a major weak link preventing the team from succeeding in the test, made me think of a question that had just crossed my mind.

"I have a question as well..."

I raised my hand, drawing the class's attention as I thought about the right way to phrase my question.

I’m weak. I know that all too well at this point, and if there are group tests, I’d definitely be the weak link. I’m fully aware of this, probably more than anyone else here, so I just needed to make sure of one thing.

One thing that would bother me, even if I joined a strong team.

So, I asked for the supervisor’s permission to answer.

"You said... there might be some tests that require group work... so, what if there’s a weak person in the team, someone who drags the whole team down to the bottom... will the whole team be expelled?"

Yes, it was an important question, and I really wanted to know the answer. I hesitated a bit before asking, staring at the supervisor’s face, waiting for his response with a bit of anxiety.

"...."

For some reason, he didn’t answer me directly.

Looking around the class, I could spot several people who seemed just as eager to know the answer to this question. Especially those with weaker skills, they would definitely show a lot of interest in the answer I was waiting for. If I were strong and got expelled because of a weak person, I’m not sure how I’d feel about that person, other than wanting to kill them. Honestly, that’s what I’d think.

And if group expulsion was the answer, then that would be an incredibly harsh decision in my opinion, but we’d have no choice but to accept it.

Finally, the supervisor answered my question.

"...No, the whole team won’t be expelled. There will be specific ways to determine who gets expelled."

It was a rather brief response, somewhat reassuring. But it was enough to calm everyone’s hearts.

I could hear a number of relieved sighs from here.

But that doesn’t mean the red line of expulsion isn’t still looming over me. I’ll still get expelled if I hinder my own team, and that’s a thought that won’t leave my mind.

Knowing that, I need to grow stronger, and faster, from now on.

After more questions from some concerned students and their responses, which weren’t exactly comforting, the teacher proceeded to explain how the class would be divided.

"As for the division, the academy has already split you according to certain points to ensure balance within the teams. If you have any complaints about your team, you can come to me after the period. But for now, listen carefully to the names of your teams and members."

After making the announcement, the supervisor pulled out a file from his coat and began reading out the names of the teams in a clear voice.

"Team Lamoth: John Crain, Kim Don, Nanasi Burke, Lilian Byrne. Team Iris: Luna Bildora... Bertolt..."

He started mentioning the names of the teams and their members, while the students listened intently, hoping that their teams would suit them.

As for me, I just hope I’m not placed in a team with any noble. Not that they’re all bad, but they’re just hard to deal with, even the nice ones. I’d feel a bit uncomfortable talking to them. And if the noble is arrogant and I’m weak, then it’s like carrying two burdens instead of one, which would probably result in the whole team failing. Even if I plan on getting stronger over time, having someone stubborn on the team would still cause a huge problem.

And nothing says I’m going to grow quickly here. Sure, it’s Stalefort, the best academy, but I’m a firm believer that personal effort, skills, and a little luck are what make someone strong in this unfair world.

Also... more importantly, I never—never, want to be on a team with that girl in it.

I was kind this time, calling her a "girl" instead of a "monster."

"Alright, Shiro! Let’s hope we’re on the same team! I’d be so worried if I left you with someone else. My heart won’t be able to handle seeing you suffer without me."

Seizing the opportunity while I was lost in thought, Leo expressed his genuine and pure desire for us to be on the same team.

"Thank you for your concern, my dear mother, but I’ll be fine. So, refrain from mocking me and keep quiet before our names get called..."

His teasing won’t stop, will it? No, no, I’m not annoyed by him, but how do I put it? It feels like he’s being serious, and that’s what’s creepy about it.

"Ahh, fine, but seriously, I’d prefer us to be on the same team so we can progress together!"

"Yeah, yeah, I hope so too."

I sighed in exasperation, then turned my attention back to Supervisor Shin.

A team with Leo, huh? I don’t mind that, actually. It’ll make things easier among the team members, especially with his cheerful and positive personality. And this time, I’ll make sure I’m not a burden to him or anyone else in our team.

But I also realize something. Something extremely annoying, despicable, but, logically, extremely likely. I realize that it’s impossible for fate to be kind enough to place me in the perfect team I want.

"Team Shiritori: Leo Hawk, Hikaru Fujin, Shiro Leonard, Alice Kazuchi."

My suspicions were immediately confirmed as I realized it, as though fate were mocking me. Supervisor Shin called out our team’s names.