"Man... Am i black or what?" Noah thought to himself, noticing some of the looks that were discriminatory, condescending, and filled with contempt, making him even more anxious.
Noah tried to ignore these looks and avoid any eye contact, until someone stood in front of him and Luo Yan, blocking their path and stopping them from moving any further.
The boy was tall, with a slender yet proportionate build. His skin was pale, his short black hair neatly styled, with a few strands falling on his forehead. His eyes were sharp and emerald green, and his eyebrows were slightly straight above a defined nose. He had thin lips and a sharp jawline. He wore the Nova University uniform, clearly a student, and had a small silver earring in his right ear.
Luo Yan looked at the boy with irritation, and from her expression, Noah could tell they knew each other.
"Cyprian, what are you doing? Step aside," Luo Yan said, clearly annoyed, ordering him to move.
"Before that, who's the guy you brought with you? We weren't informed about a new student joining the university—what does this mean?!" Cyprian said, his emerald eyes glowing with irritation and suspicion.
What puzzled Noah the most was that apparently the university had to notify students about any new arrivals, or at least that's what he gathered from their conversation—something definitely suspicious.
"I don't need to inform anyone if I'm bringing a new student or not. The professor already approved it—I was sent on her behalf. If you understand that, then move aside," Luo Yan said, clearly irritated. Noah noticed her crimson eyes glowing, strands of her hair lighting up with reddish-orange sparks as small sparks of energy surrounded her.
"Even so, you should've informed everyone. Your arrogant behavior could endanger us all," Cyprian replied, his emerald eyes glowing. Noah felt a light wind swirling around them, gathering around Cyprian. Noah sensed the tension in the air as everyone nearby stepped back. He could tell a clash was about to erupt between Cyprian and Luo Yan.
"Looks like you forgot who used to beat you up back when you were still sucking your mother's milk?!" Luo Yan snapped, her hair flaring up with red energy. Noah felt the temperature rise around them.
"That was when I was a child—your arrogance is seriously annoying!" Cyprian said, his cheeks turning slightly red from embarrassment, but the flush quickly disappeared as a gust of strong wind whipped around him.
In a sudden, shocking moment, both Luo Yan and Cyprian lunged at each other with blinding speed, each throwing a punch. Their fists collided mid-air, releasing a thunderous shockwave that sent dust and energy scattering everywhere. Noah stepped back, coughing from the dust.
"What the hell just happened?!" Noah thought in panic, his anxiety growing by the second. But before Cyprian and Luo Yan could clash further, Noah noticed a swift shadow appear between them. As the dust began to clear, Luo Yan felt her hand stuck in something—and so did Cyprian. When the dust fully cleared, everyone saw a woman standing between them, having grabbed both of their hands and forced them away from each other.
"P-Professor?!" Luo Yan said in shock, seeing her teacher standing before her.
The woman looked to be in her early thirties. Her skin was fair, almost pale, like someone who rarely saw sunlight. Her dark red hair was cut sharply at the jawline, with strands falling around her face like flames in a dark night. Her hazel eyes were deep and intense.
She wore a loose, heavy black cloak that concealed her figure, flowing gently with her movements as if part of the shadows themselves. The edges of the cloak were embroidered with faint silver threads that only shimmered under certain light, forming ancient, forgotten symbols.
"What the fuck were you two trying to do?!" the professor said in a low voice, her tone composed but clearly annoyed based on her facial expression, even though she tried to hide it in her voice.
"Using your powers in public areas violates university rules! If you want to fight this intensely, take it to the arena!" the professor continued. Noah noticed that her body's nerves were visible under her translucent skin, glowing red, moving slowly from her spine to her hands.
"W-Wait! I-I didn't start this fight on purpose—!" Luo Yan stammered, her voice filled with fear. But the nerves in the professor's hands had already reached her fingertips. Both Cyprian and Luo Yan screamed in pain, falling to their knees as they tried to pull their hands away from the professor's grip. Noah watched in alarm and confusion, noticing that no one else dared to help—fear and hesitation filled their eyes.
After a few seconds, the professor let go of their hands. The pain vanished instantly, as if it had never been there. She glanced at Noah out of the corner of her eye, and he felt chills run down his spine.
She then turned fully toward Noah and began walking toward him. Noah took a step back, but in a blink, she appeared directly in front of him, standing silently, saying nothing, which only made him more nervous. But then, she smiled brightly, like the sun, and looked at him with warmth, reaching out her hand for a handshake.
"Hello~ I'm Professor Mei Rinho. You must be the new student, right?" Mei Rinho said, her tone genuine and free of any hidden intentions. Noah felt a bit of relief and shook her hand. She gripped it firmly and shook it with enthusiasm. He noticed a strange faint smile that quickly vanished, but didn't think much of it. Mei Rinho's cheerfulness and radiant smile eased his tension, making him forget the clash that had just occurred and how she had appeared out of nowhere. He was convinced she was kind—different from the other students he'd met so far.
"Tell me, what's your name?" Mei Rinho asked, still smiling as she let go of his hand.
"I'm Noah Grace," Noah replied, feeling a little uneasy—Mei Rinho seemed very extroverted, and he didn't know how to handle people like that.
"Ah, Noah Grace. What a unique name. It suits a handsome guy like you," Mei Rinho said boldly, testing how his name felt on her tongue. Then she nearly closed her eyes while giving him a sharp look.
"Tell me, Noah, if you don't mind—what's your skill?" she asked with curiosity.
Noah felt uneasy. This was always a difficult question for him to answer. His answer used to always be, "I don't have one," and he had gotten so used to that shame that it became a habit—one he hated. But now, it was different. He had more than one ability, and the system granted him skills with every completed mission. Deep down, he wanted to shout that he did have a power—that there was no shame in it. But at the same time, he didn't want to put himself in danger. It was suspicious. People would see him as either a threat or an opportunity and try to use him.
So Noah didn't want to take the risk and tell her. But at the same time, he didn't want to say he had no skill—he didn't want to return to his old life. So he chose to stay vague.
"If it's alright… I'd prefer not to tell anyone about my skill. I'd rather keep it hidden," Noah said nervously, scratching the back of his head with a nervous smile.
Mei Rinho stood silently for a moment, not making a move—like a body without a soul. Then she coughed slightly, as if something had shocked her.
"If that's what you want, that's fine. But here, you will have to inform me. You can't hide something like your skill from the faculty," Mei Rinho said, sounding a bit concerned. That surprised Noah. He expected her to press further and try to get the information out of him, but instead, she backed off—even though her expression said otherwise.
Noah simply nodded in agreement as his only response.
At that moment, Mei Rinho turned her back to Noah and began walking away.
"I'll leave now. Luo Yan, take him for a tour and show him around. There's no need to tell him the latest news here—he's new and there's no point in worrying him. Also, meet me with Cyprian before sunset to receive proper punishment for violating university rules," Mei Rinho said as she walked farther away until she disappeared from Noah's sight.
Luo Yan sighed in annoyance and cast a frustrated look at Cyprian before standing up and walking over to Noah, who was still lost in thought, replaying Mei Renho's words in his mind. He felt a bit uneasy about the part where she told Luo Yan not to inform him of the latest news and that there was no need to worry him. Just as he suspected—something strange was definitely going on inside the university grounds.
Suddenly, Luo Yan snapped her fingers near Noah's face, pulling him out of his overthinking.
"Let's get out of here now," she said, still clearly annoyed with Cyprian, who remained on his knees on the ground, staring in the direction Professor Mei Rinho had walked off. Still, Luo Yan grabbed Noah's hand and began dragging him around the place, as usual.