THE NEXT DAY
XAVIER'S POINT OF VIEW:
The classroom was silent except for the sound of Professor Denlor's voice, explaining the differences between the various monster ranks—F, C, B, A, and S. He stood at the front, a large map of the surrounding wilderness displayed behind him, with monstrous creatures marked in red across the land.
"Now, class, as we've covered before, the monster ranks are divided based on power. F-rank monsters are considered weak, easy for students like you to handle. C-rank is where you begin to see true danger, but it's manageable with enough skill." Professor Denlor paused, adjusting his glasses as he moved his pointer to the next section. "B-rank are where most of you will face challenges. These creatures are fast, strategic, and stronger than most of you would expect. A-rank? Well, that's a different matter entirely. The truly dangerous beasts that even veteran hunters must approach with caution."
I glanced at Villiam sitting at the back of the room. His eyes were half-lidded, a clear sign of his disinterest. It wasn't just the lesson that bored him, it was the entire academy, the whole structure of it. He hated being here. It was so obvious. His entire body language screamed that he was above this. He didn't even care about the A-rank or S-rank monsters we were discussing, and everyone could tell.
"But the most dangerous, of course, are the S-rank monsters." Professor Denlor continued. "These creatures possess powers beyond anything most of you could imagine. Only those with true experience and true mastery over their skills should even attempt to face them. They can level entire villages in the blink of an eye."The professor explained.
"Yeah, like anyone here could take one on." Ren muttered under his breath, glancing toward Villiam, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Villiam, of course, didn't react, though the corners of his lips twitched in the barest sign of amusement. I turned my attention back to Professor Denlor, but I couldn't help but keep sneaking glances at Villiam. He was still leaning back in his chair, arms folded, eyes half-closed.
"Are you even listening, Blackstone?" Professor Denlor asked, his voice suddenly sharp.
Villiam didn't flinch. He didn't even bother to look up. "No." He replied flatly. "This is boring. I have killed most of the things you're talking about already. I don't need to waste time here listening to more of this."
The classroom fell silent. Everyone stared at him, but no one dared speak. Even Denlor seemed unsure of how to respond. He was a seasoned instructor, but it was clear that Villiam was the kind of student who made him uncomfortable.
"You can't just-" Professor Denlor began, but Villiam had already stood up, pushing his chair back with a screech that echoed through the room.
"I'll be outside." Villiam muttered before walking out of the classroom without another word.
There was a moment of hesitation in the room. Denlor seemed about to say something else, but then just sighed and turned back to the board.
"Class, let's move on." He said, though it was clear the lesson had lost much of its intended impact with Villiam's departure.
I glanced toward Ren and Karl. Both of them exchanged looks, their expressions a mix of concern and confusion.
The rest of the lesson dragged on. But as we continued, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
The next day topic was monster tactics, but as we all filed into the lecture hall, I noticed something odd. There was no sign of Villiam. At first, I assumed he was just late, but then the lesson started, and he still didn't show.
Professor Denlor, ever the professional, began his lecture, but I couldn't stop wondering why Villiam wasn't here. He was usually the first to leave class early, but now, he wasn't even showing up at all. Something didn't sit right with me. Finally, about halfway through the class, I couldn't take it anymore. I stood up, excusing myself to the professor, and made my way toward the door. I didn't know why I felt like I needed to check, but I had a gut feeling that something was wrong.
"You're skipping class again?" I asked, my voice a mix of frustration and concern.
Villiam didn't look at me.
"Yeah, I don't need this," he said with a nonchalant shrug. "You think I'm going to sit there and listen to them talk about stuff I already know how to do?"
I stared at him for a moment, trying to make sense of his words.
"You know, it's not like you're the only one struggling with this. We all have to sit through the lessons."I said.
He finally turned to look at me, but there was no anger in his eyes. Just indifference.
"Yeah, well, maybe I'm not like everyone else."He said.
I sighed, rubbing my forehead.
"You can't keep doing this. The teachers are here to help you, Villiam."I said.
Villiam's lips curled into a faint smirk.
"I don't need help. I'm doing fine without it." He explained.
I didn't know what else to say to that. He was stubborn, more so than anyone I'd ever met. And he was right, he didn't need the lessons. But in some way, I couldn't shake the feeling that he needed something more than just skills. Something the academy might be able to offer him, if he just let them.
The morning sun streamed through the large windows of the academy as we shuffled into the classroom for our third monster related lesson of the week. I could already feel the tension in the air another long lecture from the teachers, another lesson that Villiam would probably just ignore. But this time, something was different. Today, Professor Denlor had made sure that Villiam would stay for the lesson, despite his usual habit of skipping out.
As soon as Villiam walked in, there was an almost tangible shift in the atmosphere. Everyone knew why he was here, and no one seemed particularly happy about it. Villiam didn't make a show of entering, he just walked in, his dark eyes scanning the room before he dropped into his usual seat at the back.
"Since you've decided to stay today, Blackstone, I trust you'll find this lesson valuable." His tone was pointed, as if daring Villiam to challenge him again.
Denlor wasn't known for his patience, and he had been trying to reel Villiam in for the past few days, but so far, he had little success. Villiam didn't even look at him.
"I doubt it." He muttered, his voice dripping with indifference.
Professor Denlor sighed and began the lesson.
"Today, we're going to discuss how to deal with high-ranking monsters, particularly those of the A and S-rank varieties. Understanding their behavior, the weaknesses of their species, and how to approach them can make all the difference in a dangerous encounter. You will all be tested on this."Denlor said. I could see Villiam's eye twitch as the lesson went on. His lips pressed together in a thin line, and his fingers drummed impatiently on the desk.
"For an A-rank monster, you need to be prepared for its overwhelming strength and speed. You'll find that most of these creatures can't be defeated through brute force alone. Speed and agility are key. Take the Hunter Tiger, for example…" Professor Denlor continued, not noticing Villiam's growing impatience.
Ren, sitting next to me, nudged my shoulder.
"There's no way Blackstone's buying any of this. He already knows all this stuff." His voice was quiet, but there was an underlying awe in it, as if he, too, was curious about Villiam's real capabilities.
Before I could respond, the inevitable happened. Villiam leaned forward in his seat, his dark eyes glinting with an edge of annoyance.
"This is all wrong." Villiam suddenly cut in, his voice cutting through the lecture like a knife.
Everyone in the room stiffened, turning to look at him in surprise. Professor Denlor's eyes narrowed, his expression hardening in anger.
"Excuse me?"He asked.
Villiam didn't back down. He stood, his chair scraping loudly against the floor, and walked toward the front of the room. His presence commanded attention.
"You're teaching them how to fight the monsters, but you're giving them false information." He gestured toward the board, where a few monster types were outlined. "Speed and agility won't get you far against the true A-rank creatures. That's for sure. You need something far more… specialized."
I could feel the tension rise. Denlor looked at him, not hiding the irritation on his face.
"And what, exactly, are you suggesting, Blackstone?"He asked.
Villiam turned, his gaze sweeping across the class. His voice was steady, but his words were sharp.
"You're teaching them to expect monsters to be just faster and stronger, but you're not preparing them for the ones who think, who strategize, who'll lead you into traps. And you're teaching them to approach a fight head-on, without knowing how to track, how to anticipate the monster's moves."Villiam said.
A low murmur rippled through the class. I could see Professor Denlor's frustration growing as Villiam continued to speak. This wasn't just a student disagreeing; this was someone challenging the very core of what Denlor had taught for years.
"Do you think you know better than the academy's curriculum?" Professor Denlor's voice was tight with restrained anger.
Villiam didn't flinch.
"I know better than you. And honestly, it's obvious that you've never fought some of the real monsters. The ones that play with you. The ones who don't just attack they outsmart you." His eyes flashed, dark and intense. "You can't beat a creature who's thinking three moves ahead. You can't kill something like that by just being faster."
There was a long pause. No one moved. It was as if the entire class had held their breath. Denlor didn't speak for a moment, clearly trying to process what Villiam had just said.
"Alright." Denlor said, his voice low but controlled. "You think you have a better method? Fine. Demonstrate it for us, then. Show the class how you would handle an A-rank monster."
Villiam smirked, clearly enjoying the challenge.
"Gladly." Without another word, he turned and walked toward the door, his long coat flowing behind him. "Meet me outside. I'll show you how it's done."
As Villiam left the classroom, everyone understood that we would soon see something we would never going to see again.