They finally reached the hall.
It was massive. The ceiling was high, the walls were wide, and the entire floor looked like it was built to survive anything short of a bomb.
There were marks, dents, and old scratches everywhere, proof that this room had seen more than just simple sparring.
Along one of the walls was a weapon rack, stretching long enough to cover the entire side.
There were all kinds of weapons, from standard blades and spears to strange ones Rhian didn't even recognize.
Some looked ancient, others experimental. It was like a collection from every era and every region.
Rhian couldn't help but stare. 'Half of these look illegal,' he thought.
Mr. Callor stopped near the center of the hall, folding his arms over his chest as he watched the students fill in and spread out.
He didn't say anything until everyone was inside, standing and waiting.
Then, he began walking slowly across the front.
"From this day on," Callor started, his voice deep and commanding, "whatever I say goes. You have no opinions. No discussions. No debates. Am I clear?"
"Yes sir!" The reply came loud and quick from most students.
Rhian noticed it. People gave away their freedom like it was nothing.
Mr. Callor kept walking, not stopping.
"If I tell you to enter an A-Rank portal…" he said, pausing just enough, "you will enter it. You will throw yourself in without hesitation. Am I clear?"
The response came again.
But this time it wasn't as loud.
"Yes… sir."
Some students hesitated. Some were slower. The meaning of what he just said hit them a little harder now.
Mr. Callor caught it immediately.
A faint smirk tugged at the edge of his mouth.
And then, in the next second, he yelled loud enough to make the air feel heavier.
"Of course don't fucking jump into an A-Rank portal just because someone tells you to!" His voice echoed in the large hall. "But if you don't trust me enough to move when I say move… I'll throw you in there myself."
Rhian didn't even doubt it.
One look at Callor's face, you could tell.
He wasn't joking.
"Okay," Mr. Callor's voice echoed across the hall, firm and clear, "now pair up. Open some space between each other... and fight."
Simple instructions.
It didn't need to be complicated.
The moment those words left his mouth, the class moved.
Some students were excited, grinning wide like they'd been waiting for this moment since day one.
Others already had friends, and this was their chance to show off or settle little rivalries.
The atmosphere changed immediately.
Some people chose partners easily, others started looking around fast, trying to avoid being left alone. It was loud for the first time since Mr. Callor entered the room.
For Rhian, it was obvious.
He was going with Ash.
Ash was already walking ahead casually, expecting Rhian to follow like always. Rhian stepped forward.
But he didn't get far.
Someone grabbed his wrist.
Not gently.
It felt like his hand was about to be ripped clean off his body.
His body froze on instinct. For someone who had awakened, who was physically stronger now, Rhian expected to feel a difference, something. But whatever hand grabbed him didn't care about that strength.
It overpowered him like he was still normal.
He turned his head slowly.
It was her.
The tall, ho– ahem girl from earlier.
She had that same calm expression, but this time there was a grin pulling at her lips, like she had already made the decision for him.
Her grip was iron, Rhian wondered how strong she was, looking at her she didn't look muscular or anything, she was probably a Physical.
Ash, meanwhile, was still talking ahead, waving his hand like Rhian was right beside him.
"So what's the plan, we just—"
He turned mid-sentence.
His words died instantly.
What he saw was Rhian standing there, caught like prey, while a girl had his wrist like she owned it.
Ash's jaw dropped.
He pointed, staring like Rhian had just betrayed their sacred bond.
"You—" Ash looked at Rhian, then at the girl, then back at Rhian, betrayal written all over his face. "Bro…"
Rhian's face said it all.
'I didn't choose this.'
Soon enough, everyone had found their partners. The hall, for its size, managed to fit all of them comfortably.
There was still enough space for every pair to fight without getting in the way of another. It was clear the room was built exactly for this purpose.
But as students spaced out, more than a few were clearly uncomfortable.
Some of them were looking around, frowning at their partners. It wasn't hard to guess what they were thinking.
A few were long-range fighters. People who specialized in magic, elemental control, or abilities that didn't rely on fists or close-quarters. Being forced into a fight like this, in a space that neutralized that advantage — felt unfair.
Murmurs started rising.
But Mr. Callor shut all of that down before a single complaint could even form fully.
"I know what you're all thinking," Mr. Callor said, pacing slowly in front of them. "That this doesn't fit your fighting style."
He stopped walking.
"Well, of course it doesn't."
That simple statement alone made the room pause.
"Not every fight will go your way," he continued. "Not every situation will be clean. And I'm sure you've all mismatched yourselves thinking it'll be easier. Some of you probably picked friends or people who look weaker than you."
Mr. Callor turned slightly, his sharp eyes scanning the rows of students.
"But remember this, just because you can do magic better(mysticals), or you can punch harder(physicals), doesn't make you the victor. If you get stabbed... if you get killed... that's it. You're dead."
The room fell completely silent.
"Being stronger doesn't mean being safer from death."
His words hit hard, not because they were dramatic, but because they were simple truth.
"You will face enemies weaker than you and stronger than you. Both can kill you if you're careless. Core rank shows your physical limit, your magical output, sure, but if it bleeds, it dies. And you definitely bleed."
Rhian listened closely.
'That's true,' he thought. 'Even a monster like that Hollow Rat... could have killed me back then.' That was a bad example considering both Rhian at that time, and the rat had no core or access to it.
Mr. Callor kept going.
"Inside a portal, it's easier. You know the rank. You know roughly what you're dealing with. Outside the city? In the wild? In the old lands? There's no rulebook. There's no color code for whar you meet outside the portal."
He stared at them like he was staring straight through their future mistakes.
"Anything out there will either run from you or try to kill you. Monsters. Carriers. Bandits. Warlords. Doesn't matter. Anyone you meet is probably stronger than your grandmas and mothers combined."
A few students swallowed hard at the tone.
"So," Mr. Callor said firmly, "work on your combat skills alongside your cores. Know yourselves. Know your abilities. Know your weaknesses. That's how you survive every fight."
Many had forgotten for a second they were even about to spar.
Because everything he said made sense.
Especially for those who knew what lay beyond the city walls.
Rhian didn't know much about the outside world.
But even he understood one thing from today.
Power alone didn't mean survival.
Adaptation did.