Outside the teacher's building.

"Teacher, please take care of this student," Aaron said solemnly. "She has passed our assessment and qualifies for class zero."

Alfred glanced at him, then lowered his gaze to the timid girl standing before him. His voice was cold. "My class accepts monsters, not ordinary people. Do you really think she qualifies? She only has one ring."

Aaron frowned. "Teacher, class zero needs adjustment. Lily and Raziel Phoenix are fine, but Barbaraand Volt left. Forcing two Soul Grandmasters out for the sake of a one-ring student isn't reasonable. Frankly, I think class zero should be dissolved. You only have three students now."

Alfred's eyes turned glacial. "Say that to the principal, not me. Students choose their paths. I choose mine."

He looked back at the girl. "Your name is Violetta, correct? I'll give you one month. Earn my approval and my students' approval. If you fail, no background will save you. Understood?"

Violetta nodded timidly, her head lowered so far it nearly touched her chest.

"Follow me," Alfred said flatly. "I'll arrange your dormitory."

Without sparing Aaron another glance, he turned and walked away.

Violetta hurried after Alfred, her small steps quick and light.

Aaron watched the two disappear down the corridor, the corners of his lips lifting slightly. He didn't find Alfred's attitude unreasonable in the slightest. On the contrary, he found it reassuring.

"That fellow really does care about class zero," Aaron murmured to himself. "If he didn't, he would've given in long ago. Good… very good. Caring means effort. And effort brings results. I'm starting to look forward to this."

He sat down and activated his soul communicator.

"President, it's me. I've been thinking," Aaron said calmly. "We invested a great deal of resources into class zero last semester. Now that two students have left, the board has been questioning your decision, hasn't it? I think it's time to let class zero show their strength and decide once and for all whether this project should continue."

He paused, listening, then nodded. "Exactly. Let them participate. They're still young, so there's no harm as long as they achieve respectable results and bring some honor to the academy. Once people see the effectiveness of our teaching… won't even more geniuses come knocking?"

"Yes. I'll start arranging it right away."

*

Violetta followed closely behind Alfred, her bright eyes darting about as she took in her new surroundings.

Her previous academy had been entirely ordinary. Sheltered by her family's excessive care, she had never known hardship. If not for the mutation of her martial soul, she would never have stepped onto this path at all.

At first, she'd been reluctant.

But after meeting Alfred, that reluctance had quietly melted away.

So handsome… Teacher is so cool.

Her heart thumped wildly in her chest.

Then her thoughts drifted to the classmates she had secretly investigated after their first meeting, the same ones who had beaten her brother senseless.

Big brother had been careless, but still… they were terrifyingly strong. That girl, who was only a little older than me, completely crushed him. He didn't even get a chance to fight back.

If Veyron knew what his little sister was thinking right now, he would probably cough up blood on the spot.

"This is your dormitory," Alfred said curtly, pushing open the door.

Violetta stepped inside and froze.

A single room. One bed. Clean, spacious, and quiet.

It almost felt unreal.

What kind of student dormitory is this? Even when I had special treatment before, I still had to share a room!

"Everything you're given is because you're temporarily part of class zero," Alfred said coldly. "You have one month. Prove yourself."

He turned and left without another word.

Violetta stood there for a moment, then slowly broke into a smile.

"So I really have to work hard now. A handsome teacher and powerful classmates…" Her eyes sparkled. "This is going to be interesting."

She suddenly noticed something odd. "Huh? Why is there a hole in the wall?"

Lying flat on her stomach, she peered through the small depression and saw another room on the other side.

"Where does this go…?" she muttered.

She quickly grabbed a cloth and stuffed it into the hole, suddenly worried. What if someone peeks through?

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The sudden knocking made her jump. Heart racing, she rushed to open the door.

No one stood outside.

Instead, she saw a familiar figure knocking on the door of the room next to hers.

A handsome boy stood there, slim and sharp-eyed, carrying a faint air of aloofness. "Ray, are you back yet? Seriously, that guy comes and goes like a ghost."

It's him!

Violetta recognized him instantly. The dagger-wielding boy!

"There's no one inside," she said.

The boy turned, frowning. "Who are you? And why are you here?"

Enough time had passed since their last encounter, and Violetta's subdued aura didn't help. Raziel Phoenix didn't recognize her.

Violetta snorted. "Why can't I be here? You're from class zero, right?"

Raziel Phoenix nodded.

"Good. I'm going to be in class zero too. Remember this. My name is Violetta."

The timid girl from earlier vanished, replaced by a lively, proud little tyrant.

"I'm Raziel Phoenix," he replied. Like most boys, he was instinctively friendlier toward pretty girls.

Violetta smiled. "Take care of me in the future."

Raziel Phoenix grew curious. "How did you join class zero in the second semester? I thought they stopped accepting students."

Violetta said matter-of-factly, "My family has connections. Got a problem?"

Raziel Phoenix stared. "Teacher accepted someone through connections? I don't believe it."

She smiled sweetly. "Believe it or not. Actually, we've met before. In the rebellion spirit ascension platform. Where's the big sister who beat up my brother?"

Raziel Phoenix examined her carefully before realization dawned. "Ah! You're that ice-staff guy's sister. No wonder you looked familiar."

"Ice-staff guy?" Violetta burst out laughing. "That's what you call my brother? But wait… I have the same martial soul as him! What am I supposed to do?"

Her face fell. She absolutely did not want to be called "Ice-Staff Girl."

"Relax," Raziel Phoenix waved her off. "No one will call you that. How many rings do you have?"

"One."

Raziel Phoenix went silent.

One ring… and she still got into class zero?

That ice-staff guy had been terrifying, especially with his thousand-year soul skill, but he had three rings. How did his little sister get in with only one?

"There must be something special about her," he muttered.

"Well then, call me if you need anything," Raziel Phoenix said. "My room's across from Ray's. Oh, right, your next-door neighbor is our captain and boss."

"Ray?" Violetta tilted her head. "Is that the big sister's name?"

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