Chapter 1
CHAPTER 1: Welcome to Class 2-C – The Test Begins ?
I sat at my desk in the teacher’s lounge, flipping through a stack of papers one last time. My notebook sitting beside them, its pages scrawled with names, notes, and scribbles. Evidence of preparation, though it didn’t make the nerves any less real. I tapped the edge of a paper against the desk, a subtle rhythm betraying my unease.
Excitement mingled with tension. Today was my first day in front of Class 2-C. What awaited me?
“Hey, Azer, feeling nervous?”
The voice startled me. Blaze—short for “Blazy Blaze,” yes, that’s actually his full name, stood beside me, a grin splitting his face. His hand landed lightly on my shoulder, and I jumped slightly.
“Ahaha, just a little, if I’m being honest,” I admitted, letting out a shaky chuckle.
“Bahaha! Don’t worry too much. You’ll do fine. Teaching suits you more than any of us, especially with your chalk-throwing accuracy,” he said, miming a throw with exaggerated flair, laughing loudly.
“…I’m not throwing things at my students,” I muttered, raising an eyebrow.
The shrill ring of the school bell cut through the lounge, a crisp reminder that it was time.
Blaze glanced at his watch. “Looks like it’s time to go now.”
“The bell just rang,” I said, gathering my notebook and the papers, straightening my shirt as I stood.
“Yo, good luck out there!” he called after me, and I gave a confident thumbs-up over my shoulder before stepping into the hallway.
The classroom was alive. A current of energy—raw, unpredictable, electric—buzzed through the air. Laughter, whispers, and the scrape of chairs on linoleum filled the space. I pushed the door open and took it all in: a girl wearing a cone-shaped hat, a boy with a gleaming sword strapped to his back, a girl perched on her motorcycle like it was a throne, a cyborg with faint mechanical whirs, and a brooding boy in the corner who looked as if he’d just reconsidered every life choice he’d ever made.
The room quieted slightly, attention drifting toward me, curious about the papers in my hands.
I cleared my throat. “Ahem. Everyone, please take your seats. Class is starting.”
“Ye~s…” A scattered chorus, half-hearted, half-curious. Slowly, the standing students settled, while those already seated remained expectant.
“First, nice to meet you all. I’m Azer Moli, your homeroom teacher from today onward.”
“Nice to meet you!” a few voices called out, hesitant.
I opened my notebook, my fingers tracing the familiar names. Roll call.
“Asphy?”
“Here!”
“Baka?”
Silence. I waited. Still nothing.
“Alright… looks like he’s missing,” I said, moving on.
“Damanos?”
“Here,” came the reply.
I moved down the list methodically. Near the end:
“Yowid?” No reply. “Guess he’s missing, too.”
“Zeke?”
“Here…” he muttered, voice flat.
“Zeando?”
“Here,” he said.
I closed the notebook with a soft snap. Three missing students. I sent a quick message to the staff WhatsApp group, then faced the class.
“Ah, and kids, please don’t use your phones in class. This is a special exception,” I said, forcing a cheerful tone.
“Huh?” Several students exchanged confused glances, eyebrows raised.
Before I could elaborate, three students encased in ice appeared at the back of the room. One saluted proudly, while the others trembled, eyes wide.
She… overdid it, I thought. How am I going to explain this without chaos?
“WHAT THE F—?!” a voice shouted. Whispers and murmurs turned into a low roar as panic and fascination rippled across the classroom. I raised a hand, clearing my throat.
“Ahem. As you’ve probably noticed, this is not your average school. Everyone here has a special… power. That includes the teachers—and you.”
“Bullshit!” Nysta, in the front row, shot back.
“Excuse me?” I asked, eyebrow arched.
“All this is nonsense. Seriously. I’ll believe any of this supernatural stuff when pigs fly.” He shoved back his chair dramatically, moving toward the door.
Predictable.
With a subtle flick of my wrist, I lifted him into the air. Telekinesis, simple but startling. Nysta froze, hovering, flailing slightly as his eyes bulged. That’s why I wanted to ease them into it, I thought, smirking inwardly.
Relinquisher, the sword-wielding student, whistled low. “Well, I’ll be…”
“Huh?!” Nysta shrieked. “Whoa?!?”
I crossed my arms. “Does this prove it to you? And watch your language. I’m still your teacher.”
He flailed, panic-stricken. “YO, WHAT THE—WHERE ARE THE STRINGS?! THERE AREN’T ANY STRINGS!!”
“Enough,” I said firmly. “Before you finish that sentence, understand that I’m holding you in the air and can do as I please.”
“…Fuck,” he muttered, finally surrendering to gravity as I lowered him back to his seat.
Some students giggled; others remained wide-eyed, wary. Zeando, sitting in the second row, hesitated, then raised his hand.
“Um… I don’t think I have any powers. Did you pick the wrong person?”
“Don’t worry. Every student here has a power. We’ve done our research,” I said gently.
“Are you sure?”
“Even if the test isn’t perfect, it’s good enough. Those who passed are here,” I said, gesturing toward the frozen students. “Imagine if these powers went uncontrolled—people could die. Maybe even your family and friends.”
“I see…” Zeando whispered, finally grasping the stakes.
“All of you are ticking time bombs. Our job is to help you control your abilities before anything goes wrong,” I explained, letting a reassuring smile soften the words.
Shin Ryuu, sitting near the window, tilted his head toward the frozen classmates. “Are they going to be okay?”
“Hm…? Yeah, eventually,” I said.
“…’Eventually’? They’ll unfreeze, right?”
“Yes. Don’t worry. Abilities have an effective range; we’ll cover that later.”
Zeando leaned forward, curiosity flickering across his face. “What’s ‘effective range’? Any limits? What powers can we have?”
“Together with normal subjects, you’ll study the theory of powers—the limitations, the range. Practical exercises will follow for those who awaken their abilities,” I explained.
“Even combat?” Diez asked, skepticism heavy in his tone.
“Yes, sparring under supervision. Safety first,” I replied, scanning the class. “Any questions so far?”
Murmurs of “Yeah…” and “I guess…” drifted back.
“Alright. To finish, you’ll all take a test—except for the three ice blocks.”
“WHAT?!” erupted a chorus of shocked voices.
