Basic Physical Strengthening was exactly what it sounded like—a class built around the fundamentals of building and maintaining your physical body.
It wasn't flashy. It wasn't exciting. But it was important.
We trained with standard equipment to improve core strength, balance, and endurance. And occasionally, Professor Ray Black would throw out case study scenarios, asking us things like how to avoid overexertion, or the best way to build muscle without injuring ourselves.
The guy might look like a living wall, but he actually had a method to his madness.
It was simple, really—but that simplicity was its strength.
If your body wasn't in shape, everything else—magic, combat, even survival—was a lot harder.
All the exams in this class, by the way, were practical. You could ace a written test, but if you couldn't move properly? You'd fail. It was all about testing overall growth.
Basic Magic Control, though—that was a whole different beast.
This class was considered special for a reason.
Every superhuman in this world, no matter their background, had at least some aptitude for magic. But that didn't mean they could just snap their fingers and become spellcasters overnight.
Magic was volatile. Especially for young students like us, trying to mold it into something useful with shaky control and raw potential.
That's where this class came in. A structured space to help cadets tap into their mana, control its flow, and learn how to actually use it without blowing themselves—or others—up.
Most talents were tied to magic in one way or another. But of course, there were always exceptions.
And if your talent wasn't magic-related, and your rank was low? Well, good luck trying to feel your mana, let alone manipulate it.
Unless you were some elite prodigy or had been raised with magical tutoring since you were five, you were basically fumbling in the dark here.
That's what made this class kind of exciting—and terrifying.
Oh, and guess who else was in this class?
Yeah, that Ryen. Mr. "I Can Already Use Magic Like It's Breathing."
He didn't need this class. But he still took it.
Well, according to the original story, his dad used to work in construction. Taught him early on that no matter how flashy the design, a weak foundation meant the whole thing could collapse.
So, even though he was a genius, Ryen took six basic courses in his first semester. Just to make sure his foundation was rock solid.
Classic protagonist move, honestly.
I wasn't complaining. I was actually kind of curious about this class. As normal human being I didn't get see any real magic in life.
So if I have opportunity to study magic? I would take it of course.
Even if I was starting at zero.
"Hello everyone! My name is Alice Draken, and I'll be your Basic Magic Control professor!"
A bright, energetic voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
At the front of the room stood a petite woman with bouncing blonde hair, a star-tipped wand, and a pointed witch's hat slightly tilted on her head. She looked like she'd walked straight out of a fairy tale. Cute, cheerful… and completely out of place in this tension-filled academy.
Or maybe not, because she had just appeared out of thin air.
Seriously—one moment, the podium was empty, the next, poof—she was there, twirling around like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Gasps echoed through the classroom, students shifting in their seats in stunned silence. Even Ryen blinked a few times, eyebrows raised.
My jaw practically hit the desk.
This was the first time I'd seen someone actually teleport in real life, not through a screen or the pages of a novel.
I knew this would happen, eventually. I'd read the book, after all. Seen the illustrations.
But seeing her in the flesh—this character I had only ever imagined—felt surreal.
Still. I needed to get used to this fast.
Magic control professor. Beloved by students for her cutesy, almost doll-like appearance. The so-called "mascot" of Velcrest Academy.
But to me? She was a ticking time bomb.
In the original story, she wasn't a villain yet… but she would be. A seed of betrayal, waiting for the right temptation to bloom. She would eventually turn on the academy for a promise she couldn't resist.
She smiled like a ray of sunshine and waved at us like we were kindergarteners.
"Oh? Are you all laughing because I'm short? Do you want an F?"
Most of the class burst into light laughter. They thought she was joking.
Except Ryen. He kept a straight face—probably because he didn't judge people based on appearance.
Yeah, I didn't laugh either. Because I knew she wasn't kidding.
Her expression darkened slightly. Her smile stiffened.
"Hmmm… I didn't know so many of you were interested in retaking this class next year. You really want to see me again that badly?"
A pulse of magical energy erupted from her body, thick and suffocating like the air before a storm.
A few students flinched. The temperature dropped—or maybe that was just their nerves acting up.
Gone was the cheerful little witch.
In her place stood something else entirely—something powerful, dangerous.
A predator in pixie clothing.
I held my breath. Even though the pressure wasn't aimed at me directly, I could feel it. Like the air was humming against my skin.
And then, just as quickly as it came—
"Hahaha! I'm just kidding. No need to wet your pants. It's not like I'm going to kill you over a little joke. You really should learn how to take a joke, you know?"
The room exhaled as one. Nervous laughter filled the space.
Yeah… totally a joke.
She beamed again, the threatening aura vanishing like it had never existed.
"But I will give you Fs if you slack off in my class. So don't test me, okay?"
And just like that, she was back to her bubbly self.
"I have to say though," she continued, placing a finger on her chin thoughtfully. "This year, we have some interesting students. Especially those two over there."
She pointed toward the back row.
Ryen sat up straighter, clearly expecting it to be him.
She wasn't pointing at him.
She was pointing at me.
The class turned to look.
…What the hell did I do now?