Noise!
What is the shortest thing in the world?
For students, the answer is basically the same.
Vacation.
Sitting in the classroom, the students, having reunited after a week-long vacation, were chatting about what happened during their break before class started.
......
......
Tap!
Suddenly, the chatter in the classroom ceased abruptly. The door was pushed open, and everyone's eyes turned to the person who entered.
"Look, he's here."
One student exclaimed, looking at the person who had just walked in.
Ethan Hartley, tall with sharp, hazel eyes, walked into the classroom. His presence was commanding, and the students' whispers quietly died down as he walked towards his seat.
Normally, Ethan wouldn't attract much attention from the students. Although he was from the Hartley family, his ranking was low.
However, his outstanding performance in the mid-term exams had been posted on the school forum.
Students exchanged glances, one of them whispering, "Isn't that Ethan Hartley? The rising star of this mid-term exam?"
"It's him. I heard he did exceptionally well this time."
"Yeah, I was there. He wiped out all the monsters like cutting vegetables."
"He is from the Hartley family after all, right?"
For the students, witnessing such rapid growth in a classmate was quite a shock. Someone who had only awakened before the start of the semester was now so powerful.
And they were powerless to do anything about it, after all, he came from one of the most famous families.
"Ah, Ethan, you're here." Just then, two students walked in.
Julia smiled at Ethan. "How was your vacation?"
Lucas playfully nudged Ethan. "Did any 'people' give you trouble during the vacation?"
Ethan was a little puzzled, not understanding what they meant. "What people?"
"..." Lucas's expression froze for a second, then he nodded. "As expected, no one can be more oblivious than you."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Nothing."
"..." Ethan was speechless and could only look away.
Amidst the lighthearted banter, Julia changed the subject. "Speaking of which, Ethan, have you seen your mid-term exam scores?"
Lucas interjected, "The entire academy is talking about your scores. Everyone is calling you the rising star of the mid-term exams."
The corner of Ethan's mouth twitched slightly. "It's just grades, nothing to make a fuss about."
Julia smiled, a teasing look in her eyes. "Come on, Ethan, don't be so modest. You're the academy's rising star now. We're just ordinary students compared to you."
Lucas also joined in the teasing. "Yeah, should we start calling you 'Supernova Ethan'?"
Ethan sighed, feigning helplessness. "You two haven't changed a bit."
Bang!
The laughter was interrupted by a sudden "bang." Julia slapped Ethan on the back, making a loud sound.
"Hehe, how about a little match after class?" Julia suggested with a playful smile. "I want to see if you're as good as your grades suggest."
Lucas also chimed in, giving Ethan a challenging smile. "Come on, Supernova, let us see your strength. Or are you afraid your grades won't hold up in a real fight?"
Seeing his friends laughing, a hint of competitive light flashed in Ethan's hazel eyes. Feigning composure, he replied, "Alright, if you insist, then let's do it. But don't blame me for not warning you."
The past week hadn't been easy for Ethan. He didn't rest after returning home but had been honing the family's techniques.
'Hehe, the time for revenge has finally come.'
And he had used resources to enhance his attributes, his strength was already approaching the level of the top 1000.
And he hadn't fully absorbed its effects, meaning he had even more room for improvement.
Just as the three were joking around, the door opened again, and Irina walked in. Her vibrant personality and fiery character added an extra atmosphere to their group.
"Yo!" Irina waved, walking towards Ethan and the twins. She pulled up a chair, sat next to them, her eyes filled with curiosity.
"What are you guys talking about so excitedly? Did I miss something?" she asked, looking at them in turn.
Julia and Lucas exchanged amused glances before teasing Ethan's scores.
"We were just talking about Supernova Ethan."
Irina giggled. "Supernova Ethan?"
Irina had broken free from her family's oppression and could finally freely speak her mind.
"So? What did you do during the vacation?" Julia turned her attention to Irina, looking at her with a smile.
Irina replied with slight embarrassment, "Well... homework."
"Homework? We had homework?"
"Huh? I don't remember."
"Is it because you're a mage?"
"... You could say that." Feeling a little awkward, Irina changed the subject, "I heard they're announcing our new rankings today?"
Ethan nodded with an expectant smile. "That's right, they're announcing the new rankings today. Let's see if there are any changes."
Squeak!
The door suddenly opened, and another important figure walked in. The young man was exceptionally handsome and exuded a unique aura, attracting everyone's attention.
"Hopefully someone can pull him down this time," Julia whispered, watching the newcomer. The person was immediately surrounded by two lackeys.
Lucas chuckled. "Pull Victor down? That won't be easy."
Julia grinned. "That's why I want to see it."
Irina had been quietly observing her friends' jokes, but the mention of Victor made her feel somewhat uneasy.
'Where did that guy go?'
For some reason, Irina's eyes searched the classroom for someone. He had disappeared after they got off the train, leaving her alone. Although he wasn't obligated to stay with her, but...
'He could have at least said goodbye.'
She knew she was at fault, but that guy wasn't any better...
Her eyes scanned the back row, not seeing his figure in his usual seat.
'Hmph, whatever.'
She huffed and turned her head, refocusing on her friends' conversation.
Just then, the classroom door opened again, and Professor Eleanor walked in.
Quiet!
The classroom fell silent the moment Professor Eleanor entered. Her stern demeanor immediately got a reaction from the students, who quickly returned to their seats. The relaxed atmosphere vanished instantly.
Eleanor scanned the entire classroom, ensuring everyone was in their assigned seats.
"Good." She muttered to herself, she thought some students might not follow the rules after coming back from vacation, but it didn't seem to be the case.
The students knew Eleanor was known for her punctuality, and she was also known for not allowing latecomers into her class. Everyone glanced at the clock from time to time, there were still two minutes before the official start of class.
"Hmm..."
Squeak!
The door opened again, and a student walked in. He was burly and had a military-style haircut.
He nodded to Eleanor, said nothing, and went straight to his seat.
Carl sat behind Ethan and nodded to his other friends, who nodded back in response. Carl's appearance and demeanor exuded an air of discipline.
'Where did that guy go? Is he planning to skip the first class?'
Irina thought to herself. She knew Professor Eleanor's temper well and knew that she wouldn't allow any student to be late.
"Hmm?"
However, when she looked back again, she was surprised to see.
'When did he get here?'
The guy she had been looking for was sitting in his usual seat, his head buried on the desk. Although his face was covered, Irina recognized him at a glance.
Tap!
Just as she was about to think further, a sound came from the front of the classroom.
Professor Eleanor wasted no time. "Good morning, students. I trust you had a restful vacation. Now, let's get down to business."
Standing at the front of the classroom, Professor Eleanor took out a stack of files from her bag. Silence fell over the classroom as she began to announce the new rankings. All eyes were fixed on her, and the air was filled with nervous anticipation.
"In the mid-term rankings, we have some significant changes compared to the past," Eleanor said, her eyes sweeping across the classroom. "As expected, student Victor remains at the top, demonstrating his exceptional abilities in both theory and combat. However, there is also a new face joining the top spot."
Eleanor paused, giving the students ample time to be curious. Julia and Lucas exchanged a glance, both curious about who was challenging Victor's dominance.
"Student Seraphina Winslet from class HA217 now joins the top spot as another number one," Eleanor's voice echoed through the classroom.
Crack!
Suddenly, a sharp snapping sound broke the silence. All eyes turned to Irina, who was holding a broken pen in her hand, frozen in place. A look of surprise and frustration crossed her face as she realized she had inadvertently shown her emotions.
"Look at me, Irina," Eleanor's stern voice echoed through the classroom. Irina reluctantly met her gaze. "Control your emotions. This is a place for discipline and focus."
Seraphina's name stirred up some bad emotions in Irina's heart.
"Tch."
She clicked her tongue softly, quickly regaining her composure.
"...Understood, Professor."
"Good." Eleanor seemed satisfied with her response. She knew Irina was the type of student with a straightforward personality who was prone to losing control, so she paid extra attention to her reaction.
'She's much calmer than before, that's good,' Eleanor thought to herself.
"Now, I will begin announcing your new rankings," she said, picking up the list on the desk.
"241st Gray."
...
"225th Anderson."
...
"2121st place, Oliver Parker."
Names were announced one by one, and the students' rankings were revealed in succession. The classroom was mostly quiet, with occasional low discussions among students about their classmates' rankings.
"172nd Scott."
When this name was mentioned, some students turned their attention to him.
"Wasn't he at the bottom?"
"Yeah, he jumped 700 places?"
Not many people were interested in the low rankings. It was common for low-ranked students to jump ranks quickly. Generally, there were many people with low scores, and their scores were very close.
"1555th place..."
"1401st place..."
Eleanor continued to announce the students' names.
" place, Hartley."
Until she mentioned Ethan's ranking, a burst of whispers finally erupted in the classroom.
"What?"
At this moment, the classroom fell into a brief silence, no one reacted.
