“Hmm… not bad.”
I am currently standing in my newly assigned room. As my ranking in the school improved, I was given a better room than before.
If the initial room had only a bed and a desk for studying, the current room is larger and more refreshing. Although there aren't many changes in the facilities, the openness of the space makes the whole person feel comfortable.
“But, what is Trevor's goal?”
After Maya left, I kept training until evening, and I always had a sense of unease in my heart.
Trevor is targeting me, I have confirmed that with my own eyes. But, what is the reason?
“What exactly made him target me?”
Now, some people may ask, is it necessary to understand why he is targeting me? Of course, it is not necessary. After all, from the moment he decided to target me, he became my enemy.
And he is also a villain in the game, which means he may have a natural tendency for evil.
“He even revealed his intentions.”
A hunter's killing intent or bloodlust will form over time. Those who have been with death for a long time will naturally get used to this feeling.
However, there are many different ways to express killing intent, and through these expressions, one can roughly see a person's character.
For example, those who fight monsters, their killing intent is often more savage, representing their life-and-death struggle with the enemy.
However, the killing intent of those who kill people is different. It is not directly expressed and is not so directly violent.
“I can even feel this difference in myself.”
Every time I kill someone, whether it's a demon or an ordinary person, I notice a change within myself. This change never happened when I fought or killed monsters.
“How hypocritical.”
Just because they don’t talk or look like people, it doesn't cause guilt to arise from taking these lives. But that doesn't mean it's wrong to do so, this is a battle for survival, and nature never cares about one’s feelings.
In the end, if a person kills humans, they will change, and this change will become more obvious the more people they kill.
It can be said that their conscience is eroded, or they begin to lose their conscience, and eventually, their essence will change.
“I am sure Trevor belongs to the latter.”
Just from his killing intent and the aura emanating from him, I can say without hesitation that he must have killed people before.
“I can even feel demonic energy from him.”
I'm not sure about this, but some kind of intuition inside me tells me that Trevor has some connection with demons.
“If that’s the case, should I just kill him?”
If he is related to demons, then that means he must die.
“However, it’s not that easy.”
He is a senior student in the academy, and although he is not the first, he is ranked high. This means his abilities are above normal, plus the consequences that would come if I killed him, it is not wise to act now.
“I need evidence.”
If I kill him just because he spread rumors about me and is targeting me for some reason, then I will become a murderer.
A murderer who kills for his own desires. Anyway, the last thing I want is to become that kind of person, then there's no difference between me and him.
“Then let me see what you plan to do, Trevor Phillips.”
His future fate depends on his next actions and my judgment.
“However, now is not the time to focus on that guy.”
As the courses change, everything becomes more chaotic, and the future becomes more difficult to predict, which only means...
“I need to prepare for any possible changes.”
With that, I slowly left the room and headed back to the training ground.
......
Whoosh! Bang!
In a place provided by the academy for students to train against monsters, a girl can be seen bombing a group of artificial monsters.
Irina's fingertips burned with furious flames as she unleashed her anger on the artificial monsters in the training room.
Bang! Boom!
The air was filled with her magical energy, and each explosion released from her hands sent the monsters flying.
“This is so annoying!” Irina gritted her teeth, her fiery red hair flying with every move she made. Her attacks carried a ferocity that seemed to defy the very essence of the training room, leaving a series of scorched marks on the floor.
Bang!
Another ball of fire erupted, incinerating a group of monsters. The sound of Irina's relentless attacks echoed in the training room, the monsters unable to withstand the onslaught of her magic.
“Who even posted that stuff!”
Boom!
Her mood had been terrible since this morning. After the rankings were announced, she learned that her ranking hadn't changed, making her even more depressed, so she decided to hang out with friends to calm down.
Last week had been depressing enough, she needed to relax. But as they hung out, she glanced at her watch and checked the school forum.
Now she wished she hadn't done that at the time.
The comments on the school forum at the time touched a nerve, and the accumulated pressure finally burst out at that moment.
In the dimly lit training room, Irina's fiery red hair swirled around her like a storm as she continued to unleash her furious magic. Comparing herself to her rival, Seraphina Winslet, made her feel insulted, and the shadows of the flames projected on the wall danced with the turmoil in her heart.
The post implied that Irina was inferior to Seraphina due to her low ranking and various other reasons. It was as if someone had finally mustered the courage to criticize her and post such malicious content.
“How dare they say I have a problem with my personality!” she gritted her teeth.
A ball of fire erupted, instantly turning a group of artificial monsters to ashes, but this did not quell Irina's anger.
“If I find you, I'll let you know what a bad personality really is.”
However, it wasn't just about personality. The post also mentioned that Seraphina's long silver hair made her look more beautiful and elegant, showing a ladylike demeanor, while Irina was like a little girl who was always throwing tantrums.
Irina knew that this post was published to provoke her, she knew it in her heart, but she still couldn't suppress her anger.
Bang! Bang!
As Irina continued to attack the artificial monsters with flames, the door of the training room quietly opened.
Buzz!
A figure stepped into the training room, her presence exuding an air of tranquility and elegance, in stark contrast to Irina's magical bombardment.
With silver hair and icy blue eyes, she scanned the scene, scrutinizing the destroyed remains of the monsters and the scorching flames unleashed by Irina. Unlike Irina, with her fiery red hair, the newcomer seemed unaffected by the surrounding chaos, calmly and composedly observing everything.
“How spectacular.” she said calmly, without a trace of fluctuation in her voice, her gaze landing on Irina. Her eyes were calm and deep, seemingly containing a silent acknowledgment.
Irina turned around to face her opponent. As their eyes met, the surrounding flames seemed to freeze for a moment, revealing the contrast between the two personalities, a collision of fire and ice.
“Heh, what brings you here, Seraphina?” Irina asked, her voice sharp, with displeasure and annoyance. As the two powerful mages with vastly different personalities stood in the training room, the atmosphere immediately became tense and heavy.
Although they didn't use any magic, the collision of their powerful auras caused the surrounding mana to become restless.
“Why can't I come here?” Seraphina replied calmly, her gaze as firm as ice. “According to our rankings, we both have the right to use the training room. This place isn’t specifically reserved for people with fiery tempers.”
Irina frowned, visibly touched by her response. Mentioning the topic of rankings made the tense atmosphere in the air even more intense. This training room was originally prepared for the highest-ranked students, symbolizing the constantly heating competitive atmosphere around them.
Seraphina continued calmly, “I came here to train, not to engage in pointless comparisons. You should focus on mastering your magic, rather than being distracted by online provocations.”
“So, you’ve seen the post too.” Irina sneered.
“I have.” Seraphina admitted frankly.
“I remember you saying that you wouldn’t waste your time reading posts made by ordinary students, what made you change your mind?” Irina was a little puzzled.
Seraphina’s gaze remained cold, “I was too arrogant back then, but now I realize that there are moments in everyday life that shine like gems, reminding me that even in the ordinary, one can discover extraordinary beauty.”
Irina couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at Seraphina's answer. The difference in their personalities seemed to be reflected in their views of the world.
“That post is nothing more than the nonsense of some poor people who are jealous of us.” Seraphina continued, her voice calm and firm. “However, it’s quite interesting to witness your fiery personality. Such scenes are not common.”
‘Why does this feel a little familiar.’ Irina thought to herself.
She didn't have much interaction with Seraphina, and although they lived in the same dormitory building and used the same training room, most of the time, they preferred to use the elemental training room. Now, Irina felt like she had had a similar conversation with someone before.
‘That's right, that guy also spoke like that.’
Suddenly, she realized she knew how to respond.
As her frustration surfaced, Irina couldn't help but say sarcastically, “Then you’re really lucky to find joy in my ‘fiery personality.’ It must be a treat for you, since you’re the epitome of cold indifference.”
Seraphina raised an eyebrow, a faint smile appearing on the corner of her lips. The tense atmosphere within the training room grew thicker, the clash of personalities evident.
“Tell me, Seraphina,” Irina’s tone became sharper, “what gems did you find in this everyday life that made you decide to come to this training room? Or is this just your way of showing us your unparalleled skills?”
Seraphina shook her head slightly, as if dismissing a trivial thought, “I don’t need validation from a bunch of inferior beings. I am very clear about my worth, and online forums and meaningless comparisons mean nothing to me.”
A hint of annoyance and defiance flashed in Irina's eyes, “Well, forgive me for not reaching your level of calm and self-awareness, Winslet. Some of us still prefer to fumble through the turbulent journey of personal growth.”
The corners of Seraphina’s lips tilted slightly upward, revealing a smile, her composed demeanor seemingly cracking with a hint of amusement. “Indeed, Phoenix. This journey is indeed not easy, especially for those driven by flames.”
Irina's anger finally reached its peak, and she took a deep breath, saying coldly, “Well, I'm not in the mood to talk to the ice queen anymore.” The flames around her flickered instantly, emphasizing her retort. “Have a pleasant journey in tranquility, Winslet.”
Without waiting for Seraphina to respond, she turned and strode towards the exit, leaving Seraphina alone in the training room.
“Heh.”
A soft, melodious laugh escaped Seraphina’s lips as she gazed at Irina’s departing figure.
She murmured to herself, with a thoughtful look in her eyes. “Interesting… what caused the subtle change in my rival, whose personality is usually like a raging fire? Perhaps, I should go find out the reason?”
