16 Don't Die

Professor Grisham's plans were so out of character--so far from what they knew of him.

The students just stared at him, their mouths agape. Their brain formulated no thoughts other than to register that they were flabbergasted.

Seeing the students this way with the sudden silence in the great hall that could echo anyone's voice if they spoke loudly, the professor chuckled.

"My, close your mouths, everyone! Or else, it will be very inviting to flies!"

'The joke isn't funny, professor!!'

The student who stood and asked him the question sighed in retreat as he shrugged his shoulders then he sat back down on his seat, propping a hand under his chin looking disinterested already.

Professor Grisham chuckled then he clapped his hands twice, getting everyone's attention.

"Now, remember... in the Stygian Forest, everyone will go inside having a different end goal. Note that the end goal must be kept to yourself and the paper must be with you at all times. You may bring weapons and potions that would help you in your journey in the deadly forest."

Most of the freshmen gulped as they continued listening to the professor. Even the old students found the ordeal difficult, making them wish that this year, Professor Grisham wasn't the one who handled them.

They didn't expect that the old cheery professor turned out to be more sadistic than strict and cool Professor Noir...

"Once you are done with your ordeal, activate your escape charm to warp you out of Stygian Forest. Don't worry... us professors will be around the forest, but take note that our presence will be concealed from your eyes," he added as he winked at the students, making them sigh hopeless.

'Why did we end up loving this unexpectedly sadistic professor!?'

"Oh, that's right... the end goal written on your paper is not visible to others. Meaning, it is only visible to you. You can't speak about it, you most especially can't show what it is!"

The students groaned as they heard what the scheming professor had said. The old professor felt satisfied as he saw how the students reacted, making him chuckle as the other professors looked at him with judging eyes.

"Oh, Grisham... aren't you going way overboard?" Neesha commented, her eyebrows creased in worry.

"Nah..." Professor Noir crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I don't like the feel of the freshmen this year. They seem to be wishy-washy. With how the old students acting high and mighty now, it might be high time to step up the challenge."

Hearing what Professor Noir had said, Professor Grisham nodded enthusiastically as he looked back to answer him.

"Oh, I knew it you would understand, Noir!"

Professor Kurken scoffed, a smirk appearing on his face.

"I never expected the old man to be this schemy and extreme," he commented, making Professor Samuela sigh.

"Looks can be deceiving, as they say," she chimed in, making old Professor Gertrude shake her head.

"Knowing Grisham for many years already, I could see how unpredictable he gets below the surface of his jovial personality," she added, making all the professors, even the headmaster, nod at her statement in agreement.

"Well, now then..."

Professor Grisham cleared his throat, making the room silent of mumbles and murmurs from the students and their faculty staff.

"Are there any questions?"

As the professor waited for a student to raise his or her hand, one student finally got the courage to raise his hand and said one question that got everyone's eyes on him.

"If the student fails to do the ordeal... what would happen?"

Most of the students, especially the freshmen, had the same question as well.

They didn't have the bravery to ask it out loud since they were scared of being judged by the higher leveled students.

"Oh!"

Professor Grisham smiled but his smile had some dark touch on it.

"Of course, the answer is obvious. Failure of the student to do the ordeal, he or she will automatically be given the rank of Black Diamond."

Hearing what the professor had said, the great hall became noisy at once.

"What? So does that mean you won't even get a higher rank?"

"That seems kinda unfair!"

"I agree! What if the student did its best to perform and then suddenly, he or she failed to do complete the ordeal? They will still be ranked Black Diamond?"

"Pathetic! Isn't the ordeal this year asking too much?"

"It's as if it's telling us not to fail miserably!"

Professor Noir stood up abruptly, instantly silencing the students.

He walked slowly to where Professor Grisham is and the moment he was beside him, he put his hands in his pocket as he scanned his eyes in the great hall.

It's as if his gaze was giving them a deathly warning.

"Please... you're taking this ordeal and ranking as if it were a big deal. It was stated earlier that you can raise your ranks with points and performances in classes and in missions. Correct? Why must you make a fuss out of this?"

A student from the Invicta class stood up, her hands at her sides turning into tight fists as she spoke.

"Of course, we will take this seriously! The freshmen would have to do this ordeal to have their ranks decided! Us students in the higher years would have to go with this in order to raise our ranks! Failing would definitely say something about us as a mage! Why must we not make a fuss about this?"

"Oh..."

Professor Noir smirked as he cocked his head to the side, looking at the black-haired student who had spoken loudly.

"Witty as always, Ms. Lesley Bryne... but of course, I am just doing my job as a professor to ease the panic the topic has caused you, students."

Hearing what he said, Lesley Bryne rolled her eyes as she sat back down on her seat, crossing her arms in front of her chest in the process.

With the sudden silence in the room, Aranea then raised her hand, the other students that remembered her having no magic, stifle their laughs as she stood up.

"Professor... what if the person died during the ordeal. What would happen?"

The moment everyone heard the question, most of the students laughed out loud as if she had said the stupidest question one could ever ask.

Aranea just furrowed her brows as her hands at the sides tightened, feeling insulted with the laughs everyone was giving her.

Her twin sister at the farthest table bit her lip as she felt nervous for her, and Vayne who was right in front of her looked at Aranea, his eyes wide as if he was looking at the most clueless person in the whole academy.

"My..."

Professor Noir chuckled as he shook his head in disapproval.

"I hope you are asking this for everyone, and not asking this for yourself."

Everyone laughed out loud once more as they heard the professor's insulting remark, making Aranea narrow her eyes at him, feeling infuriated.

She felt that even the professor is insulting her capabilities!

"The answer is simple. Don't die. Because if you do, then it's game over."