As Professor Lee finished his ominous statement, the room was consumed by a thick, suffocating silence. Lucian could sense the unease emanating from his classmates as they all gazed at their teacher, their eyes brimming with anxiety and apprehension. They hung on to his every word, desperate for an explanation that would alleviate their fears.
"As you know," Professor Lee continued his voice calm and measured, "this school is dedicated to students with extraordinary abilities. Our mission is to help you harness your talents and use them for the greater good of our country." He walked over to his desk, his movements slow and deliberate, and picked up a remote. With a click of a button, the projector flickered to life, casting an eerie glow across the room. Lucian and his classmates leaned forward in their seats, their hearts racing with anticipation, wondering what the professor was about to reveal.
Mr. Lee then pressed play, and the video began with a man with greying hair appearing on the screen. "Good morning students," he began, his voice commanding and authoritative. "My name is Nicholas Willenborg, and I am the Head Dean of this prestigious school. I am pleased to welcome you all to this course and hope that you will excel in your studies." His tone was friendly, yet there was a subtle hint of warning in his voice that the students couldn't quite place.
As the Head Dean continued speaking, the students sat captivated.
"However," he said, his expression growing more serious, "I have an important announcement to make. As you all know, this course is designed for students with extraordinary abilities, but we have also noticed that some of the past students here are struggling to keep up with the rigorous academic curriculum." A murmur of surprise and confusion rippled through the classroom, and Lucian exchanged a worried glance with the girl sitting beside him. What was the Head Dean getting at? What did this mean for them and their futures at the school? The air in the room grew heavy with tension, and the students couldn't help but feel that something ominous was about to happen.
The students exchanged looks of confusion and surprise as they wondered where this was leading.
Nicholas paused for a moment, his gaze scanning the room, his face inscrutable.
The students held their breath, waiting for him to continue. "I cannot stress enough how important this program is," he said, his voice grave.
"It is a matter of your future success and the success of our school. We have high expectations for all of you, and we believe that you have the potential to achieve great things."
The students shifted in their seats, feeling a mix of excitement and trepidation. They knew that this special program would be challenging, However, they also understood that doing so would enable them to fully utilize their knowledge.
Still, there was an underlying sense of unease in the room, as if the Head Dean was withholding something important from them.
Lucian couldn't shake off the feeling that something was not right, and he exchanged a worried look with the girl sitting beside him.
What were they getting themselves into? Only time would tell.
Hearing the message, some students appeared a little nervous, while others were pleased about the possibility of improving their education.
"That's all for now," Nicholas said, "I wish you all the best in your studies and I hope you take this opportunity seriously. Thank you."
The video screen turned off and the students were left to contemplate what was in store for them in the future.
As the screen went black, a wave of uneasiness washed over the students. They looked at each other, unsure of what to make of the Dean's words.
Lucian felt a knot form in his stomach, realizing that he might not have a spot in this prestigious school next year.
Although Mr. Lee appeared to be calm and friendly, the students could tell that something was not right. His smile and soothing voice contradicted the dark and unsettling thoughts that seemed to be lurking behind his eyes.
This realization only served to increase the fear that the students were already experiencing, rather than alleviate it.
The classroom was pervaded by an almost tangible silence as if a dense cloud was hovering above everyone's heads. The students were acutely aware of the terror that seemed to be reflected in the teacher's eyes as if he was suppressing some horrifying secret. Despite his attempts to comfort and reassure them, his words felt hollow and ineffective, providing little solace to the anxious minds of the students. As the reality of their situation set in, they were overcome by a sense of apprehension and foreboding, as though a sinister shadow had descended upon the classroom.
But the girl sitting beside Lucian wasn't convinced.
She leaned over and whispered to him, "There's something off about him. Did you see the way his eyes changed? It's like he's possessed or something."
Lucian shuddered at the thought. He had always been a skeptic when it came to supernatural phenomena, but something about Mr. Lee's behavior was starting to make him question his beliefs. Maybe there really were things beyond the realm of human understanding.
As if sensing their unease, Mr. Lee's smile faltered for a moment before he regained his composure. "Now, let's get back to the lesson," he said, his voice once again calm and steady. But Lucian and the girl couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted irreversibly in the classroom. They exchanged nervous glances, wondering if they would ever be able to feel safe again.
Mr. Lee sighed, "Look, I don't have all the answers. But what I do know is do your best. That's all you can do."
Lucian nodded in agreement, but his heart dropped to his stomach at the thought of being cut from this prestigious school. He couldn't imagine what it would mean for him and his future if that happened.
That thought was terrifying, but he couldn't help but wonder, "What if he's serious? What if they really do cut some of us out?" The idea was too scary to even think about, but the more he thought about it, the more the idea took root inside his mind, leaving him frozen in fear and panic.
He wondered if he had what it takes to stay in this school and if his skills were enough to compete with the other students.
Mr. Lee's eyes scanned through the list of names in front of him as he called each student one by one.
"Ethan," he said, his voice authoritative. Ethan quickly responded, "Present."
Mr. Lee nodded and moved on to the next name.
"Akira," he called out.
He then raised his hand and said, "Here."
*********
********
The process continued until it reached Lucian's name.
"Lucian," Mr. Lee called out. Lucian immediately stood up and replied with a clear, "Present."
However, Shun was lost in his own world, gazing out of the window, and didn't respond when his name was called.
Lucian tapped his shoulder and said, "Hey, the teacher is calling your name."
Shun snapped out of his trance and replied, "Present," while Mr. Lee shot him a calm look.
As Mr. Lee called out the last two names, Kai and Ji-woo, the classroom became quiet.
The two students at the back of the class remained composed as they said, "Present," in unison.
Mr. Lee let out a deep breath, and the tension in the air dissipated a little.
After that, Mr. Lee left the room.
The noise level inside the classroom started to rise.
Shun whispered to Lucian asking if he wanted to go to the restroom, to which Lucian was taken aback and tickled by the suddenness of the question.
"What the heck, you do that?" he replied. Shun apologized quietly, and Lucian chuckled.
As Lucian stood up from his chair, he couldn't help but feel awkward as he looked at his two male classmates behind him.
Kai, who looked like a buff and big character from a video game, was chatting with Ji-woo, who had beautiful blue curly hair and piercings on both ears.
Lucian then turned his attention back to Shun, who was still apologizing for tickling him earlier.
"It's fine," Lucian replied with a smile.
"I'm just not used to being tickled."
Kai suddenly turned to Lucian and asked, "Hey, do you play any video games?".
Lucian, who was a bit taken aback by the sudden question, replied,
"Uh, yeah. I play some games, why?"
Kai grinned and said, "We should hang out sometime and play together.
"I bet I can beat you in any game."
Ji-woo then joined in the conversation, "I also play games sometimes, but not as much as Kai. Maybe we can all play together sometime."
Lucian nodded with a smile, feeling grateful to have made some new friends on his first day of class.
Despite their initial gaps in looks and hobbies, they soon realized they have a lot of things in common. Kai possessed a passion for martial arts that even equaled Jiwoo's power, while Ji-woo was unexpectedly well-versed in literature. Both of them taught Lucian as they shared their professional knowledge and personal favorites with him.
Lucian couldn't help but feel a sense of friendship with these two new pals as they spoke and laughed together. Since his arrival, Lucian had not yet felt like he had found his place in the world.
He couldn't wait to get to know them better and see where their friendship would take them.
Lucian froze for a moment as a sudden gust of wind blew through the classroom. His heart started beating faster, and he felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through his body. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off and that the peaceful atmosphere of the classroom was about to be shattered.
Kai and Ji-woo also noticed the sudden change in the air, and they looked at each other with concern. Lucian could see the fear in their eyes, which only made him more uneasy. He wondered if they were all sensing the same thing, or if it was just his imagination running wild.
Ji-woo witnessed Lucian's expression, so he lifted his left eyebrow and questioned him.
"Hey, don't you feel something?"
Lucian paused for a bit before speaking.
"I honestly don't know."
Just then, the lights in the room flickered and went out completely, leaving the room in darkness.
Everyone gasped and shuddered as the sudden darkness added to their growing unease.
After a few seconds of silence, the window started to slowly close from the metal.
Lucian's heart raced as he tried to identify the source of the scraping sound. Was it someone trying to force open the door? Or was it something more sinister, like the sound of a weapon being unsheathed? He looked around the room, trying to gauge his classmates' reactions. Some of them looked scared.
The tension in the room was palpable, and Lucian could feel his nerves fraying with every passing second. He wondered what was going to happen next, and whether he and his classmates were going to be able to make it out of the room alive. The scraping sound continued, getting louder and more persistent until it was almost deafening. And then, just as suddenly as it had started, the sound stopped, leaving behind an eerie silence that hung in the air like a fog.
As everyone was trying to make sense of what was happening, a bright light suddenly turned on, illuminating the room.
The TV screen came to life and a robotic voice spoke,
[ Today is 9:30 am, First Class Non-Ability users ]
Everyone was stunned as they watched the TV screen in disbelief. The robotic voice continued,
[ Your assignment is to leave the room immediately and make your way to the designated location ]
As everyone was trying to process the strange message, the door suddenly burst open, and a group of armed individuals stormed from the front door, pointing their weapons at the students.
As the armed individuals burst into the classroom, chaos erupted. The students were frozen in shock as the intruders aimed their weapons at them, their faces obscured by masks. Fear and panic set in as the intruders barked orders, demanding that the students surrender their life and come with them. Lucian's heart raced as he tried to process what was happening.
Was this some kind of test?
Or was it a real threat?
Lucian and his friends were among the first to react, quickly realizing that they needed to escape the danger.
Lucian, Shun, and Ji-woo's hearts raced as the armed individuals surged into the classroom. Their thoughts switched to survival mode, scanning their surroundings for a route out. The rear door of the classroom drew their attention since it appeared to be the only potential escape route.
Without hesitation, they quietly moved towards the door, trying to avoid attracting the attention of the armed individuals. Their hands were shaking as they reached for the doorknob, and their hearts were pounding in their chests. As they slowly opened the door, they could hear the commotion and shout from the front of the classroom. They knew they had to move fast.
They ran as fast as they could, their hearts pounding with fear and adrenaline. As they ran down the hallway, they could hear the sound of gunshots and shouting behind them, sending shivers down their spines.
As they made their escape, they couldn't help but wonder what was happening and why someone would come into their classroom with guns. Fear and confusion weighed heavy on their minds, but they knew they had to focus on getting to safety first. The sound of footsteps and shouting grew fainter as they moved further away from the classroom, and they felt a glimmer of hope that they might make it out alive
While running Fear of thought and uncertainty hung heavy in the air as they tried to catch their breath and process what had just happened.
As Lucian and his friends tried to process the events of the day, they realized that their first day of class had taken a dangerous and unexpected turn. They knew that they would need to stay alert and vigilant if they were to survive and thrive in this school. The incident had taught them that their abilities made them both valuable and vulnerable and that they would need to rely on each other if they were to overcome the challenges that lay ahead.
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