It was a shocking revelation.
At the end of each semester, every student placed in the lowest-ranked squad of the duel evaluations would be expelled. Grades did not matter. Other achievements did not matter either. Every semester, the bottom ten percent would be cut without exception.
Since it took two full semesters to advance into the second year, that meant nearly twenty percent of the students could end up leaving Kizen based on duel evaluations alone.
Jane continued her explanation without the slightest pause.
"Promotions and demotions between squads are determined solely by wins and losses. Of course, each squad carries a different scoring weight in the duel evaluations. Losing against a higher-ranked squad will earn more points than defeating a lower-ranked one. You must always aim upward."
She set the chalk down on the desk beside the board, then looked over the class.
"Now then. Who can explain the difference between the monster battle we had before and the duels you will be facing against other students?"
The moment the question left her mouth, one hand shot up with more enthusiasm than any other.
"Jamie Victoria."
"Yes, Professor! I'm Jamie Victoria!" Jamie answered brightly as she stood. "In a monster battle, we're the ones trying to analyze the target, form a strategy, and bring it down. But in a duel, the opponent is doing the exact same thing to us. They can observe us, target our weaknesses, and make plans against us as well. That's the key difference."
Jane gave a small nod of approval before shifting her gaze elsewhere.
"Hector Moore."
This time, Hector rose from his seat.
Even that simple motion made him look like a large hill deciding to stand up.
"Compared to monster battles, the range of black magic that can be used effectively in duels is much narrower," Hector said.
Jane's eyes remained on him.
"Explain."
"Anything that takes too long to cast becomes difficult to use. The same goes for techniques with obvious trajectories, slow projectile speed, or magic circles that have to be installed on the ground beforehand. Those kinds of spells are much easier to read and avoid in a duel."
His gaze shifted slightly across the classroom.
Then it settled on Simon, who was seated farther away.
"Summoning spells from Summonology are the same," Hector continued. "They're inefficient in one-on-one duels. The summon can be ignored, and the summoner can be attacked directly instead."
A few students immediately glanced toward Simon after hearing that.
The implication was obvious enough.
Simon's expression tightened almost at once, and the air around that side of the room grew a little stiffer.
Knox, meanwhile, rested his cheek against one hand and watched the exchange with quiet amusement. Hector was not technically wrong, but the way he had chosen to deliver that point was so pointed that it might as well have been a thrown rock.
Jane, however, showed no sign of caring about the tension.
"Very good."
At Jane's signal, Hector bowed politely and returned to his seat.
"Duels differ from monster extermination in one crucial aspect. Your opponent is not a fixed target. They think, react, adapt, and exploit openings just as you do. A student who performs well in missions will not necessarily perform well in duels." She said.
Jane continued, "We've already covered most of the important points. Honestly, if we looked closely, there could be dozens or even hundreds of differences between monster battles and duels. Now then, can anyone tell me why I'm explaining something this obvious?"
No one answered. The classroom fell completely silent.
"Starting this week, you need to change the way you think."
Jane lifted a hand and tapped her forehead lightly with her index finger.
"If you are still stuck in the afterglow of the Cyclops battle, that is a problem. Loosen the screws in your head and change your habits along with your mindset. No one is going to build strategies for you. During class, think carefully about how to use the cards you have to bring down your classmates."
"Yes, Professor!"
The students answered in unison, their voices ringing through the classroom.
"And also—"
Jane smiled slightly.
The moment Knox saw that smile, he shuddered without meaning to.
Why?
Because after spending years living in Nefthis's house with Lorain and training under Jane, he knew her far too well.
Especially that smile.
Whenever Jane smiled like that, it usually meant one of two things: you are dead or you are going to die. Either way, the conclusion was never good news.
"I may be Kizen's vice president," Jane said, "but as the homeroom professor of Class A, I believe I have done everything I could for you. The Avalon simulation and the live battle against the Cyclops were opportunities given only to Class A out of all fourteen first-year classes."
Knox gave a small nod.
Even if the Cyclops battle had felt more like a light warm-up than an actual challenge for him, he was still genuinely grateful for it. The experience had been valuable, and more importantly, it had helped his group grow as well.
Jane's expression sharpened ever so slightly.
"To be clear, I cannot imagine another class outperforming the one under my supervision."
A faint spark lit her usually cold eyes.
"The vice president herself came down to teach first-years. I trust none of you intend to embarrass me."
For a brief second, an utterly ridiculous image flashed through Knox's mind.
Jane, somehow looking offended, getting mocked in a childish cartoonish way by the other professors.
He immediately dismissed it.
...No, I really don't think that's going to happen.
Still, professors were a lot more sensitive about class performance than they usually let on.
And in duel evaluations, where all classes from A to N would be competing directly, that sensitivity would only become more obvious. Results would be visible, rankings would shift every week, and there would be no hiding which classes were strong and which ones were falling behind.
"Professor Jane!!"
At that moment, Rick, who was seated beside Simon, shot to his feet with an excited expression.
"Don't worry! We'll make sure you can hold your head up high, Professor!"
Meilyn flinched at once and grabbed his sleeve, trying to yank him back down.
"Hey! Sit down! You're embarrassing us! Why are you getting so fired up like that?!"
Knox, who was already far too entertained by the scene, immediately decided to join the fun.
"Rick is right, Professor Jane," he said with a grin. "Don't worry. Either we'll make sure you can hold your head up high, or we'll plant the other classes' heads straight into the ground!"
Aha: Clap clap clap clap! Here, take my mask!
That only made things worse.
Claudia looked startled for a second before letting out a small, helpless laugh, though there was a faint trace of flustered disbelief on her face, as if she had no idea how the conversation had spiraled into this so quickly.
Cindy, on the other hand, burst out laughing almost immediately.
"Pfft—Knox, what kind of promise is that?!"
Merida stayed silent for a moment, glanced at Knox, then at Rick, and finally said in her usual flat tone, "I'm not sure whether I should be reassured or concerned."
"Let's go! Class A, fighting!!" Knox and Rick said at the same time.
That did it.
Laughter broke out all across the classroom.
Several of the male students, their competitive spirit fully ignited now, joined in with loud voices of their own, repeating the cheer with surprising enthusiasm.
"Class A, fighting!"
"Yeah!"
"We're not losing to the other classes!"
Even some of the girls could not help laughing at how absurdly energetic the whole thing had become.
Near the front, the assistant professors exchanged amused looks.
"'Class A, fighting,' huh?"
"Our kids are kind of cute."
They giggled softly to each other.
Used as they were to handling stiff and serious third-years under Jane's supervision, dealing with these first-years—still noisy, overly expressive, and full of that chick-like liveliness—felt strangely refreshing.
Jane stared at Rick for a long second with a perfectly blank expression.
"Rick Hayward."
"Yes, Professor!"
"You're the one I'm most worried about."
For half a beat, the room went silent. Then the entire class burst into laughter.
Rick scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed grin and quickly sat back down, while Knox and Cindy were practically losing it at this point.
"Ah, crap, I hate this. You're so embarrassing," Meilyn muttered, dragging a hand down over her face.
Jane, meanwhile, continued as if the laughter itself were part of the lesson.
"Since we are on the subject, let me give you one piece of advice. Rick Hayward's weapon enchantments are actually quite decent. The problem is whether he can land an enchanted weapon on his opponent in the first place. Against a student from the Magical Combat track, he may perform reasonably well. Against a student from the Haematology track, who specializes in ranged attacks, he would likely be defeated before getting the opportunity."
The accuracy of that assessment hit hard enough that Rick's embarrassed grin faded into something more sober, and he gave a reluctant nod.
Then Jane's gaze shifted.
"And you, Knox Aznable."
Knox, who was still in the middle of laughing, straightened at once.
"Yes, Professor."
Jane looked at him for a moment before speaking.
"I'm not worried about you."
A few students blinked.
Then Jane added, in the same calm tone, "I'm more worried about your opponent."
This time, the laughter that had been barely held back broke loose all over again. Even some of the assistant professors could be heard trying and failing not to laugh.
Knox, meanwhile, responded with the most innocent smile he could manage.
"Don't worry, professor. I'm sure Rick will do his best to make Professor more worried about him than about my opponents~"
That was enough to completely finish off whatever self-control remained in the room.
The students who had been holding back immediately gave up, and the assistant professors were not doing much better. Cindy was laughing so hard she had to hold onto the edge of her desk, while Merida, in a rare sight, actually laughed out loud instead of merely looking amused.
Jane watched the scene for a moment and could only shake her head, although the faint upward curve at the corner of her mouth made it clear that even she was not entirely unaffected by it.
Once the classroom finally calmed down again, she continued.
"Each of you should think carefully about your own strengths and weaknesses and consider what must be improved before the duel evaluations begin."
"Yes!"
Jane stepped down from the podium and gave a small signal to the assistant professors. They immediately began moving about the classroom with practiced efficiency.
"All right," Jane said. "We're changing locations."
***
Class A made its way to the indoor training facility in the adjacent building.
The reason Jane had brought them there was simple enough.
"From here on, train however you like," she said. "Review your strengths, identify your weaknesses, and think carefully about which black magic you intend to use in duels. The assistant professors will be walking around, so ask questions whenever necessary."
The moment the words free training were spoken, the mood shifted almost instantly.
Students began scattering in different directions with visible enthusiasm. Some moved straight toward open practice areas to test their black magic and build combat imagery through repetition, while others found seats first and began filling out damage tables, comparing spell efficiency, casting speed, and possible matchups.
For those who wanted something more practical, mock duels were also available. The assistant professors had already begun lending out protective vests similar to the ones used during the Cyclops battle, making it possible for students to spar without having to worry about things escalating too far.
Before long, the members of Group 8 also gathered together and settled into one corner of the training facility.
Knox was the first to speak.
"Let's assess our current situation first."
The others nodded at his words and naturally formed a small circle around him.
Thanks to the real battle against the Cyclops, Class A had gained something undeniably valuable—experience. It was the kind of thing that could not be properly learned through lectures or simulations alone. Once someone had stood in a real battlefield, felt real pressure, and made real decisions under danger, the difference would always remain.
At the same time, however, that battle had exposed something else.
Information.
"Hm? Information?" Cindy asked, tilting her head.
Knox gave a small nod.
"Everyone in Class A has a rough idea now of who is good at what," he said. "During the Cyclops battle, most people ended up revealing their specialties, their habits, and even the way they respond under pressure. Even students who barely interacted before probably know more about each other now than they did during the entire first semester."
Claudia nodded in quiet agreement.
"That's true," she said. "Even I ended up learning the general style and dark magic tendencies of several students I'd barely spoken to before."
"The real problem," Knox continued, "is that there's a high chance that information won't stay inside Class A."
That made Cindy's expression shift slightly.
"That could definitely happen," she said. "Duel evaluations are competitive by nature, after all. If someone thinks they can gain an advantage, there's no reason to assume they'll keep quiet."
"Even within the same class, students from different groups aren't necessarily close," Claudia added. "So if information can circulate inside Class A, then it can just as easily spread outside of it too."
Merida, who had been listening in her usual sleepy silence, spoke up flatly.
"Like Rick."
There was a brief pause.
Then Knox let out a quiet laugh.
"...Merida, Rick doesn't really 'share' information," he said. "If anything, he looks more like the type to sell it."
"Right," Cindy said immediately, catching on at once. "He's exactly the kind of person who'd hand over information if someone offered enough money."
Claudia covered her mouth slightly, trying not to laugh, though she still nodded in agreement.
"That does sound possible."
Merida gave a small shrug, as if that had been her point all along.
Knox rested his chin lightly against one hand, his gaze lowering in thought.
"The problem with duel evaluations is that they're relative," he said. "Raw skill matters, of course, but information matters too. If the opponent already knows what kind of spells you prefer, how long your casting takes, what your habits are, and what kind of tactics you tend to use, then the fight becomes much easier to prepare for."
Cindy folded her arms.
"So in other words, unlike the Cyclops battle, this time we're the ones who might become the target of preparation."
"Exactly."
The Cyclops battle had been dangerous, but at least the enemy had been straightforward. Duel evaluations would be different. Their opponents would think, analyze, and adjust. They would exploit patterns, predict habits, and attack weaknesses with intent.
Claudia looked at Knox.
"Then what should we do?"
Knox smiled faintly.
"First, we stop thinking of ourselves the way we did during the mission," he said. "Back then, consistency mattered more than concealment. Now it's the opposite. The more obvious your style is, the easier it becomes for someone to build a counter against you."
Cindy let out a small groan.
"So basically, we need to become more annoying to read."
"That's one way to put it."
Merida, as usual, sounded completely unbothered.
"That sounds troublesome."
"It is," Knox said lightly. "But it also means this is the right time to adjust."
His gaze moved from one teammate to the next.
"For now, let's start simple. We should each identify three things—our strengths, our obvious weaknesses, and the parts of our fighting style that are easiest for other people to read. Once we know that, we can figure out what needs to be hidden, what needs to be improved, and what can be used as bait."
Cindy blinked.
"...Bait?"
Knox's smile deepened just a little.
"If the opponent thinks they understand you, sometimes it's better to let them believe it."
That immediately drew a different kind of reaction.
Claudia looked thoughtful.
Cindy's eyes lit up.
Merida, though still wearing the same sleepy expression, seemed slightly more awake than before.
In the end, what Knox was suggesting was simple.
If information had already leaked, then the answer was not merely to worry about it.
It was to make that information unreliable.
————————————
Character Voicelines · Rick: About How to Get Stronger
Rick: Knox, can I ask… how do I get stronger?
Knox (eyes lighting up): Hmm, good question, student Rickroll. If you really want to know, just follow what I'm doing.
Without warning, Knox stepped forward, shifting side to side with a light bounce, one hand swinging casually before pointing straight ahead, then snapping back to his chest in rhythm.
Knox: Once you've mastered this dance, just sing, "Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down…"
Knox: …and then you'll become famous— ahem, I mean, you'll become stronger.
Rick: ...￣_￣ )ง💢