The one who spoke stood at the front of the group.
Brown hair.
Blue eyes.
Expensive uniform.
Weak aura.
Loud mouth.
A dangerous combination,one used by people who die in only three chapters.
Behind him stood two others.
Neither looked particularly remarkable.
Then again, fools always traveled in groups.
"Looks more like a lizard to me."
The boy grinned.
His two companions laughed.
Nobody else did.
The classroom had become strangely quiet.
Even Adrian had stopped smiling.
At least some people possessed functioning brains.
I stared at the boy.
The boy stared back.
The grin never left his face.
Perhaps he truly didn't understand what he had just done.
Or perhaps he was simply stupid.
Neither possibility worked in his favor.
"Say that again."
My voice was calm.
Too calm.
The boy's grin widened.
"There it is."
He pointed at me.
"The famous Elarion temper."
A few students frowned.
Others shifted uncomfortably.
"You people are all the same."
He continued.
"Grow a few scales and suddenly think you're special."
I could feel several gazes turn toward me.
Most belonged to students from Elarion.
A few tails had stiffened.
Several sets of animal ears flattened.
One girl with snow-white fox ears looked ready to leap across the room herself.
Good.
At least they had some pride.
The boy took my silence as encouragement.
A fatal mistake.
"What?"
He laughed.
"Did I hit a nerve, lizard?"
I stood.
The room became silent.
Not classroom silent.
True silence.
The kind where people instinctively felt something was wrong.
The boy's grin faltered.
Only slightly.
I looked down at him.
"You seem confused."
I said.
"What?"
"I'll explain."
I smiled.
Not a pleasant smile.
The kind Lucien wore before hospitalizing people.
"In Elarion, strength is respected."
I took a step forward.
The boy instinctively stepped back.
"We respect warriors."
Another step.
"We respect hunters."
Another.
"We even respect enemies."
The boy swallowed.
"But weaklings who bark at things stronger than themselves?"
I cracked my neck.
"We call those prey."
The room froze.
For the first time all day the boy looked uncertain.
Unfortunately for him—
It was too late.
"You think a bloodline is something shameful?"
I asked.
"Then allow me to educate you."
The instant I moved the classroom erupted.
Not because I attacked.
Because I vanished.
Gasps echoed around the room.
My hand appeared around the boy's throat.
A collective shudder ran through the class.
Fast.
Too fast.
The boy's eyes widened.
I lifted him effortlessly.
His feet left the ground.
His companions immediately backed away.
Cowards.
"Put him down!"
One of them shouted.
I ignored him.
The boy clawed at my wrist.
I wasn't even using mana.
Pathetic.
"You know what I find amusing?"
I asked.
The boy couldn't answer.
"You looked at my scales and assumed weakness."
My grip tightened slightly.
His face began turning red.
"Meanwhile, I looked at you and immediately knew exactly what you were."
The boy's eyes trembled.
"W-what?"
"A spoiled child."
I released him.
The boy dropped to the floor.
Coughing violently.
Then I kicked him.
The impact launched him across the classroom.
Desks exploded.
Wood shattered.
Several students jumped from their seats.
The boy crashed into the far wall.
For a moment nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Nobody spoke.
Then the classroom door opened.
Instructor Seraphina stepped inside.
Her eyes landed on:
The shattered desks.
The hole in the wall.
The unconscious student.
Then finally—
Me.
"..."
"..."
I pointed at the unconscious boy and put on an innocent face.
"He started it."
The entire classroom stared at me.
Instructor Seraphina slowly closed her eyes.
When she opened them again, she looked exhausted.
"Benjamin."
"Yes?"
"Office."
"Understood."
I grabbed my bag.
As I walked toward the door, I passed Adrian.
The boy looked completely stunned.
"So..."
He whispered.
"Are all bloodline users like this?"
I thought about Lucien.
Then Eldra.
Then Father.
"...No."
Adrian visibly relaxed.
I continued walking.
"Most are worse."
Behind me, I heard several students choke.
For some reason, that improved my mood considerably.