"Hold it!"
The voice wasnât loud... but it carried a weight far heavier than volume.
It surged through the interior of the academy building like a focused blast of pressureâquiet, yet thunderousâcausing the very atmosphere to shift.
"Hmm?"
Shaddad spun toward the entrance, brows drawn in fury, face twisted with irritation.
He was more than ready to lash outâregardless of who dared to interrupt. Even if it was another teacher, even if it were an elder.
But the instant his eyes landed on the one at the door... his rage melted into delight.
"Big Brother!!"
His voice shifted instantlyâfrom a defensive roar to a joyful call.
"Big Brother?"
"Did... did he just say
Big Brother
?"
"Wait... who on earth would
Professor Shaddad
âthat iron-willed, fire-tongued instructorâcall âBig Brotherâ?!"
"Youâre new, right? Iâve only heard him use that title once. Only for
one person
... Thatâs our
true instructor
."
"Whaaaaaaaaaat?!"
Within a blink, every single student turned toward the entrance, eyes wide, jaws slightly parted.
Anticipation filled the room like fogâ
and those who hadnât heard the stories before... were struck silent by what they saw.
A man.
A human.
One whose presence didnât scream power at first glanceâno blinding aura, no crashing pressure.
Yet somehow,
none of them
could look away.
He looked to be in Level 31, but even that seemed... misleading.
"Big Brother, youâre out! Finally!"
Shaddad rushed forward like a soldier seeing his commander return from the dead.
"You were in there so long I thought that bookâs aura had erased you entirely!"
He chuckled, half-nervous, half-relieved.
"I was going to Voltar every week just to ask about you. Even
he
said you might stay in there for seventy more years!"
Robin didnât smile.
His expression remained unreadableâhis voice, level and cold:
"What exactly is going on here, Shaddad?"
"Did I ever authorize you to teach those unruly children in my absence?"
"I..."
Shaddad flinched like a boy caught stealing bread.
He hesitated, then rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
"I remembered what you said that day... about your name. About how it shouldnât be tainted by this place."
His voice was softer now, quieter.
"I thought about it, you were right... When people call you the Sixth, it would be a shame to have this place stain your legacy."
He looked down for a moment, then met Robinâs gaze again.
"Maybe I canât change the Monarchâs orders, or reverse the system... but I could help in small ways. I thought, if I could keep your name out of the dirt, even just a little..."
Robin was silent.
Thenâ
He exhaled, a long breath escaping between slightly parted lips.
His fury was melting. The words may not have been perfect... but the sincerity behind them couldnât be denied.
He couldnât stay angry. Not at that.
"I left the Archive because I need something from you."
His voice steadied, regaining its usual focus.
"How long until you finish this... lesson of yours?"
"Half an hour. Just thirty minutes."
Shaddadâs voice lit up again, his face almost glowing with hope.
"Wait for me in your quartersâIâll come as soon as I finish. Thereâs so much I want to ask you about!"
Robin shook his head.
"No need. Iâve had more than enough solitude for a lifetime."
Without another word, he stepped past the crowd of stunned students and toward the teacherâs seat.
He sat, crossing one leg over the other, exuding quiet authority.
"Iâll observe from here."
"Haha, even better!"
Shaddad beamed with pride.
This was his chanceâhis Big Brother would witness his method, his growth, his discipline in action.
He turned to the center of the sparring courtyard nestled between the lecture stands and the professorâs platform.
Then pointed at someone near the back.
"Vaneer. Get down here."
"Huh? Me... again?!"
A sleepy voice groaned from above.
A red-haired youth lazily lifted his head, eyes half-shut, lips curled in annoyance.
He moved sluggishly, as if still half-dreaming.
His physique was well-built, muscles thick and balanced. His skin was lightly tanned, almost human...
But if one looked closelyâvery closelyâ
faint traces of scales shimmered along his cheeks and neck, only visible when the light hit just right.
Robinâs eyes narrowed.
He
knew
this one.
Thatâs the boy who surrendered mid-fight... the one who walked off without hesitation.
"Youâre the strongest here."
Shaddadâs voice cut through the tension.
"The one with the highest endurance."
He pointed directly at Vaneer.
"As long as you keep trying to hide in this class, Iâll keep dragging you to the front."
"...Tch."
Vaneer scratched his scalp, yawned, and dragged himself down the stairs with visible reluctance.
But when he reached the training zoneâhe stood straight. Calm. Collected.
Not a trace of nervousness in his posture.
He wasnât much shorter than Shaddad.
His steps didnât shake. His expression didnât falter.
"...."
Robinâs gaze settled on himâand stayed there.
It was hard to look away.
This boy wasnât ordinary.
He was at the absolute peak of the Emperor Realm, holding himself back from ascending further.
His physical force was immenseâoverwhelming.
Robin could tell:
He had undergone at least one, maybe two Weaponization Baths.
And most bizarre of all...
The way he looked at Shaddad.
It wasnât the gaze of a subordinate.
It wasnât fear.
It wasnât even respect.
It was calm assurance.
Almost like he
knew
... nothing here could harm him.
Like heâd seen worseâfaced greater.
"Alright everyoneâwatch carefully."
Shaddadâs voice rang with clarity and authority.
"Iâm only going to demonstrate this once."
He turned his head slowly, making sure every student in the room was attentive. Dozens of eyes followed him, some wide with interest, others dulled with fatigue.
He then shifted his gaze back to Vaneer and took a large, purposeful step forwardâshortening the distance between them.
Once more, he turned to the crowd of students, raising his voice:
"Firstâuse your Law-based techniques to close the gap quickly, just like we practiced."
"The key is to create a brief opening in your opponentâs defenses. Thatâs your entry point."
Then, turning to Vaneer again, he spread his arms wideâlike he was preparing to embrace him.
"Next, focus all your strength into your chest and palms."
He nodded toward Vaneer.
"Now try to escape."
BAAM!
In a flash, Shaddad closed the distance fully and struck Vaneer hard on the backâboth palms landing squarely between his shoulder blades.
It was clear Shaddad held back his full strength...
But even so, Robinâstill seated, arms crossedâcould tell:
That blow carried enough force to shatter the spine of a Nehari Giant, Daoudar.
Easily.
"Aargh!"
Vaneer groaned in pain, his body jolting forward.
He squirmed, tried to wriggle freeâ
but he was locked. Solidly.
Shaddad then released him and faced the students again, voice steady and firm:
"Did you see the strike point? Right behind the upper backâbeneath the spine ridge."
"Targeting that spot will weaken the entire body for a few seconds. And in those precious seconds..."
He gestured with both arms, mimicking a crushing motion.
"...you squeeze your enemy between your charged palms and chestâuntil they break."
He then placed his hands calmly behind his back, posture formal.
"Any questions?"
"...No, Professor."
The students responded in unison, though their faces betrayed something elseâconfusion, concern, or perhaps mild fear.
A few of them exchanged uncertain glances.
"Tsk, tsk... thisâll ache for the rest of the day."
Vaneer muttered as he stretched his arms lazily, like someone trying to wake up from a long nap.
He turned, dragging his feet as he headed back to his seat.
But just as he was about to sit downâ
"Where do you think youâre going?"
Shaddadâs voice snapped like a whip.
"Wait right there. Youâll be helping the others learn the move."
Yawn
Vaneer cracked his neck, unbothered, then strolled back to his previous position.
He shoved one hand into his pocket and sighed.
"Alright, letâs get this over with."
Shaddad let out a short breath, then swept his gaze across the seated students until his eyes landed on someone.
"Merina."
He pointed.
"Youâre the weakest when it comes to physical combat. Come down and try
The Bearâs Embrace
on Vaneer."
"Eeeeh?!"
A thin, petite girl wearing a comically large hat blinked in disbelief and pointed at herself in shock.
Then, with visible reluctance, she rose from her seat and descended toward the arena like a prisoner walking toward the gallows.
She stopped at a
safe
distance from Vaneer, her head lowered in nervous respect.
She gave a tiny bow.
"Please go easy on me."
"...Can I defend myself?"
Vaneer ignored her and turned his head to the side, speaking casually.
"Of course! How else will they learn properly?"
Shaddad barked in annoyance.
Then raised his armâ
and brought it down like a judge passing sentence.
"Engage!"