Chapter 204 – New Friend?

‘That humanoid looks different from the rest. Is that why they are avoiding him?’

Rusty had already noticed the absence of other races in the academy. It seemed that this place also divided people by class, with nobles as always holding the highest rank. The young man in question appeared different from the others. The difference was subtle, yet it was clear that he was not entirely human.

The young man stood apart from the others with his arms crossed, his posture radiating disinterest. Even from a distance, Rusty could tell there was something unusual about him. His orange hair had faint black streaks near the roots, and his eyes were slitted like a cat’s. When he shifted slightly, Rusty noticed elongated fangs that were longer than what any normal human would have. It became clear to him that this youth had beastman blood running through his veins.

Once the groups were formed, the young man stood out like a sore thumb. He was about two meters tall and did not appear to be someone who belonged among the other summoners. To Rusty, he seemed more like a warrior who happened to possess some mana.

‘He seems stronger than the others, but his mana is only average.’

The other students whispered as they glanced at him, their voices low but filled with unease.

“Don’t look at him. He might bite you.”

“Are they really stuck with him? I wouldn’t want to be in their place.”

“Be quiet. What if he hears you?”

As the whispers spread, the young man turned his gaze toward them. The instant he did, they all looked away as if a wild animal had fixed its eyes on them. Though Aranea appeared to be the leader of this B-class, this man was clearly feared and possibly close to her in strength.

“Is everyone ready?”

After a short while, all the groups were chosen except for Rusty’s, which still lacked a third member. The teacher noticed this quickly. His eyes lingered on the young man leaning against the column, and with a disappointed tone, he called out to him.

“Syber Tygrys, you will join Gwendolin Rainstar and Astrella Fjord.”

The teacher announced, his tone leaving no room for objection. Rusty could feel Gwen’s shoulder stiffen immediately and saw Astrella’s smile fade at the announcement. It was clear that the two had hoped for a more ordinary third member instead of the person the entire class avoided. Part of it might have been prejudice against his bloodline, yet he also carried a dangerous air, like a beast waiting for the right moment to strike.

Syber did not seem to care. He uncrossed his arms and pushed himself away from the column. When he walked forward, it was like a predator stepping into enemy territory. His movements were strangely fluid, and the sunlight caught his hair, making it shimmer like burning embers. Up close, Rusty could see more clearly that those eyes truly belonged to a feline.

“G-good day.”

Surprisingly, Gwen was the first to break the ice as she greeted the young man who stood a head taller than her. When she did, his yellow feline eyes locked on hers, making her flinch. Astrella reacted quickly and stepped between them, but Rusty did not. To him, the young man did not seem that fierce. More than hostility, he sensed curiosity. He was not sure if he was mistaken, but his instincts told him this was the case.

“Hey, back off…”

“Just don’t get in my way.”

Syber replied and then turned his head to avoid their gazes.

“…We’ll see who gets in whose way!”

Astrella crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed, though her forced smile betrayed her unease. Gwen glanced nervously between the two of them, unsure how to ease the tension already forming within their small group. Rusty tilted his head, studying the beastman’s expression.

“He doesn’t seem hostile, just impatient. Maybe he dislikes talking?”

This time Rusty spoke so Gwen could hear him through their link. She seemed surprised by his assessment and quickly asked him to explain.

“Hm? He isn’t hostile?”

“He doesn’t seem like the others. I don’t think he means any harm to you.”

Rusty had experience dealing with monsters, bandits, and other humans. At first, he could not tell their expressions apart, but he had been studying carefully. He could now more or less read what people were feeling, though describing how he knew was still difficult.

“I don’t know, but if you say so…”

Gwendolin was clearly surprised by this revelation and began staring at the young man. His uniform was different as well. Most were designed like mage robes with hoods, but Syber’s outfit looked more practical and suited for combat. He wore regular pants, a white shirt, and a black jacket left open at the collar, revealing part of his neck. For some reason, he was allowed to wear this modified school uniform.

“…Are you two done staring?”

Syber’s voice cut through the silence like a blade. Gwen instantly turned her head away, flustered, while Astrella huffed and placed her hands on her hips.

“We’re just trying to figure out what kind of person you are.”

Astrella said with a frown on her face.

“Does that matter?”

His tone was calm yet cold. It was clear he had little interest in working with them. Without another word, he started walking forward, ignoring the two girls calling out to him.

“Hey, where are you going? We are supposed to work as a group!”

Astrella shouted, but the young man did not respond.

“…”

“So annoying! Who does he think he is?”

She was clearly furious, and Gwen tried to calm her down.

“It’s fine, Astrella. I think he’s just going ahead to the gate entrance. Look, the other students have already started moving.”

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As she spoke, the teacher pointed forward, and the group began to move. Rusty remained silent, observing with interest the strange tears in space that awaited them ahead.

“I’m sure you’ve all been inside of a rift but do not confuse that one with this.”

Once they assembled, they stood in a large chamber with a glowing rift in space before them. This was the first time Rusty had seen anything like it. The gate was blue in color, similar to regular mana but in a darker shade. It was oval in shape, about three meters tall and one and a half meters wide. It hovered above the ground, which was covered with several layers of magic circles that probably kept it stable.

“The gate you entered in the past was an F-rank gate that contained only weak creatures. This one is an E-rank randomized gate. Once your groups enter, you will be sent into a random sector within the void dimension. The environment, mana density, and creature levels will vary depending on where you appear. Your task is to collect magic crystals from the creatures you defeat. Gather enough within the time limit and return to the entrance to receive a passing grade.”

Rusty listened to the explanation, but it seemed that all the students already knew this information. From what he understood, they needed to reach a specific threshold to pass. If they failed to do so, they would still receive a low grade, which could eventually lead to demotion to C-class if they continued to perform poorly.

“Randomised sector? That sounds dangerous. What if we end up somewhere dangerous?”

Gwen gulped softly while looking at the gate entrance and the first group moving through it.