Away from the catastrophe at Doitand, back at the academy in Room A, Kael stood at the front of the lecture hall, his hands clasped behind his back, his sharp gaze sweeping over the students. Holographic displays hovered in the air, shifting and pulsing with information as the class was already well underway. The atmosphere was charged with silent focus, the students hanging on his every word.
Then, he posed a simple yet profound question:
"What defines the greatest individuals in history?"
He let the question hang, his eyes scanning the students as they exchanged glances. A few furrowed their brows in thought, while others simply waited for someone else to answer. Jay, ever the outspoken one, raised his hand.
"That's easy. The greatest individuals are definitely those with the strongest fists! Strength equals greatness." He flexed his arms slightly, flashing an overconfident grin. A few classmates groaned, some rolling their eyes at his predictable response.
Kael, however, did not dismiss him outright. He nodded thoughtfully.
"You might actually be correct, Jay," he admitted, beginning to pace slowly. His footsteps echoed through the silent room, a rhythmic counterpoint to his words.
"Our world is built upon strength. That fact is undeniable. From the lowliest awakened ranks to the legendary transcendent tiers, power defines the path of those who wish to ascend. The weak do not shape the world—only the strong do."
At his words, the holographic projections shifted, forming a cascading display of the various ranks of power, from the Awakened to the Transcendent. The students watched, some with awe, others with quiet ambition burning in their eyes.
Then, Kael's voice dropped slightly, carrying a weight that made the class unconsciously lean forward.
"It is even said that the stronger one becomes, the closer they come to immortality itself."
Soft gasps rippled through the room. The prospect of immortality was both exhilarating and terrifying.
But just as quickly, Kael shifted his tone, grounding them once more.
"However…" he paused, his gaze sweeping across the class, "…the most notable figures in history, those who truly reached the peak, did not do so with strength alone."
The holograms shimmered again, shifting to display a new set of figures—towering legends, conquerors, rulers, and tacticians who had shaped history.
"They did not merely rely on how hard they could strike or how much devastation they could unleash. No, what set them apart was something far greater than brute force."
Kael raised a hand and tapped the side of his temple. "Their minds."
The silence in the room deepened. Even Jay looked less certain now.
"Strength without intelligence, without strategy, without foresight, makes one no different than a rampaging beast or at best an orc. Without wit, without cunning, even the mightiest warrior can become nothing more than a disposable pawn in someone else's game."
A slow murmur ran through the class as they absorbed this.
Kael gestured again, and a new hologram appeared—a single towering figure clad in regal armor, standing atop a battlefield strewn with the broken weapons of her enemies.
"This brings me to one of the greatest examples of this truth: Gebet Hemeket, the Titan Regen of Terranova."
The name alone commanded attention. Even those who were unfamiliar with her history recognized the weight it carried.
Kael continued, his voice rich with depth, painting the image of a woman who had rewritten the rules of war.
"Some call her the goddess of earth itself, others a conqueror unlike any before or after. But what she truly was, above all else, was a tactician without equal."
The hologram expanded, displaying the vast landscapes of Terranova—the Earth Kingdom. It was a land once ruled by Titans, towering beings of immense physical strength and durability. For centuries, they were the undisputed lords of their domain. No one, not even the strongest warlords, had dared to challenge their rule. Until Gebet Hemeket.
"Gebet was no Titan. She had no bloodline of giants, no divine heritage. She was a simple woman, born of human origins, rising from obscurity to challenge an empire of giants."
A hush fell over the class. The very idea seemed impossible.
Kael's eyes gleamed with something close to admiration. "Where others saw an unconquerable force, she saw weaknesses waiting to be exploited."
The hologram changed, displaying ancient battle formations, detailed siege plans, intricate movements of troops and terrain manipulation.
"She understood one undeniable truth—raw strength could be outmatched by superior strategy."
Kael moved toward the center of the class, his presence commanding.
"People remember Gebet for her power, for her unmatched control over the earth. But what truly made her terrifying was her mind. If you were winning against her, it was because she allowed you to win. If you had the upper hand, it was because she had already decided where you would fall."
Jay swallowed, shifting slightly in his seat.
Kael allowed the words to settle before delivering the final blow:
"Her enemies did not realize they had lost until their lands were already buried beneath her feet."
The weight of his words hung over the room.
"It is said that her intelligent mind rivaling the Deus Machina of Mechavaris that causes relief in the minds of her allies and dread in the hearts of her enemies"
Then, he exhaled lightly and took a step back, letting the class process everything.
Finally, he turned to Jay once more, a knowing smirk playing at the edge of his lips.
"Some of you might still believe that strength is all that matters. But tell me, what is brute force when it serves only to make you a pawn in someone else's chess game?"
The room was silent.
For once, Jay had no response.
Kael nodded, satisfied, before continuing his lesson, his voice carrying the weight of generations past and the wisdom of those who had shaped the world with not just their might, but their minds.
The hushed intensity of the lecture was suddenly interrupted by the soft hiss of the door sliding open, drawing every student's attention toward the entrance.
Standing at the threshold was Dvalin, the dwarven principal, his broad stature and thick, meticulously groomed beard making him an unmistakable figure of authority. The faint clinking of metal rings from his ceremonial belt accompanied his movements as he stepped into the room, his presence immediately commanding respect. But it was the frail figure standing just behind him that truly caught the students' attention.
Logan.
Shy, reserved, and seemingly out of place, the boy barely met anyone's gaze, his fingers nervously fidgeting against the hem of his uniform.
Kael, ever composed, gave a respectful bow before addressing their unexpected visitor. "Good afternoon, Sir Dvalin."
As if rehearsed to perfection, the students of Room A stood in unison, their voices ringing out in practiced harmony.
"Good afternoon, Sir! We are pleased to have you in our room!"
Dvalin let out a booming laugh, the deep timbre of his voice filled with amusement. He stroked his long beard, his eyes twinkling with nostalgia as he turned to Kael. "Very good! That was a fine lecture, Sir Kael. I must say, hearing of the Titan Regen brought back memories… I had the pleasure of meeting her once, you know."
Gasps rippled through the students.
Dvalin merely chuckled, stroking his beard once more. "And I must say, the rumors are indeed true."
Excited murmurs filled the room. The idea that their principal had stood face-to-face with Gebet Hemeket was almost too grand to believe.
But Dvalin soon waved a hand, shifting the focus back to the reason for his visit. "Well, well, let's set that aside for now." His deep voice carried an edge of authority as he gestured to the boy behind him. "I am here to introduce Logan of Room B, who will be joining you all as the newest member of Room A. Do well to treat him kindly."
A collective shock rippled through the room.
The very air stilled.
A promotion to Room A? That was unheard of.
Students exchanged quick glances, whispers spreading like wildfire.
Logan winced slightly as Dvalin's stout hand clapped against his shoulder, his slight frame barely absorbing the force of the principal's good-natured tap. The boy visibly tensed under the weight of so many stares.
This had never happened before.
To be transferred from Room B to Room A meant something unprecedented. It wasn't just an academic promotion—it was a shift in status, recognition, and expectation.
Kael's gaze flickered with intrigue. The weight of this decision was immense. Whatever the reason behind Logan's transfer, one thing was certain—this quiet, seemingly unremarkable boy was about to step into the highest circle of competition.