When Liette arrived, she saw the shattered training ground and the three students still being scolded by the manager.

The manager sighed in exasperation at her appearance—he’d met Liette far too often over such incidents.

“Wasn’t our last meeting just before the holidays, Liette?” he groaned. “Back then, your student froze the entire ground as a ‘souvenir,’ shutting down the array. This time? The array’s completely shattered. I can’t even fix it!”

The manager was frantic, but Liette was worse. Ignoring the salt on her wounds, she glared fiercely at the three standing side by side, eyes averted… zeroing in on Yan Yi.

So it was you after all!

Yan Yi felt that gaze harden into killing intent. He swallowed hard, slowly shifting his eyes back, and stammered, “T-teacher, it’s not my fault! I was just the last straw that broke the camel’s back.”

Luris and Interle blinked. The last straw? He was everything but the straw!

Liette’s lips twitched. She’d never believe it—besides Yan Yi, whose strength was unknown, the other two couldn’t scratch the protective array.

Luris, inexplicably spared, didn’t realize she was safe yet. She and Interle just trembled inwardly under Liette’s stare.

Mana around Liette’s body nearly solidified. The pressure felt like she’d entered the S Realm. Even the manager shivered; Liette had snapped before, but never like this.

Unbeknownst to them, she’d been provoked three times in two days. If she hadn’t already vented with magic bursts earlier, she might’ve beaten Yan Yi senseless.

Only the culprit could speak under that pressure—though not normally. Yan Yi backed away carefully, terrified. “Teacher, I-I’ll write a self-criticism. Three thousand words? Okay?”

“Are you bribing a beggar?”

*I was saving you reading time!* Yan Yi lamented inwardly. “F-five thousand. Max.”

“Thirty thousand!”

“Uh… ten thousand.”

“Thirty thousand!”

“Fifteen thousand… uh, thirty thousand.”

Seeing Liette’s *Dare you bargain?* glare, Yan Yi instantly caved.

He sighed inwardly as she seemed calmer. *Finally over—*

Dozens of spells erupted around Liette, a dense barrage flying straight at him!

Yan Yi wasn’t the only one stunned—*What now?*—Luris, Interle, and the manager froze. The students gaped at their teacher’s power; the manager thought, *Overkill! She never used mid-tier spells on students before. Low-tier? Countless. But mid-tier can kill!*

Even Liette was startled. She’d needed to vent built-up mana, and somehow felt mid-tier spells on Yan Yi should be fine… probably? The magic flew before she realized.

Yan Yi felt like he was in Touhou. Watching the seamless bullet curtain, he almost wanted to pull the plug!

In a blink, his body blurred—a dodging afterimage. Bullets passed through empty air. At the last second, he caught a wooden spike an inch from his forehead with two fingers. Explosions roared behind him. A gust blasted water droplets onto all five. Yan Yi staggered from the force. The walls were gone.

He didn’t turn; the four dumbfounded faces told him enough. He wiped cold sweat from his brow. “Teacher, were you trying to kill me?!”

Liette had zero killing intent moments ago—he’d been completely unguarded, even relaxed.

“Ahem, stop complaining if you’re alive,” she muttered, guilt flickering as she eyed the wreckage. “Hand me the self-criticism tomorrow. Win first place in the Freshman Battle, and I’ll forgive you.” She bolted.

Watching her flee, the manager mused, *Like teacher, like student? Repair costs come from her salary. Yeah. Compared to her, her students are gentle.*

Yan Yi turned to his comrades, uncertain. “Uh… I’m the victim here, right?”

They nodded in sympathy.

The trio glanced at the manager—*Can we go?*—and he nodded back with a *Be careful next time* look.

…

Walking away, their minds churned. Luris and Interle now saw their gentle teacher’s terrifying power—and Yan Yi, rated F, was shockingly strong. Their worldviews crumbled. Unbeknownst to them, they were similar anomalies.

Yan Yi agonized over the thirty-thousand-word self-criticism. *Thirty thousand?! That’s ten novel chapters. One day?*

Skipping it meant risking Liette casually blasting him mid-nap… with no warning. No fun at all.

All three sighed. Interle spoke bleakly, “Forget strategy meetings. Yan Yi, you grab the flag. Luris and I will slack off.”

“Interle! The other three will gang up and kill me!”

“No problem. You dodged that bullet curtain. Student bullets? Nothing. Believe in yourself!”

“Miss! Why you too? Shouldn’t you charge the front?!”

They stared darkly at the sky.

“Are C-ranks really trash?”

“Don’t break down!”

Yan Yi sighed. *This is almost my useless level. Must save them!* “Miss, Interle—you take the front. I’ll guard the flag. That burst was an exception; I was scared. You’re class strongest. I’m just a weirdo—why care?”

He wore fake sorrow, really just lazy. Dodging one curtain exhausted him; solo victory would be disastrous.

“Really, Yan Yi?” Their eyes lit up.

*That wasn’t even motivational…* “Uh, yeah.”

“Then help us?”

The shift felt wrong, but he nodded.

They grinned slyly.

“Oh dear, Luris! I’ve been tired of running to the cafeteria daily.”

“Exactly! A fast runner? Delightful.”

Yan Yi froze, lips twitching. *Interle’s truly dark. Is the Miss’s hair dyed too?*

He sighed in resignation, smiling weakly. “Alright, alright.”

*Anyway… I’m used to it.*