"Good, now that no one is acting foolishly anymore, we can begin. I am Albrich; you simply address me as Mr. Albrich. The word 'Master' is forbidden. I am merely your teacher, not your master. There is a difference because as a master, I would have acknowledged you, which is not the case."

Uproarious cries erupted in the classroom. According to them, Albrich seemed to be a big deal. He was regarded as one of the best swordsmen among humans.

But Eron didn’t care about any of that. He could only think about the humiliation inflicted upon him.

"This old geezer dares to make me look foolish in front of everyone? Unforgivable. Damned scum, filthy piece of shit, you'll pay for this. No matter who you are, I won't tolerate such insolence."

Dark thoughts swirled wildly in his head. No matter how much he strained his brain, he simply couldn’t think of anything.

His title as Hero seemed to hold no real significance. Initially, he assumed that the neutrality was just a facade, but apparently, he was wrong.

"I am your supervisor. This means I am responsible for your growth. I will train you in swordsmanship and in killing enemies. The other subjects will be taught by other teachers. First, you will choose a timetable. The selection will determine the focus of your subjects."

After his explanation, he began handing out sheets of paper.

Even Eron began to pay attention again.

He was intrigued to see that they were using real paper.

As soon as he received a sheet, he began to read its contents attentively.

After several minutes, Albrich began explaining.

"As stated on the sheet, 20 hours of training per week are mandatory. However, you can train up to 70 hours per week. This means you can schedule your training to have free days, or you can choose not to. Does everyone understand?"

Most people confirmed with a nod.

"Doesn't that mean we can be lazy a lot?" a voice called out.

"That's correct, but if you fail your exams, it’s your own fault. There’s also the option to train independently. There are specific areas for that. We even have a forest on our campus. It is divided into five levels, with Level 1 being the easiest and Level 5 the hardest. Once you’re in your second year, with the appropriate permission, you can also go hunting outside the campus. But you don’t need to worry about that now, as you’ll choose a new timetable in the second year."

The questioner nodded, enlightened.

"How many hours would you choose in our place?" another person called out.

"That depends on you personally," Albrich replied, clearly irritated. "If you have no idea, I recommend taking 30-35 hours of classes and training independently."

"What happens if you fail an exam?"

Albrich's mouth twitched in annoyance. "Obviously, you get expelled. In rare cases, there are other punishments, but you'll only learn about those after the exam announcement."

A murmur spread through the class.

"What the hell, I thought I was finally safe," someone whispered.

The others seemed equally anxious about the news.

"This just proves I'm the protagonist and they’re just side characters," Eron thought smugly.

His gaze darted to Aria, hoping to see a fearful reaction. Unfortunately, he was disappointed. She sat there just as before, seemingly unfazed by the situation.

"You have until tomorrow to make your selection. Read through the sheets carefully; everything you need to know is there. Now, I want to know something from each of you: when is a person an enemy? Think about it briefly, then each of you will stand up and give me your answer one by one. We'll start with the first row on the left."

The murmuring continued as the students discussed possible answers.

About ten minutes later, Albrich signaled the first person to stand up. A confident brown-haired boy rose to his feet. "An enemy is someone who wants to harm me," he answered confidently.

"Next," Albrich replied, unimpressed.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Disappointed, the boy sat down and the next person stood up. This time it was a blonde girl. "An enemy is someone who does wrong to others."

"Next."

This process continued for a while. All the answers were similar to the first two. Albrich's disappointment became more evident with each response.

"Next," he called out again.

Soon, it was Eron's turn. Confidently, he declared, "An enemy is someone who doesn't act according to my expectations."

"Next."

Proudly, he sat down, hoping for praise but not bothered when he didn't receive any. It seemed Albrich had no intention of giving feedback.

By now, about half the class had taken their turn.

A boy with golden hair stood up.

Eron's jaw nearly dropped. "How is this guy our age? He looks like a bodybuilder."

The boy was over 1.80 meters tall and had an extremely muscular build.

"An enemy is someone I perceive as such," his baritone voice echoed. After his sentence, he sat down without hesitation.

Some laughs erupted as a few students made fun of him. However, Albrich's mood seemed to brighten a bit after his comment.

Shortly afterward, it was Aria's turn. "An enemy is someone who stands in the way of my goals," she answered indifferently.

"At least two people with decent perspectives. The rest don't seem to have much idea about real combat. Most of them come from wealthy families. It's always a disappointment to see. When you have so many resources available, you should make good use of them. But no, they just indulge in unnecessary things like fine clothes," Albrich thought.

His gaze shifted to the next person. Surprised, his eyes lingered on her. It was a white-haired boy named Azrael.

Unlike the previous times, a look of curiosity crossed his face.

"An enemy is someone who possesses the power to harm you and has the intention to do so," Azrael spoke calmly.

"Elaborate on your statement," Albrich demanded.

"Understood. A weak person who intends to harm you but lacks the means is not an enemy. However, a weak person with, for example, significant political influence can cause you harm; therefore, they are an enemy."

With a satisfied smile, Albrich moved on to the next people.

"Alright, that was everyone. I can't prescribe when a person is an enemy. I also can't give you an exact statement you should follow. In my opinion, Azrael's answer was the most accurate. We'll see each other tomorrow. You're dismissed for today."

Back to the present.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it. How dare that arrogant bitch reject me again. Of all people, me, the protagonist. Doesn't she understand that I'm the hero? She should feel honored that I want her."

Eron kept asking Aria if she would go out with him.

Just like in this moment.

He went to her desk and asked her directly if she would go out with him.

As with his previous attempts, she coldly rejected him.

Eron saw signs of disgust in her eyes.

Slowly, more and more dark thoughts began to take shape in his mind.

He tried to impress her with his strength.

So far, he had won every sparring match against his classmates.

At least half of his classmates had fallen under the relentless onslaught of his undead.

Thanks to the help of the church of Light his level was already 29.

The number of his undead was just below the one hundred mark.

He controlled three ghouls and even a skeletal knight, yet she kept rejecting him.

Suddenly, they received the news that a special exam was to take place on August 18th.

According to the instructions, there was no penalty for failing.

The exam was more about special training.

They were instructed to form groups of up to five people.

Their mission was to hunt monsters in the forest on the fifth level.

The other two first-year classes would also join the exam.

According to the instructions, there would be rewards for the top places:

1st place: 1000 points

2nd place: 500 points

3rd place: 250 points

4th place: 150 points

5th place: 100 points

After asking around in confusion, Eron discovered that points could be used for special things like weapons or special training rooms.

According to his classmates, he must have missed the moment when the explanation took place.

Directly after the announcement, he hurried over to Aria, only to be rejected once again.

His frustration reached a new peak. Eron barely managed to suppress violent impulses. Seething with anger, he began to stomp away.

Dissatisfied, he formed a group with three other girls. Among them were the two girls from his harem: the blue-haired Luna and the red-haired Sahra.

Aria joined a group of girls while Azrael remained alone. The entire class already labeled him as a strange outsider.

Eron’s classmates began to mock him. Eron made a great effort to socially exclude him from the class. Azrael’s nickname was "Snowman," due to his cold demeanor and white hair.

A brown-haired boy approached Azrael energetically, "I’m Nero Jaderion."

"Azrael," he replied coldly.

"Nice to meet you. May I join your group?" Nero asked hopefully.

"Yes," came the nonchalant reply from Azrael.

"Really, that easily?"

"Yes."

"Um," Nero stuttered, surprised. He had absolutely expected a refusal. Azrael's aloof behavior had led him to that conclusion.

"Well then, to a good partnership," Nero exclaimed happily. He eagerly extended his hand towards Azrael.

With a firm grip, Azrael shook his hand.

After all the groups were formed, they suddenly received a message: "The exam will take place on August 15th."

"What, but that's today," one of the students exclaimed indignantly.

"You need to be able to handle unexpected situations, at least that much you should manage, right? By the way, I have a little extra incentive for you. If no one from our class makes it into the top 5, you will all clean the entire campus for a week," Albrich, who had just appeared, announced.

"But that's unfair! Why are you putting us under such pressure? You should be encouraging us instead," Eron exclaimed indignantly.

"Is top 5 too easy for you? Then make it top 3. Thank Eron for that. I was blind to your efforts. Apologies for my mistaken behavior," Albrich responded playfully.

Eron’s face began to turn red. His classmates shot him angry looks. Before conflicts could arise, Albrich called out, "Enough with the games. Follow me, it’s time to start."

Muttering, the entire class followed him.

In the forest.

Eron seethed with rage. He needed something or someone to vent his anger on. His bloodshot eyes fell on Veila.

His gaze clung to her shapely body and large breasts.

She had blonde hair and a gentle soul, hating to hurt others. That’s why she chose the path of a healer.

The final straw was the brief glance Aria threw at the Snowman.

"She belongs to me, only me," he muttered incessantly to himself.

"Is everything okay?" Veila asked him, full of concern.

"Yeah, everything’s fine." He forced a smile.

"Scout the area," Eron commanded calmly. "If you find a strong monster, let me know. Veila and I will wait here."

All around Eron were towering trees and bushes of all kinds, providing ample cover.

After ensuring no one was nearby, he approached Veila.

Lust and desire formed in his deranged eyes.

Eagerly, he pulled her close and began to undress her.

"Please stop, I don't want this," she pleaded.

But he didn't care. His greedy gaze was fixated solely on her alluring body.

She started to struggle and tried to push him away.

Angrily, he shoved her to the ground. Then he pinned her down to restrain her movements.

"You should be grateful. I, the chosen hero, am taking you. Be thankful," he shouted.

She continued to resist.

"Stop resisting, I am the hero. Just my words could destroy your entire family. Veila attacked me on her family's orders. If I say that, who will they believe?" he asked slyly. "No one would believe your words. Yes, I should do the same with Aria."

Tears flowed from Veila's eyes. Ever since she was a child, she had dreamed of supporting a hero. In her dreams, righteous heroes helped the weak unconditionally.

She trained very hard to get into Varia Academy. After her admission, she learned about the hero of light who was in her class.

But all her ideals shattered in this moment.

"My parents have always lovingly supported me, helping me get this far. I can't drag them into this."

Her resistance stopped. Disappointed, she closed her eyes.

Delighted, Eron began tearing her clothes off completely.

Just before he fully undressed her and reached the peak of his lust, his hand stopped abruptly over her breasts.

Blood dripped from his mouth. The red liquid splashed onto Veila's cheeks.

Confused, she opened her eyes, only to see Eron's body slumping half over her.

Horrified, her gaze fixed on a spear that had pierced Eron's heart.