8th August

The room was steeped in an awkward silence, the kind that weighed heavily on everyone present. No one knew how to react, least of all the Croatian woman who had just walked in, confidently proclaiming herself to be the PE teacher. She was dressed simply, in a white and blue tracksuit, her short brown hair tied neatly back into a ponytail. She stood with her hands on her hips, eyebrows slightly raised, waiting for a response.

“What’s the matter? Yer not ready for your PE class?” she asked, her tone light but puzzled.

Arnold, ever the leader, stepped forward on behalf of the confused class. “Are you… really our PE teacher?” His voice carried a hint of disbelief.

“Of course I am!” she replied with a grin. “Who else would it be?”

Before anyone could say more, John—seemingly unaware of himself—muttered, “Mommy.”

The word echoed in the stunned silence. Heads turned toward John in unison, eyes wide with disbelief. Realising what he had just said, John's face flushed crimson. He stammered, “S-sorry! I didn’t mean to say that… You just—well, you look kinda like my mom…”

The whole room stared at him. Some suppressed giggles while others exchanged bewildered glances. John, who had been silently staring at the teacher since she walked in, was now visibly embarrassed. Whether the teacher truly resembled his mom, or if John was just in some otherworldly trance, was something only he could answer.

What is this guy smoking? Yuki mused, leaning back in his chair.

To everyone's surprise, the teacher didn’t react to John’s outburst. In fact, it was as though she hadn’t even heard him. With a quick clap of her hands, she snapped the class back to attention.

“I don’t know what’s going through yer heads,” she said, completely unbothered, “but change into yer jerseys and meet me at the training grounds. We’re going to have a lot of fun today.”

The confusion remained etched on the students’ faces, but the teacher didn’t seem to notice—or care. She clearly had her own agenda, and she wasn’t about to let a room full of baffled teens stop her.

As the students began shuffling out of the classroom, still muttering about what had just transpired, Yuki caught one last look at the PE teacher’s wide, expectant smile.

Fun? he thought. Somehow, I doubt that’s what this will be.

“Sorry, ma’am—what? Jerseys?” Arnold asked, voicing what the rest of the class was thinking.

The teacher blinked in confusion. “What are y'all so puzzled about? Yes, yer jerseys! You’re not going to be running around naked, are you?”

Silence.

An awkward, lingering silence filled the room as both the students and the teacher stared at each other, equally bewildered. After a few seconds, the realisation seemed to dawn on her.

“Oh! This is my first time having a lesson with yer class, isn’t it?” she said, slapping her forehead. “That’s right—ya wouldn’t know about the jerseys yet. Well… I guess we’ll have to do PE without them today.” She grinned, as if she had solved the great mystery.

The class remained in stunned disbelief. Arnold tried again, more gently this time. “Ma’am, I don’t think the jerseys are really the issue right now.”

Stolen story; please report.

She paused, a frown creasing her forehead. “Hm? Ohhh!” Her face lit up once more, as if another lightbulb had gone off in her mind. “I get it now! This is my first class with y’all, so you don’t know me yet. My bad! I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Iva Kovač, your PE teacher, but I guess that’s obvious by now, huh?” She laughed a little, completely unaware of the lingering confusion. “Anyway, if we’re all clear now, get out on the training grounds already. I’ll register yer jerseys later!”

Yuki barely suppressed a groan. Maybe she’s not just cute, he thought, but also a little dumb.

This would be their first time on the Training Grounds, and to top it all off, they wouldn’t even have their proper gear because, well, their teacher forgot to register it.

Great start Yuki mused, trudging behind the rest of the class as they filed out.

✳ ✳ ✳

The training ground was a massive expanse, encircled by verandas on all four sides. Situated between Block A and B, it was designed so that anyone could spectate the activities below. The students of Class 1-3 had gathered there for their first PE class, standing under the broad sky with a mixture of anticipation and dread.

"So, first of all, before any intense physical activity, you need to warm up. That’s basic knowledge, if ya didn’t know already," Miss Kovač declared, pacing in front of the group.

We did. Yuki thought to himself, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"And so, y’all start with 500 high jumps! And if I see anyone losing their breath, they’re in for one hell of a punishment!"

She’s planning to kill us. Yuki groaned internally, glancing around at his fellow classmates, most of whom seemed to share his horror.

"Any doubts?" Miss Kovač asked, her hands on her hips, a challenging glint in her eyes.

"..." Silence.

"Then start jumping!"

A few students, like John and Arnold, showed faint signs of enthusiasm, grinning as though they were ready to take on the world. But for the rest, this was already a living nightmare. Not because of the physical exertion itself, but because of the sheer intensity of their PE teacher. None of them dared to question her, too afraid of the consequences, silently praying for the class to end before they collapsed.

One jump after another, they began their torturous warm-up. At first, Yuki tried to keep a steady pace, conserving his energy. But it wasn’t long before the first signs of fatigue started to show across the group. Their knees buckled, their breath came in ragged gasps, and beads of sweat rolled down their faces. Miss Kovač, however, was merciless. She singled out anyone who faltered, her hawk-like eyes spotting the slightest signs of exhaustion.

By the end of the warm-up, only three students remained standing with any semblance of stamina: Rusty Austin, Lin Sun (孙琳), and Arnold Brown.

Lin Sun stood at the front of the group, his towering six-foot frame casting a long shadow across the training ground. His physique was extraordinary, as though he had been sculpted from marble by the hands of an artist who specialised in making warriors. His chiselled face, framed by dark, silken hair tied into a tight ponytail, had an intensity that could make even the toughest opponents reconsider facing him. His first name, Lin (琳), meaning "fine jade gem," perfectly symbolised his refined yet unbreakable nature, while his last name, Sun (孙), meaning "descendant," hinted at a long lineage of formidable ancestors.

Then there was Rusty Austin, a wiry American student whose appearance might lead one to underestimate him—until they saw him in action. His slim, seemingly unimposing build concealed a deadly proficiency in mixed martial arts. Rusty had mastered both judo and karate, allowing him to dismantle any opponent by using their own force against them. He had proven time and again that size wasn't everything, and those who assumed otherwise would find themselves flat on the ground before they even realised what had happened.

Lastly, there was Arnold Brown. Despite his average looks, which deceived most at first glance, everyone in the class was beginning to suspect that there was far more to him than met the eye. He wasn’t just surviving the brutal physical training; he was thriving. His golden shoulder buttons, a mark still shrouded in mystery, only added to the speculation surrounding him. What was he hiding beneath that unremarkable exterior?

Miss Kovač shook her head, clearly unimpressed by the rest of the class. “Yer class is pretty weak! Only tri students survived. If this were the second year, at least deset would’ve made it through!” She spoke with a slight Croatian accent, her words laced with frustration and a hint of amusement.

I have no idea what that means, but of course, the second years would survive more— Yuki grumbled internally, they've had an extra year of training for God’s sake.

But before anyone could question her or protest, Miss Kovač clapped her hands together, her eyes lighting up with excitement. “Now! Let’s begin the exciting part! Y’all are going to start fighting, and I’ll sit back and enjoy it!”

The students blinked in disbelief.

Fighting? Is she serious?

John, who had been holding back his energy, was the first to perk up at the idea. A grin spread across his face as he glanced at Arnold, who remained as calm as ever, seemingly unfazed by the announcement. Lin and Rusty exchanged looks of mutual understanding. They had no choice but to fight now.

This teacher is seriously trying to kill us. Yuki thought again, groaning.

<19 - Let’s get physicalーEpisode 1 - Fin>