Her voice, now far more chilling and frightening than Kaelith's, cut through the air like a knife. It was as if a ghost had spoken. "Don't Fuck with me, you lizard bitch!"

Kaelith's smirk faltered for a brief second, her confidence shaken by the sudden and unexpected transformation in Esdeath. The deathly aura surrounding Esdeath seemed to pulse with pure rage, making the air around them feel heavy and oppressive. It was pure killing intent.

But how could Kaelith be scared by something like this? She was astonished for a second, but the next moment she regained her demeanor and her anger surged. Her eyes widened with fury, her lips curling into an ugly snarl as she raised her hand.

"You bitch! I'll kill you!" she screamed, her voice filled with venom. She was about to strike, a blow that seemed poised to behead Esdeath. But even Esdeath knew that Kaelith, or anyone else, couldn't kill in the academy. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for at least a few broken bones. The healers would fix her anyway.

But before Kaelith could hit, a miracle happened. A miracle in the form of an announcement.

"All first-year students, gather at the academy hall! I repeat, all first-year students, gather at the academy hall, at once."

The voice was that of an older, muscular person, deep and filled with authority.

Hearing this, Kaelith stopped and bit her lip, frustration evident on her face. "Tch... This time, I'll let you go, but I won't forget how you humiliated me. I can't kill you now because of academy rules, but sooner or later, I'll be the one to end you!" She snorted and threatened Esdeath as she stormed away.

Esdeath opened her eyes, the adrenaline slowly ebbing away. She sighed in relief,"I think I should control myself a little." She thought in frustrating,If something like that happens again, It will cause much more damage to her.

She felt a mix of relief and boredom as she thought, "Academy rules, huh?.. Now that I think about it, my best ally in this world is 'rules.' As long as someone is bound by rules, they can't kill me. Whether it's Kaelith or anyone else,An if I met someone stronger than me and also doesn't care about breaking rules, Then I'm done for!" She smirked and started walking towards the halls.

But what about Esdeath? Is she going to follow the rules and regulations of the world too? Of course, the answer is an obvious no. She has no intention of following the rules.

But why? Even our main character Ethan follows the rules. The main reason is "freedom." Rules and regulations bind you, preventing you from doing what you truly want. They seize your utmost freedom. This applies to relationships and trust as well. People will use your trust as a friend to make you do things, or they'll leverage your family or girlfriend against you.

And where's the fun in that?

"If the heart wills, give your life

If the heart wills, take a life

That is the power of the almighty."

This was Esdeath's slogan in her previous life. Although she didn't follow the first line, she really liked the second line: "If the heart wills, take a life." To become an almighty, you don't need to be the strongest person alive. The real almighty is the one who has rules and regulations at his feet.

Esdeath believed that true power came from freedom, from being unbound by any rules. The idea of being controlled by regulations was suffocating to her. She wanted to live her life on her terms, without anyone dictating her actions. This philosophy was what made her dangerous and unpredictable.

....

Within few minutes every gathered in vast hall, Although esdeath already knew what is going to happen but she still chose to go.

There were hundreds of student,Most of them were commoners, Thus in front raw only noble standed at front that's why esdeath also got first place in her raw. There were big stairs that leads to upper floor and from there above, Few third year student and one middle- aged male teacher with dark skin, Muscular body and beard stood with them with his fierce appearance.

Although he was a rank C teacher, everyone's attention was on Esdeath. All the students were giving her weird looks and whispering among themselves.

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"Damn... Look at that black hair. Are witches allowed in the academy?" one of the girls whispered to her friends.

"I know, right? Apparently, they say she is a human, but who knows? What if she becomes a monster at night? I'm already scared," another girl added.

"Her eyes are so eerie too. I'm going to have nightmares tonight!" someone else whispered.

Many similar comments floated around the room, loud enough for Esdeath to hear, but she didn't care. The most irritating thing she faced was Kaelith's stare. Kaelith had been glaring angrily at her from the moment she saw Esdeath in the hall, like she was going to devour her at any moment.

"Cough... Cough... I'm Caelum Nyvaris, an experienced teacher and a class C awakened. First of all, I'm really sorry about this. Due to frequent monster waves, all of the Rank B and Rank A teachers and the principal are busy. But don't worry, Vice Principal Lilith Maranthia will be here in a few minutes to welcome all of you," he said, pausing for a second before continuing, "So further explanations will be given by the Vice Student Council Chairwoman, third-year student, Liora Lysandria." He pointed towards the middle girl standing between two other third-year students.

Lysandria stepped forward and slowly started to speak. Her voice was low, but everyone could hear her clearly since she was using some wind magic.

"Ahem... Ahem... As you already know, I'm Liora Lysandria," she said and paused for a second. Her face showed that she was very nervous, like it was her first time giving a speech.

"Actually, giving speeches to first-year students is not my usual job, hahaha..." she confessed, trying to ease the tension. "It was supposed to be our sure hit queen Lortell Mariette, the greatest prodigy, who is the second 'S' rank in the academy rivaling the principal, and also the only one in the world who became an 'S' Rank awakened despite still being a student." She started listing Lortell's achievements one after another, and with so many accomplishments, how could anyone not praise her?

Hearing all of this, Esdeath couldn't help but think, "'Sure hit queen.' This title was given to her because she never missed a single attack. The only thing you can do is block or run. It was not some special skill given by a constellation or anything like that. The reason was because she is a 'boss character,' and being the mid-boss, this was the fighting style given to her to make her very difficult to beat."

"Ahem..." Lysandria coughed and finally got to the point. "So, first of all, now all of you are awakened individuals, and for now, you all are Rank E awakened.

The ranks will be divided into E, then D, then C, B, A, and finally, there are very, very rare individuals who showcase their strength and wisdom and become an 'S' Rank. They are so rare that, even in the whole kingdom, there are only two 'S' Ranks. They have enough power to go against an entire kingdom alone!" Her words were both chilling and motivating to the students, inspiring them to aim for the 'S' rank.

"I hope that in the future, I will see 'S' ranks from among you." Her words were both comforting and igniting a fire in everyone.

"I'm not done yet. All of you are placed into Class A, B, and C, but that doesn't mean you'll always be there. What I'm trying to say is that in our academy, we don't discriminate between commoners, nobles, or royals. There is going to be so much competition that if you work hard, you can enter Class A." She said.

As Esdeath heard this, she could barely hold back her laugh. "'They don't discriminate?' That's the biggest lie I've ever heard," she thought. Everyone knew it was just talk, but no one actually followed it. The academy wasn't entirely at fault; commoners were afraid to tell the teachers because they worried about their families.

And discrimination still happened.

As Esdeath was lost in her thoughts, the Rank C teacher Caelum suddenly spoke up. "Finally, the moment you've all been waiting for! The Vice Principal Lilith Maranthia has arrived!" He announced, turning back to face the entrance.

From the shadows, a figure emerged. As soon as the students saw her, their faces twisted in confusion. Rumors had painted a picture of Lilith Maranthia as an imposing figure—over six feet tall, muscular, wielding a long sword, and possessing a fierce, spirited face. But the reality was shockingly different.

What stood before them was a small girl, no older than twelve or thirteen, with silver hair and dragon-shaped silver pupils. In her hand was a lollipop that she was casually licking.

"A kid?" one of the students exclaimed in puzzlement.

He had no idea what he had just triggered. With her sharp senses, Lilith heard his remark. Her expression turned grim and angry, and suddenly, an immense and ominous pressure descended upon the students.

"Cough... What is happening? I can't breathe!" another student yelled.

Almost all the students fell to their knees. The weaker ones even collapsed completely, unable to bear the weight of the pressure. However, a few students remained standing, Esdeath among them.

"If anyone dares call me a kid again, even in their minds, there will be no second chance!" Lilith declared with a cold, heartless voice that sent chills down everyone's spine.

But as she said this, her eyes were fixed on the students who were still standing. Becoming angry over being called a kid was just an excuse. She hadn't released her full aura, only a fraction of her killing intent to test the students' spirits and willpower.

"Killing isn't about physical strength or mana," she thought. "It comes directly from your spirit, your will. It doesn't matter how strong you are physically. If you lack guts and a strong spirit, what's the use? By doing this, I can identify those with high spirits."

The teachers and third-year students knew this, which is why they remained silent.

Her gaze swept over the crowd, landing first on Ethan. His face was fierce, his chest broad, standing like an unbreakable pillar of resolve. "Hmm... blue hair, deep ocean-like eyes, and a handsome face. Ethan Rothslayer. I heard he's a commoner, but he's attending Class A. No doubt he's worthy of it," she thought, moving her gaze to the next group of students.

There were three or four others still standing. "Violet Vondarian, a baron; Corin Reynold, the duke's son; Claus clandestine,Sylvania, Amion..." she noted. These students were still standing, although their legs and bodies were shaking. "Not bad... not bad," she mused, continuing her evaluation.

[Note :- i didn't give everyone's name, Who were still standing, Since I have to introduce them later, What's the point of introducing all of them in a single chapter right? ]

She didn't bother to look at her own daughter, Kaelith. It was obvious Kaelith would be standing without any difficulties. Anyone would know that this minor display wouldn't faze her.

Finally, Lilith's eyes landed on a girl with black hair and red eyes. She stood there without a hint of fear. Unlike the others who showed determination or fierce motivation, her expression was one of sheer boredom, as if this whole situation was a waste of her time.

Who else if not Esdeath?

Lilith's expression perplexed. "Esdeath Crimson. So this is the girl Lortell always talks about? Her mana is very low but she has great spirit and willpower. Is it because she's Lortell's woman?" Lilith pondered, her eyes drifting to Esdeath's long, jet-black hair.

"Black hair, huh? It reminds me of that day when we fought against the Demon King," she sighed, a wave of nostalgia washing over her.

At that moment, Esdeath raised her head and locked eyes with Lilith. Both of them stared at each other, an unspoken tension crackling in the air.

"Saying they shouldn't call you a kid when you look like one, licking a lollipop. What do you expect? Freaking lolicon!" Esdeath thought, a smirk forming in her mind as she labeled Lilith a lolicon.

Suddenly, Lilith's eyes widened, her face turned grim, and her lips twisted in anger. Out of nowhere, a voice rang inside Esdeath's head.

[Did you just call me a lolicon?]