Crownless Reincarnation: New World? Nah I'd win-Chapter 68: Apostle Zaina [2]

’What a pain.’

Akamir grumbled inwardly as he let out a sigh.

Looking around, he found himself standing in line alongside the rest of his class.

Their mummers filled the academy’s training ground.

Most of the students looked half-awake, their uniforms slightly rumpled as the class was just after lunch.

"Haven’t seen you here before." Viros, who stood beside him, mumbled. "What’s the special occasion?"

"Nothing much." Akamir shrugged. "Just felt like it."

"Must be nice." Luca grumbled beside him. "Having connections to bunk any class."

"You jealous, ginger—?"

"I am not ginger!?"

"SILENCE!"

A voice boomed in the place, making them all flinch.

Akamir followed where the sound came from.

Professor Danyal stood at the front, arms behind his back, his sharp eyes scanning the row of students.

He was built like someone who had once lived on the battlefield.

The burn scars on his neck and the metal bracer on his left wrist spoke louder than any of his lectures.

’A war veteran, huh?’

Akamir thought, observing the man who didn’t look like a teacher at all.

The look he gave was enough to tell he had no patience.

"Fancy seeing you here." Danyal said, glaring at Akamir. "This is your first class, isn’t it?"

"Yes, sir." Akamir replied, looking at him.

"Where have you been in all the previous classes?" he asked, tilting his head. "The way you bunk classes, I don’t think you will go far."

"Thanks for your concern, Professor." Akamir replied with a straight face. "But I have a fiancée who will take care of me."

Danyal’s lips twitched as his glare intensified, but he chose not to argue further.

Instead, he looked at the students.

"You lot are too soft," he said, his voice cutting through the silence.

"You rely too much on magic, artifacts, and bloodlines. It’s disgusting."

Some students shifted uncomfortably.

Akamir noticed a few of the more privileged ones draped in designer uniforms and golden family sigils lower their gaze.

’Were they humiliated before or something?’

He wondered as he looked back at the professor.

Danyal didn’t hide his disdain for nobles, and he certainly didn’t sugarcoat it.

"This academy’s purpose isn’t to polish your names. It’s to train survivors. And the first rule of survival is that your body must obey you before your mana ever will."

He paced slowly, the ground crunching under his boots, the silence was so heavy in the place.

"I have already given the basics of survival." he said. "And today I will test what you have learned."

He stood in front of a noble and just looked down at him.

"You will form pairs. One pair per group." he continued.

"You will be entering a live-zone forest. It’s crawling with wild beasts. If you want to make it out, you work together."

Whispers spread quickly among the students.

Some seemed excited, others looked worried.

"Form your pairs," Danyal barked.

The group broke into a mess of movement.

Friends moved toward each other, flocking together.

Others scrambled, trying to secure someone they could at least trust not to die.

Akamir looked to his side, and just as he expected, Viros and Luca had already formed a team.

"Ugh, no one?"

He grumbled as he looked around him, finding himself alone.

’Well, I should have expected it.’

He wasn’t particularly close to anyone in his class.

Most of the people only knew him from the rumours.

’And all the rumours around me are nasty to say the least.’

One by one, the pairs were formed.

Akamir looked around and noticed that only one person hadn’t moved...Zaina.

She stood near the edge of the group, her worried eyes looked around, shoulders slightly tense.

Their eyes met, but none of them moved from their place.

’I shouldn’t be paired with her.’

Akamir thought as he looked away from her.

Even though he wasn’t particularly against the idea, there was something else that bothered him.

’If I do then she might not awaken her powers.’

Nayomi had already given him a brief on how the events would unfold.

And for better or worse, he didn’t want to be with her.

But....

When do things go as he wants them to be?

Danyal scanned the group once again before his gaze landed on the two of them.

"You two," he said, pointing at Akamir and Zaina. "Leftovers. Pair up."

"But—."

"What?" Danyal snapped, glaring at him. "Do you want to bunk this class as well?"

"...."

Akamir’s lips twitched as he glanced to his side.

Zaina began to move towards him before she stood just beside him.

She smiled softly. "Got no friends to pair up with, huh?"

"You are one to talk." Akamir replied, glancing around. "Even your girl friends didn’t choose you."

"I rejected their offer."

"Does that change anything?" Akamir scoffed. "Loner."

"Says the one guy who doesn’t have any friends." she rebuked, crossing her arms.

"At least I have an excuse of not attending much classes." Akamir replied. "What’s your excuse?"

Zaina didn’t respond right away, her mouth opened up but no words came out.

"Humph!"

So she simply ignored him.

’What am I supposed to do now?’

Akamir wondered, rubbing the back of his neck.

Danyal walked past them without another word, stopping near a tall metal structure that stood at the end of the training grounds.

With a quick flick of his bracer, a faint hum filled the air, and a swirling portal flickered to life before them.

Akamir’s interest piqued immediately as he looked at it.

’A type of teleportation portal?’

He wondered, examining it.

The world, as he had noticed, was bizarre to say the least.

’Even though they have technology, they still refuse to use it properly.’

Even though he did know that the World Reserve Bank doesn’t want them to grow.

’A lot of things still don’t make any sense.’

"This portal leads directly to the northern section of the Kyrin Forest," Danyal announced.

"It’s a wild zone. No instructors watching you guys. You’ll have your full abilities—but so will the beasts."

Some students straightened at that. Others tensed visibly.

"The goal is simple," he continued.

"Reach the marked location on the other side. There will be a return portal waiting for you. You’ll be timed. And ranked."

A hand shot up from the middle of the group.

"What if we get attacked by something too strong?" someone asked nervously.

"Run. Hide. Use your partner. Think." Danyal didn’t even look at the student.

"You’re not being thrown in helpless. You have your training, and if that’s not enough, then you shouldn’t be here."

The portal pulsed brighter.

"Groups will go in one at a time. You’ll have ten-minute intervals between deployments. First group, step forward."

Names were called, and the first few pairs walked toward the portal.

The line moved quickly, the number of students growing fewer and fewer.

When their names were finally called, Akamir stepped forward with Zaina beside him.

"Good luck," Danyal said flatly, without even looking at them.

Akamir rolled his shoulders. "He’s really not subtle with his hate."

"He probably thinks you’re the worst kind of noble."

Akamir gave her a look. "What about you?" he asked. "What do you think?"

"I think the same." she replied.

"Tch."

Akamir clicked his tongue as they both walked inside the portal.

The world shifted around them.

The academy training grounds vanished, replaced by the dense, musky scent of trees and damp earth.

Kyrin Forest stretched ahead...tall, thick trees with gnarled roots, vines hanging like curtains, and mist hugging the ground.

It wasn’t pitch dark, but there was barely any sunlight because of the tall trees.

Akamir looked back as he didn’t find the portal behind them.

For a few seconds, neither spoke.

Finally, Zaina looked at him. "Do you know the directions?"

He shrugged. "I have no idea."

Zaina twirled around in one place before she chose a random direction.

"Let’s go there."

"...."

Akamir just looked at her blankly.

’Is she stupid?’

He wondered, still trying to process how she can just walk randomly.

’I suppose, I should just follow her.’

In the novel, she was paired up with Arthur, but because of Akamir, he was on the bedrest.

’They were supposed to get injured and had to spend some time in a cave to rest.’

That cave was the catalyst for her awakening.

Zaina stopped in her trail, looking back at him. "Are you coming or not?"

Akamir sighed. "I am."

But just as he moved.

"AWHOOO."

A howl echoed in the forest.fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓