"You have a core now," I said, lowering my hand from Maya's chest. "Since I poured magic energy into you during the process, your core is already massive. You'll be able to store a lot."
Maya exhaled shakily, a relieved smile forming on her face as she continued circulating her magic energy with her eyes closed.
Watching that smile, a bit of tension left my shoulders.
The more energy used when creating a core, the larger its capacity.
And with her being a level 10 ability user, Maya needed a huge core. If she could stockpile enough energy, she could shorten the activation time of her skill drastically.
She was still on the bed, breathing evenly, magic flowing smoothly around her.
'This speed… is this something only main characters do?'
Because honestly, it was insane.
Her magic circulation speed was three times faster than mine had been when I first attempted it.
'Maybe her understanding of magical energy helps…'
I didn't want to admit it, but I was probably the dumbest person in the room when it came to magic theory.
Eyes of Truth helped me learn faster by copying flows and structures, but magic fundamentals?
Still tough.
But Maya?
She was gliding through it like a fish in water.
"Just remember," I said calmly, "having a large core doesn't make you strong. It just means you can become strong. Don't overestimate yourself until you can actually use your ability."
She nodded without breaking her concentration.
I put the magic control book away, grabbed my shirt, and slipped it on. When I walked toward the door, her eyes opened immediately.
"Y-you're leaving?"
Her voice trembled faintly. She was far more comfortable now than when she had woken up, but the fear of being alone still clung to her.
"Keep training," I said gently. "Don't worry about anything. I'll be back."
I stepped out and closed the door behind me.
But despite her progress, I knew one thing clearly:
Maya's problems weren't over.
This was the Triangle.
A place where weakness gets devoured.
A place where rumors kill faster than fists.
Her classmates would start spreading lies the moment she stepped back into Class E.
Especially now that they couldn't lay a hand on her.
So I needed to put an end to the source.
Not the students.
Their boss.
⭐ [Class B3]
The moment I stepped into the classroom, chatter died instantly.
Nearly every Class B student was present.
Dozens of eyes locked onto me the moment I closed the door.
I didn't speak.
I just scanned the room.
Then I found him.
Blaze Fholder.
Red faction leader.
A bully.
A tyrant.
And the reason Maya suffered endlessly.
I started walking.
Whispers spread among the class like wildfire.
Some were confused.
Others panicked.
A few stepped back out of pure instinct.
By the time I reached the center, Blaze was in the middle of beating up a Class C boy.
Two of his faction members sat nearby watching with cruel smirks.
"Big mistake coming after the boss!" one of them laughed.
Blaze wasn't laughing.
He was furious — and exhausted.
Even though he was stronger than the Class C student, the kid had a defensive ability, so he refused to go down.
Blaze's pride was taking a hit each time he failed to knock him out.
"You came to me?!" Blaze roared, slamming another punch into the boy's face. "Who gave you that damn courage?!"
His hits were getting sloppier.
More emotional.
More desperate.
He was strong — but not in control.
He was from a weak faction with no Class A or B1 members.
He bullied others because he could.
Because it made him feel powerful when real threats ignored him.
And he was about to learn what a real threat looked like.
"I WILL KILL YOU!"
He reared back for another punch—
BEAT!
A sharp slap sounded and Blaze collapsed forward, face smashing into the ground.
"What the f—?!"
He blinked through the pain, eyes going wide as he found himself staring at my boots.
His lackeys froze.
They hadn't even reacted before I'd already floored him.
I crouched and grabbed his hair, lifting his face slightly.
"So you're Blaze Fholder," I said softly. "Leader of the red faction."
His entire body shook.
My heat signature alone made sweat break across his forehead.
His goons clenched their fists, but didn't move an inch.
One rule in the Triangle was absolute:
Never fight a Class A student.
You will be crushed.
"You're probably wondering why I'm hitting you," I murmured.
Blaze swallowed hard, unable to answer.
I leaned closer.
"One of your dogs abused someone who belongs to me."
His eyes widened.
"My protégé is returning to class soon," I said. "If I hear a single rumor, a single joke, or a single whisper about her…"
I slammed his face into the ground.
BAM!
He choked and trembled violently.
"I'll break your arm," I finished calmly.
The room was dead silent.
Even the Class C kid stopped breathing.
"Do you understand me, Blaze?"
He trembled, lips quivering.
"I-I see…"
"Good."
I released him and stood up, brushing imaginary dust from my hands.
As I walked toward the door, his goons scrambled to pick him up.
"Boss!! Are you okay?!"
Blaze wiped blood off his lip, eyes shaking with pure rage.
"Tandy," he growled, "gather everyone in the training room. And find anything — anything — about that Class A kid and his protégé."
The henchman nodded frantically and sprinted out.
"Whoever put us through this…" Blaze hissed, touching his bruised face.
"…is going to die."
Back at My Dorm
Steam filled the room.
The shower water was loud.
On my bed, a small wet patch marked where Maya had been sweating from her intense magic circulation.
'She likes long showers,' I thought, straightening the sheets.
I sat cross-legged on the rug and resumed my own magic training.
My magic energy had reached 210 — and that took an entire day of nonstop training.
Watching Maya earlier made me realize something important.
Because of her original family heritage…
because she instinctively understood magic flow…
her circulation was smoother and more efficient.
If I wanted to keep up… I had to train harder.
Footsteps approached.
Maya stepped out of the bathroom, dressed, her still-wet hair wrapped in a towel.
She looked calmer.
More grounded.
"Did you… solve your problem?" she asked, setting down the towel and checking the small alarm clock.
I nodded.
She forced a tiny smile — the kind someone gives when trying not to show fear about stepping back outside.
"Classes start soon…"
She didn't want to leave the room.
I could see that clearly.
"Yes," I said gently. "Remember — you're with me now. No one can harm you. But don't fight anyone yet. You're still too weak."
She nodded quietly.
We walked out together.
"Today's a special day," I said as we stepped into the hallway.
A few students were still milling around despite the early hour.
"Today, we pick our spiritual weapons."
Maya blinked.
"Is that… exclusive to Class A?"
"No. But knowing when inventory is rotated is exclusive information."
I smirked.
"It's my privilege."
She stared at me, surprised, before nodding.
"Go quickly," I said. "Or all the good weapons will be gone."
She hurried down the hall.
In the original novel, she never got a decent weapon.
She always took leftover scraps.
Not this time.
I waited until she disappeared around the corner, then closed my eyes.
"Alright," I muttered. "Time to focus on myself."
I had helped Maya.
Now it was my turn to prepare.
Because soon…
The first villain of the novel would appear.
And I wasn't planning to be caught unprepared.