Chapter 218: Combined Class (2)

The crown jewel of Transcendence Academy’s curriculum was undoubtedly the combined class.

To be precise, the combined class embodied the very essence of Transcendence Academy.

Though students were divided into pilot and tech teams, all knowledge they acquired served merely as foundational preparation for these joint sessions.

One pilot student paired with one tech student.

Each duo received a single Transcendent.

Pilot students honed their combat instincts through hands-on experience with the assigned Transcendent.

Tech students, meanwhile, focused on upgrading and maintaining their partner’s equipment.

This simple yet effective method allowed students to build skills steadily while providing clear metrics for evaluation.

Most of the academy’s classes and mid-term and final evaluations are conducted in groups… That’s what Shiba kept loudly explaining as we headed to the joint class.

Thanks to him, Louis now understood exactly what a joint class entailed.

Even after giving the basic outline, Shiba continued chattering nonstop.

“Today being the first day, they’ll probably announce the groups and distribute the Transcendents.”

Shiba’s eyes sparkled with excitement at the prospect of seeing the Transcendents.

Meanwhile, the listener’s attention was focused elsewhere.

“How are the groups formed?”

“I heard it’s random selection.”

“Random? Is that allowed? Usually they group by academic performance, right?”

“I’ve heard that used to be the case. They used to form groups with the top-performing students from each class paired with those at the bottom… but there were various complaints, so they changed the method.”

“Complaints…”

Those complaints probably came mostly from the top-performing students.

When paired with low-performing students, the high-achievers inevitably end up shouldering most of the burden.

While evaluations would undoubtedly be individual, that didn’t mean group assessments would be absent. Otherwise, there would be no need to form groups in the first place.

In such a scenario, top-performing students would have to grit their teeth and ‘carry’ the group, while the lower-performing students would essentially ‘free ride’ on their efforts.

It’s possible that groups formed with mid-tier students might actually perform better.

This was precisely the situation that had led to student complaints, prompting the academy to implement random selection. When top and bottom performers were paired together, they could simply blame their misfortune. Conversely, grouping top-tier students would create the ideal scenario.

“Is luck just another form of skill?” Louis muttered.

“Haha, I suppose that’s true,” Shiba agreed with Louis’s observation.

As they walked, the pair soon arrived at the joint lecture hall. Or rather, it couldn’t be called a lecture hall at all.

Three massive single-story buildings occupied several thousand square meters of land. In front of one of these structures, students from the tech and pilot teams’ lower classes were already assembled, divided into black and white groups.

Louis glanced at the twins and Flame siblings waving at him before quietly merging into the group of students in white uniforms.

How much time passed, he wondered.

A middle-aged man with a cold demeanor approached and stood before the students.

“Everyone, attention.”

The mana-infused voice captured everyone’s attention.

That’s…

The cold expression, the deep scar running across his cheek, and his mid-tier Transcendent-level skills - everything matched the information Shiba had provided.

Master Agus.

Though he appeared middle-aged, Agus was actually in his sixties. In his youth, he had been a mercenary wandering conflict zones and an exceptional Transcendent-class pilot. More recently, he had become a Master by joining the Tower of Wishes.

Eventually, he became a professor in the piloting division of Transcendence Academy.

As Louis observed him intently, Agus turned away from the crowd’s attention.

“Follow me.”

Two hundred students trailed behind him as he led the way.

Soon, standing before a massive building, Agus effortlessly pushed open its colossal doors.

The interior revealed left the students utterly speechless.

“Goodness!”

“Are those all Transcendents?”

The building’s interior was divided into 100 sections by partitions, each containing a 10-meter-sized Transcendent.

Shiba murmured, mesmerized by the sight:

”…I doubt any educational institute in the world would provide this many Transcendents for student training, except for the Tower of Wishes.”

The 10m-grade Transcendents were at the fourth rank, standard models without external gloves or Armed Forces equipment. Yet the fact that so many had been prepared for educational purposes alone was astonishing. These were even just for the low-level classes. In other words, both the intermediate and advanced classes had each been issued 100 Transcendents.

The students realized once more that the saying “If you want to learn about Transcendents, go to the Transcendence Academy” wasn’t just empty words.

While the students were captivated by the Transcendents, Master Agus spoke up.

“Your expressions are quite a sight.”

Only then did the students’ gazes return to the front. There stood Agus, wearing a smile.

“What a delightful expression. I was just like you. When I first entered Transcendence Academy and encountered the Transcendent here. My expression at that time probably wasn’t much different from yours now.”

The students were once again surprised to learn that Master Agus was also an alumnus of Transcendence Academy.

“Then, during the three years I spent here, I realized. The Transcendent… is the greatest invention civilization has ever created.”

Along with these words, a variety of emotions surfaced on Agus’s face.

Joy, happiness, excitement.

And… love.

Seeing this, Louis stuck out his tongue.

What’s with that pervert?

The nickname Shiba had told him about Agus.

It was none other than ‘Transcendent Fetishist’.

A man who loved the Transcendent so much that he spent his entire life trapped within steel.

That was Agus.

He addressed the pilot trainees in a booming voice:

“Until graduation, these Transcendents will be your new bodies! If any of you dare to roughhouse, I’ll impale you on a Transcendent javelin and hurl you into the void! Understood?”

“Yes, sir!”

As the pilots’ thunderous reply echoed, Agus’ gaze shifted to the tech team.

“From now on, these Transcendents are both your patients and lovers! Scrutinize every flaw with meticulous care! The moment you approach them with quackery, you become murderers! Study until your eyes bleed!”

“Understood!”

“Excellent. I now announce the teams you’ll share these next three years with. Those called should immediately proceed to their assigned Transcendents.”

The moment the words were spoken, excitement rippled through the hall. Here, in this very moment, the partners with whom they would share three years of camaraderie would be decided. It would have been stranger if the students weren’t paying attention.

“First team: Pilot Jason, tech team Setten. Second team: Pilot Nawil, tech team…”

Agus called out the names rapidly, and the paired students moved to their respective Transcendents marked with their numbers. In no time, the thirties were reached.

For the first time, Louis recognized a name.

“Thirty team: Pilot Kani, tech team Vui.”

The combination of Head and Deputy - two top-tier students - made the others tense with anticipation.

Vui’s face was wreathed in extreme joy, while Kani’s lips pouted in displeasure.

When number 33 was called, Louis was summoned.

“Number 33: Pilot Sierra, tech team Louis.”

Tania and Kani, who had secretly hoped to pair with Louis, exchanged looks of extreme disappointment.

Naturally, Louis moved to position 33 without hesitation.

That is, until Sierra - his newly assigned partner - suddenly raised her hand.

“Objection.”

The unexpected protest drew the attention of Agus and all the students toward her.

“Objection?” Agus’s sharp gaze pierced her.

Sierra answered without hesitation. “I cannot accept this team assignment. I request a change.”

No sooner had she spoken than Kani rushed forward, hands waving frantically.

“M-me! Please switch me in!”

Sierra’s expression hardened dangerously at Kani’s reaction.

Meanwhile, Tania—whose team assignment hadn’t been announced yet—also raised her hand eagerly.

“Me! Please pick me!”

Then Khan’s hand crept up stealthily.

”…Then I’ll nominate myself too.”

“You’re out!”

“Khan-oppa, you’re disqualified!”

Under the two women’s combined assault, Khan lowered his hand with a sheepish expression.

At that moment, Agus raised his hand to quell the commotion and glared at Sierra. “So you don’t like your assigned partner? Are you aware that child is the Head of the tech team?”

“Yes, I am aware.”

“Why then?”

”…”

“Why aren’t you answering?”

Sierra hesitated, slightly flustered, before looking at Louis. “I don’t want to be in the same team as such a troublemaker.”

The moment he finished speaking, a murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd. Of course, most of them were men.

Meanwhile, Agus snorted.

“What nonsense. Even if it were a valid reason, I might consider changing the assignment. But for such a trivial excuse? I won’t entertain this objection. Go to your assigned positions.”

With that, Agus resumed calling out names.

As the faint glimmer of hope extinguished, Kani and Tania’s faces once again fell into dejection.

On the other side, Louis approached Group 33 and gazed at Sierra.

Her hair was so pale it might have been bleached, yet her eyes held a striking intensity - deep green with a steely resolve. Though obscured by Kani and Tania, she stood out as a striking beauty.

Louis arrived at Gate 33 and called out to her, though she hadn’t glanced his way once.

“Hey.”

Sierra tilted her head slightly toward Louis.

In a low voice, he asked her, “Have we met before?”

“No, we haven’t.”

“Right? I’ve got a good memory—I don’t forget easily. But no matter how I think about it, I’ve never met someone like you before.”

”…”

“So why are you calling me a troublemaker? You’ve never even seen me before!”

Despite Louis’s growling voice, Sierra showed little reaction. Instead, she replied in a very calm tone:

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t think of any other excuse.”

With that, Sierra whirled her head away again with a sharp snap.

Louis, who had been momentarily stunned, quickly crossed his arms and glared at her.

What kind of woman is this?

She’d suddenly called him a troublemaker and demanded he change his attitude. And now she was being all frosty with him. This was a type of person Louis had never encountered before.

I know not everyone in the world will like me, but…

Still, Sierra’s peculiar behavior was irritating Louis.

I’m sure she meant it when she apologized.

This wasn’t just a perfunctory apology to draw a line between them or end the conversation.

Her apology carried genuine sincerity.

She could’ve said no at any time, yet now she comes with this apology…

And the word “excuse” that Sierra had uttered.

As Louis quietly pondered this, he reached a single conclusion:

Judging by her words, there must be some personal reason why she can’t be in my group, right?

The problem was, no matter how he thought about it, there was no connection between Sierra and himself.

When did she even see me? We never exchanged words before, and this is the first time I’ve seen her face.

Sierra’s refusal to look his way made Louis’s eyes sparkle.

The dragon’s intuition was screaming at him.

This girl… there’s something here!

The group formation for the joint class was quickly completed.

Kani was paired with Guest 30, Vuel.

Louis and Sierra became partners for Guest 33.

Tania and Liam formed the team for Guest 56.

Khan and Olivia were matched for Guest 63.

Kendrick and Evelyn joined forces for Guest 89.

Shiba and Oliver completed the pairs for Guest 98.

Strangely, excluding Shiba, all the other teams consisted of one male and one female member.

The first day of the joint class ended with the simple task of forming groups.

The remaining time became free time.

Those paired together used the opportunity to get acquainted and examine their assigned Transcendents.

Naturally, Louis and Sierra didn’t exchange a single word throughout the entire class.

That night…

“Miss Sierra?” Louis asked.

Shiba, lying on the bed, slightly raised her head at the question.

“Oh, do you know anything about him?”

“Hmm… Well, I don’t really know much. Just that she’s ranked 7th in the entire pilot class?”

“7th?”

“Ah, if you exclude the Head students, she’s actually 4th.”

The twins and Flame siblings had blown through the entrance exams, becoming joint Head students.

This was apparently the first time in Transcendence Academy’s history that four students had shared the Head position.

“Well, being 4th after excluding them… That’s decent enough. Anything else?”

“Well… Miss Sierra is said to have a quiet personality even within the pilot class. They say she doesn’t stand out much but listens attentively to lectures. No particular noteworthy traits.”

“Hmm, really? Oh, right! Hey, what’s the gossip about me at the academy?”

”…!”

Shiba flinched at Louis’s sudden question and turned his head slightly.

Seeing Shiba’s reaction as if there was something to hide, Louis smiled and said, “Tell me. What kind of rumors are spreading that he calls me a troublemaker or whatever?”

Shiba felt that Louis’s smile didn’t seem like a real smile.

“Um… you won’t hit me, will you?”

“Why would I hit you?”

“You really won’t hit me?”

”…Want to find out by getting hit?”

“Uh… well… that’s exactly what the rumors are saying.”

“What? A troublemaker?”

“Yes… a troublemaker, a playboy, or something like that? A despicable guy… that you’re exploiting Kani and Tania’s weaknesses…”

“Haa…” Louis sighed.

Kani and Tania.

In terms of skills, they were exceptional. In terms of looks, they were stunning.

Their vivacious personalities made them idols among the male students at the academy.

The problem was that these idols would flock to Louis during every break, clinging to him at every opportunity.

As a result, the front of Technology Class 1’s lecture hall became a spectacle during break times.

The twins and Flame siblings searching for Louis.

And the crowd that gathered to watch them.

I thought things might calm down over time, but nothing changed.

In fact, the situation had grown worse recently.

I think even students from the Intermediate and Advanced classes have been coming to watch.

As this continued, Tania and Canyon’s reputation soared, while Louis became the target of envy and resentment among the male students.

This led to rumors about Louis spreading in a negative direction.

Contrary to expectations, it was the female students who debunked the rumors about Louis.

How is that face supposed to be the kind that exploits women’s weaknesses?!

If my boyfriend looked like that… I’d hand over my vulnerabilities willingly! Love you, Louis!

The real problem is those tech team losers. Don’t let jealousy blind you…

Honestly, I prefer Khan over Louis myself…

What about Kendrick? He’s not bad either.

Thus, Louis and his companions inadvertently became renowned figures at the academy.

After hearing Shiba’s explanation, Louis sighed and rose from his seat.

“Haa…”

“Where are you going?”

“I need to clear my head. Going for a night walk.”

“Again?!”

“Keep it down. If we get caught, you’ll be the scapegoat.”

“Lo-Louis-nim!”

Despite Shiba’s attempts to stop him, Louis threw open the window and leaped out.

”…”

Shiba sighed softly, gazing at the open window.

It had been like this for days.

Every late night, Louis would leave the dormitory claiming he was going for a walk.

The problem was…

”…What will you do if you get caught?”

He always went out during the dormitory’s curfew hours.

“Haa…”

With a slight sigh, Shiba stuffed his clothes under Louis’s blanket to make it look like he was asleep. He quickly turned off the light and lay down on the bed.

“Please… let this night pass safely too…”

Shiba desperately prayed that the dormitory supervisor wouldn’t conduct an unannounced inspection.

Meanwhile, Louis had left the dormitory.

After ascending to a great height, he took out his communication stone and connected it.

“It’s me.”

In response to this brief call, Fin’s voice came through the communication stone.

Lord Louis!

“How was it?”

Nothing unusual today. After finishing his lecture, he went straight to the laboratory and hasn’t come out much. He hardly leaves except for meal times or when he goes to the library.

“Hmm…”

Louis stroked his chin at Fin’s report.

What exactly is he doing?

At Transcendence Academy, William was teaching advanced classes.

With no direct contact with William, Louis had to rely entirely on Fin’s observations.

And Fin’s reports over the past few days had been identical.

William had appeared ready to act at any moment, yet he remained completely inactive.

It’s unnaturally quiet…

Louis, who had been tapping his foot impatiently, posed another question.

“Are there any suspicious entities approaching him? Not necessarily human—could be animal-like beings.”

From my perspective, nothing yet. I’ve been coaxing some of the academy’s resident mice to keep watch with me… but they haven’t reported anything unusual.

“Still, keep a close eye out just in case.”

Aye!

Louis’s worries deepened.

Should I consider alternative methods?

What William was after…

There was another way besides trying to discover it first. Simply snatch whatever William found. That would eliminate the need for all this effort.

But…

I should be the first to find it. That’s the best way to set the stage.

It wasn’t enough to simply locate the item. To gain an advantageous position, Louis needed to find ‘that thing’ before William.

“Tell me more about what William did today.”

Yes! Exactly… He woke up at 5 AM…

In response to Louis’s request, Fin meticulously recounted William’s entire day.

As Louis listened to the account, he suddenly interrupted.

“Wait… You said William went to the library?”

Yes! To return the book he borrowed.

“Hmm…”

There was nothing particularly unusual about this. The Transcendence Academy’s library housed countless volumes, and even Masters were permitted to borrow books.

The only thing that bothered me was that William had been visiting the library every day for the past few days.

Moreover, he wasn’t sending an instructor to do it for him—he was personally borrowing books himself.

“Which side did William borrow books from? Left or right?”

“Right!”

“Right? All this time?”

“Yes! He’s been visiting the right building without fail every single time!”

The library at Transcendence Academy was divided into two sections: one for technical books and another for general books.

Among these, the right building housed both the study rooms where students could read and the general book storage area.

A Master-level expert… going directly to the general book storage himself? And doing it regularly?

A strong intuition struck me.

The answer must be there.

The moment Louis realized this, his figure vanished. He reappeared on the roof of the general book library. His legs sank into the roof like a swamp, disappearing beneath it with a soft swish.

Tap.

Late at night.

Louis wandered through the dark library as if it were daylight. His destination was the librarian’s desk.

Even a Master would have filled out the rental log.

Piercing through the darkness, Louis examined the rental log lying conspicuously on the librarian’s desk.

Flip. Flip.

He had only flipped through a few pages when William’s name appeared. Along with the title of the book he had borrowed.

Louis’s gaze remained fixed on the book’s title, unwilling to look away.

Ain Race’s Lifestyle Habits

Why on earth…?

Louis examined William’s other rental records.

Rustle… rustle…

The pages flipped rapidly through the rental log. Time passed unnoticed.

This is…!

A light sparked in Louis’s eyes.

“Who’s there?!”

Bright light flooded the library. But by the time it reached the librarian’s desk, Louis had vanished.

Soon, the library guard rushed over.

“Huh…?”

All that greeted him was the rental log flapping in the empty air where Louis had disappeared.

Rustle…

The pages turned alone in the deserted space.

“Huh?!”

The guard’s face turned ashen at the sight.