Chapter 410: Come Kill Your Professor

Chapter 410: Come Kill Your Professor



They continued practicing the Path Optimization technique till the bell rang, circulating their Aether over and over, trying to find which ability path they could change, how much they

could optimize, and what backlash they would receive.

The next two days followed the same pattern: arriving at the Academy, entering Emir's class, and practicing diligently.

However, when Thursday arrived, their professor had a different plan for them.

They knew something was up even before entering the class, as they were informed to head to the third type of classroom, the 'empty' one, suggesting that today's lesson would likely involve some fighting.

This news excited them-after all, hunters preferred action over burying their heads in books.

It didn't take long for the first-year students to assemble in the classroom; their excitement palpable.

Emir arrived exactly on time and stood before them, a small smile playing on his lips.

Snap.

As he flicked his fingers, the room transformed into a simulated slum street with many alleyways, and dilapidated buildings, the details eerily lifelike, as if it was an exact replica of the bunker beneath them.

"Today, we'll be doing something different. Follow me."

Like little ducklings, the students trailed after him through the grime and rubble, their feet kicking away trash at every tenth step.

"I'll be practicing with you all today. I'll only be using a gun and a knife. Mind you, the guns will fire blanks, so none of you will die, only feel pain. The simulation will take care of the rest, registering hits and deaths. Abilities are banned. No Aether."

The students, both the 'named' and 'unnamed' exchanged curious glances.

This was unlike any training they had undergone before.

"Every time I win, I'll apply debuffs to myself. Every time you lose, you'll get buffs. Let's see how you adapt."

Stopping, he turned around to face them and tapped his neck.

"Accept the link."

Nodding, they did as he commanded without question.

Those who hated him, mainly two, were especially eager, excited at the prospect of fighting him.

Dreams of besting him in combat whispered into their minds, and they loved the feeling such a dream gave them.

Once everyone had accepted, Lyra connected to all of them, applying the simulation directly to their neural network.

In an instant, all the students had a Heads-Up Display appear in front of them.

It displayed a radar in the top left, health and shield levels below that, an ammo count on the right, and the number of allies alive above that.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The inexperienced ones flinched at the sight, confused, and raised their hands, wanting to ask questions.

"No. You'll learn during the training. Also, only you kids have that, so don't worry; I can find you only through my five senses."

But Emir curtly shut them down while turning around.

"First round begins in three..."

He announced, his steps picking up pace as he disappeared into the darkness.

"Remember, no Aether. Just your skills and instincts."

They peeked around the corner, trying to spot him, knowing that he was somewhere near.

A large shadow moved, and they aimed their guns at it, tracking it.

But that shadow was faster.

"No-!"

Emir emerged from a different angle, taking them both down with accurate shots, not giving

them the time to say a word.

{72/77}

One by one, the students fell.

They were supposed to be the hunters, but they felt the exact opposite.

There was no doubt, they were prey.

Unlike them, Emir moved with precision, each 'kill' executed flawlessly.

He navigated the slum with ease as if he had lived there for many years. He climbed walls, jumped across rooftops, and used the shadows to stay hidden, using every bit of the

environment to his advantage.

{40/77}

After 'killing' twenty-two 'unnamed' Emir finally neared another 'named' and this duo was

unexpected.

It was Junior and Quinn.

While they had gotten closer during their near-death 'date,' they didn't grow any feelings of camaraderie with each other, so their being together was most probably coincidental.

The two crouched behind a stack of crates, forming a makeshift barrier that protected them on either side of the alley.

Their guns were mounted on top of the crates, trained at each entrance, awaiting Emir's

arrival.

Unfortunately for them, the man they so eagerly awaited was above them on the roof, just outside the range of their information-gathering devices, the muzzle of his gun hovering

over their heads.

'Didn't think they were this dumb...'

Bang! Bang!

Emir fired twice, 'killing' them in under a second.

It was incredibly fast, but that second was enough for Sofia to spot him.

She was lying prone on the roof of a building far away, her gun now trained on him.

It seemed they had planned this out, using themselves as bait-or at least, Sofia used them as

bait-hoping to ambush him.

Bang!