The classroom showdown

I walked into the classroom with my head held high, determined to act like I wasn't the same guy who used to scrub toilets and scrape by at the bottom of the sect's hierarchy. The air was thick with the scent of incense, and the wooden floor creaked under my feet as I stepped in. The disciples at their desks paused whatever they were doing and stared at me, as if I'd somehow stumbled into the wrong room.

I cleared my throat. "Greetings, peasants! I'm Amon, the overpowered protagonist of this novel."

A heavy silence fell over the room. In the back, I heard a muffled snicker. My bravado faltered for a second, but I pushed through, striding toward the back of the room and flopping into the last seat, determined to act like I belonged.

Then, I saw her.

At the front of the room, effortlessly commanding attention, sat a jade-skinned beauty with flowing black hair and eyes like emeralds. She looked like someone who had wandered in from another world untouchable, perfect. She had that aura about her, the kind that screamed "main love interest." Wait, could it be? Was she?

I nudged the guy next to me, a lanky kid with messy brown hair and the look of someone who'd been here a little too long. "Who's she?" I whispered, nodding toward the beauty at the front.

He sighed like he'd answered this question a thousand times. "Li Mei. Forget it. She's way out of your league."

I smirked, unbothered. "We'll see about that."

And just like that, I decided: she was my future wife. I didn't care if it was probably delusional; I had a plan now. All I needed was a little time. And maybe a miracle or two.

Just then, Elder Kai stepped forward, his stern expression filling the room. "Today, we'll discuss mana pool harmonization," he said, his voice echoing across the silent classroom. "It's the foundation that separates us mages from mere trash."

I tuned out his lecture. Mana harmonization? Who needed it? I leaned over to the guy next to me, who I had now mentally dubbed "The Guy I'd Annoy for the Next Few Weeks."

"What's this harmonization thing?" I whispered, desperate for context.

He sighed dramatically, his voice dry. "It's the thing that keeps you from being trash."

I nodded. Got it. I didn't want to be trash.

Elder Kai cleared his throat. "Now, who feels ready to demonstrate their mana harmonization?"

Before I could even think about ducking under the table, Li Mei stood up, effortlessly gliding to the front of the room. She moved like she was made of air, each step elegant and fluid. With a simple gesture, she summoned a wave of mana that flowed through her like water. The room watched in awe, captivated by her every movement.

When she finished, everyone clapped as though she'd just performed the most impossible feat. I couldn't help but whisper, "Wow, she's amazing."

Astel, the guy next to me, snorted. "Focus on not embarrassing yourself first. That's all you need to worry about."

Right. No big deal. I was about to show off my "skills" in front of a room full of disciples who had probably been practicing mana harmonization for years. No pressure.

And then, out of nowhere, Elder Kai's sharp eyes turned to me. "Amon," he said, his voice cutting through the room. "Let's see what you've got."

Great. I was about to become a legend, but not the way I'd hoped. I stood up, my palms suddenly sweaty, all eyes on me. The moment felt too big to be real.

I walked to the front, forcing my hands to stop shaking. I wasn't sure what mana harmonization even looked like in practice. Sure, I knew it was supposed to help me connect with my inner energy, but I was really just winging it.

I took a deep breath and raised my hands, trying to mimic the gestures Li Mei had made earlier. It was clumsy, awkward nothing like her graceful movements. The room stayed eerily quiet as I tried to focus, but all I could think about was how embarrassing this was going to be.

"Come on, Amon," Elder Kai said, his voice dripping with impatience. "We don't have all day."

I closed my eyes, tried to focus, and attempted to harmonize my mana. To my surprise, I felt something a faint pulse of energy. It wasn't much, but it was there. With a small, tentative gesture, I tried to direct the energy, but instead of flowing smoothly like it was supposed to, it burst out in a wild explosion, crackling and sparking like a tiny storm.

The room went dead silent. I stood there, the sweat on my forehead suddenly feeling like a downpour.

"Uh, not exactly what I was going for," I muttered under my breath, my face turning crimson.

Elder Kai stared at me, his expression unreadable. The class? Still silent.

"Well," Elder Kai finally said, breaking the silence, "at least you're not completely hopeless."

Before I could respond, I felt her gaze Li Mei was looking at me from across the room. Her eyes locked onto mine with a mixture of amusement and something else I couldn't quite place. It felt like she was looking straight through me, as if my entire bloodline was under scrutiny.

I quickly turned away, trying to ignore the way my heart sped up. Whatever. Who wanted an arrogant girl like her anyway?

Yeah. Definitely not coping.