The First Lesson

Professor Voss's lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile, but rather an expression of dark amusement.

"Light Mana has set limitations in the world of Mana." He continued, his voice smooth, unwavering. "Hundreds of restrictions confine it, dictating how it should be used, shaping it into something controlled—something acceptable."

He turned his back to the class, walking toward the large window, hands clasped behind him as he gazed outside.

"But Dark Mana?" He chuckled under his breath. "It is different. It is free."

His tone dropped lower, but the weight of his words filled the entire room.

"Dark Mana does not put shackles on its wielders. It does not ask permission or demand righteousness. It is not bound by laws or morality. It simply is."

His gaze flickered back to the students, eyes glinting with something unreadable.

"With Dark Mana, you are free to wield it however you please. There is no judgment. No limitations. Even the weak can become strong."

The classroom was silent. No one dared to breathe too loudly.

Then—

"But everything has its reason, Professor."

Dante's voice cut through the silence like a blade.

Professor Voss turned, his sharp gaze immediately locking onto the boy who had dared to challenge him.

"If Dark Mana was restricted—if it was truly deemed evil—then something must have happened to warrant that judgment," Dante continued, his tone unwavering. "It must have been used in a way that forced the world to condemn it. That is why Dark Mana remains restricted today."

A murmur rippled through the classroom. Some students nodded, others remained quiet, unsure whether they should agree or not.

I glanced at Dante, slightly surprised.

Good question.

I had thought the same, but Dante had beaten me to it.

Professor Voss's gaze sharpened.

Then—he scoffed.

Low, unimpressed.

"As expected from someone raised within the confines of privilege." His tone was taunting. "You believe that rules exist because they are just. That restrictions are placed only upon that which is dangerous."

He took slow steps forward, his presence bearing down on Dante.

"But tell me, Dante Ashbourne." His eyes darkened. "Have you ever once questioned who placed those restrictions?"

Dante held his ground, but I could see the tension in his jaw.

"Laws are made by the strong." Voss continued. "And the strong will always dictate what is good and what is evil."

He let those words settle.

"And if the strong fear something?" His lips curled into a smirk. "They will destroy it before it even has a chance to rise."

The room was thick with an eerie silence.

I exhaled slowly, watching the way Professor Voss carried himself.

Professor Voss's gaze sharpened, a glint of amusement flickering in his dark eyes as he turned his attention fully to Dante.

"Tell me, Dante, do you fear the unknown? Or do you simply cling to the comforts of what you've been told?"

Dante didn't falter. "I believe in understanding both sides before forming an opinion. If Dark Mana was truly beneficial, it wouldn't be restricted today. History has reasons."

Voss chuckled, low and knowing. "History is written by those in power. And power..." He raised a hand, and suddenly, the room changed.

A slow, creeping sensation filled the air, an invisible weight pressing down on every student. It wasn't suffocation—it was something far worse. The stillness, the sudden shift in atmosphere, made the very air feel thick, as if soaked in unseen energy.

I shivered. The space around me twisted, like reality itself was bending in ways it shouldn't. Whispers curled at the edges of my mind—soft, insidious, like something just out of reach, murmuring words I couldn't quite catch. A chill crawled down my spine.

Around me, the others stiffened. Their breaths came sharp and uneven, their shoulders locked tight. I could feel it too—that creeping sensation, like something pressing against my skin, weighing down my limbs. My instincts screamed at me to move, to do something, anything, but my body resisted, as if invisible chains held me in place.

And yet, Professor Voss stood there, calm, composed. As if this was nothing more than a simple lecture.

"Light Mana." his voice cut through the pressure, steady and sure. "Creates order. It sets boundaries, enforces rules, and calls it protection. But Dark Mana? It allows you to be free. To break the chains that bind you. It is limitless—bound not by morality, but by will."

He lowered his hand.

The suffocating aura vanished in an instant, like a storm dissipating without a trace. A collective gasp filled the room. Tension snapped, shoulders slumping as students sucked in desperate breaths. I exhaled slowly, rubbing my arms as if I could shake off the phantom weight still clinging to my skin.

And yet… I couldn't ignore the spark of intrigue curling in my chest.

Professor Voss hadn't just spoken about Dark Mana.

He had proven its power. Without lifting a single finger, he had commanded the entire room.

"Consider this your first lesson." Voss said, stepping back toward the front. "Fear is the greatest weapon of control. And those who wield it best... are the ones who set the rules."

His gaze swept over the class, pausing—for just a second—on me.

A smirk tugged at his lips. Then he turned away.

"Class dismissed."