Dimensional Overseer: I Can Manipulate DNA!

"Survival in realms you've never set foot in is nothing like the camping trips you're used to," Kiran began, his tone now firm and serious. "There are several reasons for this—reasons that make survival an entirely different game. The environments are alien. The ecosystems, the weather, the gravitational pull, and even the very composition of elements can differ drastically from one world to another."

As he spoke, he began writing quickly on the chalkboard, listing environmental variables one by one.

"Some worlds have extremely high gravity," he continued. "In those, even something as simple as burning wood becomes a challenge. Finding clean, drinkable water? Almost impossible if you don't know where to look. Your job as future knights is not just to fight but to endure. You'll be trained to survive in every condition imaginable. That's what this class is for."

The classroom fell silent. Many of the students had assumed Survival Class would be light—practical lessons about foraging and making fires, maybe learning how to build a camp or boil water. They expected some fun or at least a break from the heavier lectures. What they got was the grim reality that even the worlds they were meant to protect could kill them long before any monster laid a claw on them.

"So complicated…"

"Why is everything hard already? I'm going to cry…"

"Save me…"

Their voices were low, muttered under their breaths, but the collective sentiment was clear: disbelief and exhaustion.

Kiran noticed their faces drooping and sighed quietly, setting the chalk down. He turned to face them, expression softening.

"Look," he said, "I get it. You probably expected something easier, something more hands-on, maybe even fun. I know long notes and survival theory sound like a waste of time compared to actual combat training. But listen to me closely."

His gaze swept across the room, his voice growing more weighted.

"I've been a knight for nearly ten years. I've been deployed more times than I can count, and I've seen things most of you wouldn't believe. I've watched friends—good friends—die in places we thought were safe. Not from monsters. Not from battles. They died because they couldn't adapt. They died from dehydration, frostbite, poisonous air… starvation."

A heavy silence fell upon the class.

"And the worst part?" His voice cracked slightly, though he tried to smile through it. "They didn't die fighting for the innocent. They didn't get a chance to make a difference. They just… didn't make it through the night."

Zane rested his hand on his face, absorbing every word. 'So it wasn't even the monsters…' he thought grimly. 'It's the environment. The conditions. The unknown. You'd think your only worry would be fighting beasts, but clearly, there's more that can kill you than just claws and fangs.'

Kiran straightened again. "That's why I teach this. That's why I put my sword down and stepped into a classroom. I want to give you every chance I can. If I can help even one of you survive out there when it counts, then it's worth it. So please… take this seriously."

After a pause, he nodded to himself and returned to the chalkboard.

"Now, with that out of the way… let's continue. Because from this point forward, every single detail could be the difference between coming home… and never making it back."

There were no more murmurs. No jokes. No groans.

The room fell into focused silence as the students leaned forward in their seats, finally understanding that survival wasn't about wilderness skills. It was about beating death before it could strike.

"Good. Let's begin now..."

***

The next three hours passed in a blur of concentrated effort. Kiran walked them through various terrain classifications, alien hazards, and methods for identifying toxic or non-edible plants in unstable dimensional pockets. Though the class barely scratched the surface, it already demanded several pages of tightly packed notes.

By the time the bell rang, the collective exhale that filled the room was almost comical.

"Fuuuuh…" Zane sighed, leaning back and stretching his arms overhead. His body ached from sitting so long, but his mind felt unusually sharp. "That was probably the most information-packed class I've taken in years. But it's useful—crucial, even. I'll definitely be reviewing this one carefully."

"Are you leaving, Zane?" a familiar voice asked.

He turned to see Elizabeth walking toward him, holding her device awkwardly in both hands. "W-We can… have lunch together?"

Zane offered a light nod. "Sure."

They exited the classroom side by side, stepping into the open hallway. Ahead of them, Lune walked in silence, her usual group trailing close behind. Her 'friends'—if one could call them that—followed her like moths to a flame, chattering as though she were the sun and they revolved around her.

But something shifted in the air.

As they walked further, another group of candidates came into view, approaching from the other side of the hallway. They stood out immediately—not because they were louder or flashier, but because of who they were.

Unlike most of the segregated groups in the facility, this new group was mixed—humans and other races walking side by side. It was an uncommon sight in a place where trust between species was still tentative at best.

At the center of the group walked a boy. Handsome, calm, and confident.

He had slightly long green hair, framing his soft yet refined features. His eyes were a matching shade of emerald—clear and serene like still water. His peaceful smile radiated warmth.

"Woah… So handsome…"

"Who's that?"

"Wait—you don't know?!"

"Who is he?!"

"That's Zephir Kransen. An S-Rank."

"What?! Zephir?! He's the other S-Rank?!"

The whispers spread like wildfire. All around them, students turned to look, conversations pausing mid-sentence. Even some of the upper batch members stopped to watch the group walk by, prideful expressions tugging at their features as they silently measured the new arrivals.

Zephir's group approached Lune and stopped just a few feet in front of her. The two highest-ranking candidates in the entire facility were now face to face.

"What's going on?"

"Are they going to challenge each other?"

"Wait… is he here to meet her?"

Beside Zane, Elizabeth stiffened. "Z-Zane…" she whispered nervously, but he didn't respond. His eyes were locked on the green-haired boy, quietly assessing him.

Zephir took a step forward, smiling gently. "You must be Miss Lune Starpiercer, right?"

Lune didn't move. Her gaze was steady, her tone cold. "Yes."

"I've heard a lot about you. It's an honor to finally meet. I'm Zephir." He extended a hand, clearly offering a polite handshake.

But Lune didn't even glance at it.

"Can I help you?" she asked, voice sharp and unreadable.

The air tensed.

Students froze, waiting for the reaction. Some of Zephir's companions frowned, eyes narrowing at what they considered a slight. The tension was unmistakable.

But Zephir simply chuckled—light, genuine, and without offense.

"No need for formality, I suppose. I only wanted to introduce myself. We're the only S-Rank candidates here. I thought it might be good to know one another."

His tone remained calm, unfazed by the rejection.

"Well," he continued, "that's all I wanted to say. I hope we can work together in the future—as knights."

And with that, he turned around and walked away.

His group followed suit, some casting cold glares at Lune as they passed. She didn't acknowledge them, nor did she look back. Her expression remained distant, aloof, unreadable.

Zane watched the entire exchange with sharp eyes.

'So that's Zephir Kransen… Another S-Rank. So there's two in this facility now…" He folded his arms. "Things just got a lot more interesting.'