NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Unexpected visitor
The class froze, taken aback by the unexpected answer.
Then suddenly, the classroom erupted into murmurs as Miss Brooks's rather strange answer hung in the air like a bad joke. "I don't remember?" What the hell was that supposed to mean? Surely, surviving an encounter with a Harbinger—a goddamn Ravager, no less—wasn't the kind of thing you just forgot. It was the kind of experience that should've been burned into her mind, vivid and inescapable, like gum stuck to the underside of a desk.
Fiona slumped back into her seat, cheeks tinged with embarrassment and disappointment. She'd been hoping for a harrowing tale of bravery, some firsthand insight into the monsters that haunted humanity. Instead, Miss Brooks left them with more questions than answers.
From the back of the class, Kelvin let out a low snicker, breaking Noah's train of thought. Noah turned to him, brow furrowed. "What's so funny?"
Kelvin leaned closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "PTSD," he said, the corner of his mouth curling into a smug grin.
Noah blinked, confused. "What are you talking about?"
Kelvin gave him a knowing look. "Think about it," he whispered, leaning on his desk. "I always thought it was just a load of bullshit conspiracy stuff, but this? This confirms it. Mind erasure, dude."
Noah stared at him, waiting for him to elaborate.
Kelvin glanced around to make sure no one was listening too closely, then continued. "The stories all line up. Soldiers who face Harbingers? They're never the same. It messes with their heads so bad that some of them need third-gen psychics to wipe the memories clean. That's why Miss Brooks doesn't remember. Her brain's been scrubbed...parts of it,"
The words sent a chill down Noah's spine. He'd heard the rumors before, but he'd always dismissed them as exaggerated scare tactics. But now… it all clicked. If even someone like Miss Brooks—flawless, composed, practically untouchable—needed her mind erased to deal with the aftermath of a Harbinger encounter, what did that say about the monsters themselves?
Noah's gaze drifted back to Miss Brooks. She had turned to the electronic board, her fingers tapping away at the interface. The class quieted down as their attention shifted from their confusion to something far more captivating: the way her tight pencil skirt hugged her hips, accentuating every curve as she leaned slightly forward.
Noah tore his eyes away, shaking his head. 'Focus, dammit,' he berated himself.
"That ass though..." Kelvin whispered from the side. Not helping at all.
Miss Brooks turned back to face the class, her dazzling smile once again lighting up the room. "Alright," she began, clapping her hands together, "let's move on to something I know you're all excited about: beast hunting."
The room collectively straightened up, anticipation buzzing in the air. This was what they'd been waiting for.
Miss Brooks clasped her hands together, a confident smile tugging at her lips. "Now, beast hunting," she began, her tone drawing the students' focus like a magnet. "I assume most of you already know the basics from elementary school. And if not, the last month you spent here on base during the tryouts should have hammered the essentials into you. Still, for the sake of those who might have been…distracted, let's go over it again."
She began pacing in front of the class, her heels clicking sharply against the polished floor. "As you all know, everything new in the world today started from a single seed. Yes, one seed." She stopped for emphasis, her gaze sweeping over the room. "That seed was the one that struck our planet over five decades ago, changing everything."
Her voice grew more intense, and Noah leaned forward slightly, his attention sharpening despite himself. "That seed kick-started the awakened age of humans. But, as you might have guessed, humans weren't the only ones to adapt. With us, animals—beasts—were irrevocably changed. They evolved, becoming stronger, deadlier, and more cunning."
Noah's mind wandered momentarily as she spoke, recalling the countless hours he and Kelvin had spent poring over texts and videos to prepare for the written exams. The tests had been brutal, filled with mostly questions about the asteroid's impact, the rise of awakened humans, the ark and those heroes on board and the evolution of beasts. It had been a slog, but their efforts had paid off.
He smirked slightly, remembering how the grading system hadn't been about passing or failing—it was all about placement. The results determined which class each recruit would join. His scores had landed him in Class 1B, the middle tier for first-year students. Year one of the academy was divided into three classes: A for the top scorers, B for the solid but not exceptional, and C for the stragglers who'd barely scraped by.
'Class 1B,' Noah mused, his lips twitching upward in a wry grin. 'The middle ground. The place for those not too bright but not hopelessly dumb either. Story of my life.' He glanced around the room, noting the range of expressions on his classmates' faces. Some looked bored, others attentive, and a few—like Kelvin—just looked cocky.
His gaze lingered on Fiona, who still seemed disappointed after Miss Brooks' earlier evasive response about fighting Harbingers. She was scribbling something in her notebook, her brows furrowed in concentration. 'At least she looks like she cares,' he thought.
The thought brought him back to the written exams. He remembered the long nights spent with Kelvin, cramming every bit of information they could find about the asteroid, the awakened, and the beasts.
'We were so damn sure those tests were a make-or-break deal,' he recalled. 'Turns out, they just wanted to know where to dump us.' He chuckled softly under his breath. 'A class system for a class system. Guess the world really hasn't changed all that much.'
His grin faded as another thought struck him. 'Still, Class 1B isn't bad. Could've been worse. At least I'm not in C with the losers. But it's not A either. A is where the elites are, the future generals and squad leaders. Hell, even Kelvin thought he'd make it there.'
He glanced at his friend, who was leaning back in his chair with a smug expression. 'Not that he seems too torn up about it. Typical Kelvin.'
Miss Brooks' voice cut through his thoughts, pulling him back to the present. She was talking about the beast hierarchy now, her tone measured but firm.
"Beasts are categorized into five tiers," she said, her voice steady and commanding. "Tier 1 beasts are the least dangerous but still pose a significant threat to untrained civilians. Tier 5 beasts…" She paused, her expression darkening. "Well, let's just say encountering one without a platoon is a death sentence."
A hand shot up in the middle of the room. It belonged to a boy with curly brown hair and an eager expression. "Miss Brooks, what's the highest tier beast you've ever hunted or you don't remember eithed?"
Half the class was expecting miss Brooks to confirm their worst fears but instead she shook her head and waved the kid to sit.
"I do remember," miss Brooks affirmed. The entire class was relieved.
The class collectively tuned in, attentive to her, with barely concealed anticipation . Miss Brooks smiled faintly, opening her mouth to respond, but before a single word could escape, the door to the room swung open. And in walked an unexpected visitor.