"Your turn, Noah."
We were in class, and it was time for each of us to demonstrate our ability to manipulate mana. To be honest, I wasn't stressed or worried. In fact, you could even say I was feeling pretty confident.
Why? Because at this stage, I wasn't too far behind the others, and my high intelligence stat placed me among the top when it came to mana manipulation.
Not to mention my perception. People often associate perception with sight, but in reality, it goes far beyond that.
I stood before the class, facing Vanessa, who was waiting for me to focus and begin my demonstration.
Needless to say, this exercise was obviously graded. Even though it wasn't explicitly stated, we all knew it was. And in this first month at the academy, the expectations were particularly high.
My plan for this first semester is simple: to become the undisputed leader of Orion Class. Or at least, that's what I might have said if there weren't several monsters in this class…
Then again, I'm one too, so whatever.
No, my plan remains the same: to craft that damn potion and fix my core. And soon, we'll be entering the first arc of the novel… Well, a mini-arc, to be precise. I'll have an opportunity.
When people talk about mana manipulation, they're usually referring to the pure mana that flows within us — the very same energy we use to enhance our bodies during combat.
After closing my eyes and focusing completely, I reopened them. But they were no longer the same. No, they were… different.
'Let's see what he can do.' Vanessa thought.
'Even though the semester has barely started, he's already infamous… After all, who doesn't know about the broken genius of the blessed generation? Truth be told, he had everything to become one of the leaders of the future generation, but fate had other plans.'
'Well, at least he has high intelligence, so it should be fi—?!'
Suddenly, a strange chill ran through Vanessa's entire body. A mystical, almost overwhelming sensation.
She had felt this before. In the southern lands, when the war against the demons was still raging… Long before she was promoted to high-ranking officer. Back then, she had just finished her three years at the academy and had been sent straight to the battlefield.
This feeling… Every warrior has experienced it at least once.
The presence of…
Death itself, looming over you.
Before she even realized it, cold sweat was already trickling down her forehead.
'Why… Why is a first-year kid, who is half-crippled at that, making me feel this way?!'
As she met Noah's gaze, the horror within her intensified dramatically.
"These aren't the eyes of a kid… No… They aren't even human eyes…" she murmured, barely audible.
Anyone who locked eyes with Noah at that moment would have felt as if their very essence was being drained, as if they were staring into the abyss itself. An unfathomable void, hypnotic… almost alluring, a silent invitation to surrender to it.
The class, seeing only his back, couldn't fully grasp what Vanessa was experiencing. Yet, they could all sense a shift. The atmosphere had grown heavier, especially around Noah. His presence, usually discreet, had become suffocating.
[Shiva's Eyes]
'Damn… This is my first time activating it, so I expected to lose some control… but this is way beyond what I imagined.'
The truth is, my trait had been active for barely five seconds. Yet, to the others, it must have felt like an eternity.
What matters is that I managed to regain control quickly.
'What I'm perceiving right now… it's a completely different world. A world seen through the eyes of a true deity!'
It's like browsing the internet — while most people only see a regular interface, I can see the code, the hidden mechanisms, the very system itself. Everything is laid bare before my gaze.
"This is insane…" I whispered.
'And to think this is just a glimpse… A mere fraction of these eyes' true potential.'
I slowly released the pressure. The suffocating atmosphere in the room dissipated.
I raised my hand. Immediately, the air grew colder, and a faint mist began swirling around my fingers. I could almost hear the water particles trembling, awaiting my command.
Honestly, even if I don't intend to establish myself as the leader of Orion Class, I still need to send a warning — to draw a line between me and the others.
As I channeled my mana, I saw it.
Not the ordinary world, no. The one I perceived through [Shiva's Eyes].
Mana was no longer that elusive force that most struggled to control. No, for me, it was a structure, a language. Lines of code engraved into reality itself, ready to be rewritten.
I didn't need to force it. Just to command.
Mana obeyed.
A perfect hexagon formed — then another, and another. The patterns wove themselves together, interlocking in a flawless dance.
A snowflake.
But not just any snowflake. A masterpiece.
Each branch split into finer and finer details, creating a symmetry that no one else here could replicate. The ice shimmered, capturing the light like an uncut diamond. Not a single imperfection, not a single flaw.
I slowly opened my palm, letting the snowflake levitate. It spun gently, each movement revealing new details, like an infinitely complex clockwork mechanism.
Silence filled the room.
Then, a sound.
Clap.
Vanessa had just applauded. Once. Then a second time.
Others followed, hesitant at first, then with more confidence.
But I remained still.
There was a reason the class was applauding. Even if many students were arrogant brats, one thing was always respected in this society — strength.
And that's exactly what I had just demonstrated. A display of strength. I had pulled off a feat of mana manipulation that was nearly impossible for someone like me.
The truth is, even without using my trait, I would have done just fine but not without a violent backlash. But adding [Shiva's Eyes] into the mix changed everything.
Materializing the extremely intricate patterns of a snowflake wasn't supposed to be possible for a Novice. In fact, creating a massive ice wall was far easier. That alone spoke volumes about my performance.
As I returned to my seat, I could feel the stares. Some hostile, some curious, and a few… admiring?
***
The class was wrapping up, and everyone had finished their demonstrations. To be honest, after my performance, it was pretty tough to follow up. Only the best in the class managed to capture as much attention as I did.
"I've got a good grasp of the class's level, and I have to say, you're all pretty damn talented," Vanessa remarked.
"But that's the case for almost every class, so don't let your guard down. You're not in just any academy. Even if you were the best in your previous school, things are different here."
Her tone grew more serious.
"It's easy to be praised as a prodigy when you're a shark among fish, but it's far harder to be a wolf among wolves. Be exceptional among exceptional people."
"That's all for today's lesson."
Be exceptional among exceptional people… Strangely, Vanessa's words resonated with me. But I had to be cautious. In my previous life, I was never considered a genius, a prodigy, or someone with any outstanding talent. If I let myself get complacent, believing I could do better in this life just because of my new advantages, then I wouldn't last long.
I would have to be patient.