"Hey, Mat! Hey, wake up!"

  I jolt slightly as Kyu nudges my side, whispering harshly. My head feels heavy, and my eyes struggle to adjust to the dim lighting of the classroom. The weight of exhaustion settles in—maybe yesterday's training took more out of me than I thought.

  "If you keep sleeping, Professor Raynor’s gonna throw something at you," Kyu mutters, barely holding back a chuckle.

  I blink rapidly, sitting up straighter just as Professor Raynor continues his lecture, his deep, commanding voice filling the room.

  "Each species of monster follows a different level of intelligence and instinct," he says, pacing in front of the class. His long hair sways slightly with each step. "Lurkers operate purely on base hunger. They’re scavengers, weak alone but dangerous in swarms."

  He taps a button on his desk, and a holographic display flickers to life, showing the hunched, insect-like forms of the creatures. Their glowing eyes and needle-like teeth send a chill up my spine.

  "Then, there are Marauders—smarter, pack hunters. They won’t just rush in blindly; they coordinate, surround, and pick you apart one by one." The image changes, displaying larger, more muscular creatures with hardened claws and sharper, more humanoid features.

  I rub my temple, forcing myself to focus. This isn't just some random lecture—this is survival. As a Vertius, I already have an uphill battle, and if I don’t start paying attention, I might not make it past my first real encounter.

  Kyu leans in, whispering, "Dude, if you fall asleep again, I’m not waking you up next time. You’ll have to dodge a flying textbook."

  I sigh. Yeah, staying awake seems like a good idea.

  "Now class can I ask someone to explain each variant of monster? Yes, you." Professor Raynor points at the person in front of me, tall, muscular, blonde-haired—almost like he's a noble.

  The student in front of me stands up, his posture straight and confident. He looks like someone straight out of an old war painting—tall, broad-shouldered, with golden hair that seems to glow under the classroom lights. His uniform is pristine, not a single wrinkle, and the way he carries himself practically screams nobility.

  "Yes, Professor," he responds, his voice smooth and composed. He clears his throat before speaking.

  "The first variant is the Lurker—the lowest tier of monsters. They are weak individually but dangerous in numbers, often relying on ambush tactics in dark or enclosed spaces. They lack intelligence and act purely on instinct."

  "The next are the Marauders—stronger and more coordinated. Unlike Lurkers, they move in packs and have been observed using rudimentary tactics to overwhelm prey. They possess sharper claws and reinforced bone structures, making them difficult to kill without proper training."

  He pauses, glancing at Professor Raynor for approval before continuing.

  "After that, we have the Stalkers—far more intelligent than the previous two. These creatures are known for their patience, often tailing their targets for hours before striking. Some have even been reported mimicking human behavior, making them especially dangerous in urban areas."

  His tone remains steady as he moves down the list.

  "Then come the Ravagers. These are war machines—pure destruction given form. They don't just kill; they devastate everything in their path. Entire squads have been wiped out by a single Ravager. Their strength is unparalleled in their tier, and engaging them without proper strategy is suicide."

  He takes a deep breath before reaching the final two.

  "The Behemoths are walking disasters. Towering creatures with near-indestructible hides. They are rare but catastrophic when they appear. It often takes an entire battalion to take one down. Cities have been lost due to a single Behemoth running rampant."

  The room is silent now. Everyone is listening intently, waiting for him to finish.

  "And lastly... the Full Monsters. These creatures are beyond classification. They no longer follow any natural instinct or pattern. They exist purely for chaos and destruction, their forms twisted beyond recognition. There is no reasoning with them, no predicting them. If you ever face one alone... consider yourself already dead."

  He finally sits down, his explanation flawless. Even Professor Raynor seems satisfied.

  "Good answer," the professor nods. "Now, who can tell me how to differentiate them, apart from looking at what they look like?"

  The room stays silent for a moment. I glance at Kyu, who gives me a look that says, Don’t even think about it.

  A chair scrapes against the floor as the noble-looking guy in front of me straightens up. His voice is clear and confident. "Their aura."

  Raynor's lips curl slightly—maybe the closest thing to approval we’ll ever see from him. "Correct. Every monster emits a distinct presence—an aura that varies in intensity depending on its rank." He turns to the blackboard and starts writing as he speaks.

  "Lurkers give off almost no aura at all, which is why they’re so effective at ambushing. Their presence is weak, making them nearly indistinguishable from the environment unless you’re trained to sense them."

  "Marauders have a slightly stronger presence. Their aura is erratic, reflecting their aggressive and unpredictable nature. If you ever feel like you’re being watched but can't pinpoint the source, you’re likely being hunted by Marauders."

  "Stalkers, as their name suggests, have an aura that is faint yet unsettling. Unlike the chaotic aura of Marauders, a Stalker’s presence is controlled—suppressed when they don’t want to be noticed, but suffocating when they choose to reveal themselves. If the air around you suddenly feels heavy, run. By the time you sense them, they’ve already decided to strike."

  "Ravagers, on the other hand, are impossible to ignore. Their aura is oppressive, like standing in the presence of an executioner. The moment they lock onto you, you’ll feel it—a crushing pressure that forces weaker fighters to their knees. If you’re not strong enough, you won’t even get the chance to fight back."

  "Behemoths," he says, underlining the name with a sharp stroke. "Their aura is beyond comprehension. You don’t just feel it—you see it. The very air around them distorts. The ground trembles. If a Behemoth is in your vicinity, you’ll know. The question is whether you’ll live long enough to do anything about it."

  The class remains eerily silent. I swallow, feeling my throat go dry.

  "And finally," Raynor says, his tone dropping lower, "Kajaks."

  He pauses, letting the name linger in the air.

  "They are the exception. Their aura? Controlled. Refined. They walk among us, undetected, because they choose to. But the moment they reveal themselves—" He presses a piece of chalk against the board so hard it snaps.

  "—it's already too late."

  RINGGGG RINGGGG

  "It seems like it's already time," Professor Raynor says, brushing the chalk dust off his hands. "Don’t forget about the upcoming practical exam. Make sure to train hard and do your best. Dismissed."

  Chairs scrape against the floor as students start packing up. Kyu nudges me with his elbow. "Man, you really dozed off back there."

  I rub my eyes, still groggy. "Yeah, because someone kept shaking me awake."

  Kyu grins. "Well, you’re welcome. If I didn't wake you, Raynor would’ve had your head."

  I sigh, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "Practical exam, huh? What do you think it's gonna be?"

  Kyu shrugs. "No idea. But knowing this school, it’s not gonna be easy."

  As we step into the hallway, the air is buzzing with nervous whispers. Some students look excited, others pale with worry. I tighten my grip on my bag.

  Whatever the exam is, I have to be ready.

  Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

  Kyu speaks up, "Hey man, remember what day it is today?"

  I look at him, slightly tilting my head. "No?"

  He looks at me with a stern expression. "Dude, look at the date on your phone."

  I lift my phone, pressing on the screen and checking the date. April 4, 2031.

  Then suddenly, I remember. It's Jin's birthday!

  "Ah, crap!" I mutter, mentally kicking myself. How did I forget this?

  "What do you wanna do?" Kyu asks, clearly expecting an answer.

  "I was thinking of surprising him. How about we ask his girlfriend?" he suggests, looking a little excited.

  "Huh?" I blink, confused. "You want to ask her for help?"

  Kyu nods, a grin forming. "Yeah, she knows him best. We can get a solid idea of what he’d want without totally messing it up."

  I think it over. It makes sense, but I still feel a little unsure. "I guess you're right. But I really don't want to screw this up, you know?"

  Kyu chuckles. "Don’t worry, we got this. Let's just hope she’s on board."

  "You better be right..." I mumble

  ***

  "Hey, man, I know we wanted to ask her, but why are we in front of her house?" I ask, my confusion growing as I glance around. The nerves are starting to hit me, and suddenly this feels way more complicated than I thought.

  Kyu smirks and shrugs nonchalantly. "Well, if we want to surprise Jin, we might as well start by talking to her in person, right?" He glances at the front door. "Besides, it’s not like we can call her and expect her to just spill everything. We need to be tactical about this."

  I stare at the house, feeling the weight of the situation. "Yeah, but, uh, I didn’t think we’d be showing up on her doorstep like this."

  Kyu laughs. "Well, you said you wanted to surprise Jin. This is step one."

  "Well? are you gonna knock?" I look at him intensely.

  "Why me?" He replies

  "What do you mean 'why me'? You're the one that made me come all the way here!" I shoot back, feeling a little defensive as Kyu looks at me with that smug expression.

  Kyu raises his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I didn’t make you come. You could've backed out anytime. But you wanted this, remember?"

  I sigh, glancing at the house again. "Yeah, but I didn’t think you’d drag me to her front door. I’m not exactly great at... talking to her."

  Kyu grins wider. "Well, you’re here now, so no backing out. Besides, if you mess it up, I’m not the one who’ll have to deal with it."

  "Wow... Fine." I raise my hand, feeling a knot in my stomach, and nervously knock on the door.

  The sound of the knock echoes louder than I expect. A few moments pass, but it feels like an eternity. My heart races as I glance over at Kyu, who’s trying to hide his grin but isn’t doing a very good job.

  The door creaks open, revealing Mei. She has long, straight black hair that falls just below her shoulders, and her soft brown eyes meet mine with a mixture of curiosity and mild surprise. Her casual outfit is put together effortlessly, giving her a confident, yet approachable vibe.

  "Uh, hey," I say, trying to sound casual despite the nervousness flooding me. "We... need your help with something."

  She closes the door behind her, stepping out onto the porch, her expression calm but with a hint of intrigue.

  "Yeah, sure, what do you need help with?" Mei asks, her voice steady as she folds her arms casually, waiting for an explanation.

  I glance at Kyu for a moment, then take a deep breath. "It's, uh, Jin's birthday today," I start, trying to find the right words. "We wanted to surprise him, but honestly, we're kind of clueless about what to get him. You're the one who knows him best... so, any ideas?"

  She scratches her head, seeming like she's really digging into her brain, trying to think of an answer. "Ah! There's a cake shop near District 1 that he loves... I'm pretty sure it's called the Sweet Whisk Bakery." She looks at me with a hint of relief, as if she finally remembered.

  "Yeah, they make the best cakes. I bet he'd love it if you brought him something from there."

  Kyu finally speaks up, his voice cutting through the brief silence. "Would it be fine for you to take us there? We don’t know where to go."

  Mei raises an eyebrow but doesn't hesitate. "Sure," she says, glancing at us with a small smile. "I’ll show you where it is. It’s not too far."

  I glance at Kyu, who looks a bit relieved. "Great," I mutter, trying to mask my nervousness. "Thanks, Mei."

  "Oh, wait, don't we need balloons? I'll go get some," Kyu says, his voice trailing off as he slowly steps back, clearly trying to make an escape.

  I look at him with the What the hell do you think you're doing? face, arms crossed. "Seriously?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. "You're not leaving now. We’re in this together. You don’t get to bail at the last minute."

  Kyu stops in his tracks, giving me a sheepish grin. "I was just trying to help, you know. I thought the balloons might add a nice touch."

  I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck. "Fine, but you better not take forever. We’re on a schedule here."

  ***

  Now inside Mei’s car, the silence feels way heavier than it should. The engine hums quietly, and I can’t help but keep glancing at the rearview mirror, half-expecting Jin to pop back in at any second.

  Why the hell did I let him leave? This is so awkward. If anyone sees us, they might think I’m her Third party! FUCK!

  I shift uncomfortably in my seat, feeling every second stretch out longer than it should. Mei doesn’t seem to notice, or maybe she’s just used to moments like this. She focuses on driving, calm as ever, her posture relaxed.

  I glance over at her again, my mind racing. "So… uh, how’ve things been with you and Jin lately?" I ask, hoping the question will help break the ice, even if it’s the most basic thing I could think of.

  Mei looks at me for a brief moment before answering, her voice soft but steady. "Things are good. We've been keeping busy. You know how it is," she says with a small smile, her focus still on the road.

  I look at the side, trying to avoid eye contact, but that was a big mistake. As soon as I turn my head to the side, I immediately see Jin, standing outside a coffee shop with a few of his classmates. He’s holding a bunch of balloons—the balloons we were supposed to surprise him with. He catches my eye, and I can feel my face go red.

  I quickly look away, hoping he didn’t notice me staring, but it’s too late. This is so awkward. Does he know? Why the hell is he holding those balloons?

  Mei doesn’t seem to notice, but I’m dying inside, trying to keep it together. I clear my throat and shift uncomfortably in my seat, wishing I could just disappear. Jin’s probably thinking I’m some third wheel now.

  Before I can process it further, Mei pulls into the parking lot of the cake shop. I let out a quiet sigh of relief. Finally, an escape from the awkwardness.

  "Here we are," Mei says, smiling as she turns off the engine. "Let’s grab the cake."

  I glance at the cake in front of me, my stomach growling at the sight of it. "This cake looks delicious, and it’s pretty cheap," I say, trying to focus on anything other than the awkwardness of the situation. "We should hurry up before he comes back."

  Mei nods, a slight smile tugging at her lips as she looks at the cake. "Yeah, let's grab it quick." She glances out the window, as if expecting Jin to walk back in any second.

  I try to shake off the tension, but the thought of Jin showing up any minute with those balloons still lingers in the back of my mind. The sooner we get this done, the better. "Let’s do this," I say, already stepping toward the counter, eager to get it over with.

  I walk up to the counter, trying to shake off the awkward energy still hanging in the air. Mei follows behind, her calm demeanor a stark contrast to my inner tension. The clerk behind the counter smiles at us as we approach, but I can’t shake the feeling that any moment, Jin could stroll back in with those damn balloons.

  "Hi there, what can I get for you today?" the clerk asks cheerfully.

  I glance back at Mei, trying to seem casual. "We’ll take the cake," I say, pointing to the one we’ve been eyeing. "It’s for a surprise. A... a birthday surprise."

  Mei steps forward, offering a friendly smile to the clerk. "Yeah, just the cake, please. It’s for a friend of ours, and we’re kind of on a time crunch."

  The clerk nods, quickly getting the cake ready and ringing us up. As the transaction happens, I glance at the door nervously. Where is Jin?

  Finally, the clerk hands us the cake, wrapped up and ready to go. I take it with relief, like it’s some sort of lifeline, and follow Mei out of the shop. "Alright, let’s go before this gets any weirder," I mutter under my breath.

  We step outside, the fresh air hitting me like a wave of relief. I glance over my shoulder, half-expecting to see Jin walking in with those balloons, but thankfully, he’s nowhere in sight. Mei walks ahead, her calm demeanor never faltering, while I follow closely, trying to shake off the tension.

  I look down at the cake in my hands, trying to focus on something—anything other than the awkward mess that’s been unfolding. "Alright, we got the cake," I mutter. "Now we just need to make sure everything goes according to plan."

  Mei glances back at me with a small smile. "It’ll be fine. Jin will love it. Trust me."

  I nod, though I’m not entirely convinced. We better hope so.

  We reach the car, and I slip into the passenger seat, still feeling a bit uneasy. Mei gets in, starting the engine as I adjust the cake carefully on my lap. The drive back feels like it takes forever, the silence between us heavy. I can’t help but glance at the rearview mirror every now and then, still expecting Jin to pop up out of nowhere.

  Finally, Mei parks the car, and we sit in the quiet for a moment. "We’re almost there," she says softly, looking at the cake again. "Let’s make this a good surprise."

  "Yeah," I reply, taking a deep breath. "Let’s do this."

  "Okay, everything is set up," Kyu says, standing by the door with a proud grin on his face. "I'll text him to come here now."

  I glance around the room, taking in the decorations Kyu managed to throw together. Balloons, streamers, and the cake sitting perfectly in the center of the table. It's the perfect setup, despite all the chaos leading up to it. I can almost hear the sound of Jin’s footsteps approaching in my head, and suddenly, the tension ramps up again.

  "Alright," I say, trying to sound casual, but the nerves are creeping back in. "Let’s hope he doesn’t suspect anything."

  Kyu pulls out his phone and types out a quick message. A few seconds later, his phone buzzes with a reply. He looks at it and gives a small nod. "He’s on his way."

  I shift uneasily, checking my phone too even though there’s no reason to. This is it.

  As I crouch down trying to hide I feel someone tap my back... Its Jin.

  "Hey guys why are you guys hiding?"

  I panic for a second, trying to cover up the awkward silence, but in my rush to get it together, I accidentally pull the wrong lever on the confetti cannon. BAM! The colorful streamers and paper explode out, and the next thing I know, I hear a yelp from Jin.

  I look up just in time to see the confetti rain down... right into his face and then—straight into his balls.

  "Happy... Birthday..." I mutter weakly, my face turning beet red as I watch him double over in surprise.

  Jin groans, wincing as he clutches his stomach, trying to shake the confetti off. "Dude... What the hell?" He sounds both amused and a little pained, but mostly in disbelief.

  I stand there frozen, mortified. This is not how I planned this surprise to go.

  For the rest of the day, we enjoy ourselves. Jin laughs it off after the whole confetti disaster, and somehow the awkwardness melts away as we dive into the fun of celebrating his birthday. We eat cake, joke around, and even Kyu manages to avoid any more slip-ups.

  The room fills with laughter, the kind of sound that makes you forget about everything else. The stress of planning, the worry of messing up, it all fades away as we just enjoy the moment. This is nice, I think, leaning back and letting the moment sink in.

  Maybe I’m worrying about being a Vertius too much. Maybe it doesn’t matter as much as I think it does. I know I’m not like the others, and I know I’m still figuring things out, but in that moment, surrounded by friends, it feels like maybe I’m not as far from them as I thought.