Neron Statlas’s Point of View.

[Simulation ended. Everyone will be transferred immediately.]

The moment I saw this notification, I felt genuine relief.

Finally... it was over.

And at the best possible timing, indeed.

Only a few seconds passed before I started seeing my body dissolve into tiny glowing particles. After a few moments, a bright beam engulfed my vision, making me unable to see anything.

Then... the light disappeared.

And my vision gradually returned to normal.

"Haaah..."

I let out a long sigh as I checked my surroundings.

I had returned to the same room.

But before I could fully process it, I felt sharp gazes that almost seemed to pierce the back of my head.

I frowned in annoyance, then immediately turned around.

Honestly... ignoring something like that seemed like an excellent way to get stabbed in the back.

But the moment I saw the owner of those stares, my eyes widened for a moment before I quickly regained my composure.

And who else could it be?

Ethan, of course.

And it seemed he was annoyed about what happened.... If I were in his place, I would be annoyed too.

So I found no choice but to scratch the back of my head with slight embarrassment before approaching him.

For some reason, I had a bad feeling that if I didn’t apologize now... things might end in a very annoying way.

I stopped when only one step remained between us, then said:

"I’m sorry."

Ethan raised an eyebrow with clear annoyance and said:

"Sorry? And what the hell am I supposed to do with your apology? You tricked me."

"No, no... I didn’t trick you. I was only trying to bring the flag for you, but time ran out before I could do that."

"Who are you kidding?" Ethan growled as he stepped closer, until our faces were nearly touching.

"You knew very well that time was about to run out, and yet you still did what you did."

I quickly raised my hands in surrender and said:

"Alright, alright... I admit I wasn’t completely honest."

’I should’ve told you from the start that I intended to trick you if that would’ve made you feel better.’

Ethan furrowed his brows in even greater annoyance.

"I wasn’t completely honest? Is that what you call it? I was about to get eliminated because of you."

I shrugged indifferently.

"But it didn’t happen, did it?"

"Damn yo—" Ethan didn’t finish his sentence.

As Alisa’s sharp voice suddenly echoed throughout the room, completely interrupting the tense atmosphere.

"Everyone, be quiet for a moment."

I instinctively raised my head toward her.

But the moment my eyes landed on the person standing beside her, I immediately frowned.

Clarin.

And how could I not? Just looking at him was enough to make me feel disgusted. At that moment, our eyes met briefly.

He smiled lightly. A calm smile... one that irritated me more than it should have.

"Tsk." I clicked my tongue lightly and immediately looked away from him. Before I completely did, I caught sight of something strange.

Surprise.

Even if only for a very brief moment, it appeared on his face.

"...?"

Before I could think any further—

"I want to say a few things now that the room has become quiet." Alisa said that in a calm voice while her gaze moved across those present.

"First, I would like to congratulate those who survived until the end of the simulation. Even though some of you survived through luck alone, or because of some sort of plans... what truly matters in the end is only one thing." Her eyes paused on everyone for a moment.

"That you stayed alive. That alone is what matters. Whether you are weak or strong... good job."

Honestly... I felt like some of the students had started swelling with pride after Alisa’s words.

Considering that most of them were ordinary people... it was likely they had never received praise like that in their entire lives.

Especially if the praise came from Alisa specifically?

I bet those who survived would spend the entire day bragging about it.

As for the winning team... their arrogance would probably reach the ceiling.

Hah?

Oh.

Isn’t that my team in the first place?

"...As for those who were eliminated, you need to work harder. It has become clear that you are either far too weak... or simply unlucky. There is no—"

"Can I say something?" Clarin suddenly interrupted with a slight smile.

Alisa immediately frowned.

"No."

"Alright, thank you." He said it despite her obvious refusal, as if the word "no" had not reached his ears at all.

"But there was no need to say it with that attitude. You really embarrassed me in front of the students."

Some students looked at him with strange expressions, but he seemed completely unbothered by them.

His focus was directed solely at Alisa.

Clarin sighed lightly before finally looking away from her and turning toward the students.

But the moment he did that... his expression changed completely. His playful smile disappeared.

And he became strangely calm... calm to the point that some students swallowed nervously in silence.

"Do you know something? When I was young, there was a strange tradition in my family. If four brothers existed at the same time... they had to fight each other until only one remained."

"And the problem was that I was the youngest among them. Which made them unite against me first. It’s true that three faced me at the same time... but I won." How did he do that? I don’t know. He paused for a moment before smiling with that strange smile and shouting in a loud voice:

"I defeated the three with the strength and determination of men, I am the attacker... and the defender... and the healer... and the army, on every battlefield... I am the last man standing. I fight with... no matter how many there are... I will find my way through them."

Clarin looked at everyone in the room after finishing his words.

Silence fell.

A heavy silence to the point that no one knew how they were supposed to respond.

The students exchanged looks among themselves, as if trying to confirm whether they had really heard the same thing.

As for Alisa... she was looking at him with a strange expression, closer to the look of someone witnessing something disgusting rather than a normal human being.

As expected from someone like him. Honestly, I wasn’t surprised at all by what he said.

I had expected something like this from the beginning. After all... he was crazy.

Even his own kind avoided him.

And imagine being avoided by demons. If that indicates anything, it indicates that you lack even the minimum level of reason.

Then one of the students raised his hand hesitantly. I recognized him after a moment. Rafian.

"Teacher... may I know why you said all that?"

Clarin raised an eyebrow slightly.

"That? I was trying to raise your morale after I saw it was at rock bottom." He paused for a moment before adding with strange confidence: "Also, I wasn’t joking when I said that the determination of men can do anything."

A girl slowly raised her hand suddenly.

"Teacher... I am a woman."

"Huh? Oh... ah..."

"She’s right."

"Teacher... you should think before you speak."

"I don’t know why... but I feel embarrassed for him instead."

"Damn... how will I be able to sleep after this?"

Clarin fell silent for a while, tilting his head slowly, as if re-evaluating everything he had said over the past few minutes.

Then he waved his hand dismissively.

"Alright, it doesn’t matter." He said it completely simply, as if nothing embarrassing had happened at all.

"The idea isn’t related to gender anyway."

He has started burying himself.

"Anyway. What I meant to say is that strength isn’t always tied to logic, or numbers, or even probabilities. Sometimes—"

"But... Teacher." Another girl interrupted him from the back in a hesitant voice.

"We weren’t fighting in a real battle anyway. It was just a simulation."

"Cough... cough."

A muffled sound came from the side of the room.

When I turned, I saw Alisa turning her face slightly while barely holding back her laughter.

Then she finally sighed and said:

"Alright... let’s end it here, agreed?"

She paused for a moment, then cast a side glance at Clarin.

He seemed like he wanted to object... but, for the first time, he stayed silent.

Alisa continued after a moment:

"Oh, right. I forgot to announce the team that managed to obtain the flag." She paused for a moment while quickly checking the board and said:

"Neron Stitlas — rank: 1923."

"Edward Shamren — rank: 640."

"Alfonso Brandian — rank: 523."

"Diana Smith — rank: 350."

"Nox Leonhard — rank: 56."