As the female students watched, the boys all charged toward Noah, each of them clenching their fists, fully intending to give him the beating of his life.
At least...
That was how it should have ended.
Instead, something eerie happened.
A strange pressure suddenly swept through the cafeteria like an invisible wave. It carried an exotic scent unlike anything anyone had ever smelled before. The force slammed into everyone present without warning.
Thud!
One after another, the attackers were forced to their knees before collapsing completely onto the floor. Their bodies trembled violently as if an overwhelming force had pinned them down. Some clawed at the ground, others struggled to lift themselves, yet none of them could move more than a few inches.
The girls weren’t spared either.
Many dropped where they stood, breathing heavily as confusion spread across their faces. Some pressed trembling hands against their heads while others curled into themselves, clearly fighting whatever was happening inside their bodies.
The entire cafeteria descended into chaos.
Noah had instinctively braced himself for the incoming punches, only to widen his eyes in complete disbelief.
"...What?"
Every single one of his attackers was sprawled across the floor.
"This... this isn’t right."
Even he wasn’t unaffected.
His stomach twisted violently.
Heat surged through his body while a splitting headache pounded against his skull with every heartbeat.
Something was terribly wrong.
His instincts screamed at him not to stay.
Without another thought, Noah stumbled over the fallen students before breaking into a run.
As he passed the red-haired girl who had confronted him earlier, he noticed she seemed to be suffering even more than the others. Her pupils were unnaturally dilated while her breathing came in uneven gasps, her entire body trembling uncontrollably.
The sight unsettled him.
Whatever had struck the cafeteria wasn’t normal.
And somehow...
It seemed to have started the moment they tried to attack him.
Noah refused to dwell on it.
He rushed out of the hall and into the academy corridors, unaware that the strange scent lingering around him continued to follow wherever he went.
The hallway ahead was completely silent.
Only after turning a corner did he spot a student entering an open classroom.
His eyes brightened.
That must be where his class was.
The pounding in his head refused to ease.
His skin still felt unbearably hot, and every breath seemed heavier than the last.
Trying to ignore the discomfort, Noah hurried toward the student.
"Excuse me," he called politely. "Could you tell me where my classroom is? I can’t remember which one it was."
The young man froze.
Slowly...
His face drained of every trace of color.
His pupils expanded in horror while his lips trembled uncontrollably.
Then, without warning...
His knees buckled.
He slowly collapsed onto the floor.
"Hey!"
Noah rushed forward.
"Are you okay? What’s wrong with you?"
The student tried to answer.
Only muffled, broken sounds escaped his mouth.
No coherent words.
Nothing Noah could understand.
"What the hell..."
Noah instinctively stepped backward.
Why did he react like that after seeing me?
Am... am I the cause?
The thought flashed through his mind, but it made absolutely no sense.
According to the novel, Ashton Lane was supposed to be an anomaly.
He should have possessed a rare Grave Affinity.
Yet during the academy entrance examination, he had displayed absolutely nothing.
Even the magical scan had failed to detect a single trace of mana within him.
By every known standard...
He was powerless.
Despite that, the academy had still accepted him.
The novel never explained why.
The author had simply brushed past it as though it wasn’t important.
"Damn it..."
Noah clenched his fists.
"Wasn’t I supposed to be powerless?"
Nothing about this situation made sense anymore.
Behind him, faint cries echoed from the cafeteria.
The students he had left behind were still struggling under whatever invisible force had overwhelmed them.
Now this student was suffering the same fate.
Noah’s eyes drifted downward.
The young man’s entire body was trembling uncontrollably.
"...The heck?"
Before Noah could think any further, hurried footsteps echoed through the hallway.
A group of academy personnel rounded the corner wearing protective masks and carrying strange metallic canisters.
"There he is!"
One of them immediately raised the device.
A white mist burst from its nozzle.
Psshhh!
The strange substance surrounded Noah.
He instinctively jerked backward.
His nose twitched.
"Hah..."
His eyes watered.
"Haa... Haa..."
"Oh no..."
"AAACHOO!"
The explosive sneeze echoed throughout the corridor.
The next second...
Everything went black.
Noah collapsed unconscious.
Just before darkness completely swallowed him, faint voices reached his ears.
"This has never happened before."
"Keep your distance."
"Something is seriously wrong."
"We need to isolate everyone exposed."
The commotion quickly attracted attention.
The classroom directly opposite the hallway emptied as students poured outside to see what had happened.
The moment they recognized the unconscious boy...
Several clicked their tongues in annoyance.
"Not him again."
Marcus folded his arms with an irritated sigh.
"Does trouble just follow that guy everywhere?"
But something else immediately caught his attention.
The academy personnel were handling Noah with extreme caution.
Almost...
As if they were afraid of touching him.
Marcus frowned.
"Why do they look terrified of that weakling?"
He sniffed the air.
"...And what’s that strange smell?"
More students gathered until the hallway became crowded.
Pushing through the crowd, Rose finally managed to get a clear view.
The instant she saw Noah lying unconscious on the stretcher, her heart nearly stopped.
"Ashton!"
She rushed forward.
Before she could reach him, someone grabbed her wrist.
"Rose!"
A familiar female voice stopped her.
"What are you doing?"
Rose turned sharply.
Emily stood behind her with several girls from the elite social circle.
"Can’t you see something’s wrong with him?" Emily asked.
Rose stared at her in confusion.
Since when did Emily suddenly care?
"He’s my friend," Rose answered firmly.
"I think that’s reason enough."
Emily let out a soft laugh.
"Oh, please."
She folded her arms.
"Is he really just your friend?"
Rose narrowed her eyes.
"You spend all your time with him."
She leaned closer.
"Come on... tell the truth."
"You like him, don’t you?"
"You’re from one of the wealthiest families in the academy."
"So why are you always following around a poor church rat?"
Rose’s patience snapped.
She turned to face Emily completely.
"I thought your precious Barbie group already cut me off because I chose to associate with a pauper."
She smiled coldly.
"Wasn’t that your rule?"
"So why are you suddenly so interested in Ashton?"
Her gaze sharpened.
"Or..."
"Are you the one secretly in love with him?"
Emily’s expression twisted into pure disgust.
Her blonde hair framed her face as she scoffed dramatically.
"As if!"
She shivered exaggeratedly.
"That’s disgusting."
"I’m only concerned because we’re fellow elites."
Rose almost laughed.
"Good."
"Then you can keep your concern."
She brushed Emily’s hand aside.
"My friend needs me."
Without waiting for another reply, Rose pushed past her and hurried after the medical staff.
Not far away, Sylvia remained seated exactly where she was.
Her calm eyes silently observed everything unfolding before her.
Meanwhile, everyone who had been affected by the mysterious phenomenon surrounding Noah was transported to the academy’s special medical facility for examination.
Noah himself...
Was taken there as well.