Before forcing open the jammed door to Class 8-A, Allisson stared at the wood scratched by marker lines and school stickers. The memory of the three students slaughtered by the Mana Mantis in the courtyard remained burned into his mind.
The video game illusion, the teacher reflected.
It was a common psychological trap among teenagers that age: assuming reality could be read like a fantasy novel. Upon receiving translucent blue windows and offensive abilities like fireballs or arcs of lightning, those kids had assumed they were the untouchable protagonists of a story. They believed they could shout, celebrate, and hunt in open territory without consequences.
However, there was no pause button, no save points, and the monsters didn't follow predictable mechanics. This was the real world, governed by physics, raw biology, and cold strategy. Where students saw magic and adventure, nature saw only new predators and inefficient prey. Anyone who failed to exchange childish excitement for ruthless discipline died within minutes.
Allisson turned his gaze back to Paulo, who waited a step behind him.
"Pay attention," Allisson instructed, his voice steady and direct. "The doorway is narrow. I will enter first to draw the threat's aggro and lock down its attack vector from the front. Stay beside the frame, in my blind spot. Do not advance into the center of the room. Once I immobilize the target, you step in to deliver the finish. Understood?"
"Understood, Mr. Allisson," Paulo whispered, tightening his grip on an iron bar scavenged from a broken chair.
Allisson stepped back half a pace, adjusted the Twin-Blade Spear in his right hand, and leaned his left shoulder against the wood. With his 9.5 Constitution, the reinforced density of his torso absorbed the impact without flinching.
BAM!
The desk barricading the door from the inside buckled and snapped, swinging the door wide into Class 8-A.
The scene greeting them was no heroic rescue.
The copper stench of fresh blood hit Allisson instantly. Near the back of the room, between two rows of overturned desks, the body of a thirteen-year-old student lay motionless on the stained floor. Feasting silently over the corpse were two puma-sized beasts featuring blood-smeared gray fur, bone claws, and ears split down the center.
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[STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS]
Target: Mana Cat (x2)
Level: 3
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 20
Constitution: 9
Intelligence: 14
Perception: 19
Mana: 3
Weaknesses: Abdomen, Head
Skills: [Night Vision], [Soft Landing]
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Paulo took a step back at the sight of his schoolmate on the floor, letting out a stifled gasp. Tears flooded the boy's eyes, and his knees trembled.
"My God... it's Lucas... Mr. Allisson, he..."
"Crying won't bring him back. Focus on the target so you aren't next!" Allisson cut the student off with cold, assertive authority, keeping his eyes locked on the beasts.
The two felids abandoned their meal and spun around in unison. Their pupils dilated, and their teeth hissed in a high-pitched growl.
The first Mana Cat coiled its hind legs and lunged straight for Allisson's chest, closing the distance in a heartbeat.
Allisson didn't retreat. Instead of attempting a risky thrust mid-air, he raised his left forearm, using his [Rigid Chitin Armguard] as a shield.
CLANG!
The monster's claws slammed against the black chitin plate. The kinetic impact of a Level 3 strike was completely absorbed by the armor and Allisson's 9.5 Constitution, producing nothing more than a dull jolt along his arm.
Before the creature could disengage, Allisson snapped his wrist and drove an upward thrust with the spear. The mineral claw pierced the cat's throat, killing it instantly.
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[ENEMY DEFEATED: Mana Cat - Lv. 3]
XP Gained: +35
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The second cat attempted a flank attack, leaping over the desks to catch Allisson's side.
"Watch the angle!" Allisson called out, taking a swift step forward to cut off the beast's trajectory.
He swung the steel shaft horizontally, striking both hind legs of the felid mid-jump. The heavy impact shattered the joints, sending the creature crashing against the wall, unable to leap again. Allisson pinned his foot firmly onto the beast's chest, trapping it against the corner and exposing its neck.
"Paulo! Now!" Allisson ordered. "One-second burst. Direct strike to the neck!"
Paulo wiped the tears on his sleeve, drew a deep breath, and triggered [Synaptic Acceleration].
For the boy, time ground to a crawl. The growls of the cat pinned under his teacher's foot slowed to a low, drawn-out drone. Paulo took two deliberate steps, raised the iron bar with both hands, and brought it down with his full weight straight onto the monster's neck.
CRACK!
The metal bar snapped the felid's spine, killing it on the spot.
The System's interface materialized before both of them, flashing with bright notifications.
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[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION - PAULO]
Enemy Defeated: Mana Cat - Lv. 3 (Fatal Blow)
XP Gained: +35
[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE LEVELED UP!]
Level: 1 ➔ 3 (0 / 50 XP)
[CURRENT STATS - LEVEL 3]
Strength: 6 ➔ 7
Dexterity: 14 ➔ 15
Constitution: 5 ➔ 6
Intelligence: 15 ➔ 16
Perception: 16 ➔ 17
Mana: 1 ➔ 3
Available Free Points: 3
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[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION - ALLISSON]
Assist & Crowd Control: Mana Cat - Lv. 3
XP Gained: +10
Level 4 Progress: [95 / 100 XP]
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Paulo leaned against the wall, chest heaving. The surge of energy from the level-ups washed over his body, elevating his Constitution to 6 and instantly clearing the fatigue caused by his skill activation.
Allisson retracted his spear, wiped the tip on the animal's coat, and looked at his student's updated status panel.
"Your body can handle the acceleration now without collapsing," Allisson noted, keeping his tone calm and approving. "You have 3 Free Points on your panel. Don't allocate anything yet. Let's move out of the line of sight from the doorway and distribute those stats properly."