Chapter 3 Unexpected visitor

Words : 749 Updated : Sep 9th, 2025

The class froze, taken aback by the unexpected answer. Then suddenly, the classroom erupted into murmurs as Miss Brooks's rather strange answer hung in the air like a bad joke. "I don't remember?" What the hell was that supposed to mean? Surely, surviving an encounter with a Harbinger—a goddamn Ravager, no less—wasn't the kind of thing you just forgot. It was the kind of experience that should've been burned into her mind, vivid and inescapable, like gum stuck to the underside of a desk. Fiona slumped back into her seat, cheeks tinged with embarrassment and disappointment. She'd been hoping for a harrowing tale of bravery, some firsthand insight into the monsters that haunted humanity. Instead, Miss Brooks left them with more questions than answers. From the back of the class, Kelvin let out a low snicker, breaking Noah's train of thought. Noah turned to him, brow furrowed. "What's so funny?" Kelvin leaned closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "PTSD," he said, the corner of his mouth curling into a smug grin. Noah blinked, confused. "What are you talking about?" Kelvin gave him a knowing look. "Think about it," he whispered, leaning on his desk. "I always thought it was just a load of bullshit conspiracy stuff, but this? This confirms it. Mind erasure, dude." Noah stared at him, waiting for him to elaborate. Kelvin glanced around to make sure no one was listening too closely, then continued. "The stories all line up. Soldiers who face Harbingers? They're never the same. It messes with their heads so bad that some of them need third-gen psychics to wipe the memories clean. That's why Miss Brooks doesn't remember. Her brain's been scrubbed...parts of it," The words sent a chill down Noah's spine. He'd heard the rumors before, but he'd always dismissed them as exaggerated scare tactics. But now... it all clicked. If even someone like Miss Brooks—flawless, composed, practically untouchable—needed her mind erased to deal with the aftermath of a Harbinger encounter, what did that say about the monsters themselves? His gaze lingered on Fiona, who still seemed disappointed after Miss Brooks' earlier evasive response about fighting Harbingers. She was scribbling something in her notebook, her brows furrowed in concentration. 'At least she looks like she cares,' he thought. The thought brought him back to the written exams. He remembered the long nights spent with Kelvin, cramming every bit of information they could find about the asteroid, the awakened, and the beasts. 'We were so damn sure those tests were a make-or-break deal,' he recalled. 'Turns out, they just wanted to know where to dump us.' He chuckled softly under his breath. 'A class system for a class system. Guess the world really hasn't changed all that much.' His grin faded as another thought struck him. 'Still, Class 1B isn't bad. Could've been worse. At least I'm not in C with the losers. But it's not A either. A is where the elites are, the future generals and squad leaders. Hell, even Kelvin thought he'd make it there.' He glanced at his friend, who was leaning back in his chair with a smug expression. 'Not that he seems too torn up about it. Typical Kelvin.' Miss Brooks' voice cut through his thoughts, pulling him back to the present. She was talking about the beast hierarchy now, her tone measured but firm. "Beasts are categorized into five tiers," she said, her voice steady and commanding. "Tier 1 beasts are the least dangerous but still pose a significant threat to untrained civilians. Tier 5 beasts..." She paused, her expression darkening. "Well, let's just say encountering one without a platoon is a death sentence." A hand shot up in the middle of the room. It belonged to a boy with curly brown hair and an eager expression. "Miss Brooks, what's the highest tier beast you've ever hunted or you don't remember eithed?" Half the class was expecting miss Brooks to confirm their worst fears but instead she shook her head and waved the kid to sit. "I do remember," miss Brooks affirmed. The entire class was relieved. The class collectively tuned in, attentive to her, with barely concealed anticipation . Miss Brooks smiled faintly, opening her mouth to respond, but before a single word could escape, the door to the room swung open. And in walked an unexpected visitor.@@@@

Chapter 3 Unexpected visitor

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