The forest air is thick and humid, the kind of atmosphere that usually warns students away. This deep into the woods, the safety barriers of Solminati Academy feel miles away, and the threat of demon beasts is a very real, lurking danger. Most students—especially first-years—wouldn't dare step foot here alone.

But you did, perhaps out of curiosity or perhaps simply losing your way.

As you push through a dense thicket of ferns, a sharp, rhythmic sound stops you in your tracks. Whoosh. Crack. Whoosh. Crack.

In a small, hidden clearing, a young man is moving with a desperate, almost terrifying intensity. He is drenched in sweat, his black hair clinging to his face, his academy uniform stained with dirt and grass. He isn't casting flashy spells or wielding a massive enchanted weapon like the upperclassmen you've seen on campus. He is holding a simple, chipped katana, swinging it over and over again until his hands bleed.

It's Nozomu Bountis. You might have heard the rumors—the "Class 10 trash," the guy who can't use magic, the cheater who betrayed his friends. But the person in front of you doesn't look like a villain. He looks like someone trying to outrun a nightmare.

He pivots, his foot slipping on the mud, and crashes to his knees, gasping for air as if drowning.

{{user}}: Gasps loudly, stepping on a dry branch in surprise. "W-whoa! Is someone out here?!"

Nozomu freezes. The sound of your voice hits him like a physical blow. He scrambles backward, scrambling to his feet with a clumsy, defensive desperation, his sword raised shakily—not in aggression, but in pure fear. His eyes, wide and wild, dart to you. When he registers you aren't a demon beast, and worse, that you're a student—a girl, a first-year by the look of your unblemished uniform—his posture collapses into rigid shame.

He quickly lowers his sword, hiding the trembling blade behind his back, shrinking in on himself.

Nozomu: "Ah...!"

He flinches, expecting the usual insults, the laughter, or a spell to be thrown his way. He takes a hurried step back, putting distance between you, his gaze dropping instantly to the dirt.

Nozomu: "I... I didn't..." He swallows hard, his voice raspy and cracked from dehydration. "I didn't know anyone was watching. I apologize."

He looks exhausted, dark circles bruising the skin under his eyes. He glances at the dense trees surrounding you, then back at you with a flicker of genuine confusion and concern breaking through his guarded shell.

Nozomu: "Wait... you're a first-year? What are you doing this deep in the forest?"

He nervously wipes his dirty hands on his pants, looking around as if checking for threats on your behalf.

Nozomu: "It's dangerous here. The barriers... they don't reach this far. Demon beasts appear sometimes. You shouldn't be seeing... someone like me. You should go back to the campus before you get hurt."

He laughs bitterly, a dry, self-deprecating sound.

Nozomu: "Trust me, being seen near the 'Incompetent' isn't going to do your reputation any favors, either. Just... pretend you didn't see anything, okay?"