My System Doesn't Give Power

"None of you are allowed to teach him anything I tell you. If you promise me that, I’ll not only give you advice but also explain the method Ms. Matilda deliberately left out."

For a moment, the group remained silent.

Then Zac laughed. "Ahaaa...hahaaa..."

"You genuinely believe they would betray their friend just because you offered them a few Mana-control tips...?"

Before he could finish, every one of them stepped over to Sabrina’s side.

The smile slowly froze on Zac’s face. He looked at the empty space around him, then turned towards Marty in open disbelief.

"You too, Marty?"

Marty scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Sorry, mate. You know how terrible I am at mana control."

"A wise decision indeed," Adrian declared.

"No one asked you," Zac replied flatly.

"Commoners rarely ask for noble wisdom, yet they remain desperately in need of it."

Zac looked at the rest of the group with wounded exasperation. "Fine. Go ahead and betray me. I don’t care."

He turned away and began walking towards the exit alone. "As though I ever cared in the first place," he muttered.

"Why does he look like someone who just got rejected?" Kelly asked.

"I heard that," Zac called without looking back.

As he walked away, he kicked a small pebble out of his path and muttered under his breath. "That ice bitch. She thinks she can turn everyone against me just because she’s good at Mana control."

[I don’t believe she turned anyone against you. She offered free advice, and they accepted. Any rational person would have done the same.]

"Even if the price were betraying a trusted companion?"

[Betrayal is a rather dramatic word.]

Zac clenched his fist childishly. "That isn’t the point. This is a grave offense against me. I’ll show them who the real boss is. I’ll master Mana Coating before any of them and make them regret this humiliation."

Near the edge of the training ground, concealed behind a row of trees and well beyond the students’ line of sight, Simon stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

His expression remained calm as he watched the first-years slowly drag themselves towards the exit. Despite all their complaints and curses, not one of them had attempted to remove their bracelet or refused to continue the training.

Simon gave a faint nod of approval.

A graceful figure appeared silently beside him. She followed his gaze for a moment before asking, "What do you think of them, Sir Simon?"

Without turning towards her, Simon asked, "Why do you still call me ’Sir,’ Matilda?"

Matilda smiled. "Because you were my instructor."

"You graduated years ago," Simon replied. "You’re an instructor now, just as I am."

"A teacher for a day is a teacher for life."

Simon fell silent, clearly having no interest in arguing with her.

Matilda glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "You haven’t answered my question."

Simon looked back at the retreating students. Even under the increased gravity, they were still laughing amongst themselves as they struggled towards the exit.

"They’re all right."

Matilda blinked. "Really? Is that all you’re going to say?"

"They’re good," Simon continued before she could complain. "Especially those seven. Apart from the round one, every member of that group possesses the potential to reach S-rank or perhaps even higher. More importantly, they have the willpower and character required to fulfill that potential."

Matilda’s gaze shifted towards Marty, who was shouting something at Zac in the distance.

"Marty may be slightly behind the others, but calling him ’the round one’ is rather harsh. A teacher shouldn’t body-shame his students."

Simon finally looked at her. "Would you like me to tell them the nickname I gave you when you were my student?"

Matilda’s expression changed immediately. "Call him whatever you like. I couldn’t care less."

Simon returned his attention to the students. "What matters is that none of them are weak-willed. They complain and behave like children most of the time, but when pressure is applied, they don’t break but keep moving."

"Physical ability can be developed. Techniques can be taught, and resources can be provided. But without the will to improve and the desire to reach greater heights, all those advantages are worthless."

He paused briefly. "Although that noble brat is almost unbearable."

"They’re still unpolished stones," Matilda said. "They know very little about what the world is truly like. Even so, each of them has something worth refining."

"With enough pressure, training, and discipline, they may become exceptional," Simon replied.

"They have to," Matilda said. "It has been a long time since New Dawn Academy received this many gifted students in a single generation."

"If they don’t destroy themselves or one another first, they may eventually become something remarkable."

Matilda silently watched the students disappear into the distance. "Do you think they could restore New Dawn to its former glory?"

Simon remained quiet for a moment before answering.

"That’s a long stretch. For now, all I can say is that they possess the potential to make such a dream possible. Whether they ever achieve it will depend on what they do with that potential."

Matilda nodded slowly, and the two instructors remained silent until the last few students had left the training ground.

After a while, Simon spoke again. "Something is troubling you."

Matilda looked at him. "How did you know?"

"I’ve known you for a long time. You standing quietly for this long means something is wrong. What is it?"

Matilda released a soft breath. "Yes. There are several things bothering me."

She looked towards the exit through which the students had disappeared. "First, there’s Marty Williams. The round one, as you insist on calling him."

Simon’s expression remained unchanged as he listened.

"He has formed a close bond with the other six. He was already friends with Zac, but he naturally became close to the others as well. They include him in everything, and he seems to be the one who keeps the group lively."

"However, his potential is noticeably lower than theirs. The difference may not seem overwhelming now, but it will become far more apparent as they grow stronger."

Simon nodded. "That’s true, but it isn’t necessarily a problem."

"You don’t think so?"

"If he proves that he deserves to remain among them, the academy will help him close the gap."

"You mean giving him special resources?"

"If he earns them, yes. Natural talent determines where a person begins. It does not always decide where they finish."

Simon looked towards the empty training ground.

"The vice principal warned the Rimehorn Tyrant inside the Prison Realm not to harm any of the students. But you know as well as I do that it despises those who lack potential, willpower, or strength of character."

"A beast of that caliber can easily see through a person, especially someone who has only recently awakened. If the boy truly lacked what it takes to become a capable variant, the beast would probably have killed him."

"Yet he returned with Merit Points. We simply have to wait and see what he accomplishes in the future."

Matilda studied him for a moment. "It seems you’ve been keeping a close eye on them."

"I’m responsible for their training. Of course I have."

Matilda let out a quiet laugh, but her expression soon turned serious again. "There’s something else. It concerns Zac and Sabrina."

Simon’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.

"From the first day I met them, I’ve had the feeling that those two are somehow different from the others. I can’t say exactly why."

She frowned, searching for the right words.

"The principal said Sabrina was an orphan and brought her to the academy after discovering her potential. Sabrina herself is fairly easy to understand. She’s straightforward. Her personality may be cold, but her thoughts are usually clear."

"She believes strongly in discipline, justice, and order. Perhaps a little too strongly when it comes to justice."

Matilda paused. "Even so, I sometimes get the feeling there’s more to her than she allows anyone to see."

"And Zac..." She fell silent for a moment. "He is a complete mystery to me."

A faint smile appeared on Simon’s face.

"According to the records, he comes from Mellow City. His father disappeared several years ago, his mother is an overworked ordinary human, and his younger sister is nine."

"But beyond that, almost everything about him is unclear. There is hardly any reliable record of his background."

Matilda’s eyes narrowed.

"I don’t know why the vice principal personally went to recruit him, nor why she does things for him that she would never do for anyone else."

"And only a few days ago, Lima called me and warned me not to get too close to him."

A flicker of surprise crossed Simon’s face. "How do those two even know each other?"

"She is currently the chief of the Mellow City branch of the Variant Association. I assume that’s how they met."

Matilda shook her head. "Still, I suspect there is more to their relationship than a branch chief simply taking an interest in a talented young variant."

Simon smiled again.

Matilda immediately turned towards him. "Don’t laugh it off. Tell me what you know."

Simon’s expression returned to its usual calm. "They possess exceptional potential."

"I already know that."

"Then train them accordingly."

"That isn’t the answer I’m looking for."

"It’s the only answer I can give you."

Matilda folded her arms. "As one of the instructors responsible for their class, I need to understand my students. The more I know about their strengths, weaknesses, personalities, and circumstances, the more effectively I can guide them."

Simon offered no response.

"Some colleague you are," Matilda muttered. "Didn’t you just say we’re both instructors at the same academy? Then why are you keeping secrets from me?"

She let out an irritated sigh. "This is incredibly annoying."

Simon finally turned towards her. "All I can tell you is this: treat them as you would any other students."

"Fine. Keep your secrets."

Matilda turned and began walking towards the academy buildings.

"But the next time either of those two causes another disaster, I’m sending the report directly to you. I’m done dealing with the paperwork."

Once she had left, Simon remained where he was, lost in thought.

A small smile gradually appeared on his face. "I wonder how long the two of you can keep your secrets."

His gaze lingered on the empty path. "Enjoy your time at the academy while it lasts."

With those words, he disappeared from the academy grounds.