Students scattered like frightened birds. Within thirty seconds, the entire section of the training grounds was empty except for Jax and his three students.

Seraphina looked mildly embarrassed by his barbaric methods.

Lilith looked genuinely impressed by the display of dominance.

And Elira? She looked at Jax like he was an insect that had wandered too close to her personal space and was debating with her many questions in her mind.

Jax clapped his hands together and faced his newly assembled team. His expression turned serious. Deadly serious.

"Alright, listen up. We need to win this tournament. Not just participate. Not just make a decent showing. We need to absolutely dominate."

The three girls straightened at his intensity.

"Now then." Jax crossed his arms. "What information do we have about this competition? Format? Rules? Opponents? Anything useful?"

Silence.

Seraphina glanced at Lilith. Lilith glanced at Elira. Elira stared directly at Jax with those cold crimson eyes.

Then the vampire spoke for the first time. Her voice was like frozen honey. Beautiful but dangerous.

"You're the professor. Shouldn't you know that better than us?"

Jax blinked. "Well, you see, I'm relatively new to this whole professor thing."

Three pairs of eyes stared at him with growing concern.

"Also I was told about it." He scratched his cheek awkwardly. "But I didn't really pay attention. My assistant was explaining something and it sounded extremely boring so my mind wandered elsewhere."

Seraphina's eye twitched violently. Lilith's hopeful expression crumbled, her mouth forming an O shape of pure disbelief.

Even Elira's ice-cold facade cracked slightly to reveal something that looked suspiciously like deep regret for her life choices.

'Did I make a mistake?' All three thought simultaneously.

Jax noticed Elira had actually spoken. First time she'd opened her mouth since joining. He seized the opportunity immediately.

"By the way, why did you join my team?"

Elira's gaze shifted away. She didn't respond. Just stood there like a beautiful statue refusing to acknowledge his existence.

Jax's smile turned mischievous. "Don't tell me you like your professor? Maybe you have some ulterior motives with him? Perhaps you've been watching from afar, heart racing every time I walked past your desk?"

She clicked her tongue loudly. Finally, a reaction.

"Because I was a fool." Her voice dripped with irritation. "I thought joining your roster would put the tournament in hell mode. I knew playing with your team would be challenging, so I wanted to see if I could handicap myself and still dominate. That was my plan."

Jax made an exaggerated expression of disbelief. He placed a hand on his chest dramatically.

"You don't know it, but you're the worst actor I've ever encountered. At least lie properly." He shook his head with mock disappointment.

"And if you don't want to tell the truth, just say so. Because your lie actually creates MORE suspicion about you liking me."

Her hissing intensified. Her pale cheeks showed the faintest hint of color.

"I mean think about it." Jax continued mercilessly. "You could have joined any team. Any professor. But you specifically chose the one everyone hates. The one guaranteed to give you the hardest time. If that's not love, I don't know what is."

"It's NOT—"

"Troubling yet another student? How typical of you."

A familiar voice cut through the air. Jax turned to find Astrid approaching with Seris trailing behind her. The purple-haired menace had her arms crossed and wore an expression of supreme smugness.

"Oh, looks like our vampire princess is your next target." Astrid's voice was dripping with mockery.

"And I also heard this is your roster? Or maybe I should call them fools you've manipulated into breaking."

Jax's expression darkened. Anger flickered in his eyes.

"Looks like you're forgetting many things, Astrid. Should I give you another lesson? Or are you thinking you have some secrets about me that you can use to badmouth me?"

He took a step toward her.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I think you're delusional here. Those secrets won't make much difference. You know my survival skills by now." His smile turned vicious. "And there's one more secret I shared with you back in the cave. About my ego. About what I do to people who cross me."

Astrid's confident expression wavered slightly.

"You might not remember that. Your small brain isn't made for holding much stuff." He tapped his temple mockingly. "So if you don't remember, should I start with the part where I was naked in that same cave? The same cave where you were crying your eyes out like a—"

"SHUT UP!"

Astrid's face exploded into crimson. She started panicking, blushing so hard it looked like her head might catch fire. She quickly ducked behind Seris, using her friend as a human shield to hide from the other students' curious gazes.

Jax smiled inwardly. 'Cute. It's really nice to see her act in defeat.'

Seris sighed and stepped forward. "Enough, Professor."

Jax raised an eyebrow. "Enough? I haven't even started yet."

He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I haven't told them about the elf palace incident. You know, when I mistakenly barged into her room? And she embraced me by wrapping her naked bo—"

WHOOSH.

A thick black rod of dark magic shot directly at Jax's face. He tilted his head casually, letting it sail past his ear and embed itself in a tree behind him with a loud crack.

Hearing the impact, all heads turned back toward them. Even Zharina saw from the distance and smiled knowingly, pleased that chaos had started within his team even before the tournament began.

Jax ignored all the stares. He wanted to continue his fun.

"Looks like someone can't handle the truth." Jax smirked at the trembling Astrid still hiding behind Seris.

"Stop it, Professor." Seris's voice was firm but pleading. "Please."

"You were the ones who started it. Disrupting the discussion of my group. Insulting my students. Coming here with your attitude." He spread his arms innocently. "I was just defending myself."

Seris took a deep breath. Her expression shifted to something Jax hadn't expected. Determination mixed with embarrassment.

"Leave it, Professor. I didn't come here to disturb you. I came here because—" She paused, collecting courage. "Professor, I want to join your roster too."

Silence fell over the group.

Jax stared at her. Seraphina stared at her. Lilith stared at her. Even Elira actually turned her head to look at the psychopathic girl with genuine surprise.

And from behind Seris, Astrid was already murmuring words only Seris could hear. "See? I told you he's the same. Don't be a fool. He will use you, make you cry, or do dirty things with you. He is evil. Pure evil. I tagged along just to show his true side. And look what happened."

She grabbed Seris's wrist and started pulling her away.

But Seris didn't move with that little force. Her feet remained planted firmly.

After Jax recovered first, he asked, "Why?"

Seris shifted uncomfortably. "I just... want to help you. That's all."

"That's all?"

"Yes."

"Nothing else?"

She hesitated. "Maybe my gut feeling is telling me to join. I can't explain it properly. Something just feels right about being on your team."

Jax's expression went flat. "Another stupid lie. You girls are terrible at this."

He looked between Elira and Seris with growing suspicion.

"Don't tell me you're all joining just to have revenge on me? Both of you are on some secret mission to make me lose, aren't you?" He pointed accusingly. "Elira joins claiming she wants 'hell mode.' Now you join with 'gut feeling.' Next you'll tell me someone paid you to sabotage my team from the inside."

Seris's face flushed. "That's not—"

"Very suspicious." Jax nodded sagely. "Very, very suspicious."

"I'm being genuine!"

"That's exactly what a spy would say."

Seraphina raised her hand hesitantly. "Professor, I don't think Seris would—"

"You're too naive, Seraph. You don't know the darkness that lurks in women's hearts." Jax adopted a wise, ancient tone. "I've seen things. Experienced betrayals. Women are terrifying creatures capable of elaborate schemes spanning months or even years."

Lilith also raised her hand. "Um, Professor, we're also women—"

"Exactly my point."

From behind Seris, Astrid finally emerged. Her face was still red but now mixed with absolute disbelief.

"Four of you have gone completely insane!" She pointed at Seraphina. "You I understand, you've always been weird." Then at Lilith. "You're clearly desperate for attention." Then at Elira. "You're supposed to be smart!" And finally at Seris with the most betrayal in her voice. "And YOU! What has gotten into you to join this mongr—"

She stopped mid-word.

Because Jax was looking at her.

That look. The one that promised suffering. The one that said 'finish that word and I will make sure you regret it for the rest of your life.'

His killing intent wasn't flaring. He wasn't even frowning. Just looking at her with those calm, cold eyes that somehow promised a fate worse than death.

Astrid's mouth snapped shut.

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