Chapter 168: Group Study
Three weeks later.
Noah was walking through one of the academy corridors with two young men.
One of them was a giant of a man, standing well over two hundred centimeters tall. He was none other than Draven.
Beside him walked a gray-haired beastman with black-striped cat ears on top of his head. Most people considered him a cat beastman.
However, he was actually a tiger beastman.
Though Noah always insisted that cats and tigers belonged to the same family anyway.
Draven suddenly let out a long sigh.
"I cannot understand it... This is too much."
His heavy voice carried more frustration than usual.
Currently, even someone as carefree as Draven looked nervous and worried.
Ragnar immediately nodded in agreement.
"I know, right?"
He threw his hands into the air dramatically.
"I still don’t understand why we need to study all this difficult stuff. Studying itself was already bad enough, but why are there written exams too?!"
Noah placed a hand on Ragnar’s shoulder and spoke in the tone of a wise adult.
"I can feel your pain, young man."
Ragnar looked at him blankly.
Noah nodded seriously.
"But we have to do what we need to do."
Draven frowned.
"Why?"
He clenched his fist.
"Can’t we just fight each other for marks? The winner gets the points."
Noah chuckled.
"We’ll need to do something similar during the first-semester practical exam."
He shrugged.
"I mean, there will be fighting involved."
Ragnar immediately moved closer. His expression became pleading. "Hey, Noah. Help me study."
His voice was full of desperation.
"I really need a tutor."
Draven’s eyes lit up.
"Me too!"
He pointed at Noah.
"Teach me as well."
Noah looked at both of them with disbelief.
"Hah..."
He rubbed his forehead.
"You guys really think I’m good at studying?"
"At least you’re better than us."
Ragnar replied instantly.
Noah paused.
Then nodded.
"Well... I can’t deny that."
Currently, the three of them were heading toward the library. Normally, Noah spent most of his time alone.
He was completely dedicated to training. Every day he pushed himself until his body was exhausted.
Most of his training sessions were done alone, though occasionally he sparred with Damien. Usually, those matches were fought using only weapons, without spells or abilities.
Today, however, these two had suddenly dragged him away.
Because they were desperate. Although they belonged to different classes, Ragnar and Draven were still good friends of his.
"Hey, you three idiots."
A familiar voice suddenly echoed through the corridor behind them. The trio immediately turned around.
Noah looked left and right.
"Oh?"
A teasing smile appeared on his face. "Where are these three idiots?"
Draven blinked. "Who are these idiots?"
He sounded genuinely curious.
Ragnar crossed his arms.
"Well, there are many idiots in this academy."
He nodded thoughtfully.
"We can’t really tell who she means."
While the three of them were busy discussing the identity of the mysterious idiots, the person behind them let out a long breath.
Arisha stood there with her arms folded beneath her chest. A look of pure disappointment appeared on her face.
"Really?"
Her eyebrow twitched.
"There is only one group of three people standing in this corridor."
She stared directly at them.
"So who exactly do you think I might be talking about?"
Then her eyes landed on Noah.
"And Noah."
Her voice became flatter.
"You were the one who messaged me and said you needed help."
Ragnar looked shocked.
"Did she just call me an idiot?"
Draven looked equally offended.
"She called me an idiot too?"
Then Ragnar suddenly looked at Noah.
While Noah said, "Wait." His eyes widened. "How can you call your boyfriend an idiot?"
"The hell?!"
Regnar nearly choked.
"When did that happen?"
Draven nodded seriously.
"Hah."
His expression became one of admiration.
"Noah is amazing."
He placed a hand over his chest.
"He is a real man."
His respect for Noah increased dramatically.
Arisha rolled her eyes.
"Whatever."
She looked at Noah. "Why did you call me?"
Noah coughed lightly. "You know exams are near."
"Yes."She nodded."And?"
"We three are having problems." Noah pointed at her.
"You’re really smart when it comes to theory."
Then he smiled.
"So I was hoping you’d help us."
Immediately, Ragnar and Draven turned toward Arisha. Both wore pleading expressions.
Arisha stared at them for several moments. Then she sighed.
"And what exactly do I get in return for helping you three?"
Without hesitation, Noah pointed at himself. "A date with me."
He spoke as though he were offering a priceless treasure.
Arisha answered instantly. "Don’t want it."
Her indifferent expression never changed.
"Tch!"
Ragnar immediately seized the opportunity. "Noah, your girl doesn’t even want a date with you."
He shook his head dramatically.
"Tsk. Tsk."
Draven nodded like a wise scholar. "A man should never bargain with his woman by using date ."
His expression was extremely serious.
"You cannot trade a date with her."
He raised one finger.
"It is her right to have a date with you whenever she wishes."
Noah stared at both of them with a deadpan expression. These two seriously believed Arisha was his girlfriend.
Couldn’t they understand it was just a joke?
What was even crazier was that Arisha wasn’t trying to correct them. She simply stood there with her arms folded and a calm expression.
Noah sighed and rubbed his face.
"Just help us."
He looked genuinely defeated. "We’ll do whatever you ask us to do."
Arisha nodded with satisfaction. "Good boy."
Then she turned toward the library. "Let’s go."
And so, the four of them headed toward the library.
---
"Seriously?"
Arisha pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I am becoming dumber while teaching you two."
Currently, the four sat around a table in one corner of a private study room inside the library.
Noah had immediately taken the opportunity to sit beside her.
Meanwhile, Draven and Ragnar sat across from them.
"It’s too hard!" Ragnar grabbed his head with both hands.
He looked like a man suffering from a life-threatening illness.
"Hmm."
Draven stared at the textbook in front of him.
"It seems I will fail the written exam."
He nodded seriously. "Well then." He closed the book. "No need to study anymore."
The textbook looked like an enemy he could never defeat.
At least Noah was doing much better. He glanced at the duo and shook his head.
’Arisha’s teaching is actually really good.’
He looked at Ragnar.Then at Draven.
’The problem isn’t her. They simply aren’t at the level of average students when it comes to studying.’
Meanwhile, Arisha had not given up.
Not yet. She opened the mana theory textbook.
"Listen carefully."
Her expression became serious.
"I’ll explain it again."
Ragnar and Draven immediately straightened in their seats.
"Mana exists naturally in the world."
She decided to teach them from basics that even kids have knowledge about.
Arisha pointed at a diagram inside the book.
"The body absorbs mana through the mana core."
She looked directly at Ragnar.
"What happens if a person tries to use more mana than their core can handle forcefully?"
Ragnar thought for a few moments.
Then his eyes brightened.
"They become stronger?"
Arisha stared at him.
"No."
"Oh."
Ragnar lowered his head.
Draven raised his hand confidently. "They explode?"
Arisha closed her eyes. "...Still no."
Noah quietly turned away to hide his laughter.
After a few seconds, Arisha continued. "They suffer mana backlash."
She pointed at the diagram again. "The mana channels become damaged."
This time both boys nodded. They seemed to understand. At least a little.
"Good."
That’s how she started to teach them from basic to slowly led them toward the topic they need to learn.
