The moment the instructor entered the class, it became even more silent.
Everybody’s eyes shifted from Simon to the instructor.
The instructor was a lean demon with ash broken skin, and on his face was a smooth, bone-white mask with a thin vertical line that ran down its center, splitting it perfectly into two halves.
The left side was slightly raised at the eye, as though it was observing.
The right side was completely still, as though it was expressionless and cold.
When he tilted his head, it felt like each half of the mask was reacting differently.
Then his eyes.
The eyes of the instructor were strange. He had two black pupils in each eye, and it was extremely strange to look at.
His four pupils landed on Simon because he was the only Initiate standing in the entire class.
The instructor frowned.
"How many times do you plan on causing a scene in the academy? This is your fourth day in the academy, but one cannot go a day without hearing your name from the mouth of a random Initiate or clan member."
"Are you a harbinger of chaos?"
Simon gave Sunless a subtle glance, but she did not bother looking at him.
She was nonchalantly staring at the instructor.
Simon’s lips twitched.
"Sorry Instructor Aphon. It won’t happen again."
He bowed, and Instructor Aphon narrowed his eyes and hummed softly.
"I see slaves as worthless garbage for a particular reason, but things I’ve heard about you makes me to realize that you’re not so worthless after all."
"I won’t lie and say that I won’t be partial. But if you show a talent that satisfies me, then I won’t discriminate against you."
Simon nodded. "I understand."
Instructor Aphon nodded. "But know this. If you disturb my class or make a scene, then I’ll not only kick you out, I’ll also fail you."
"I don’t take rubbish. Do you understand, Initiate Broken Halo?"
Simon nodded. "Yes, I do."
"Good. Now sit down."
Simon immediately sat, and a few snickered because they enjoyed what just happened.
"Silence."
The class immediately went deathly silent at Instructor Aphon’s command.
There was just something about Instructor Aphon that made many to feel slightly uncomfortable, and it was definitely not the eyes or the mask.
Instructor Aphon walked forward and stood at the center of the teaching platform with his hands behind his back.
"In today’s Mental Partitioning class. We’ll be focusing on two things."
He raised two fingers while sweeping his gaze across the class.
"I’ll begin to teach you how to divide your attention."
He lowered a finger.
"Then I’ll teach you a basic mental defensive technique, basic mental offensive technique, and a basic mental cultivation technique."
The eyes of everybody, including Simon, widened in surprise because they did not expect this.
Instructor Valdin only told them that they were going to be taught a basic mental defensive technique, not a cultivation technique or an offensive technique.
Even Simon was surprised because mental techniques were very rare and valued by any elite organization.
Instructor Aphon saw their reactions, but he didn’t care.
He lowered the last finger before lowering his hand.
"I won’t be teaching you mental simulation today because it’s...an advanced topic."
He paused, then he brought out his right hand, and in his right hand was a black coin.
"As an assassin, you need to be able to divide your attention. There are times where you’ll need to be watching two, three, or more things at the same time, and if you’re not able to do that..."
Ting!
He flicked the coin.
"...you might die."
Grab
The coin fell, then he swung his hand and grabbed it.
"As I’m teaching you how to divide your attention, I’ll also be teaching you how to improve your focus."
He opened his right hand, and to the surprise of many initiates, there was no black coin in his hand.
He opened his left hand which was strangely not behind him anymore, but by his side.
The confused initiates let out gasps of surprise.
"What I just did here was to deceive you."
He held the coin with his two fingers.
"When I flipped the coin, many of you were focused on my words and not the coin, or my hands."
"When I reached out to grab it, I actually missed on purpose, then I caught it with my left hand."
The eyes of many Initiates widened in realization, and they listened attentively.
"This is just a demonstration to show how poor your focus and attention are."
He put the coin inside his robe, then he started walking forward.
"This class is not a difficult class, and I promise you that it’ll be an entertaining class."
He climbed the first step, then each pupil in his eyes spread apart, causing many to feel strange.
He stopped on the first step, then a dagger suddenly appeared in his right hand and he struck down.
The speed was not too fast and not too slow, it was comparable to the speed of a Prime Archfiend.
"Hiiieeekkk!!!"
Bang
Silence
The entire class went silent as they watched their instructor nearly stab one of their classmates.
"How poor is your concentration and attention that you couldn’t even react to this? Or is it because you’re in the academy you feel that you’re safe?"
Instructor Aphon’s cold voice filled the classroom, but the Initiate could not respond.
She was too terrified because of what just happened .
Instructor Aphon released a disappointed sigh, then he removed the dagger from the table of the terrified female Initiate and looked at the remaining class.
"Don’t think this class is going to be a class of coin tricks. No, no, no."
He shook his head.
"This is a class that’s meant to create the best of the best assassins. We go all or nothing."
Majority of the first years felt a chill travel across his spine, and they could not help but wonder if they were safe.
Instructor Aphon brought out another dagger, then he said calmly and indifferently.
"Watch both daggers carefully...or you might die."