Chapter 89

“It’s a Punch Machine. This machine quantitatively measures all kinds of strength, regardless of magic or physical force. You can use any ability you have, be it magic or anything else.”

In the middle of the gym, Yuli stifled a yawn and began her explanation.

Next to her stood a machine roughly her height.

A target sign was prominently attached right in the center of the machine.

“Now. It works like this.”

Thud.

As Yuli’s slap hit the target, it tilted backward.

The score on the gauge began to climb.

Yuli reset the machine and then pounded the wall with a loud thud.

“You all seem to have a lot of complaints against one another, right? What if we form teams and have a competition to resolve them? Oh, I see, the teams are already divided.”

“…”

Already changed into gym uniforms, the students had naturally split into two groups.

On one side were the humans, and on the other, the minority races.

Of course, even within the minorities, there were those who didn’t get along, but because the numbers of the humans were overwhelmingly larger, the minority races had no choice but to unite against them.

The only exception was Thuris the demon, who didn’t fit into either group and stood apart.

Tia, a lizard half-human, was visibly agitated as she kept pacing because she was worried about Thuris, who stood with the minority group.

“To the team with the highest combined score, I’ll award 15 stars. As the human team has 15 members, each of you will receive one, and the minority group will receive two each. Of course, if the demon team wins, Thuris will take all 15 for herself.”

“…”

Glancing around at the now fervent eyes of the students, Yuli smirked.

Bringing in freshman who had learned nothing but species-based biases since birth and immediately trying to get them to put in their best effort was futile. They didn’t understand what they were doing or why they needed to do it, hence the results were always nonsensical.

Therefore, Yuli had decided to stir up something they all understood well: the racial conflicts ingrained in them by their upbringing.

If anything, the divide between races wasn’t something that only affected adults—it permeated even the children.

“Now, everyone will take turns stepping forward…”

“I have a question!”

Just as Yuli began calling students forward, Tia raised her hand and called out.

Phoenix-tamer, a student with ties to the great spirit Lara who instilled fear even in her.

Tiamat, someone to carefully observe.

What question was she about to ask?

“Speak.”

“What is this ‘star’ you keep mentioning?”

“…”

Yuli’s expression tightened.

She had explained during the opening ceremony and again on the first day.

But Tia, having fallen asleep both times, naturally had no idea what it was.

“I explained this multiple times already. This star is a cumulative personal score system. If you gather 15 stars before graduation, you can make any demand of the school you wish. The most recent student to achieve 15 stars demanded a daily hamburger for life. Even now, after graduating and moving to another country, the school still delivers a hamburger to him daily.”

“Wow…”

At the revelation that these stars were essentially wish-entitlements, Tia shivered with excitement.

They were certainly tempting.

“Now, students will approach the Punch Machine one by one in the order I call. Let’s begin.”

The students started stepping forward one by one, attacking the target with all their might.

Some pounded the target with all the strength their young fists could muster, and others deployed spells they had pre-learned.

“Oh…”

Tia’s mouth hung open as she watched.

It was the first time she had witnessed magic being cast before her very eyes. The flow of mana from within the caster’s body reconstructing along the magical formula, emitting strength—Tia could understand every detail. Perhaps she could try it herself.

“Damn! This is the highest I can go!”

“Still, the human team needs to win!”

“Aww, I almost got it!”

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The children alternated at the Punch Machine, and the scores rapidly rose.

Though the humans significantly outnumbered the hybrids, the physical capabilities of the hybrids kept the balance of power somewhat even.

The aggregate scores climbed, closely contested between both teams.

Encouragements from both sides filled the gymnasium, making it raucous.

“Thuris, step forward.”

“…”

At the mention of Thuris’s name, the applause and cheers died down.

The girl who had been rejected by both sides slowly rose and approached the Punch Machine. She glanced up at the digital board.

Human team score: 3251 points.

Minority team score: 3445 points.

Demon team score: 0 points.

“Hmph…”

Thuris stepped back with her right foot and clenched her fist. Her horns began to glow with an intense red light, turning crimson as if they were fresh blood.

With a thunderous roar, Thuris’s punch tore through the air, emitting a piercing sound.

The score climbed uncontrollably, quickly surpassing the thousands.

“3500 points?!”

The score stopped at 3500.

All the students froze, mouths agape.

Finally, Tia understood why the demons were ostracized.

People weren’t hateful toward demons; they were afraid.

A single demon could exert a force equal to seven times that of a human and four times that of a hybrid.

Perhaps they feared a race capable of unleashing such power, memories encoded deep within their genetic code, likely from ancient, fierce wars.

“But the demon team only has one member! That’s it, right? We haven’t even had half our turns!”

“Oh right! We aren’t done yet…”

Relieved sighs emerged from various corners.

The testing was still in progress, only halfway through.

There was no way both the human and minority teams could be surpassed by a single demon.

“Last one! We have to beat the inferior species’ score!”

“Huh?”

It was the last human student’s turn.

A thud sounded as the target tilted, followed by an ominous silence as the numbers rose.

The final results were as follows:

Human team: 6882 points.

Minority team: 6882 points.

Demon team: 3500 points.

“Is, is it a tie?”

A tie.

Now what?

Just as the students stood there in confusion, Yuli spoke.

“Finally. Tiamat, step forward.”

“!”

Everyone had forgotten that there was still one person left.

As Tia stepped forward, the human children sighed, and the minorities’ expressions brightened.

Just as Tia was about to approach the machine, Yuli stopped her.

“Wait. You need to declare your team first.”

“Hu? Tia is…”

“Tia is obviously on our team! She’s a lizard half-human, right?”

“Half-human? I don’t smell any such thing about Tia. She seems more noble than that. Don’t you think she fits better with the human team?”

“Mu? Mue?”

Cries of support came from both sides.

While Tia had introduced herself as a lizard half-human, one group insisted she belonged with the minorities.

The other group, having suspected she possessed dragon blood, tried to bring her over to their side.

The noise of both sides pleading became overwhelming, causing Tia’s head to spin.

She felt a little disillusioned.

All she wanted was for everyone to get along.

Why did they need to separate like this? Why was Thuris always alone? Tia couldn’t quite understand these matters.

Finally, she clenched her eyes shut and shouted.

“I don’t care! I don’t want to be on either side! Zizi!”

“Chaaak!”

Instantly, a distant reply came, and Zizi burst into the gym through the window, flames trailing behind it.

Through her tears, Tia shouted again.

“Zizi! Smash that thing!”

“Chii!”

What was the purpose of this machine?

Why were the scores making everyone fight so fiercely?

Tia thought breaking the machine would solve everything.

At least, that’s what she believed.

As soon as Tia gave her command, Zizi opened its sharp beak.

Intense blue flames erupted from its throat, erupting in a wave and covering the Punch Machine.

Yuli narrowly avoided the flames, which could have seared her skin, and could only sigh in disbelief at the sight.

“Mu…?”

As the flames subsided and the smoke cleared, the Punch Machine stood unharmed, protected by its solid magical barrier.

However, the digital display began to light up, and the score started climbing.

It climbed endlessly, without stopping.

“Uh…”

Finally, the score stopped at 99999.

The maximum number the display could show.

Thus, the machine declared it unmeasurable.

The impossible numbers shocked the students into silence.

But Yuli was shocked for another reason.

-Tia Team: 99999

Tia didn’t belong to the human team, the minority team, or even the demon team.

Like Thuris, Tia was her own independent team.

This was because she hadn’t chosen her group before hitting the machine.

Yuli’s expression tightened.

“Reward card! Reward card!”

According to Yuli’s announcement, Tia received all 15 stars immediately.

Something that would be difficult to collect even after eight years of schooling had been achieved on the second day of freshman year.

‘Great, another scolding from the principal.’

As Tia, overjoyed, jumped around hugging Zizi, Yuli felt dizzy and nearly collapsed on the spot.

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