Anna

“So boring~ so boring~”

“There you go again. Classic boring opener.

Can’t you say something meaningful for once?” Crow complained.

“Can’t help it.

It really *is* boring here.

On top of that, we have no money, outside there’s a hungry princess eyeing us like prey, and in this so-called City of Order I can’t even guarantee my own safety.

What else am I supposed to do?”

“True enough.

But we can’t just sit here forever waiting for some big shot to come knocking, right?

That’d be the dullest way to move a story forward.”

“Whatever. Alchemy isn’t clicking for me anyway.

Maybe I’m just not cut out for it.”

He let out a bitter laugh.

A professional assassin suddenly studying alchemy—a hybrid of physics and chemistry?

It was like trying to kill him in slow motion.

Knock knock knock—

“Hey? Anyone home? Sui Ming, you there?”

A bright, cheerful female voice sounded from the door.

“Don’t tell me… another big shot dropping by to visit?”

Sui Ming’s face went stiff.

First it was inspectors.

Then a Sage.

Then a princess dropping by whenever she pleased.

What next? The *Empress* herself showing up for tea?

This tiny shabby house… really couldn’t handle hosting such deities anymore.

Reluctantly, Sui Ming pulled the door open.

A tall, golden-haired beauty stood before him.

Waves of long hair, gleaming like midsummer sunlight, cascaded down to her waist.

Emerald eyes glistened behind a pair of shades—the picture-perfect image of a European goddess.

Sui Ming’s instinctive retort about “Australians in another world” froze in his throat the moment recognition struck.

“You’re… Examiner Anna?”

“Hi~ Sui Ming, long time no see.”

*Uh-oh.*

That was the first impression ringing in Sui Ming’s head.

“Er… so, Examiner. To what do I owe this visit?”

She wasn’t here for the same reason as Mihail, right?

Not another lecture-peddling teacher out recruiting?

No way…

“Actually… Sui Ming, would you be interested in—”

“No. Not interested. Thanks but no.”

“Could you let me *finish* first before rejecting?” Anna clutched her molars in frustration.

“What I was going to say was—when you arrive at Rhine Academy, why not enroll in my class?

I guarantee it’ll suit you.”

“No thanks.”

Sui Ming turned as if to close the door.

“Aiya—don’t be so quick!”

Anna grabbed the door.

Seeing this, Sui Ming pulled harder, determined to shut it.

But Anna only smiled faintly, and with two fingers, pinched the wood in place.

No matter how hard Sui Ming pulled, the door would not budge.

So it’s like that, huh?

Alright then. Time to show her exactly what the 21st century’s greatest assassin could do.

[Inch Force—Sky Splitter]

Boundless strength erupted, flooding into the door.

Clearly, this was her real goal—to measure his power.

Fine. Then he’d display it in full.

Surely Anna wouldn’t stoop to using mana in a pure contest of physical technique, right?

That would make the whole thing meaningless.

This bout would be raw skill versus raw skill.

“Oh? Competing in exertion? How interesting.”

There was another hidden condition to this contest—neither could break the door outright.

Otherwise, losing face was inevitable.

Crack—

The wood creaked faintly under the strain.

That was when Sui Ming realized—she hadn’t used a single special technique.

Just pure body strength and raw mechanics.

Was his pressure not enough?

Fine then.

[Inch Force—Earth Tremor]

Of all the ancient martial arts he had mastered, this was his most destructive.

Using the planet’s mass as foundation, he overlaid the accumulated counterforce into his strike—where one and one became greater than three.

“Now it’s getting interesting… in that case, I’ll show a little as well.”

Suddenly, it was as though a great ocean current surged against him.

The shockwaves reverberated through Sui Ming’s hand, making it spasm, his whole body vibrating with forced resonance.

If he kept resisting, the harmonics would tear him apart from the inside.

This was a deliberate show of power—her ability to *control* force itself, overwhelming his Earth Tremor neatly.

Did he accept defeat?

“I yield.”

Sui Ming immediately released the door.

“So then—you agree to take my class, right?” Anna said eagerly.

“Tell me… are all Rhine’s professors like this?”

Sui Ming sighed.

“Just a few days ago, Mihail dropped by.

Said the *exact* same thing you just did.

What is Rhine, some kind of overzealous tutoring agency?

Do you all moonlight as sales reps on the side?”

“That damned old man… he beat me to it…” Anna muttered to herself.

“So? You’re not about to shove something at me right now that I have zero use for, are you?”

“Heh. Of course not.

I only teach things that matter.”

Her gaze sharpened.

“I’m guessing… you used to be an assassin, didn’t you?”

Sui Ming tensed instantly.

His voice went cold.

“And how would you know that?”

“From your strikes.

They’re never wasteful. Always meant to kill in one blow.

Even though you held back, your movements reveal it—always concealing full force.”

“If I hadn’t spent time with [Nightmare Soul], I might have mistaken you for a hidden member of the Crimson Cloak branch.”

“Nightmare Soul? What’s that?”

“A killer organization. Nothing special. They live by three rules: money, contracts, and results.”

“Their assassins are ranked Black, Yellow, Red, and White.

The color prefix marks their standing within the tier.”

“Don’t judge me by my job now, but in my youth… I was a Red Two.

Directly under the Red One’s command.”

“Eh~ that’s supposed to be impressive?”

“Of course it is.

Red Cloaks get assigned targets up to [Immortal]-class.

If that’s not impressive, what is?”

“So… your class is actually…”

“Exactly. Just what you’re thinking.

Combat training. Real, lethal combat.

There are things you can’t teach in classrooms.”

“But you’re different.

I could arrange private sessions, out of sight.

Whatever you want to learn—say it.

Even that move I used just now, I can teach you.

Well? Tempted?”

“Let me think about it first.

I don’t even know what the Academy looks like yet, and here you all are, barging in like salespeople.

Why not pester Bai Luoxia instead?

Isn’t she supposed to be your golden seed student?”

“Hisss—truth is, I *did* think to approach her first.

But turns out, she’s already been claimed by one of the Academy’s old monsters.

And since that person happens to be a God-blessed, well… she’s out of my hands.”