Arien practically dragged Shiro into the classroom, shoving him into his seat just as the final bell chimed. He slumped forward, his head hitting the desk with a soft thud, clearly intending to sleep through whatever was coming. Arien, in contrast, sat rod-straight, her notebook already open, pen poised like a weapon.
Professor Kareth watched the last of the students settle with a knowing, slightly amused glint in her eyes. The air in the room was a mix of morning drowsiness and restless energy.
Prof. Kareth: Good morning, everyone, she began, her voice cutting through the low murmur. I hope the partner research is progressing. A friendly reminder-I will be collecting your reports first thing tomorrow. No exceptions. Her gaze swept the room, lingering for a fraction of a second on Arien and the comatose form of Shiro. Understood?
Without waiting for an answer, she rose and moved to the chalkboard. The sound of the chalk screeching as she wrote ART STYLE in large, bold letters was enough to make even Shiro twitch.
Prof. Kareth: Our topic for today: the origin of Art Style. She turned, dusting her hands. I assume you all know the basics?That it was a force first harnessed roughly a thousand years ago, a cataclysm given form by the Five Founding Noble Houses.
She knocked on the board for emphasis.
Prof. Kareth: This is your header. Copy it down. Now, she said, walking to the front of her desk and leaning against it, can anyone tell me the names of the specific founders? The individuals who first molded chaos into technique?
Silence. A heavy, awkward blanket that smothered the room. No one met her eyes. Shiro's soft, rhythmic breathing was suddenly very audible. Arien's knuckles were white around her pen.
Prof. Kareth: No one? Not even one name? She sighed, a theatrical sound of disappointment. Very well. Let's build our foundation from the ground up. The Five Houses. You know their names, I'm sure. But do you know their founders?
Returning to the board, she began to write, her voice taking on a storyteller's rhythm.
Prof. Kareth: First, House Valehart. She wrote the name with a flourish. Their records credit their founding ancestor, Lord Kaito Valehart, known to history as the Iron Judgment. His Art Style was said to be unyielding and absolute, as solid as the fortress he built his house upon.
Prof. Kareth: Second, House Hinote. The chalk moved again. Their progenitor was Lady Akari Hinote. Remember this-she was the only woman among the founding five. A titan in an age of giants. A ripple of interest went through the class. She was called the Sunfire Sovereign. The archives from House Hinote claim her flames were the brightest and hottest ever recorded, a claim that, remarkably, the other houses have never disputed, even a millennium later. Think about the power required to earn such an undisputed legacy.
Prof. Kareth: And then... we have House Shizukana. She wrote the name slowly, the chalk whispering against the slate. I think every single person on this continent, noble or commoner, knows the name I am about to say. For House Shizukana, it was the Lord Hakari Shizukana.
Prof. Kareth: But you might know him better by the name he gave himself...
A nervous tremor seemed to pass through the room.
Yamigaeri
Suddenly, a timid female student in the front row raised a shaking hand.
Student: Professor... by... by Yamigaeri, you mean-
Prof. Kareth: please use his true name in this classroom, she interrupted, her voice firm but not unkind. We do not glorify the aliases of monsters. She took a deep, deliberate breath, the weight of history pressing down. But yes. The man you are referring to is the lord Hakari Shizukana. And long before Art Style was systematized lord hakari hold the title as the most notorious criminal in the history. And to show his countless kills and his complete proficiency of the blade he gave himself the name 'Yamigaeri'-'the one who returns from the dead' this was the name he gave himself. He was a man death itself seemed to avoid.
She let that grim image hang in the air for a moment.
Prof. Kareth: As for the final two houses- house Kurogane and house Yamiyama-their founders remain a mystery. We know the houses exist, their power is undeniable, but they guard the names of their origins more fiercely than any state secret. Why? That, in itself, is a question worth pondering.
She clapped her hands together, the sound sharp and decisive, making several students jump.
Prof. Kareth: Well then? Any questions so far?
The silence was absolute, broken only by the rustle of fabric and the slow, steady breath of a sleeping Shiro.
............
Prof. Kareth: Alright, let's try a simpler one. How many distinct Art Forms can a single person master and hold at once?
She scanned the room before pointing to a lanky boy at the back.
Student: Uhm... countless?
Prof. Kareth: A philosophically correct, but practically wrong, answer, she said with a slight smile. The limit lies not in the world, but within the individual. A thousand years ago, during the Great Unification Wars, humanity's potential was... different. They were monsters, pushing the boundaries of what a soul could channel. They fought in a war that reshaped continents, and every notable figure from that era was operating at a peak we can scarcely imagine.
She paused, letting the grandeur of that age sink in.
Prof. Kareth: Yet, even with that historical context, a man living in our modern era managed to develop a sixteenth unique form for his Art Style. It stands as the highest, confirmed number of forms any single person has held in recorded history. Still be the second
The students stared, captivated.
Student: Why only the second? Who has more?
Prof. Kareth: Well, she said, her voice dropping slightly, they say Lord Hakari Shizukana possessed a countless number of forms. It's why he was considered peerless, even among the other four founders. His versatility was his legend. She leaned forward, her expression turning grim. This is a tangent, but a necessary one. Some of you may know what the Shizukana family is still famous for, even now?
The class remained silent, but this was a different kind of silence-tense, fearful.
Prof. Kareth: Even after a thousand years, the bloodline of Lord Hakari Shizukana has consistently produced individuals who ascend to the pinnacle of strength. They are born with a... propensity for power that defies modern understanding. Her eyes grew hard, her voice laced with a warning that was deadly serious. So listen to me, and listen well, as your professor. If you value your future, your sanity, and your life... stay away from anyone from House Shizukana. At any cost. Because that house, from its infamous founder to its current heirs, has never learned the meaning of the word 'mercy'.
Her final words echoed in the hushed classroom, a chilling lesson that had nothing to do with history and everything to do with survival. As the students began to pack their bags in a subdued frenzy, the weight of a thousand years of fear and power settled heavily upon them.