"Uh… hello?" Nayoung said carefully, blinking at the stranger.
The man nodded once and then looked directly at her.
"So," he said in a smooth, clear voice, "you're one of Professor Jihoon's students."
"Yes?" Nayoung replied,
The man reached into his coat and pulled out a small silver device that lit up with a soft sound, and a blue hologram appeared in the air, showing their faces—hers, Hannah's, Elshienne's, and the others.
"My name is Professor Gwan," he said as he looked at the list.
"What do you want with us?" Hannah asked, standing protectively behind Nayoung.
Professor Gwan smiled just a little, but it didn't feel warm.
"You all have great potential," he said slowly. "You could be better. Stronger. Smarter. But staying here… under him… it's a waste."
Nayoung frowned. "What do you mean?"
He continued, "When the board sees that he can't even gather ten students, they'll remove him."
Nayoung stepped back, her hands clenched tightly at her sides.
