The next class in their schedule was Power Control.
It was the building next to the Combat Class Building. Arman and Raia saw that students were already packing inside, hot air condensing to the point that it made them feel suffocated. Good thing their uniforms had a cooling system that regulated their body temperature. Unlucky were the students who hadn't been granted extra uniforms due to having body-changing transformations that outgrew their original ones, they were the ones currently suffering from the heat.
Inside the building was a very wide area, just like the combat class venue. The only difference was that it had no ring at the center, but on the northern side was a small stage.
A door opened, and a woman walked in from the back. She wore a very formal attire, but what stood out most was her light pink hair and her chubby build. Even with her physicality, she still looked sexy and alluring. With every step she took, her aura radiated strong power.
"Good morning, students. I'm Sonica Melbourne. I am your instructor for the Power Control class." As she spoke those few words, a wave of sound gently blasted throughout the building. The students were taken aback by how loud her voice was and how heavy the power she cast with every word.
Their eyes widened, including Raia's.
'So loud!' This phrase appeared in every student's mind at that moment.
'Wait… it's somehow like Jack's ability, yet not really…' Raia thought, remembering Jack, their instructor in the Hunting Class.
"I know what you're thinking right now that it might be similar to Jack McGyver's True Origin ability... but I tell you, it's not. My power is connected to sound. Super Sonic. This power can generate very loud sounds that condense into powerful sound waves, used for offense and support." Another wave vibrated through the air, touching every student inside the building.
Even though the sonic waves were loud and almost tangible, they didn't harm them at all. What's more, they could hear her loud and clear.
"Before we start our first lesson, I would like you to watch this video, as it has relevance to this class." After she said that, a huge screen was brought down halfway from the ceiling.
The screen lit up and played a video.
It showed a news reporter flying in the sky inside a helicopter, the camera shifting between the reporter and the ground below.
"Dear citizens, I'm coming to you live with a shocking update. As you can see behind me, the situation has spiraled into chaos over the past few days. People are in a frenzy… I don't know what's happening, but… they've started turning on each other. They're eating one another… like… like cannibals! It's absolute madness!
Wait… is that a child?! Someone, please, somebody save that child! Oh my--- this is vicious! Horrible! They've eaten the child…
Ruthless. Monsters. MONSTERS!!!"
Suddenly, the helicopter exploded, killing the pilot and passengers inside.
The students couldn't believe what they'd just seen. They were at a loss for words. But before they could react further, the screen played another video, a live cam taken from a police officer, likely from a body cam showing his point of view.
The officer was holding a gun, staying alert. A huge black bird suddenly flew at him, attempting to prey on him, but the officer had good aim and shot the bird in the head. The bird plummeted and crashed, dead.
He sighed in relief, thinking he'd avoided death... but the video showed him suddenly stop and walk toward the bird's corpse.
He grabbed it and ate it like a madman.
The students felt their skin crawl. Though disgusting, it was manageable, they'd done similar things themselves. What they weren't prepared for was what happened next.
The man screamed and laughed. He let go of his gun and, like a wild animal, started sniffing the air.
He walked sluggishly, muttering.
"Must eat…"
He approached a dead soldier's body. After staring at it for a while, he tore the uniform off and started gorging and munching on it like an animal... or better yet… a zombie!
Students watching were horrified. Some threw up. The screen kept playing, and all the videos had one thing in common: people engaging in cannibalism.
"A-are those real?"
"Why… what's happening?!"
"Is there a zombie apocalypse outside?"
"Oh sh*t! My family!"
"I thought we'd only deal with monsters--- now this too?!"
The students were horrified and worried about the future. As shocked as they were, they were also confused about what was making these people eat their own kind.
Seeing the answer-hungry faces, Sonica spoke to clear things up.
"What you are seeing right now is somewhat… normal in a survival and natural sense, of course. I think everyone here has experienced eating a living being raw, right? Humans are animals as well. Aside from sexual urges, we also have hunger, the appetite to eat in order to grow and evolve. For animals, it's normal to eat each other. For humans, in this current situation, it's just the same."
The students' minds were rearranged by that explanation. It was basic knowledge, really, it's just that they hadn't thought it would happen like this. This reality became much a pill that is harder to swallow. Every bitter taste of it made them worry more about what would happen to them in the future.
Seeing their worried faces, Sonica smiled slightly.
"But don't worry. One of the lessons of Power Control class is control of one's self. Now, I want you to tap into your primal urges while meditating. By meditating, you'll grow to block your growing desire. And with that, you'll be able to harness the power inside you."
Hearing the good news, sparks of hope lit one by one in each student's heart.
"Now… everyone, take a seat on the floor! Cross your legs and get yourself in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and keep your mind at peace. Channel your thoughts into your stomach and your mind. Find the connection between the two, and you will tap your primal urge."
The students followed as instructed. They sat in positions they found comfortable and meditated.
Raia did the same. Just like before, he got into a lotus position and made himself at ease. He closed his eyes and listened to the instructor's words.
"Take deep breaths. Find your inner peace. Find the connection of your desire…"
The venue grew quiet. The silence was calming and eased the students. As they meditated, several pieces of equipment were silently lowered down from the ceiling. No student noticed what was happening.
After a while, numerous amplifiers were set up at the corners of the building.
Sonica saw the amplifiers were ready. She took a small microphone from her pocket and uttered an additional instruction.
"Here's where the fun begins!"
As she said that, a huge wave of sound shattered the students' focus. Shocked, they jolted upright.
"I know that each of you was given Combat Techniques Tutorials. And I know… the first step of those tutorials is meditation. Each of you will meditate and channel your energy into your body until you suppress your desires. Desires make us weak. We're blinded by lust, greed, and gluttony. Now… it's time to dispel them from our system. And put this into your head, 'We only desire to get stronger!' Do you understand?" the instructor continued as the students tried once again to meditate.
They had a hard time concentrating. Sonica's constant words of wisdom made it difficult, like trying to swim in an ocean with waves crashing over you.
However, one student surpassed the rest. He sat there, calm and serene. It was as if he didn't hear anything at all.
Raia's mind was truly special. Since then, he'd been able to find peace in loud environments. While normally distracted by small things, he refused to be disturbed by such overwhelming noise.
Sonica noticed this. Her eyes fell on him, and a grin appeared on her face.
As the students trained themselves to meditate, Sonica moved and walked silently toward him.
Dark energy slowly engulfed her as bloodlust spilled into the air. She was about to do something terrible.
She raised her hand. Inside her palm, a clear, distorted energy squirmed. The gravity and space around it were warped. Its aura was evil and dangerous, yet Raia couldn't feel it, he was too deep in meditation.
Sonica put her palm near Raia's head, ready to harm him... when suddenly, the music changed. It turned calming and pleasant.
Sonica froze, looking around to see who did it. Confusion, annoyance, and distaste filled her face.
'F*CK! Who did it?!' she screamed inside, she was so close to succeeding in her mission.
She scanned the area but saw no one who could have disrupted her plan.
She took a control from her pocket and tried to shut the music off but stopped when lights appeared unexpectedly.
"What the…" Her eyes widened at the spectacle before her. Different-colored lights, though only faint glimmers, covered each student's body. Each color was different for each student. The lights flickered one by one until apparitions appeared above their heads.
"No… it's way too soon. It can't be this fast… right?" Sonica couldn't believe it. Cold sweat gathered on her forehead, she hadn't foreseen this happening so early.
The apparitions varied. Some human-like, some objects, some words.
"It can't be… they're starting to consolidate a path already." Sonica gritted her teeth. It wasn't just a surprise... her plan was totally ruined.
Before coming here, she'd received a mission to distract the students' progress for a month. And there was an extra mission too--- to kill a student named Jeraiah Mont Blanc.