A Liar's Truth [UNDER FINAL REVISION]

Ch 53: No time to hide

Third person's point of view

The summer island assassination trip was only a week away.

Heat shimmered above the packed dirt behind the old school. Every few seconds, the crack of anti-Sensei BB rounds echoed across the clearing, followed by balloons bursting into colorful scraps that drifted through the summer air. The smell of sun-baked grass mixed with gun oil, sweat, and pine carried down from the surrounding mountains.

Only seven months remained.

Seven months until March. Seven months until the deadline to kill Korosensei.

"My, my. Look at you brats." A familiar voice drifted across the field.

Irina Jelavić sauntered toward them in a snug summer dress that left little to the imagination, a wide-brimmed hat shading her eyes behind oversized sunglasses. She pressed the back of her hand dramatically to her forehead as though the mere sight of them exhausted her.

"You've all been working so hard." Her gaze swept across the class, lingering on sweat-soaked uniforms and dusty shoes. "You're practically melting."

"You should train too, Bitch-sensei." Mimura lowered his rifle and gestured toward the firing line. "Your shooting and knife skills are about the same as ours."

Irina placed a hand on her hip with a smug smile, "Adults know how to work smarter. I'll simply tag along with your plan and take all the credit."

"Hoho... How admirable of you, Irina." 

The teasing smile vanished from her face. A chill raced down her spine.

She turned sharply.

A tall man stood several meters away with his hands clasped neatly behind his back.

Conversations stopped one by one. Even the balloons seemed louder... Nobody knew why but they straightened their backs. 

"...Master Lovro?!"

"He's here as a special instructor during summer break," Karasuma explained evenly. "He'll be evaluating your assassination strategy from a professional's perspective."

Lovro's gaze swept across the students before settling on Irina. "Rest for a single day..." he said quietly, "...and your body forgets how to kill." His voice suddenly cracked through the air like a whip. "Go change immediately if you don't wish to be thrown out."

Irina stiffened.

"Y-Yes, right away!" She disappeared toward the school building at full sprint.

The class stared after her in stunned silence.