The Beginning.

Kyle and the other boy were handed a low-rank beast fang shaped like a miniature sword.

> [Process complete!!!]

[Copied Martial Skill activated!!]

The boy dashed at Kyle, attempting to slash him. Kyle dodged the attack instantly. Suddenly, he realised he could no longer control his body—something else had taken over. The system had assumed control of his physical functions. Kyle swung his sword at the boy, who narrowly dodged and counterattacked.

Kyle quickly understood that the system had copied the boy's movements, meaning he couldn't lose. The battle was likely to end in another draw.

After a series of attacks and blocks, neither was able to land a decisive blow. James eventually ended the match, declaring it a tie—exactly as Kyle had predicted. Kyle grinned; he was pleased with the outcome.

> [User didn't receive any reward]

[Battle ended without a winner]

[EXP: 0/100]

Kyle's grin faded when he saw the system notification. He was furious. He had hoped to gain experience points and level up.

The boy approached and extended his hand for a handshake. Kyle hesitated—he wasn't the trusting type. Ever since those who claimed to be his family had betrayed him, he found it nearly impossible to trust anyone, especially humans.

Still, Kyle accepted the handshake.

"My name's Eddie. I loved the skills you showed. Can we be friends?" Eddie asked with a smile.

Kyle stared at him, questioning whether the boy was naïve. They'd just met, and he was already talking about friendship. Nevertheless, Kyle played along, sensing Eddie's behaviour to be fake.

"Name's Kyle. Sure… we can be whatever you just said," Kyle replied, withdrawing his hand.

The two of them were instantly teleported back to the grandstand. Once all candidates had completed the test, only eighty passed, while the remaining twenty were sent home with instructions to try again next year.

The eighty successful candidates, including Kyle, were escorted to a futuristic glass building located behind the academy. James referred to it as their new home.

Eddie seemed to have become attached to Kyle, trailing him constantly like a lost puppy. Kyle found it uncomfortable but decided to tolerate him.

They were led inside. The student hostel stood ten storeys high, housing 1,200 spacious rooms. Each room measured approximately 8 metres (26 feet) wide—sufficient to comfortably accommodate three students. Every room came furnished with three large beds, ample wardrobes, and a range of additional furnishings and amenities.

The rooms featured floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing natural light to pour in. These windows were made of smart glass, capable of adjusting tint and opacity automatically based on the time of day and weather, ensuring optimal lighting and temperature control.

Each room was equipped with a voice-activated smart home system. Students could control the lighting, temperature, entertainment systems, and even request maintenance through simple voice commands. Each workstation included a high-resolution touchscreen for studying, video conferencing, and accessing the academy's digital library and learning systems.

Additional amenities included a compact kitchen fitted with advanced appliances, a private bathroom with a smart shower that monitored water temperature and usage, and a dedicated relaxation zone equipped with immersive virtual reality systems. The building infrastructure itself was environmentally sustainable, featuring energy-efficient systems, water recycling, and smart waste management.

Students were issued small transparent screens that functioned as their room keys. Each screen displayed a room number and a key icon. Kyle checked his: "Room 15. Third floor." He smiled. He had always preferred higher floors. However, he couldn't help but feel envious of the students assigned rooms on the tenth floor.

Eddie appeared beside him, grinning.

"What's your room number? Mine's 15," Eddie asked. His voice echoed repeatedly in Kyle's mind.

Kyle's face dropped. They were in the same room.

"Why? Why does it have to be like this?" Kyle thought. He forced a smile and held up his room card.

Eddie was thrilled. Kyle was not. It felt to him like the universe had dropped an atomic bomb on his day.

"Alright, new students. These are your quarters. Get some rest and feel free to explore the academy. You might encounter second-year students, so be respectful and obedient. Bye-bye!" James said as he walked away.

The students began heading to their assigned rooms. Girls' quarters were located from the fifth to the tenth floor, while the boys were assigned to the first through fourth floors. Access was restricted; boys could not enter the girls' quarters and vice versa.

This hostel building appeared to accommodate only first-year students. A separate building stood beside it, presumably designated for second-year students.

An elevator was available for floor access. Kyle and Eddie stepped inside and selected their destination via a touchscreen mounted on the elevator wall. The door closed, and within about three seconds, they reached the third floor—remarkably quick.

Their room was directly in front of the elevator. A security scanner, identical to the one at the main gate, was mounted beside the door. Kyle placed his card on the scanner. It flashed green, and the door dematerialised. Once inside, the door reappeared behind them.

A third boy was already in the room, arranging his belongings. Eddie had only a single bag, despite giving the impression of coming from a wealthy background. The wardrobes had already been stocked with clothes and essential tools. The clothing could adjust to fit the wearer with the press of a button.

All the clothing bore the same emblem: "First Year." There were three wardrobes in total, each belonging to one student. Kyle selected the bed located at the far end of the room.

Eddie approached the third boy, who appeared to be introverted.

"My name's Eddie. Can we be friends?" Eddie asked.

The boy looked surprised. It seemed like no one had ever asked him that before.

"My name's Jake. Yes, we can be friends," Jake stammered.

Eddie responded with a warm smile.

Kyle watched them both and shook his head inwardly.

"Is making friends some kind of talent for this guy? He's either incredibly kind or has something seriously wrong going on in his brain," Kyle thought as he settled in and began inspecting the clothes in his wardrobe.

Suddenly, the system screen popped up:

> [Daily Quest: Train with the Blue Dragon.]

[Reward: 30 EXP]

[Time Limit: 1 day]

[Daily Bonus Points received]

[5 Bonus EXP Points]

[EXP: 5/100]