Sect Research
Kyle put on his school uniform and decided it was time to head out.
The moment he stepped beyond the dormitory door, he felt it—that subtle, pricking sensation of being watched. At the same time, he caught the faint sound of footsteps hurriedly retreating down the corridor.
He let out a quiet sigh and kept walking, heading in the direction of the Communal Sect Notice Board, located in the Academy's Arcade.
'That dimwit keeps stalking me... Do I look that attractive to her?' he thought, shaking his head as he passed the edge of the dormitory wing.
After he had disappeared around the corner, a figure emerged from the shadows—Anna, hands tucked behind her back.
"I can see a huge potential in him... and he seems to be among... no, impossible. I should probably stop stalking him for now," she muttered before walking off, whistling a faint melody to herself.
---
Kyle arrived at the Academy Arcade. At the far end stood the Communal Sect Notice Board, a translucent blue screen hovering in the air. Several students were passing by, though few paid it much attention.
He stepped closer, eyes scanning the list displayed on the board. The interface was simple—names of sects, number of members, average grade levels, and brief descriptors of each.
In the Academy, all sects are ranked from Grade V (weakest) to Grade I (strongest).
The grade of a sect reflects its overall power, member strength, achievements, and influence within the Academy.
Grade V: New or irrelevant sects. Little to no recognition.
Grade IV: Basic sects. Slightly stronger, but still low status.
Grade III: Recognised sects with capable members. Mid-tier.
Grade II: Elite sects with powerful students and strong backing.
Grade I: Extremely powerful sects.
Most students aim for Grade II or III sects, but those with long-term strategy might choose to grow within a weaker one, just like Kyle had decided.
At the top were the three most prestigious:
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Top Sects in the Academy:
Brigid Sect
Members: 137
Average Grade: I
Known For: Combat dominance, elemental mastery, brutal recruitment trials.
Sereal Sect
Members: 115
Average Grade: III
Known For: Strategy, information warfare, combat and attack-type mages.
Tehran
Members: 120
Average Grade: II
Known For: Divine-class spells and unique relic access.
Reputation: Fanatical yet influential. Highly respected.
---
Scrolling further down, Kyle noted several mid-tier sects, most with 40–70 members and mixed reputations. Some focused on support magic, others on monster hunting or trade.
But what caught his eye was the very bottom of the list.
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Lowest-Ranked Sect:
Ashen Sect
Members: 10
Average Grade: IV–V
Founded: 2 weeks ago
Known For: Nothing in particular. Considered irrelevant. No notable achievements or sponsors.
Reputation: Viewed as a joke. Often mocked. No entry requirements.
---
'Darn, that would hurt each time I see such disgrace if I was the Sect leader...'
Kyle stared at the screen for several minutes, arms crossed as his brain ran the data through several mental filters.
His eyes was fixed on Ashen Sect.
At first glance, it looked like a waste of time. Ten members, barely above the baseline. No accomplishments, no guidance, no structure. But that was exactly what made it useful.
'They're small, unnoticed, underestimated. No one cares about them... which means no one's watching. I could use that. Although, I wonder who their leader is.'
Kyle's mind began to turn.
'If I join Ashen, I won't just be a recruit—I could quickly rise in influence. Possibly even take control when the time comes. I'd be able to experiment, learn, and build. No external pressures, no rigid structure... and best of all, no one would see me coming.'
He nodded to himself.
"It's suitable for my level. I'm too weak for the elites and too smart to waste time solo. This is the most logical route," he concluded aloud.
But first, he needed more information.
If he was going to join Ashen, he had to know what kind of people were already inside—what roles they filled, what resources they had, and how dysfunctional it truly was. Only then could he decide how to approach them—and how to take control from within.
"Right then... time to do some digging," Kyle muttered, turning away from the board and heading towards the common zones of the Academy—specifically the library and training areas, where sects typically set up their recruitment stations.
At this stage, he was casting a wide net.
He made his way first to the most populated training ground. It was a large, open space surrounded by marble columns and spell-reflective barriers, buzzing with activity. Dozens of students filled the area—some sparring, others chatting or exchanging techniques. A few simply watched from the sidelines.
At several corners of the space, students stood behind tables and futuristic displays, each bearing badges on their uniforms that identified their sect by name and emblem. It was evident that sect recruitment was in full swing, which made sense—this was the arrival month for new students.
Kyle ignored the larger, more established names—Brigid, Tehran, Sereal—and scanned the area for the one sect no one wanted.
Eventually, he found it.
Tucked into a quiet, shadowed corner of the training grounds sat a small table, barely even decorated. Two students occupied it—clearly acting as recruitment agents for the Ashen Sect. One was a dark-skinned male with a low-cut fade, tall but clearly underfed, with a nervous energy about him. The other, a pale-skinned girl with short, blonde hair, seemed timid and withdrawn.
They were attempting to hand out recruitment flyers to passing students—but were met with rejection after rejection. No one even slowed down to look.
After several fruitless attempts, they sighed and sat back down, visibly deflated.
'Typical,' Kyle thought, 'watching from a distance. No one would willingly join a sect with no benefits, no reputation, and no security. And to make matters worse, they're using these two as their front line? Weak, uncertain, poorly presented. No one will take them seriously.'
Suddenly, a loud, mocking voice cut through the noise.
"Ugh, you lot should just rename your sect to: The Weaklings Guild! Hahaha!"
A group of students nearby burst out laughing.
Kyle recognised the speaker immediately—one of the bullies from the second year building. Within seconds, two more of his cronies joined in, jeering at the two Ashen recruiters. Their laughter was deliberate, cruel, designed to humiliate.
The two students froze. Heads lowered. Shoulders trembling. They didn't even attempt to respond.
'No resilience,' Kyle noted. 'No resistance either. Ashen isn't just lacking strength—it's lacking morale.'
As he continued observing, someone stepped up beside him—a young man, probably in his late teens, dressed in a sharp grey tunic adorned with a red brooch shaped like a scroll.
He cleared his throat politely.
"Thinking about joining a sect?" he asked. "I can help you make the right decision. I'm a registered Sect Liaison."
Kyle turned to glance at him with mild disinterest, his tone neutral.
"A what?"
"Sect Liaison," the young man repeated with a small, rehearsed smile. "We're licensed intermediaries. We gather data on every registered sect in the Academy—strengths, rankings, reputation, and suitability. For a small service fee, I can give you accurate summaries and send a recommendation letter to whichever sect you choose. It boosts your chances of being accepted, especially if you're aiming for one of the higher grades."
Kyle's gaze returned to the Ashen table across the field.
"No thanks," he replied curtly. "I'm just looking."
The Liaison gave a casual nod, clearly accustomed to brush-offs. "Fair enough. Let me know if you change your mind. Not all sects are worth the risk—especially the bottom-ranked ones. Some students have... regrets."
He gave a polite bow and walked off, scanning for other potential clients.
Kyle remained still, arms folded.
'So even Liaisons dismiss Ashen as irrelevant... That might work to my advantage.'
But he wasn't ready to approach just yet. He still needed to observe more—to see how the members handled adversity, what roles they lacked, and whether anyone in the group had potential leadership qualities.
"Let's watch a bit longer," he murmured under his breath, keeping his eyes on the crumbling corner sect everyone had already written off.