Next Stop, The Academy

Alex was right, and just as predicted, his name resounded throughout the empire. From solar systems and star fields to galaxies, his name was everywhere.

This time, however, his image circulated alongside the results of his awakening, prompting people to question what sort of person Alexander Gray was and what set him apart. 

It's been 2000 years since the universe was plunged into chaos, and the events unfolding around this one boy were disturbing waters that had long been still.

Those who paid attention to him could deduce that his feat of surviving a Cosmic Mana Wave and whatever he experienced must have altered his biology.

This notion fostered a large pool of curious individuals intrigued by Alexander's fate, as this might lead to an entirely new level of strength and power never before experienced. 

Others also regarded the news as uninteresting. Exceeding the set limit might not necessarily indicate anything. For all they knew, the testing equipment could have been faulty. 

However, despite all the attention and publicity, the boy in question never came forward to speak about it.

News outlets could only reach out to those who asserted they knew him, as this was the sole method to build a profile of the miracle boy. 

Every attempt his neighbours made to get close to Alex, he shut down. He was someone who enjoyed his peace and quiet, and no amount of attention was going to change that.

...…

Planet Mars.

A region of Academic City on the Central Continent belonged to the Knight family.

The domain comprised various buildings of all sizes and designs, and could be considered a small town, spanning a land area of 5 square kilometres (1.9 square miles).

Inside the main estate that loomed above the others, Zol Knight sat in his office with a view of the entire domain. Standing before his desk was James, Julia's butler. 

"What do you think, James?" Zol asked the butler after he returned with his niece.

He had watched the entire process of the children's awakening. To tell the truth, he was impressed by the boy's performance. 

Just as the kids theorised, whatever Alex experienced must have brought about unknown changes to him; changes that Alex must actively work on to discover.

Of course, that was not to say there might not be any limitations, but his instincts were telling him it would all turn out well.

"Just like everyone else, I believe the reason for this may be rooted in whatever he went through during the Cosmic Mana Wave displacement, Lord Zol." James gave his input.

Unlike Zol Knight, James knew quite a lot about Alex, and this was all due to her Young Miss's interest in the miracle boy.

As the exclusive butler and protector of Julia, it was his job to know whatever caught the young Miss's interest.

"Mm…" Zol agreed as well.

The issue about this whole thing was that the boy's feats had caught a lot of attention, which bothered him. Although everything looked like rainbows and sunshine, the empire was not without its issues.

There were factions and groups out there that did not follow the empire's way of doing things.

With something like this emerging, these forces may reveal themselves from hiding, wishing to discover what made Alex unique and whether they could take that for themselves.

"Increase the security detail on Alex and his family," Zol instructed after thinking for a bit. Maybe he was thinking too much, but he would rather be safe than sorry.

Although he had met the boy recently, his unique condition had piqued his interest, and he wished to see how far the boy could progress.

"Yes, of course, Lord Zol. Is there anything else I can add?" James accepted the command and awaited any further instructions. 

"No, that would be all," Zol said, his attention returning to the display before him, rewatching the feed on Alexander and the others.

The butler bowed and then took his leave to carry out the orders. 

'Maybe I should take him on as a disciple…' he wondered briefly, before shaking his head and adding, 'No... First, let's see how far he can go himself.'

With that, Zol stood up and made his way out. After all, he was a busy person. Moreover, he needed to see his niece and congratulate her on her awakening; he had no desire to get roasted by the little princess.

...

"And done!"

Alex exclaimed once he submitted his application. It's been a few days since his awakening, and as there was no issue with applying as soon as possible, he proceeded to do so.

He and his friends had agreed to apply on the same day. He turned to the conference call he was having with Ross and Alex, who had also completed their applications.

"Now all that is left is to wait." He said, relaxing in his chair, his hands behind his head. There was only a month left till the new academic year began.

All they had to do was show up once they were accepted, and their new adventure would begin.

[Yep. I'm only worried about one thing, though.] Ross voiced a little concern of his.

Focusing on Ross's feed, Alex asked, "What are you worried about?" He furrowed his brows thoughtfully as he was sure they had missed nothing in their application. 

[Well, when we start, we might be placed in different classes.] Once Alex and Julia heard this, they realised they had completely overlooked it.

However, Julia quickly regained her composure and said, [I think I can do something about that.] She smiled mysteriously.

Naturally, once she mentioned that, Alex and Ross swiftly grasped the meaning behind her words. With her family's influence, they could pull a few strings and place them in the same class as it was merely a minor matter.

And since the school was essentially within their family's domain, it made everything simpler.

'Having power sure has its benefits,' Alex silently thought, watching her feed. The idea of what Julia proposed made him chuckle. "That would be great, Julia. With that, I think we're all set."

[Yeah. See you in a month, Alex. You too, Julia.]

Ross said, ending the call on his end. He and Alex would both leave on the same day for Mars, after all. Leaving just Alex and Julia, the pair also decided to end the call here.

[See you soon, Alex. Take care.] She gave him a final smile and ended the call.

"Yeah, you too," he muttered to himself, then closed the display. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze lingering on the ceiling. 

'Next stop, Hunters Academy.'