22~

"Is this the building where the dorm rooms of the top 100 students are located?" Cardea asked the guards who stood there as if someone had said statue.

"Would you mind showing me your ID so I can point you in the direction of your dorm?" said guard no. 1, who had worked in the academy for over 15 years and was already experienced in night encounters.

"By id do you mean this?" cardea showed the black smart watch the academy gave at the entrance ceremony.

"Yes now give me a second "Checking the rank and student profile guard gave cardea back the watch while pointing him toward dorm number 46.

Along the way, cardea glanced at many dorms or to be exact small houses each for one student and as the rank was better the bigger were the houses and supposedly the facilities.

Reaching dorm number 46 all he had to do was show the watch before the scanner and register the eyelids and it was all done.

Next morning…

A boy with silver-grey hair and piercing sapphire eyes sprinted through the academy corridors—Cardea.

He was late.

The academy was as vast as a medium-sized city, with the dormitories and lecture halls positioned at opposite ends. And, to make matters worse, he had overslept.

"How the hell did I manage this on the first day?" he muttered under his breath as he weaved through the morning crowd, dodging students left and right.

Reaching Classroom F1—First Floor, Class 1—he caught sight of the teacher already taking roll call.

Without pausing, he stepped inside.

"First day of the academy and already late," the teacher noted, her voice plain, as if it didn't really matter to her.

She continued, "On the battlefield, a moment of delay can cost one their life—or worse, the life of a comrade. That is also what the academy must teach."

Her gaze flickered toward him for only a moment before she gestured to the seats.

"Find any vacant spot and sit down."

Finding a vacant spot in the back, he went to the end and sat.

"Roll number 46; Cardea" the teacher called.

"Here" I raised my arm a little, she glanced for a second and continued the roll call.

The classroom itself was a study in luxury. The room boasted high, vaulted ceilings and polished marble floors that reflected the soft, natural light streaming in through tall, arched windows draped in fine, sheer curtains.

Expensive, handcrafted desks were arranged in precise rows, and a large digital board—framed in sleek silver—displayed the day's schedule in crisp, elegant text.

Ornate details in the woodwork and subtle gold accents throughout hinted at the academy's storied legacy and refined taste.

Glancing around, I recognized several students from the entrance test. The uniform details were impossible to miss.

The boys wore smart jackets paired with jeans in hues of sky-blue, black, white, and silver—each piece accented with intricate silver designs along the collars and sleeves.

The girls sported skirts and jackets in shades of pink, white, and sky-blue, their uniforms adorned with delicate silver embellishments that caught the light just right

Looking around I saw some kids who I saw in the entrance test, like the beast boy who had long hair and was sleeping when sitting on the desk just in front of the teacher. He had 3 on his uniform and no surprise there but I would have thought him to be 1st.

Just some desks left of him I saw 7 and 8 number uniforms and 5 and 6 number uniforms and as expected they belonged to the 2 duo's i saw in the forest.

And surprisingly the girl who was camping beside the river was 4th…

sensing a gaze I looked to the right and quickly averted my gaze.

Only now did i realise who was sitting beside me, and that being the crazy girl i fought in the forest sybil… and she was 9th…

She glared at me, but I pretended not to notice.

After completing the roll call, the teacher continued, her tone flat and authoritative.

"Today you are to be escorted to the weapon selection area, where you must choose a base weapon. Based on your choice, you will be assigned an instructor. Aside from that, you have no scheduled classes for the day—feel free to explore once you're done." She tapped her desk for emphasis before adding, "Now, follow me and keep quiet."

Academy is mostly divided into these 5, Lecture and Training facility areas , dorms area [ for students and teachers ] , commercial area , research area and manufacturing area and storage area.

Right now we are heading towards the edge of the manufacturing and storage area, or between those areas to be more precise where we will be helped and given the choice to choose a weapon for ourselves.

Where there is a weapon storage filled with weapons of all kinds imaginable.

Reaching it, what we all saw was just a tiny shop, I doubted it could even fit 10 at a time much less 100.

"Now students enter one after another and choose a weapon, " said the teacher.

" What kind of sloppiness is this ?" I was Bewildered at the close to zero explanation by the teacher.

Students not fazed by it started going in in the order of ranking and in the blink of eyes 30 students already entered there.

Leaving me to wonder how a shabby looking wooden cabinet can fit them all and no noise coming outside.

"The more you see the less you understand" a kid's voice was heard.

"Who was that?"I turned sideways but there was no one, most students already went in leaving just a few outside and the teacher already left.

"The more I see the less I understand ?, what does that mean"

In a matter of minutes it was my turn to go in. As I opened the door I couldn't see anything, taking a step forward…

Silver lines…