Chapter 6: Entering the Lion’s Den

Kairos stood at the gates of Astralis Academy, the most prestigious school in the country. The towering black-and-gold gates loomed before him, polished to a mirror sheen. Beyond them, the campus stretched endlessly—ornate buildings with gothic architecture, pristine gardens, and a student body that exuded refinement.

Even though he'd mentally prepared himself, standing here now made everything real.

Selene, standing beside him in her perfectly tailored uniform, smirked. "Nervous?"

Kairos shoved his hands in his pockets. "More like mentally preparing for whatever nonsense you're about to drag me into."

Selene gave an innocent shrug. "Relax, I pulled some strings to get you in. But you'll have to prove yourself if you don't want people questioning why a complete nobody suddenly appeared in Astralis."

Kairos narrowed his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Selene turned toward him, her violet eyes gleaming mischievously. "You'll see."

That definitely didn't sound reassuring.

As they stepped through the gates, the weight of a hundred gazes fell upon Kairos. The murmurs started immediately.

"Who's that?"

"Never seen him before."

"Wait… isn't he with Selene?"

"No way! Who the hell is he?"

Kairos sighed. Great. I haven't even stepped into the building, and I'm already attracting attention.

Selene, of course, ignored the whispers, walking with a natural grace that made it clear she was used to being the center of attention. Meanwhile, Kairos kept his head down, pretending not to notice the stares.

As they entered the grand hall, an extravagant space with vaulted ceilings and crystal chandeliers, Selene suddenly grabbed his arm and leaned in close.

"By the way," she whispered, amusement clear in her voice, "you're about to meet the Student Council."

Kairos blinked. "What?"

Before he could even process her words, the heavy wooden doors at the far end of the hall swung open.

A group of students stepped forward.

The air changed instantly.

Their mere presence commanded attention, radiating an authority that made the rest of the students instinctively step aside. At the front of the group was a tall young man with sharp golden eyes, neatly combed silver hair, and an air of effortless confidence.

Selene sighed dramatically. "And here comes the welcoming committee."

Kairos exhaled. Of course.

The Student Council had arrived.

---

A Confrontation with the Elite

The silver-haired young man studied Kairos with a scrutinizing gaze before finally speaking. "Selene."

Selene waved lazily. "Hey, Aether."

Kairos noted the name immediately—Aether Sinclair, Student Council President. The heir to the Sinclair Conglomerate, one of the wealthiest families in the country.

Aether's gaze shifted to Kairos. "And you are?"

Kairos met his stare, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "Kairos Valtieri."

Aether raised an eyebrow. "Valtieri? Never heard of that name before."

Kairos forced a smile. "Yeah, I figured."

One of the students behind Aether, a blond guy with a cocky smirk, snorted. "So, what? You're just some random nobody who got in through connections?"

Kairos felt a vein twitch in his forehead. Ah, here we go.

Selene sighed. "Really, Leon? We're doing this already?"

Leon's smirk widened. "Just making sure the new guy knows where he stands."

Kairos held back a sigh. He wasn't surprised. This was Astralis Academy—a place filled with elites. People who had been raised to believe that status and pedigree meant everything. The moment they realized he had neither, they'd see him as an outsider.

Aether, still watching him closely, finally spoke. "I assume you're here for a reason. You wouldn't be admitted to Astralis without some level of merit."

Kairos shrugged. "Honestly? I have no idea. Selene just dragged me here."

Aether's gaze flickered to Selene. "Is that true?"

Selene smirked. "Well, I did pull some strings, but I wouldn't bring just anyone to Astralis." She glanced at Kairos with a knowing look. "He's more interesting than he seems."

Aether remained silent for a moment before nodding. "Fine. I'll reserve judgment."

Leon, however, scoffed. "Hah! If he's really worth anything, he should prove it."

Kairos sighed. I knew this was coming.

"Let's make it simple," Leon continued. "A duel. That's how we do things here."

Kairos raised an eyebrow. "A duel?"

Selene groaned. "Oh, for the love of—Leon, you just want an excuse to show off."

Leon grinned. "And? Nothing wrong with wanting to test the newbie."

Kairos rolled his shoulders. He wasn't particularly in the mood for a fight, but he also knew how this worked. If he backed down, it would just make things worse.

Selene glanced at him. "You could say no."

Kairos smirked. "And let him run his mouth? No thanks."

Leon's grin widened. "Then it's settled. Meet me at the combat arena after school. Let's see what you're made of, new guy."

Kairos chuckled. "Sure. Just don't cry when you lose."

Leon's expression faltered for a second before he laughed. "I like your confidence."

Aether sighed. "Enough. Let's not turn this into a spectacle." He turned to Kairos. "We'll be watching."

Kairos gave a casual salute. "Looking forward to it."

As the Student Council walked away, Selene let out a long sigh. "You really had to provoke him, didn't you?"

Kairos smirked. "Hey, if I'm going to be here, I might as well make an entrance."

Selene stared at him before shaking her head. "You're impossible."

Kairos exhaled, his smirk fading slightly.

He had just arrived, and he was already getting dragged into a fight.

But maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

Because if he was going to survive in this world, he needed to keep getting stronger.

And this?

This was just the beginning.