Preparations

The Next Day

Raella Saint

Now that all of the acceptance letters had gone out, it was time to begin the official preparations for the upcoming school year. Uniforms needed to be tailored, classes assigned, dorms allocated, and countless other details finalized.

Of course, for Raella most of that wasn't her job. Only one of these tasks pertained to her. Choosing classes.

The academy operated on a precise system. With a set number of teachers for each year—ten, in this case—each teacher was assigned a class of 100 students from a total of 1,000. For most, classes would be assigned randomly, however, each teacher was allowed to select a handful of students they wanted directly in their class.

Depending on the hierarchy—where the teacher considered the best, most influential, and most powerful was allowed to choose first—Raella had long become accustomed to being the top professor. Before her teaching career, she had been a renowned Awakened for the government, spending her days battling the mana gates and reaching the formidable height of Grade 6 strength.

Before her, a stack of papers lay spread across a mahogany desk. The room was quiet and filled with the soft rustling of papers and the distant hum of mana-powered devices that monitored the academy's routine. Raella's eyes, steely and precise, scanned the documents as she prepared for a long day ahead. Sighing, she began sifting through them to find the best candidates in which she couldn't allow the other professors to obtain. This years batch contained many noticeable candidates, the strongest class in years. Many of which would one day go on to reach the pinnacle just as she did.

Gradually she made her way through the stack. Picking out students who had potential. Towards the bottom of the stack a specific student stood out to her. Looking at the sheet of paper everything about the student looked unremarkable.

Below average stats, debilitating flaw, commoner uprising. Nothing about him stood out on the paper; however, his interview had been one of the most memorable for Raella. Out of the hundreds of students she interviewed, few had a mind like his. As a top tier professor there was a truth Raella had come to understand. Students with powerful abilities had good potential however it was those with powerful minds that always rose to the top.

One could possess a powerful ability, but without a sharp mind to match, they would inevitably fall behind. Conversely, even those with weaker abilities could rise to the top if they had the intellect, the will, and the opportunity to grow.

With that thought in mind, she added the file to her stack of promising students—Eden de Sylvain.

After an hour of careful review, she had narrowed her list. While it would have been easy to simply select the top ten, Raella was thorough. In the end, around twenty papers remained—each a hidden gem waiting to be uncovered.

She leaned back in her chair for a moment, the quiet of the room punctuated only by the soft scratch of her pen and the distant echoes of academy life. Her thoughts drifted to her own days at the academy—a time of relentless training and near-death experiences that had forged her into the warrior she was today. Those memories, both triumphant and painful, now lent her a sense of purpose as she looked forward to shaping the future of these young Awakened.

Ceris Sinclair

Age: 16

Awakened Ability Aspect: Physical

Flaw: No flaw was given

Mana Attribute: Ice, Fire

Average Stats: C

Student Rank: 1

Ceris Sinclair. Raella had known the girl for years. Born into the Sinclair legacy clan, a family whose name was etched into history, Ceris carried a bloodline that had produced some of the strongest Awakened to ever walk the earth. For generations, the Sinclairs had never once failed to place a family member among the world's top ten strongest—until tragedy struck, shattering the once-unshakable lineage. Now, at just sixteen, Ceris bore the impossible burden of leading a fallen powerhouse.

Her story was tragic, but Raella wouldn't let sentiment cloud her judgment. The world saw Ceris as the generational genius of a fading dynasty, the last hope of a legacy on the brink of obscurity. And rightfully so. Her stats were already at the peak of Grade 1—a feat that would take most years to achieve, yet she had done it within a single year of awakening. Fire and ice flowed through her veins, a contradiction of elements that should have been unstable but instead made her all the more terrifying.

Still, Raella had little time to linger. She preferred efficiency, and the sooner she finished sorting through the files, the sooner she could go home and finally enjoy a well-earned break. With a small smirk, she set Ceris' file aside in her chosen stack and moved on.

Nyxen Solis

Age: 16

Awakened Ability Aspect: Utility, Physical, & Mental

Flaw: Prefer not to mention

Mana Attribute: Light

Average Stats: C-

Student Rank: 2

Nyxen Solis…?

Raella frowned as she scanned the name. Unlike the others, there was no legacy attached to him, no prestigious bloodline whispering power through the generations. A complete unknown. That alone was rare. If a student of his caliber had come from a legacy family, there would be no secrets—his name would have echoed through the halls of the elite before he even set foot in the academy.

Yet, when she had interviewed him, she quickly realized that obscurity did not mean insignificance. If anything, it made him even more intriguing. His presence had been… different. Not just powerful but also refined. In a way he was similar to Eden.

Then there was his ability. Raella had personally worked with him to classify it, only to find that it defied easy categorization. Utility, physical, mental—it fell into all three, and for good reason. His ability didn't just strengthen his body or mind. It upgraded his system.

That alone had been enough to shock her. A self-evolving system, one that granted him new skills, enhanced his strength, sharpened his mind—an ability that grew with him. The sheer potential was staggering, there was no doubt in her mind.

Nyxen Solis would one day become a hero of humanity.

With a rare sense of certainty, she placed his file atop the pile of chosen students. There were promising candidates this year, but this one? She couldn't afford to let him slip through her fingers.

Idris Phoenix

Age: 16 

Awakened Ability Aspect: Physical

Flaw: "Temperamental"

Mana Attribute: Fire

Average Stats: C

Student Rank: 3

Idris Phoenix.

Raella leaned back in her chair, exhaling slowly as she studied his file. Another legacy name. Unlike Nyxen, his bloodline carried weight—immense weight. The Phoenix Clan had been at the pinnacle of power for a century, their strength cemented when their patriarch helped defeat the first-ever Grade 5 mana gate. That battle had granted them something beyond just prestige; it had given them a legacy. The Phoenix Clan's martial art, an inheritance of raw destructive force, was one of the strongest in existence.

And now, Idris was next in line.

If Ceris Sinclair carried the burden of rebuilding a fallen dynasty, then Idris embodied the full, undisputed strength of a reigning powerhouse. Ever since the Sinclair patriarch's death, the Phoenix Clan had held the title of the strongest awakened family in the world. That meant Idris had grown up at the very peak—but it also meant the pressure on him was immense.

From what Raella had gathered, he was… difficult. Even the brief notes on his file hinted at it. Temperamental. That was the word he himself had used to describe his flaw, and he hadn't bothered to sugarcoat it. It was both a warning and a challenge. A lesser teacher might have hesitated, concerned about his volatility.

Raella? She wasn't worried in the slightest. She had dealt with similar students in the past.

Idris was a fire barely contained, a storm of arrogance and untamed power. But if there was one thing she had learned over the years, it was that fire could be tempered. Controlled correctly, it could forge something unbreakable. And with a legacy like his, letting him burn unchecked wasn't an option.

A small smirk tugged at the corner of her lips as she added his file to her growing stack.

The papers continued, each student being a top student with immense potential, however none of the rest came close to the top three. Eventually she made her choice. She was allowed to choose 5 students. These students would be added to her class and be her chosen disciples.

Ceris Sinclair - 1

Nyxen Solis - 2

Idris Phoenix - 3

Seraphine Valemont - 7

Eden de Sylvain - 999

Looking at the last name, a flicker of emotion surfaced. She had chosen Eden based on the promise and intrigue he had shown her. A part of her wondered if it was the right decision, but her gut urged her to trust not only in him—but in herself as his teacher. Even if it turned out to be the wrong choice, she would make sure it didn't stay that way.

With her selections finalized, she stamped the papers and turned them in to be delivered to the principal.

Later that Day

Raella Saint Household

The Saint estate was a testament to elegance—an expansive, marble-laden sanctuary nestled within the city's most exclusive district. Towering columns framed the grand entrance, while intricately woven ivy traced its way up the pristine white walls, adding a touch of nature to the modern architectural masterpiece. Inside, the air was crisp with the scent of lavender and aged mahogany, a lingering essence of the home's careful upkeep. Soft, golden lighting illuminated the corridors, complementing the deep burgundy carpets that muffled the sound of her footsteps as she entered.

Raella sighed in relief, rolling her shoulders as she slipped off her heels and stretched. The weight of the day lifted slightly now that she was home, the quiet solitude welcoming her like an old friend.

"Finally."

A week-long vacation. A well-earned reprieve from the chaos of work. For once, she planned to indulge in uninterrupted relaxation—wine, a good book, and absolute peace.

But as fate would have it, peace was short-lived.

Ding-dong.

The sudden chime of the doorbell cut through the silence. Raella froze mid-step, her eyes narrowing.

"Who in the world—?"

She wasn't expecting visitors. And very few people dared to show up at her doorstep unannounced.

With measured steps, she made her way to the door, peering through the ornate glass panel.

Oh.

A sigh escaped her lips as she rested her forehead against the doorframe for a brief second. Of course.

She straightened, then pulled the door open.

"To what do I owe the honor of feeling your presence, Principal?" she drawled, arms crossed as she leaned against the doorway. "As you can see, I'm rather busy here. What, are you planning to ruin my vacation again this year?"

Her tone was half-serious, half-playful, but the glint in her golden eyes carried a knowing edge.

The man before her—Principal Alistair Veldrin—regarded her with a look that was equal parts exasperated and resigned. The years had etched lines into his sharp features, and tonight, they seemed deeper, as though weighed down by something beyond fatigue.

"I need to speak with you," he said, his voice roughened, not by age, but by something far more pressing. Not a question—more of a statement. A demand.

Raella exhaled, already feeling the headache forming. "You could at least pretend to ask nicely." Still, she stepped aside. "Fine, come in."

The principal wasted no time entering. The scent of parchment and ink trailed behind him as he strode into her home. His eyes barely skimmed the luxurious surroundings—the grand chandelier overhead, the velvet drapes, the polished wooden furniture—as he made his way to the sitting room. He carried papers in his hand, a clear sign that this visit wasn't for pleasantries.

Raella followed, shutting the door behind her with a soft click.

"You really have a knack for showing up at the worst times, you know that?" she mused, watching as he spread the documents onto the glass coffee table.

"I won't waste any time," Alistair said. His tone was firm, businesslike, but there was something else beneath it—curiosity? Frustration? A mix of both?

Raella raised a brow but said nothing as she glanced at the papers before her.

The first four sheets bore her chosen names, each stamped with a green checkmark—Ceris Sinclair. Nyxen Solis. Idris Phoenix. Seraphine Valemont. No surprises there.

The fifth, however, was still blank.

Raella's lips twitched in amusement. So this is what he's here for.

"Why did you choose this student?" Alistair asked, his eyes flicking to hers, scrutinizing. "Looking at this report, all I see is—" he exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Frankly, terrible. Barely passable in every aspect. I'm surprised he even made it through the interview stage."

Raella swirled the wine glass she had picked up from the counter, watching the deep red liquid catch the ambient light. "You're not giving him much credit."

Alistair ignored her remark. "You interviewed him, didn't you? What is it about this boy that made you use one of your slots on him?"

Raella smirked, finally meeting his gaze. "Geez, a lot of questions tonight." She took a slow sip of wine before setting the glass down and handing him one of his own. "Why don't you calm down and enjoy yourself for a moment? You're acting like I just invited a criminal into the academy."

The principal did not take the glass. Instead, he crossed his arms and waited.

Raella sighed, sinking into the plush leather couch. "Fine, fine. Yes, I chose him. Do I need to explain myself to you? No, not really." She stretched her legs, leaning back lazily. "But I will say this—out of everyone I've interviewed since my tenure here, none have intrigued me quite like him."

Alistair remained silent, waiting for her to elaborate.

Raella tilted her head slightly, her expression thoughtful. "There's something about him. Something… elusive. A gut feeling, if you will." She picked up her wine again, swirling it absently. "And before you say it, I know gut feelings aren't enough to justify an entire selection. But I trust mine. And I trust that this boy—Eden de Sylvain—will show you exactly why he deserved to be chosen."

A beat of silence passed between them.

Alistair studied her, his gaze sharp, calculating. "You're putting a lot of faith in a student almost ranked dead last."

Raella merely smiled. "I am."

Another pause. Then, Alistair sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "If this blows up in your face, I expect a formal apology."

Raella chuckled, raising her glass. "If it does, I'll buy you dinner."

Alistair muttered something under his breath before finally, reluctantly, taking the offered wine.

Raella smirked, taking another sip of hers.

Vacation or not, things were about to get interesting.