Hero?

Edward's Pov

The ceremony had finally ended, and the crowd began to disperse. I let out a breath, stretching my arms as I took in the sight of the academy's auditorium . It was massive, a sprawling fusion of magic and technology, with floating platforms and glowing pathways weaving between grand structures. Everything here screamed of prestige, of wealth, of power.

And none of it belonged to me.

I wasn't blind. I had seen the way the nobles looked at me. The way their gazes slid past me as if I were insignificant, like a speck of dirt on their finely polished shoes. It didn't bother me, not really. I had spent my whole life in the Undercroft, a place so far beneath their world that they probably wouldn't even acknowledge its existence. The slums weren't exactly the kind of place that bred high-ranking academy students, but here I was.

Rank 70.

I chuckled to myself. It was almost funny. Almost.

I adjusted my uniform, rolling my shoulders as I moved through the crowd. It was easy to pretend that I didn't care about the way they whispered, the way they avoided even brushing past me as if my very presence might taint them. Easy to smile, to nod at the few who bothered to look my way, to play the part of the cheerful, unbothered commoner.

But deep down, I felt it. That familiar coil in my stomach, the weight pressing against my ribs. I ignored it, pushing it down like I always did.

"Hey! Edward, right?" A voice called out, and I turned, smiling before I even saw who it was.

A boy about my age, maybe a bit younger, jogged up to me. His uniform was a bit wrinkled, his hair unkempt, and there was an awkward nervousness in the way he carried himself. He was a commoner too—I could tell just from the way his eyes darted around, like he was waiting for someone to remind him he didn't belong.

I knew that feeling well.

"Yeah, that's me," I said easily, offering a small wave. "And you are?"

"Jonas," he said, shifting on his feet. "I just—well, I saw your rank. You're, uh, ranked higher than me. I'm 87. It's nice to see another… you know, one of us up there."

One of us.

I kept my expression friendly, warm. "It's nice to meet you, Jonas. And hey, 87's not bad at all. We're in the same group, more or less."

Jonas let out a breathy laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, I guess. It's just… crazy, isn't it? Being here?" He looked around at the departing nobles, at the towering structures of the academy. "Feels like a whole different world."

"It is," I said. "And it isn't."

Jonas frowned. "What do you mean?"

I tilted my head slightly, my smile never faltering. "Well, people are people. Doesn't matter if they're from a castle or a gutter. They all have the same weaknesses."

Jonas blinked, caught off guard by my words. "I… guess?"

I laughed, clapping a hand on his shoulder, feeling the way he tensed beneath my touch before forcing himself to relax. "Don't think too hard about it. We're just students, right? Here to learn, to grow, to prove ourselves."

Jonas nodded, but his smile was uneasy now. I could tell he wanted to leave, that something about the conversation had unsettled him, even if he didn't know why.

That was fine.

"Anyway," I continued, letting go of his shoulder, "we should stick together. It's tough being commoners here, but if we watch each other's backs, we'll be just fine."

Jonas hesitated before nodding. "Yeah. That… that sounds good."

I watched as he muttered a quick goodbye and hurried off, his steps a bit quicker than before.

I sighed, rolling my shoulders again, loosening the stiffness in my muscles.

I hadn't meant to let it slip. That side of me.

But sometimes, it was hard to hold it back.

I wasn't angry. Not really. The nobles could look down on me all they wanted. The other commoners could squirm under my words if they pleased. It didn't matter.

Because in the end, I would be the one standing.

I touched the base of my neck where my chip lay embedded in my skin. Stormbringer. The power to summon lightning, to change the very weather itself. Right now, it was weak. But that would change.

I would make sure of it.

I looked down at my hand, flexing my fingers slightly. A tiny spark flickered between them, gone in an instant. Not enough to be seen by anyone else. Not enough to matter.

Yet.

I turned, continuing my walk toward the dormitories, humming softly to myself. The academy was a game, and I had spent my whole life learning how to play games. Some were easy, some were hard, and some required patience.

Patience I had plenty of.

As I moved through the crowd, I caught snippets of conversation. Nobles discussing their rankings, commoners whispering about who was strong, who was weak, who might rise and who would fall. My name was barely mentioned.

Good.

I let my eyes drift over the students, memorizing faces, expressions, body language. Who looked confident, who looked nervous, who could be pushed and who might push back. It was second nature, reading people like this. Finding the cracks, the weaknesses.

I paused near the entrance to the dorms, leaning against the railing and taking in the sight of the academy again.

It really was beautiful. Magnificent, even. A place of legends, of power, of history.

And soon, it would be mine.

I smiled, stretching my arms before heading inside. The night was still young, and I had plenty of time to prepare.

Because at the end of the day, I wasn't like the others.

I didn't just want to survive here.

I wanted to win.

And I will do everything in my power to make sure I do.

Because I love winning.