chapter 8

As Jake and Ethan entered the classroom, the atmosphere was electric with tension. The students were quietly chatting, their voices hushed, but the air was thick with anticipation.

Jake leaned in close to Ethan, his voice barely above a whisper. "Dude, you won't believe how the ranking system works here." Ethan's eyes were wide with curiosity, and Jake continued, "So, the school has a ranking system, and it's divided into five tiers. The first tier is from 1 to 20, the second tier is from 21 to 100, the third tier is from 101 to 500, the fourth tier is from 501 to 800, and the fifth tier is below 800."

"But here's the thing," Jake said, his voice filled with excitement. "The top three people in the ranking have their own special names. The person who ranks first is called Dragon, the person who ranks second is called Tiger, and the person who ranks third is called Wolf."

"These names are only given to the top three people in the ranking, and it's a big deal," Jake explained. "They're like the elite of the school, and everyone looks up to them."

Ethan listened intently, taking it all in. "So, what's the deal with the tiers?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Jake smiled, happy to share his knowledge. "Well, each tier has its own class. The first tier has a separate class, and it's only for the top 20 students. The second tier has its own class, and so on. It's like, the higher you rank, the more exclusive your class is."

Ethan nodded, starting to understand. "I see," he said. "So, the ranking system is like, a big deal here."

Jake nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's huge. Everyone's always trying to climb the ranks and get to the top tier."

Just then, the classroom erupted into a cacophony of noise, with students chatting, sharing stories, and exchanging gossip. The air was thick with the hum of conversation and the occasional burst of laughter.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and Professor Julian Blackwood stepped into the room, his presence commanding attention. The students' conversations faltered, and they turned to look at the newcomer, their faces curious.

The room fell silent, the only sound the soft creaking of the door as it swung shut behind Professor Blackwood. He stood tall, his eyes surveying the room with a piercing gaze, his expression expectant.

"Good morning, class," he said, his voice low and measured, filling the sudden silence. "My name is Professor Julian Blackwood, and I'll be your instructor for this course on ancient history and mysticism."

The students listened intently, their eyes fixed on Professor Blackwood as he began to set up the day's lesson, their faces eager and attentive. Jake and Ethan also kept quiet, listening carefully to the professor's introduction.

As Professor Blackwood entered the classroom, the students' eyes were fixed on him, eager to learn from the renowned expert in ancient history and mysticism.

"Good morning, class," he began, his voice low and measured. "Today, we're going to explore a fascinating topic that has captivated scholars for centuries. It's the story of how our world changed forever with the arrival of an entity known as AETHER."

He wrote the word on the blackboard, and the students followed along, intrigued.

"AETHER entered our atmosphere, and everything shifted. The animals became stronger, and some humans gained supernatural powers. They were divided, and a system of tattoos emerged to indicate their strength. These tattoos took the form of clovers, with each number of leaves signifying a different level of power."

Professor Blackwood explained that the people believed four-clover individuals were more powerful than five-clover ones, a notion that had been passed down through generations.

"But what exactly is AETHER?" one student asked, curiosity getting the better of them.

"Ah, that's a great question," Professor Blackwood replied. "AETHER is believed to be an extraterrestrial entity that entered our world. The people of old called them pneuma, and they possessed incredible abilities. They fought against other beings from another planet, and emerged victorious."

The students listened intently as Professor Blackwood continued his tale.

"Later, the people discovered a powerful crystal called AURIX, which could absorb AETHER's energy. They developed a way to craft it into weapons and tools, and it can sense the presence of AETHER. The crystal would glow or remain dormant, depending on the individual's power."

The students were captivated by the story, and they leaned forward in their seats, eager to hear more.