Ibarin's warning still rang in the minds of the Central Academy students. He had made it clear, again and again: failure was not an option. The memory of their last meeting with him was enough to make their blood run cold. In that moment, every one of them had believed they were on the verge of being expelled , stripped of their prestige, their titles, their path forward.
They had always considered themselves untouchable, the best of the best, chosen from noble and powerful families across Alterian society. They were heirs to names that commanded respect, families who had influence woven into the bones of the empire. But standing before a Grand Magus had reminded them of an uncomfortable truth. Prestige meant nothing compared to raw power. Their family names could not shield them from Ibarin's wrath.
