Chapter 298
Compatibility
It was a new day, and the boys went through their usual morning routine. Yohan and IAM were the first to wake, moving quickly as they got ready early, careful to avoid being late because of Reuel.
Meanwhile, Reuel himself eventually woke up in a far less graceful manner as he assaulted the smart panel.
The morning passed in its usual frantic blur— By the time they reached their classrooms, they managed to slip in a few minutes early, the room already mostly filled.
Students were scattered throughout the space in loose groups and familiar cliques. Some leaned toward one another in quiet conversation, voices low and animated. Others sat back in their seats, arms crossed or heads down, already focused and mentally preparing for the lesson ahead. A few pairs flirted openly, laughter and teasing glances passing between them without concern.
The classroom buzzed with energy that only existed before a lesson began—restless but contained, lively yet expectant. It was the calm before instruction, where everyone existed in their own small world, waiting for the day to truly begin.
IAM and the others sat at their usual spot near the front of the classroom. This time, Reul dropped into the seat beside IAM, while Yohan slid into the row next to Henry, who had arrived earlier than usual and waved them over the moment he spotted them.
Henry looked tired—there was no hiding that—but beneath it, something else lingered. In the depths of his eyes sat a restrained excitement that hadn't been there before. As they exchanged quiet good mornings, Henry's gaze flicked briefly toward IAM, lingering just a second longer than necessary.
IAM caught it.
He couldn't help but wonder if Henry had spent most of the night replaying their spar, dissecting every movement, every exchange, pulling apart the fight for insight rather than sleep.
They were all dressed in their usual bold academy uniforms.
Henry's had been subtly customized by his brand—Rolen. The jacket fit just a bit tighter, and the trousers a bit loose. The watch on his wrist also drew the eye: it was a minimalist in design, a faint red ring circling the face, a small etched "R"catching the light when he moved.
Yohan's outfit bore a simpler, yet striking design. A stark white X ran cleanly across the front of his uniform, before intersecting and looping into a black X along the back.
His shoes matched the motif—white and black, with the same X-logo wrapping around the soles and tongues. It was unmistakably XMON which was his brand.
Reuel's uniform, by comparison, was impossible to ignore.
Down the right sleeve of his jacket, the word ROLEN ran in vivid crimson. Along the left sleeve, in a more refined black, was REUEL—his own name, branded like a signature on a luxury product. His shoes were polished black, immaculate, with subtle crimson stitching tracing their edges, the ROLEN insignia written in elegant cursive along the outer sides.
He was also wearing a watch wrapped around his left wrist as both him and Henry were sponsored by the same brand.
It was crafted from a smooth, obsidian-like material. Hints of ruby gleamed in the hands and dial.
Then there was IAM.
IAM's uniform was bold in its own right. His built-in hood bore a stylized, spray-painted logo—MINE—printed in streaks of white, red, and black. The chaotic brushstrokes looked almost reckless at first glance, but there was intention behind every smear.
The rest of the outfit carried that same eccentric artistry. Across the jacket and trousers were splatters of stylized lettering, jagged lines, and layered symbols that only made sense if you stared long enough. Some phrases were half-hidden beneath others, like thoughts written over and erased again. The patterns clashed and overlapped, yet never crossed into disorder, all of it carefully restrained to obey the academy's strict black, red, and white color rules.
Even the seams were slightly asymmetrical, giving the uniform a sense of motion—as if it was never meant to sit still. It didn't scream wealth like Reuel's, nor did it aim for sleek look like Henry's or Yohan's. Instead, it projected individuality.
As the boys settled into the classroom, the background noise never died down. The constant murmur of whispers, laughter, and half-muttered conversations floated freely through the air and naturally reached their ears.
...
"Look… that IAM guy still isn't using his Avien. I'm telling you, it's real suspicious."
"For the love of the nine moons and seven heroes, you keep saying that shit," another voice snapped back. "I think he's just a coward."
"But isn't he apparently that survivor of the Hold?"
"I seriously doubt it. And even if he was, how do you think he survived?" The speaker scoffed. "By running away like the coward he is."
…
"I can't wait to see Vanessa again today… she's so fucking hot, dude."
"Man, shut your horny ass up."
"What? Do you not think she's really pretty?"
"Yeah, but that's all you talk about after every lesson. Lock in, bro."
"I am locked in—on her pretty face."
"Eww," a girl chimed in from nearby, her voice was thick with disgust. "This is why girls don't like you. You're so gross. She's old."
A few snickers followed.
...
"I'm getting pretty nervous… our exams are coming up, just after the new year."
"Pssh. Ain't no way you're actually scared. It's just theory. What you should be worried about is the midterms. That's the part where people actually get expelled."
"That too. It's a competition-style test with the other academies. What if I mess up?"
"What are you even talking about? We're literally in the best academy in the country. There's no way we lose to the others. Honestly, you don't even have the backbone suited for an ascender if this is all it takes to shake you."
"I don't care. I'm still bricking it."
There was a brief pause.
"…Wait, what? You're hard!?"
"What? No—why would—n-no! It's an expression! I'm not hard!"
"But you just said you're bricked up!"
"That is not what I said. I— you know what? I'm not even going to entertain this bullshit."
The first boy groaned and leaned back in his seat, while the other smirked quietly, clearly far more pleased with himself.
...
Reul's ears perked up at that point. He stiffened as if something had physically struck him, then turned toward the others and blurted out far louder than necessary,
"Oh shit! I totally forgot about the exams coming up! I need to revise."
A few heads nearby turned.
"I'm sure you'll be fine," IAM said calmly, glancing in Reul's direction. "It's not going to be that hard. All we've done so far this year is basically theory anyway."
That much was true. IAM already had the material sorted in his head.
The syllabus itself was straightforward—everything a soldier or trained individual was expected to know. Tactical fundamentals, basic formations, chain of command, battlefield awareness, path theory, ascender physiology, safety regulations, hypothetical case studies, emergency protocols, and the ethical framework surrounding ascender conduct.
Reul groaned and leaned back in his chair. "Yeah, memorising it is easy," he muttered, rubbing his face. "It's the understanding part that's hard."
Henry nodded in agreement, finally speaking up. "Exactly. As ascenders, we've got superior memory. Remembering facts isn't the issue." He folded his arms, eyes narrowing slightly as he thought it through. "The exam questions are probably going to focus on why things work the way they do."
"but there also the midterms, we will be fighting against the other academies, it's going to be quite an eye opener." Henry said, his tone was casual, but with an edge that made it clear he was already thinking ahead.
It was then Reuel commented, a faint glimmer lighting up his eyes as he leaned back slightly. "Of course it is. While Hope Academy is considered the best, with the most talented students, that doesn't mean it's perfect. Especially when you consider that the midterms aren't just going to be fighting. It could be about anything." He shrugged lightly. "There's a wide range of challenges, and it's impossible to be good at all of them."
"you're right," Henry nodded, his expression serious as he accepted the point without hesitation.
"I know," Reuel replied immediately, a smug smirk creeping onto his face.
IAM ignored him "Well, all of that aside, there are no breaks at all at the academy. We're always here." He paused briefly, choosing his words. "Which means they'll be looking to squeeze in as many things as possible. Until it's time for our next year…"
It was at IAM's final words that everyone went silent.
Thanks to Reuel, they were now aware that it was possible to choose between two paths at the academy. One of them, inevitably, made it highly likely that they would face Deadline creatures—encounters that could very easily end in death.
It was a harrowing thought. They didn't know the exact details yet, but the choice itself was already clear enough.
They could continue keeping pace with academy life, staying within its walls, or they could decide to gain real experience out in the field—where there was already a massive number of students who had lost their lives at the hands of Deadline creatures.
That kind of knowledge alone would be enough to deter any normal teenager.
But IAM was not hesitating.
His mind had already been made up. Choosing the more dangerous path felt almost obvious to him. The potential gains far greater than spending the remaining four years confined to the academy, growing slowly while the world outside remained unforgiving.
He wasn't sure about the others.
Henry, maybe. Based on what IAM knew of him, he had a feeling Henry might choose the same option without much hesitation. But Yohan and Reuel were harder to read. Their choices weren't obvious to him yet, and not for the first time, IAM wondered which direction each of them would take when the decision was finally placed in front of them.
Looking around, Yohan opened his mouth to speak, clearly about to add something of his own. But before he could squeeze the words out, the door opened and Vanessa suddenly entered the room, her presence immediately drawing attention.
She called for quiet, her voice was firm, cutting through the murmurs and conversations without effort.
Just like that, their conversation came to a close as the lesson was about to begin.