A new day dawned in Nexus Academy.
The morning sun broke over the Academy, spilling golden light across towers of stone and glass that gleamed with embedded runes.
The buzz of hundreds of new students echoed across the training grounds and lecture halls, a tide of youthful voices surging with both excitement and dread.
For most, this was the first step into greatness. For Kairo, it was the first step into another battlefield.
The whispers followed him everywhere.
"That's him."
"The slumrat who survived the tournament massacre."
"They say he eats raw meat. Like a beast."
"And Nexus let him into Class 1A? What a joke."
After the experiences of the past few days, Kairo already expected this but it still didn't curb the annoyance that burned inside of him.
He clenched his fists but kept walking, his broad shoulders swaying with the same stubborn rhythm that carried him through the slums. He didn't need to dignify them with a response.
