The classroom was quiet, sunlight filtering through half-drawn blinds. Code sat at his desk, head resting on his arms, lost in sleep as the noise of the outside world faded. His breathing was calm. Unbothered.
A soft click echoed as the door opened. A girl stepped in—black hair falling neatly down her shoulders. She glanced around, her eyes narrowing as she took in the empty expressions of her new classmates.
Her gaze landed on Code.
Tch… how can someone sleep so freely in a place like this? she thought, sliding into the row beside him. Even on the bus, he was asleep when chaos was happening around him…
Her eyes shifted back to him.
He doesn't even look smart. I bet he earned the Grent title without even trying.
Before her thoughts could spiral further, the door creaked open again—this time, silence fell instantly.
A woman dressed neatly in a black suit and skirt stepped inside. Every student's eyes locked on her. Her face was hidden behind a mask.
She walked towards the front of the class, her presence heavy enough to still the air itself. Her mask was white, smooth, and featureless—not blank, but eerie. There was a faint groove where a mouth and nose should have been, just enough to suggest a face but never enough to make it human. The eye slits were thin and blackened, swallowing the light completely. No gaze could be seen behind them.
The students stiffened, fear gripping their bodies. Not a sound was made.
The girl who had mocked Code earlier quietly took her seat next to him.
The teacher's voice rang out—firm, commanding.
"I will be your homeroom teacher until you graduate from the academy. You may call me… Code 11."
Gasps rippled through the class, whispers breaking out.
"Code 11?"
A tall boy laughed, standing boldly. "Seriously, you all are creepy. First the mask, now the names? Code 11?"
A girl tugged on his sleeve nervously. "Ben… I don't think you should say that. Aren't you scared of her? I don't—"
"Relax," Ben sneered, shaking her off. "She's a fake."
"Oh my…" Code 11 tilted her head, her voice smooth but sharp. "It seems we've got a spoilt egg in the Grents class."
Ben grinned, striding forward. "Who are you calling a spoilt egg, you creepy woman?" He turned to the class, smirking. "I bet she's so ugly she hides her face behind that mask."
No one laughed. Not a single sound followed. The tension was suffocating.
Code 11's voice dropped low. "Do you know what we do to spoilt eggs at this academy, Ben?"
Ben scoffed. "What are you—"
BAM!
The sound cracked like thunder.
Code 11 moved faster than the eye could follow. Her file snapped across Ben's face, the strike so powerful it split the air. A violent gust of wind ripped through the room, rattling desks and sending papers flying.
Ben's head snapped sideways as blood sprayed from his mouth. His body lifted off the ground, thrown like a ragdoll before crashing onto the floor. His nose bent at a grotesque angle, his face soaked in red. He didn't move.
The class froze. Eyes wide. Breaths caught.
Code 11 lowered the bloodied file with calm precision. Her voice was cold. "We eliminate them."
A girl whimpered. "You… you killed him… how could you?"
Code 11 clapped her hands once. Two men entered—janitors dressed in plain clothes but wearing masks identical to hers. Without hesitation, they grabbed Ben's limp body and dragged it out of the room.
Silence reigned. Fear tightened every chest.
Code 11 scanned the trembling faces. "No need to be frightened. Nothing of that sort will happen to you—if you follow the rules."
She tossed the bloodied file aside. One janitor returned, collected it, while another dropped a heavy box on the front desk before leaving.
"Rules? What rules? We weren't told any rules!" a student blurted out.
"Oh," Code 11 said smoothly. "Then that explains why a spoilt egg like Ben managed to survive this long. Code 5 still has the habit of leaving all the work to the teachers."
The mention of Code 5 hit the students like a thunderclap. That was the same mysterious voice that had greeted them when they first arrived at the academy.
"Not to fret," Code 11 continued. "I will tell you the rules. But before that…"
Every student stiffened as she strode toward the board. Picking up a piece of chalk, she spoke again, her tone sharper now.
"It seems we have more than one spoilt egg in this class."
Every head turned. Their eyes landed on Code, still asleep, unbothered by the chaos.
A student whispered, trembling, "How can he sleep… even now?"
With a flick of her wrist, Code 11 hurled the chalk. It tore through the air like a bullet, the speed so great it created a mini shockwave.
But just before it struck—Code's head lifted. His hand shot up, a book flashing through the air. CRACK! The chalk ricocheted back, whistling toward Code 11 with impossible force.
A burst of wind swept the entire class. Eyes struggled to follow the exchange.
Code sat upright now, calm and awake. Not a scratch on him.
At the board, Code 11 stood still—two fingers pinching the chalk mid-air. Steam hissed from it.
The students gaped, confused. Had she thrown it? Did she spare him? What had just happened?
The girl beside Code stared at him in disbelief. What just happened? Did she throw the chalk or not? But she's holding it… which means… she spared him. He's lucky.
"My, my…" Code 11 said at last, tilting her head. "It seems we have a strange one among us."
She fixed her gaze on Code. "I wouldn't like you sleeping in my class again. If you wish to stay in one piece in this academy, heed my warning."
Code's face was calm. Unshaken. "Yes, ma'am."
"Good." She dropped the chalk. "Now let's continue."
Her voice turned firm, authoritative.
"The academy is ruled and governed by the Obedience Code."
The class erupted in whispers—confusion, disbelief.
"The… Obedience Code?" a student muttered.
"Yes," Code 11 said. "You disobey the academy, then you disobey the Code. The Obedience Code governs every aspect of this place."
Her tone dropped, each word heavy.
"For you to survive here, you must obey the rules of the Obedience Code."
She raised a finger.
1. Obedience is survival. Defiance is elimination.
2. The Code is law. To question it is to betray it.
3. The Eye sees all. Nothing escapes the Code.
4. Individual will must be erased. Unity is obedience.
5. The mind is a weapon. Surrender it, and be safe.
6. Orders are not debated, only executed.
7. Freedom is chaos. Chaos is death.
8. Pain is correction. Correction is mercy.
9. Loyalty is tested through sacrifice.
10. Truth is what the Code declares it to be.
11. The obedient rise. The defiant vanish.
12. You are not your own. You belong to the Code.
---
A girl slowly raised her hand, fear written all over her face.
"Um… ma'm, these rules… don't they seem too cruel for a normal academy?"
Some students nodded carefully in agreement, while others stayed silent—afraid that even a single word could get them eliminated on the spot.
Code 11 turns to look at her. "It's best if you call me Code 11. Or just '11.' There's no need to be formal. After all, we'll be together for a long time… don't you think so, Miss…" Her voice lingered in the air like a knife. "What's your name?"
The girl's voice trembled. "L-Lily."
"Isn't that right, Miss Lily?" Code 11 pressed.
"Yes ma— I mean, Code 11," Lily quickly corrected herself before sitting down.
Code 11's tone sharpened. "If you think the rules are cruel, then it seems you've terribly misunderstood. Every school has its own rules that set it apart. Laws are necessary to govern a prestigious academy such as this. And you dare call Ordinis Academy a normal school?"
Lily lowered her head. "Sorry…"
Code 11 gave a small nod. "I believe you all now fully understand the rules of the Obedience Code. And I also believe there won't be any more spoiled hatchlings in this class."
"Yes!" the whole class shouted back, voices uneven but desperate.
"Good. It seems we're getting somewhere," Code 11 said firmly. "As you know, you've been informed about the academy's pyramid ranking. And you've been classified as Grents."
Her masked face turned slowly, eyes invisible but her presence heavy.
"As Grents, you have responsibilities. You will obey orders. Your class schedules are fixed, your daily activities already arranged by the authorities. And most importantly—" she paused, letting silence choke the air, "Grents will work part-time jobs as slaves to the higher ranks in the pyramid."
The classroom rippled with unrest.
"Slaves?" Lily clutched her face in disbelief.
A boy at the back slammed his fist on the desk. "Are you saying we're slaves now? I can't possibly—"
Code 11's head snapped toward him. "What's your name?"
The boy froze, sweat breaking across his forehead. His voice changed instantly into a forced, respectful tone. "Caden ."
"Well, Caden," Code 11 said, each syllable cutting, "you seem to have a problem with becoming a slave. But you're a Grent. It's not a suggestion. It's an order. And in the rules, orders are not debated. They're executed."
Caden's throat bobbed as he tried to argue, but Code 11's voice cut him down like a blade.
"Take being a slave as a privilege, not a punishment. Perhaps then, you'll give it your all in serving your masters."
Caden sank into his seat, staring blankly at the table. His voice was a whisper no one was meant to hear: "A slave… I can't believe this."
Code, sitting at the back, watched silently. His golden eyes were calm, unreadable. A slave, huh…
Code 11 continued. "Your masters will be assigned to you."
The girl beside Code raised her hand. "How will we… receive our masters?"
"I'm glad you asked," Code 11 replied.
Suddenly, black watches shot out from the desks, clamping tightly around the students' wrists like cuffs.
Gasps filled the room as everyone stared at their new restraints.
"These watches monitor your vitals," Code 11 explained. "If any of you fall sick, the authorities will know immediately and act accordingly."
The boy sitting near Caden frowned. "And what happens if we actually do get sick?"
Caden muttered, "Obviously we go to the school infirmary—"
"No," Code 11 interrupted coldly. "You may go to the infirmary, but the time you waste there will be accounted for. As slaves, your masters depend on you to serve them and their belongings. If you waste their time, they may make you work overtime."
"You've got to be kidding me!" a student blurted out.
"That," Code 11 said, her voice sharp as steel, "is your life as slaves in this academy."
She gestured toward the box on her desk. "For your family activities and class schedules—come forward and collect yours."
The students hesitated but eventually moved one by one. Each reached inside the box. To their surprise, they pulled out phones. Sleek, black, and heavy, with the academy's emblem carved into the back.
They returned to their seats, staring down at the devices.
Code examined his carefully, eyes narrowing.
"Those phones contain your credentials," Code 11 continued. "Each one has been registered to your name. In this academy, students are judged by ratings. Power on your phones, and you'll see your profile and your rating as Grents."
The classroom filled with the glow of dozens of screens. One-star ratings blinked back at them.
Code's phone lit up with his profile—name, class, picture, and the empty column for stars. No shine. No marks. Nothing. He didn't react.
"You will also earn ratings from your masters," Code 11 said. "Do your work well, and they'll increase your standing. Fail… and they won't."
She snapped her fingers, and a large screen appeared on the wall, displaying all their names. Every star column was blank.
"This is your standings for now," she said. "Seeing as you've just arrived, that's acceptable."
Code's golden eyes studied the screen, his thoughts calm, detached. So our ratings depend on our masters. That determines our standings. This is how we're meant to live here… Not as students. Just slavesto our masters.
His gaze shifted to Code 11, then narrowed faintly. And to the Obedience Code itself.