The sharp gaze felt like two blades of ice piercing straight to the bone. The figure at the front of the class, the source of that stare, was Velina Dreth. Her name alone was enough to make the students of Akademi Bintang Selatan, especially the junior class, shiver in terror. Yet, behind her fierce reputation, Miss Velina was a true genius and the pride of the city. At only twenty years old, she had already broken through to the Gold rank, an achievement most adults could only dream of. It was this prestige that led her to be entrusted as the junior class homeroom teacher, with the hope that her strictness and talent would mold a brilliant next generation.
The Dreth family itself was one of the three most influential noble families in Kota Bintang, known for their military strength and discipline. Velina's father, the head of the family, was a master whose power was only a step away from the Diamond rank—a level considered the pinnacle of strength in the entire city.
In this world, power ranks were everything. They determined status, wealth, and destiny. The system was clear and tiered, beginning from the lowest: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Crystal, and Diamond. It was said that above the Diamond rank, there existed even more formidable realms of power: Earth, Heaven, and the ultimate peak, the Legend rank. However, for the inhabitants of the realm where Kota Bintang resided, ranks above Diamond were mere myths. Even a Diamond rank master was enough to be considered the guardian of a major city. The Legend rank? That was nothing more than a bedtime story for children, a fantasy of an omnipotent hero who never truly existed.
All this knowledge flashed quickly through Kael's mind as he and his friends stood awkwardly at the classroom threshold. Eron, Nero, and Zein were already drenched in cold sweat, bowing their heads, not daring to look directly at Miss Velina. Kael, on the other hand, felt only a strange sense of awkwardness. The fear he should have felt was completely absent. In his previous life, he had faced beings of the Heaven rank and had even slaughtered Gods. The gaze of a Gold rank master, however sharp, felt like nothing more than the stare of an angry kitten to him. Yet, he had to play the part. He had to return to being the 13-year-old Kael Varen, an ordinary student who feared his teacher.
"Half an hour," Velina's voice rang out cold and flat, breaking the stifling silence. "Do you four have any idea how much material you have missed in half an hour?"
"We're sorry, Miss Velina, we..." Eron tried to offer an excuse, but his voice hitched.
"No excuses. Since you have so much energy to run around outside until you forget the time, then use the rest of that energy to stand at the back of the class," she commanded without preamble. "Lift one leg. Until my lesson is finished."
The order was absolute. With heavy steps, the four of them walked to the back corner of the class, becoming a spectacle for their classmates. They lifted one leg, trying to find their balance. Kael did it with ease, his mind drifting to the memories of when he was still a student here. It all felt so real and yet so strange at the same time.
It was then, from the corner of his eye, that Kael caught a look of pure hatred. In one of the middle rows sat an arrogant-looking boy dressed in clothes far more luxurious than the other students. His gaze toward Kael's group was filled with undisguised contempt.
The boy muttered in a very low voice, almost like the hiss of a snake. "Filthy commoners. Trash like them only pollutes this honorable academy."
Kael recognized him instantly. Zaric Drein. The son of the noble Drein family, another influential household, though they were notorious for their greed and cunning. In his previous life, Kael remembered clearly how the Drein family betrayed the city during the demon invasion, trying to flee by sacrificing other citizens. They were all bastards, from the old to the young. Zaric's gaze now only reinforced that memory. However, Kael did not return the stare. A noisy ant did not deserve his attention right now. There were far more important things.
His gaze unconsciously swept toward the front of the class, and there she was. Sitting with a graceful posture in the very front row, her long black hair cascading beautifully down her back. The same back that, in the future, would become his final shield.
Eira Velyn.
Kael's face softened. He drowned in a daydream, remembering Eira's smile as she gave him a piece of bread while they were fleeing, remembering how she patiently tended to his wounds, and remembering her final gaze, filled with sadness as she pushed Kael away from a fatal attack. The memories were so painful, yet so sweet.
"Psst, Kael!" a whisper snapped him back. It was Eron, who was struggling to maintain his balance beside him. "You're looking at the school flower, aren't you? Don't even think about it, friend."
Zein chimed in with a low voice, "He's right. Just give up. I heard that girl's identity is very mysterious. She's not someone we can get close to." Nero only nodded in agreement, his face solemn.
They didn't know. Of course, they didn't know. Eira Velyn had deliberately hidden her identity as the Mayor's daughter when enrolling in the academy, likely to avoid special treatment. Only a handful of people knew her background.
Kael turned to his concerned friends. A confident smile, unlike anything they had ever seen before, etched itself onto his face. In an equally quiet voice, he replied, "It doesn't matter who she is. She is my woman."
Instantly, his three friends stared at him with bizarre expressions. A mix of disbelief, shock, and disgust. They were used to a Kael who was shy and lacked confidence. The statement that just came out of his mouth sounded completely absurd.
"Are you sick?" Eron blurted out.
"Maybe his head hit the tree while we were sleeping," Zein added.
The strange expressions on his friends' faces, combined with the absurdity of their punishment, made Kael unable to hold back his laughter. That small laugh quickly spread to Zein and Eron, and even the quiet Nero's lips curled slightly upward.
"IN THE BACK!"
Miss Velina's thundering voice shattered their laughter. "Do you think this punishment is a joke?!"
Abruptly, the entire class turned around, staring at the four boys as if they were fools who were tired of living. Among those dozens of pairs of eyes, Eira Velyn also turned. Her gaze met Kael's. Instead of looking frightened or embarrassed, Kael gave her a subtle, meaningful smile.
Eira was slightly taken aback. She knitted her brows, finding the boy very strange. Why was he smiling at her at a time like this? Feeling awkward, Eira quickly turned her face back to the front.
However, that brief interaction did not escape the sight of Zaric Drein. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he saw Kael smile at Eira. He gritted his teeth. Even though he and Eira were nothing to each other, in his arrogant mind, the most beautiful and popular girl in the academy belonged to him. Seeing trash like Kael dare to look at "his" property in such a way made him seethe with rage.
Time passed slowly for those being punished. Finally, the bell signaling the end of the lesson rang. Velina closed her book and looked at the entire class.
"Alright, listen everyone," she said in a serious tone, causing all the students who were getting ready to leave to sit back up straight.
"Two months from now, the academy will hold the annual talent and power rank test for all junior class students."
The atmosphere in the classroom turned tense instantly.
Velina continued, "This test will determine your future in this academy. The minimum passing standard is reaching the Peak Bronze rank. Anyone who fails to reach that level will be deemed unqualified and will remain in the junior class for the next three years."
Several students turned pale upon hearing such high standards.
"However," Velina went on, her eyes gleaming. "For those of you who not only pass but also show extraordinary talent in the test, you will be given the opportunity to be transferred to the Genius Class. There, you will receive the best resources, guidance, and training the academy has to offer."
The announcement was like a bomb exploding in the classroom, creating a momentary silence followed by eager and worried whispers. The Genius Class was the dream of every student.
Kael, still standing in the back, lowered his leg. The punishment was over. But in his heart, a new challenge had just begun. Two months. In his previous life, it had taken him almost three years just to reach the Mid-Bronze rank. But now... everything was different. A faint smile once again played on his lips. This would be his first stage.