"Now that the results have been announced…"
Instructor Bantea's voice echoed through the hall.
"Any student scoring below forty percent is to evacuate the academy immediately."
A pause.
"For those who passed—congratulations."
"You are now officially students of Sky High Academy."
He turned slightly.
"I will now outline the basic rules and regulations."
"Only the three most important rules will be given today. The rest will be sent to your student emails."
"Rule One:
Students are not permitted to leave academy grounds without authorization."
"Rule Two:
Possession of illegal contraband—including artifacts and prohibited substances—is forbidden."
"Rule Three:
Duels between students are permitted under regulation."
A pause.
"However, the following actions are strictly prohibited."
"I. Blocking another student's mana circuit."
"II. Destroying a student's core."
"III. Murder, under any circumstance."
His tone darkened slightly.
"Violation of these rules will result in immediate expulsion… or worse."
Silence.
Then—
the screen flickered.
Bantea continued.
"At the end of this academic year, every student must present a minimum of three hundred name tags."
A pause.
"Failure to meet this requirement will result in removal from Class Two progression and reassignment to a lower academy tier."
Whispers spread instantly.
But Bantea wasn't finished.
"However…"
"The student with the highest number of name tags will receive special privileges and academy sponsorship benefits."
A beat.
"This includes access to restricted training zones and elite academy resources."
The hall erupted in quiet panic.
"300 tags…?"
"That's insane…"
"We're supposed to survive this?"
Tia's gaze lowered slightly.
"…So it begins."
He exhaled slowly.
Too much attention… is dangerous.
If I stand out again… I won't survive here quietly.
He glanced at the hall.
Too many eyes.
Too many ambitions.
"…This is going to be a problem."
Silence.
Bantea continued.
"Listen carefully. This academy does not operate on normal combat rules."
"From this point onward, your progress will depend on the TAG HUNT SYSTEM."
"You are not allowed to attack students freely. If you want to engage another student, you must issue a Hunt Declaration through the system."
"Once a declaration is made, both parties will be registered as active participants in a legal duel. At that point, tracking and combat between you becomes permitted."
"The academy grounds are divided into three zones: Safe Zones where combat is prohibited, Neutral Zones with limited engagement rules, and Hunt Zones where all combat and tag extraction are allowed."
"Your name tags are your objective. The more you collect, the higher your standing. However, the more tags you carry, the more visible you become to others."
"That concludes today's ceremony."
Bantea's voice echoed across the hall.
"Classes begin on Monday."
"You may now return to your dormitories."
Students began to move.
Voices returned.
Then—
"Wait."
The hall froze.
Bantea adjusted his glasses.
"The top five students will remain behind."
Whispers spread instantly.
And.
"The five highest scorers are exempt from the Tag Hunt requirement for the first five months."
Shock.
Envy.
Disbelief.
Tia frowned slightly.
Why not announce everything publicly?
Soon—
the hall emptied.
Leaving only five students.
And Instructor Bantea.
"Ahem."
He cleared his throat.
"You have been granted temporary access to the Elite Quarters."
"Private dormitories."
"Advanced training rooms."
"Reserved dining halls."
"The academy hot springs."
"And restricted facilities unavailable to ordinary students."
A pause.
"But if you fail to collect three hundred tags by year's end—"
"You lose everything."
Silence.
Then—
"Dismissed."
Tia stepped into the now-empty hallway.
Stretching
lightly.
The academy was quiet again.
"Monday…"
Tia exhaled.
"…the real survival begins."