Chapter 4 – The Elite
The academy grounds were packed with thousands of students.
At the center stood the Origin Stone, a giant crystal taller than a man. Every student had gathered for the Second Ceremony.
Today was the day their future would be measured.
One by one, students stepped forward and placed their hands upon the stone.
The crystal glowed brightly.
---
[Class: Flame Swordsman]
[Level: 11]
---
Cheers erupted.
Another student stepped forward.
---
[Class: Wind Archer]
[Level: 13]
---
The crowd applauded again.
Some students celebrated.
Some looked disappointed.
Others silently prayed for a better result.
Meanwhile, Rayan stood quietly near the back.
Sketch peeked from inside his coat.
"Master, everyone looks nervous."
"Because they think a number decides their future."
"Doesn't it?"
Rayan smiled.
"Only if you let it."
Around them, students were busy talking.
Some were discussing their future ranks.
Some were showing off.
Some were making ridiculous jokes.
"One day I'll marry Lucy!"
"Sure you will."
"She'll probably freeze you before the wedding."
The group burst into laughter.
Nearby, a few students noticed Rayan.
"The Inverter is here."
"What for?"
"Maybe he's looking for buried treasure."
"Nah, he's probably searching for loose coins so he can buy a Mana Bank."
More laughter followed.
Rayan ignored them.
He had experienced far worse.
---
Suddenly, the principal stepped onto the stage.
His voice echoed across the grounds.
"Students."
The entire academy fell silent.
"Today, before we continue the ceremony..."
A small smile appeared on his face.
"...it is time to welcome the heroes of our academy."
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then he spoke two words.
"The Elite."
Instantly, the atmosphere changed.
Thousands of students turned toward the academy gate.
Even the teachers looked serious.
Rayan raised an eyebrow.
"Who are they?"
A student nearby looked shocked.
"You don't know?"
"No."
The student pointed toward the gate.
"Every year, academy students are sent into training dungeons."
"Their performance is recorded."
"Kills. Discoveries. Leadership. Survival."
"Everything."
His eyes sparkled with admiration.
"The highest scoring students become members of The Elite."
He lowered his voice.
"The current First Rank scored 1,266,778 points."
Gasps spread through the crowd.
"The Second Rank scored 356,789."
"The Third Rank scored 294,612."
"The Fourth Rank scored 251,404."
"The Fifth Rank scored 239,870."
Rayan frowned.
"That's a ridiculous gap."
The student nodded.
"Exactly."
"People say First Rank isn't even human anymore."
---
BOOOOM.
The academy gates slowly opened.
The Elite had arrived.
Arc.
The Golden Sword King.
S-Class.
The academy's strongest student.
Beside him walked Miro, the Ice Mage.
Then came Nami, the Shield Warrior.
Redo, whose class remained unknown.
And finally Mona, the shy S-Class Healer.
The crowd erupted into cheers.
---
The ceremony continued.
Student after student received their results.
Finally—
"Roll Number 731."
"Rayan."
The crowd immediately began whispering.
"The Inverter."
"This should be interesting."
Rayan calmly began walking toward the stage.
Then—
A foot suddenly extended into his path.
A student smirked.
Rayan's balance shifted.
The crowd laughed.
But before he could fall—
A hand caught his shoulder.
Firm.
Steady.
Rayan looked up.
Arc.
"You alright?"
For a moment, the crowd fell silent.
Rayan nodded.
"I'm fine."
Arc smiled and stepped back.
"Good."
---
Rayan finally reached the Origin Stone.
The giant crystal shimmered.
He slowly placed his hand against its surface.
The moment he made contact—
Everything changed.
The brilliant colors inside the stone vanished.
Completely.
The crystal turned colorless.
Silence spread across the academy.
"What happened?"
"Why did the light disappear?"
Even the teachers looked confused.
Inside the stone, Rayan felt something moving.
Mana.
An ocean of mana.
His Artist memories reacted instinctively.
His mind reached toward the flow.
The mana rushed toward him.
But at the same time—
The Origin Stone began pulling something from him.
Harder.
Stronger.
The world disappeared.
---
A battlefield appeared before his eyes.
A dead world.
A broken sky.
Mountains reduced to ash.
Countless weapons scattered across endless fields of corpses.
No life remained.
Only silence.
Only death.
Then—
He saw someone.
A man.
Running.
Carrying another figure in his arms.
The man's face remained hidden.
He was desperately trying to escape.
Suddenly—
A terrifying presence descended from the sky.
A shadow.
An attack.
A flash of light.
The battlefield shattered.
---
Rayan's eyes snapped open.
The academy returned.
His breathing was heavy.
Nobody seemed to have noticed the vision.
But Sketch had.
A blue screen appeared before his eyes.
---
[Emergency Mission Received]
[Protect the Origin Stones]
Mission Rank: Unknown
Failure Condition: Catastrophic
---
For the first time since awakening...
The System sounded afraid.
---
[Warning]
[Threat Detected]
[Origin Stones Have Been Targeted]
---
And somewhere far away...
Something ancient opened its eyes.
To be continued.....