Holy crap. They had shared a dorm with him for a year, knowing him only as the "Gold Medal Delivery Guy" for Rainbow Pizza. It made sense now—if anyone were the Principal, they'd move a student like Leo from Journalism to Mecha in a heartbeat.
But wait. Why would he have applied for Journalism in the first place?
The realization hit Nina, too. She suspected that whatever mistake Leo had made must have been severe enough that Principal Long wanted to utilize his skills while remaining wary of his past.
As the others spun complex theories in their heads, looking at Leo with newfound gravity and confusion, the man himself just shrugged. "What's with the faces? You're looking at me like I'm a stranger. I just got lucky with the selection back then. Later on, I got into a scrap with some Moon types and things went south. It was ages ago; they've forgotten all about me by now."
That had been the single most massive headache of a mission Bleem had ever assigned him. He still didn't truly understand what Bleem's endgame was—ordering him to make a move right in the middle of the Youth Class. Fortunately, he'd managed to seize a one-in-a-million opening.
Leo's tone was casual, but his audience couldn't relax so easily. Years ago, the Moon had spearheaded the "Revelation" project, providing the venue and all the funding. The four major federations had hand-picked their finest youth for the program, the specifics of which remained classified. Out of over five thousand candidates from across the Solar System Alliance, only about six hundred made the final cut. The washout rate was brutal—even those who failed were top-tier talents in their respective fields. The fact that Leo had not only been selected but had stayed meant he was elite among elites.
Marlon licked his lips, feeling a bit parched. "What was your specialty when you got in?"
"I think it was Starships and Mecha," Leo said around a mouthful of steak, surreptitiously snagging a piece from Zack's plate.
This time, the table fell into a stunned silence. With that pedigree, there was no way Leo was bottom-of-the-barrel material.
"Heh, everyone's here. Saves me the trouble of looking for you." A hearty voice rang out. A group had gathered near their table without them noticing. "Nina, I want to talk."
Gavin Falk. Captain of the Tianjing Representative Team and a senior in the Mecha Combat department. Before the last competition, his future had looked golden, but the team's poor overall performance had dealt him a heavy blow. This year was his shot at redemption.
"Gavin, if you have something to say, say it here," Nina replied. She had quit the team after the last tournament; her philosophy and Gavin's were fundamentally different.
Gavin faltered for a second but kept his voice smooth. "Nina, what I want to discuss is important. It concerns the future of Tianjing."
"Gavin, it'd be a miracle if you didn't ruin Tianjing's future yourself," Marlon interjected bluntly. "That S-tier performance was a joke—you guys were cowering like dogs. If I were you, I would've dropped out by now." Gavin was a romantic rival who had once vied for Sienna's affections. Once she'd learned of Gavin's playboy track record, she had decisively chosen Marlon. Over the past year, Gavin had used his position as Student Council President to trip Marlon up at every turn—like sabotaging the Photography Club until Marlon was forced to scramble for new members just to keep the club from being disbanded.
"Watch your mouth, Marlon. Didn't I beat you enough last time?" Jason sneered, his eyes drifting toward Noctis.
Noctis ignored him, focused on her food. Being new, she was blissfully unaware of the local drama.
"Jason, if you want a fight, I'm right here," Wyatt said, standing up. His voice was low and dangerous.
Jason flinched internally. "Small Cannon" Wyatt had made a name for himself in the Mecha department over the last year—he was fierce, fast, and fought like he had nothing to lose.
"Wyatt, stay out of this. Marlon, if you're a man, come settle this one-on-one," Jason blustered, his bravado clearly forced.
"One-on-one? In what, a beauty pageant? You'd need plastic surgery for that—even gene editing couldn't fix you."
Gavin noticed Noctis and held back an exploding Jason. He knew she was the prized recruit the Principal had fought for. He offered a practiced smile. "You must be Noctis. I'd like you to join my team. Together, we can build the strongest squad Tianjing has ever seen. Nina, last time there were some mistakes, but our arguments were just teammate friction. I hope you'll reconsider. This year, we can clear our names."
As a senior, Gavin wasn't easily baited. He wanted to break into the USE rankings, and he knew Noctis, Nina, and Wyatt were the key pieces he needed.
Noctis finished a piece of beef, wiped her lips, and suddenly turned to Leo. "Leo, which team do you think I should join?"
...
Gavin and his entourage turned their gaze toward the "nobody" at the table. Leo? Who even was this guy at Tianjing Academy?
"That's up to you," Leo replied. "But if you're asking me, the Class Rep's team is probably a better fit."
"Fine. I'll do what you say," Noctis said nonchalantly.
Gavin frowned. Where did this guy come from, and why was Noctis taking orders from him? "Leo, you can join my team along with Noctis. You should realize what an honor this is—it'll be a massive help to your career after graduation. If Noctis joins, I can make an exception for you."
Before Leo could speak, Marlon burst out laughing. "The nerve on this guy! An 'honor' to join your pathetic team? Do you even know who Leo is? He was a member of the Solar System Revelation Youth Class. A full-fledged member!"
Gavin's group stood frozen. Jason was the first to break the silence with a bark of laughter. "Him? Please. If he's from the Youth Class, I'm the Speaker of the Solar System Alliance. Get real. Boss, don't waste your time with these losers."
"He is from the Youth Class. But you aren't," Noctis said, looking at Jason like he was an idiot.
The cafeteria went dead quiet. The "Revelation" tag was attached to almost every rising powerhouse in the Solar System right now. Was there really one hiding right here at Tianjing Academy?
While Marlon might be dismissed, Noctis carried weight. Her word was gold.
Gavin gave Leo a long, hard look. "We're leaving."
They retreated quickly. The reputation of the Youth Class was simply too oppressive. Until he had done his research, even someone as arrogant as Gavin didn't dare push his luck.
"Guys, come on. Don't do me like that," Leo said helplessly. "That's ancient history. You're going to give people the wrong idea."
"Leo, seriously, what happened?" Marlon whispered once the coast was clear. It was the question on everyone's mind. "How does a titan from the Youth Class end up... like this?"
"Like I said, old news. I got into a fight, broke some rules, and got disciplined. Let's leave it at that. I'm fine where I am. Class Rep, I won't hold the team back, but my free time really is limited," Leo said with a grin.
Noctis watched Leo closely. The true details of that "accident" had been suppressed, known only to a select few. She happened to be one of them. In a way, she had been a participant.
"Captain, leave Leo to me," Noctis volunteered to Nina. "Don't worry, I'll make sure he gets back to where he belongs. I look forward to working with you all."
Leo nodded. Noctis... He didn't remember that surname being in the program. It was a unique name, and she was from the USE; there was no reason he wouldn't have known her. Strange.
By the end of the meal, the rumor had already begun to spread: Tianjing Academy was housing a fallen legend from the Youth Class.
Despite the excitement, the new semester meant Nina and Noctis were swamped with administrative tasks, Wyatt headed for his iron-clad daily training routine, and Marlon and Sienna disappeared to enjoy their reunion.
Leo was busy, too.
"Leo! Two seafood pizzas for District 96, five Orleans chicken pizzas for the dorms. Move it! You're my ace!"
"Copy that, Boss! Gold Medal 567 on the job, heading out now!"
Leo was already geared up. As the pizzas came out of the oven, he expertly boxed them and donned his helmet. Waiting at the door was a battered, second-hand electric scooter.
"Boss, when are we upgrading this thing?" The delivery bike was ancient and prone to cutting out.
"When you're the boss. Now get lost!" the bald shop owner barked, waving a spatula.
"You got it, Boss."
Leo sped off into the night. He hadn't been lying to Nina—he really was just a hardworking guy trying to make a living.