The courtyard didn't calm down for a long time.
Whispers followed Kael everywhere as the instructors gathered at the front, speaking in low, serious tones. Students stood in clusters, glancing at him, some with curiosity… others with clear hostility.
Kael ignored them.
His focus was on one thing.
His power.
He could still feel it lingering inside him—quiet now, but alive. Watching. Waiting.
It wasn't like the others.
It didn't feel like something he controlled.
It felt like something that chose him.
"Hey."
Kael turned. Luna stood beside him again, arms folded, her expression calm but thoughtful.
"You held back," she said.
Kael frowned. "What do you mean?"
"You could've done more," she replied. "I saw it. That wasn't your limit."
Kael didn't answer.
Because she was right.
And that bothered him.
Before he could respond, a loud voice echoed across the courtyard.
"All students, listen carefully!"
The head instructor stepped forward, his sharp gaze sweeping across the crowd.
"Your initial rankings have been decided."
A large glowing screen appeared behind him, names beginning to form in bright letters.
"This ranking determines your resources, training access, and… survival priority."
A heavy silence fell.
Everyone understood what that meant.
Higher rank = better chances to live.
Lower rank…
Kael narrowed his eyes.
Names started appearing.
"S-Rank… A-Rank… B-Rank…"
Gasps broke out as students saw their placements. Some smiled proudly, others clenched their fists in frustration.
Drex stepped forward slightly, eyes scanning the list.
Then—
"A-Rank: Drex Hollow."
A grin spread across his face.
"Tch. Of course," he muttered, clearly satisfied.
He glanced back at Kael, smirking. "Let's see where you end up."
Kael didn't react.
His name hadn't appeared yet.
The list continued.
"C-Rank… D-Rank…"
Still nothing.
Then finally—
"F-Rank…"
Kael's name appeared.
F-Rank: Kael Varyn
Silence.
Then—
Laughter.
"F-Rank?!"
"No way! That guy?!"
"After that performance?!"
The courtyard erupted into confusion.
Kael stood still.
Unmoving.
Unblinking.
F-Rank.
The lowest.
The weakest.
"…What?" Drex's smirk faded, replaced by disbelief. "That doesn't make sense."
Even Luna's expression shifted slightly. "…Impossible."
Kael stared at the screen.
F-Rank.
For a moment, something inside him snapped.
A cold feeling spread through his chest.
Not anger.
Not sadness.
Something darker.
They're underestimating you.
The voice wasn't real.
But he felt it.
Deep inside.
Watching.
Waiting.
Kael slowly exhaled.
"…Fine," he muttered.
If that's what they thought of him—
He would use it.
The instructor raised his hand, silencing the crowd.
"Your rank is not based only on raw power," he said coldly. "Control, stability, and predictability are equally important."
His gaze shifted slightly toward Kael.
"Unstable abilities are dangerous. Not just to enemies… but to allies."
Murmurs spread again.
Kael understood immediately.
They don't trust my power.
Good.
That meant they wouldn't see him coming.
"From today onward," the instructor continued, "you will train according to your rank. Higher ranks receive better instructors, better facilities, and priority missions."
"And lower ranks…" he paused.
"…will have to fight for survival."
A chill ran through the courtyard.
Kael's eyes darkened slightly.
Fight for survival…
That sounded familiar.
He had been doing that his entire life.
Later That Day
The F-Rank training zone was nothing like the main academy.
Broken equipment.
Cracked floors.
Barely any supervision.
It looked more like a place people were sent to be forgotten.
Kael stood in the center, looking around silently.
"So this is it…" he muttered.
A group of students nearby glanced at him nervously but kept their distance.
None of them wanted trouble.
Especially not with someone like him.
Kael stepped forward, raising his hand slightly.
Dark energy flickered faintly around his fingers.
Controlled.
Calm.
Different from before.
"I need to understand this…" he whispered.
He focused.
Slowly, he released a small amount of power.
It moved like smoke.
Like something alive.
He aimed at a broken target—
—and struck.
The moment the energy made contact, it didn't just destroy.
It absorbed.
The fragments of the target seemed to fade, their energy pulling into Kael's core.
His eyes widened slightly.
"…So that's how it works."
Not just attack.
Not just power.
Absorption.
Growth.
Endless growth.
A slow smile spread across his face.
"F-Rank, huh…"
He clenched his fist.
Dark energy wrapped around it like a silent storm.
"Let them think I'm weak."
Behind him, unseen—
A faint ripple of energy pulsed from his body.
Watching.
Waiting.
Something had begun to awaken.
At the Edge of the Training Grounds
Drex stood in the shadows, watching.
His fists burned with faint flames.
"…F-Rank?" he muttered.
His eyes narrowed.
"No… that's wrong."
His gaze locked onto Kael.
"I'll prove it."