After the mid-years finished, the results came in quickly. The school's advanced AI system assessed the theory marks, streamlining a process that would typically take weeks of reviewing into mere hours. By the very next morning, our scores were ready.
As I entered the classroom, I noticed that the other seven students had already arrived and were seated solemnly. The atmosphere was thick with anxiety; the theory exams had been exceptionally challenging this time, leaving everyone on edge.
Lucifer sat at his desk, his normally confident demeanor replaced by a pensive expression. Ren was muttering to himself, his fingers tapping a rapid, nervous rhythm on the table. Rachel, who usually radiated cheerfulness, stared intently at the floor, her brows furrowed in concentration. Jin leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, his face unreadable but clearly tense.
Cecilia's crimson eyes flickered with a mix of curiosity and concern, while Ian looked pale and exhausted, as if he had spent the entire night worrying about the results. Seraphina maintained her stoic facade, but the slight crease in her brow betrayed her apprehension.
I took my seat, feeling the weight of the collective anxiety pressing down on me. The mid-year exams were a crucial benchmark, a measure of our progress and a determinant of our ranks. The difficulty of the theory exams had pushed us all to our limits, and the uncertainty of our performance added to the tension.
Professor Nero entered the room, his expression neutral, but his eyes held a hint of something—pride, perhaps, or maybe just relief that the ordeal was over.
"Good morning, everyone," he began, his voice cutting through the silence. "I have the results of your mid-year exams."
A collective intake of breath followed his words. Nero's gaze swept across the room, taking in our anxious faces.
"Before I hand out the individual reports, I want to say that this year's exams were exceptionally challenging. You all did your best, and regardless of the results, you should be proud of your efforts."
He started handing out the results through electronic means, prompting all of us to use the Academy-issued tablets.
I took a deep breath and looked down at my report. The numbers and comments blurred for a moment before coming into focus. The theory marks were there, a testament to the grueling hours of study and preparation.
As I expected, my marks had dropped significantly from the mid-terms, but they were still respectable—around an 80% average. I glanced around at my classmates, noting their varied reactions.
Ian and Ren looked as pale as ghosts, their faces etched with anxiety and disappointment. Rachel, usually so vibrant, had her head bowed, her face stoic. However, the subtle twitch at the corners of her mouth betrayed her effort to suppress a smile.
"Did you get perfect scores again?" The words slipped out before I could stop myself.
All eyes zipped to Rachel, and a flash of red spread across her cheeks. She raised her report to hide her face, revealing the unmistakable array of perfect scores.
"Ah ah," she stammered, her voice muffled behind the tablet.
"Tch!" Cecilia clicked her tongue, her crimson eyes flicking to me for a second before returning to her own report. Her expression was a mix of irritation and resignation.
Ren and Ian stared at Rachel as if she were a ghost, their eyes devoid of life. It was as if the sheer perfection of her performance had drained the last of their energy.
Lucifer, on the other hand, wore a soft smile. "Congratulations, Rachel," he said warmly, his tone genuine.
Seraphina remained impassive, her cold gaze fixed on her own results. It was hard to tell what she was thinking, but her expression suggested she was analyzing every detail of her performance.
The reports didn't display our scores but instead provided detailed feedback, breaking down our performance and highlighting areas for improvement. Each report was meticulously crafted, offering insights into our strengths and weaknesses.
We all took some time to read through the feedback thoroughly. The room was filled with the rustle of pages and the occasional murmur of realization as each of us absorbed the information.
Once everyone had finished, Nero cleared his throat, drawing our attention. "Now," he began, "I'm going to announce the new ranks relevant to all of you."
I took a deep breath, feeling a mix of anticipation and nervousness. I carefully placed my tablet back into my spatial ring and straightened up, ready to hear the results.
Nero stood at the front of the room, his expression serious. "These rankings reflect not only your performance in the exams but also your growth and potential. Let's begin."
The room was silent, the tension palpable as we awaited our new ranks.
"Rank 8," Nero called out, "Seraphina Zenith."
Seraphina maintained her stoic expression, though a hint of disappointment flickered in her eyes.
"Rank 7, Cecilia Slatemark."
Cecilia's lips tightened, her competitive spirit clearly ignited as she nodded, accepting her position.
"Rank 6, Ian Viserion."
Ian's face was pale but resolute, his determination shining through as he absorbed his rank.
"Rank 5, Jin Ashbluff."
Jin's calm and collected demeanor remained as he accepted his position with a slight nod.
'So I reached at least Rank 4,' I thought, feeling a surge of excitement. The ranks among Seraphina, Cecilia, Ian, and Jin had remained unchanged since the beginning of the year, as expected.
"Rank 4, Rachel Creighton," Nero announced, causing a slight stir among us.
Rachel's face turned red with pride and surprise, her competitive nature clearly satisfied with her high rank. However, I could tell she felt disappointment at the fact that she was surpassed by me.
"Rank 3, Ren Kagu," Nero continued, this announcement causing a much bigger stir.
Ren's eyes widened in shock, his usual calm demeanor momentarily shattered. He looked over at me with a mix of surprise and desire to win.
"Rank 2, Arthur Nightingale," Nero declared.
A wave of mixed emotions washed over me. Everything was going according to plan.
"Rank 1, Lucifer Winward."
Lucifer's verdant eyes sparkled with confidence as he accepted his rank. Once again, he had proven himself to be the best among us.
Nero looked at us, his expression softening slightly. "Remember, these ranks are not set in stone. They are a reflection of your current abilities and potential. Use this as motivation to strive for improvement. You all have the chance of getting a higher rank at the end of year tournament."
The ranks had all stayed the same, except for me. I had leapfrogged to Rank 2 from the Rank 8 position I held at the start of the year. By the time the mid-terms began, I was likely Rank 6 in terms of ability, but there was no opportunity for rank changes since mid-terms didn't count for that.
Everything went according to plan. I surpassed Ren, just as I had hoped.
'Now only you stand in the way,' I thought, glancing at Lucifer from behind.
"Well, you also need to change seats according to your rank," Nero clapped once, prompting us to adjust our seating arrangements. I moved up front to where Ren was sitting, and everyone shifted one seat back.
Now, I was sitting next to Lucifer.
"Welcome, Arthur," Lucifer greeted me with a grin, extending his fist for a bump. Despite his friendliness, I could feel his confidence radiating off him—confidence that he would win against me, confidence that he would uphold the bet his father made during the New Year's party.
'I'm sorry,' I thought as I turned back to face the front. 'But this will be a repeat of what happened between the Martial King and Arden Winward. I will crush the greatest talent of this generation.'
I must beat Lucifer. It is the only way to motivate him to surpass the version of himself he was in the novel.
The novel's plot has already changed quite a bit. Luna is alive, I acquired her powers, and I've dethroned Ren as Rank 2. Not only that, the demons attacked Mythos Academy, forcing it to close for an entire term.
The stakes were higher than ever, and I was ready for the challenge.