The days seemed to blur together as Riley found himself standing before the imposing gates of the academy. This was no ordinary place of learning; it was a fortress, a bastion where the chosen few, the ascenders, were molded into warriors.
Though new to this part of the city, Riley felt an odd sense of familiarity with the surroundings. He had once lived in this very place, but as a lowly servant relegated to the shadows. Now, as an ascender, he had earned the right to walk through the gates that had once seemed so distant, to enter the inner sanctum where the true students resided—far removed from the servant quarters he had known.
The academy's building loomed high above, a massive structure that dominated the skyline. Its towering walls, built from stone so dark it seemed to absorb the very light around it, rose into the sky like an impenetrable fortress.
Each stone was perfectly cut, seamlessly fitting into the next, giving the building a sense of both ancient permanence and modern precision. The walls were thick, almost oppressive in their scale, and the narrow slits of windows seemed more like the eyes of a watchful giant than mere openings. The few windows that existed were small, barred, and high above the ground, offering only glimpses of the world outside.
The academy's architecture was a blend of old and new, a mix of gothic spires and modern steel reinforcements. Flying buttresses supported the main structure, giving it an otherworldly appearance, as if it were a castle pulled straight from the pages of a fairy tale.
Yet, there was no denying the building's modernity—the steel reinforcements were visible, glinting in the dim light, a reminder that this place was as much a fortress as it was a school. If not for the continuous snowfall that obscured the view, the academy would have been visible from miles away, a constant presence on the horizon, dwarfing even the inner-city gate with its sheer size and grandeur.
The entrance to the academy was flanked by towering statues, each one depicting a legendary ascender from ages past. These stone figures were carved with such detail that they seemed almost alive, their eyes following you as you passed by, their hands gripping their weapons as if ready to spring into action at any moment.
The gate itself was massive, made from wrought iron and adorned with intricate designs that told the story of the academy's founding. The iron bars were thick, capable of withstanding any force, and they creaked ominously as they swung open to admit new students.
He observed several other students walking and chatting on their way to class, while the legacy students—those raised in the clans—moved alone. None of them interacted with the other students, except with people like themselves. The academy was almost bustling with activity.
It was an entrance ceremony day, held to welcome new Ascenders and to identify students with outstanding talent for proper grooming, preparing them for the arrival of the next full moon.
The next full moon would plunge the newly awakened Ascenders into their second Nexus Trial. This was the reason Riley decided to join the academy. The next full moon was just around the corner, and he needed all the protection he could get. According to the information he had learned from the clan, if a group of newly awakened Ascenders faced the same trial, most of them had a better chance of returning alive.
The trial eliminated the weak; it would be survival of the fittest. Riley intended to study as many Ascenders as he could, learn their weaknesses, and use them to his advantage. After all, there was a price to pay for the power they wielded. The price he paid was that people forgot about him; it was as much a blessing as it was a curse.
As far as Riley knew, it was rare for legacy students to make friends, and if they did, it would be with another legacy student from the same clan.
After his observations, Riley proceeded into the academy. He had changed into the uniform and received a key to his room. The key had his room number printed on it and was locked with his soul essence signature, meaning he was the only one who could unlock the door.
Soon enough, he found his room in the dormitory. He received curious glances from most students, while the legacy students ignored him. Riley didn't care about them; as long as he was stronger than them, he was content.
He opened the door to his room, entered, and shut it behind him. He had somehow learned to control his soul essence without the system. It was strange, and he couldn't tell anyone. He didn't want to take the risk of becoming a government test subject.
The room was pristine white, the bed neatly laid out, almost king-sized, and the closet filled with academy uniforms. The room looked opulent but was no different from an ordinary student's room. With nothing else to do, Riley sat on the bed, then laid down and slept.
Tomorrow, the academy will begin its activities. Tomorrow, everything will change. Tomorrow, his life will change.
...
Riley walked into the classroom, which was filled with students—Ascenders like him—chatting and laughing. Some students fawned over the legacy students, flattering them. Riley's white hair fluttered as he entered the room, earning him a few glances from the girls, though none seemed interested in getting to know him.
Unfazed by the stares, Riley calmly walked to the back of the classroom and took a seat beside the window. He rested his head on his hand, gazing out at the expansive, carefully trimmed garden.
The garden reminded him of the Raven household, but then Riley thought again. "Huh? It's the same garden," he muttered.
The garden in the academy had the same style as the one in his first trial. From his position, it felt as if he were looking at the garden from the top of the manor where he had signed the document to call off the engagement with the princess.
As Riley continued to observe his surroundings, he started to notice something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was. Although he was new to the academy, he was certain that something was amiss.
"Good morning, class!" A stern woman entered the room. She was exceptionally beautiful, with golden-brown hair styled in a ponytail. She wore a short, tight black skirt and a white shirt, her figure excessively seductive.
Most of the male students felt their hearts race. Her expression was indifferent as she glanced at everyone in the classroom.
"I am your combat instructor, and you can call me Miss Alana."
She paused. "The world does not need scholars. What the world needs now are warriors—warriors who can face the Nexus Creatures and protect humanity. In case you don't know, we already lost South American to the Nexus Creatures. They now populate all of South America."
"South America was the most recent loss. North America has also fallen. Let those with non-offensive abilities deal with history and commerce. We, as warriors, study Nexus Creatures and the best ways to kill them."
The classroom filled with murmurs.
Alana glanced at them with indifference, and suddenly, a tremendous pressure descended on the room. All the students found it hard to breathe; most fainted immediately, including Riley. Some of the legacy students withstood the sudden pressure, though they bled from their noses.
"As expected of legacy students," Alana complimented with a nod.
Almost immediately, the pressure was lifted. Riley woke up, his eyes wide with fear and confusion. He had thought they were under attack but was surprised to see most of the students slumped over their desks, some bleeding, yet no attacker was in sight.
"Oh, that's surprising."
Riley looked forward. Alana was staring directly at him, and he felt his heart skip a beat. She was too beautiful for any man not to feel something. Although his mind was in chaos, his expression remained cold and indifferent. His chaotic thoughts kept him from replying.
"It took you 30 seconds," she said.
"Thirty seconds of what?"
Alana didn't answer. She noted his name in a notebook, then glanced at him again. She said, "Riley Ross, you're the sixth on the list. Your willpower is impressive."
Riley was taken aback. She knew his name, but then he figured Hayley had probably informed her that some random kid from the alley had miraculously awakened.
Alana clapped three times, and the students who had fainted woke up groggily. Some blinked a few times, disoriented, while others quickly regained their composure.
"Change into your combat suits. Practice begins at ten," she announced.
Riley was surprised. Things weren't going as he had expected. He couldn't believe the first lesson taught in the academy would be combat. Yet it was to be expected, given that some continents had already fallen to the Nexus Creatures.
He started changing into his combat suit, donning a black, form-fitting overall and combat boots. He glanced at his reflection in the mirror. Though he looked lean, he was fit, his muscles and abs seemingly carved from obsidian.
"It sure feels good to be an Ascender," he murmured as he flexed his muscles. After a moment of admiring his reflection, he left the room and followed the map given to him to the combat ground.
He started to wonder how he would get Nexus Items for the second trial, after all he didn't come from a clan, so he had no weapon that he could use.
And he was pretty sure the academy would not waste their resources on an outskirt kid like him, they would probably think he would die in the second Trial. However Riley wasn't ready to die yet. And then an idea struck him...
He had a perfect scapegoat he can use to get free Nexus Items.
Riley chuckled as he began to formulate a plan in his mind. He arrived on the training field, and quickly cleared his mind.
Alana was standing in a military stance, her hands behind her back. She was also wearing her combat suit, which enhanced her beauty and accentuated her curves.
Riley smirked, doubting that any of them would learn much today. Instead of choosing a weapon, he was busy scrutinizing Alana's body. He studied her movements as she walked and carried herself. A sword floated into her hands, while the rest floated to each student present.
Riley took his sword from the air, but his gaze remained fixed on her. He was certain he had seen her somewhere before entering the academy, and then his eyes widened in realization.
"She killed me!"