The Central Dining Hall was as lively as ever—students laughing, the clang of metal trays, the hum of chatter filling the air.
After a day of grueling combat technique training, the last thing I wanted was drama.
All I craved was a hot meal and a few minutes of peace to unwind. But, of course, that never seemed to happen when I needed it most.
I swiped my Cosmic Node, activating a teleportation surge to the hall. I hadn't expected much—just the usual chaos, a warm meal, and maybe some peace and quiet.
That wasn't too much to ask for, right?
As soon as I stepped into the hall, I noticed the atmosphere was different. It felt… tense. Like everyone was waiting for something to happen.
Maybe it was just me, but I couldn't shake the feeling that the calm energy of the room was about to break.
I drifted to one of the floating holographic menus, my gaze scanning through the options without much thought. Tonight, I wasn't in the mood for anything too complicated.
Roasted cosmic chicken with star-fruits, I decided. Simple. Safe. The kind of meal I could devour without thinking about it.
I didn't bother to use my precious ARA points, though. Those were for academic progression, after all. Instead, I tapped into my Cosmic Points. After all, why waste something more valuable for dinner?
A small plastic card ejected from the kiosk with strange barcodes and glowing rune symbols etched into it.
I grabbed it and walked to the food collection counter, where a scanner blinked as I slid the card through. Moments later, a tray of hot food appeared, the steam rising and carrying the rich aroma of my chosen dish.
"Convenient," I muttered to myself, impressed despite myself. The system here was flawless, designed to get thousands of students their meals without the slightest hiccup.
Efficient. Streamlined. A little impersonal, maybe, but it worked.
My stomach growled as I grabbed a serving of roasted meat and vegetables, heading toward an empty table.
But just as I was about to sit down, a group of students blocked my way.
My heart sank. I didn't have the energy for this.
One of them, a tall guy with striking red hair that seemed to be on fire, smirked at me. "Well, well. Looks like the new kid's here," he said, his voice smooth but dripping with arrogance.
I didn't say anything at first, eyeing him carefully. The name Elik floated into my mind, and a quick glance around confirmed the whispers I'd overheard earlier.
Elik was one of Sabik-El Ophiuchus Royals, part of the academy's advanced student, and from the way he was looking at me, I could tell this was going to be another case of someone trying to assert their dominance.
"Can I help you?" I asked, keeping my tone flat, but it was clear he was about to make things difficult.
"Oh, I think you can," he replied with that same cocky grin. "You're gonna buy lunch for my squad, right?"
I raised an eyebrow, half-expecting him to burst out laughing. "Excuse me?"
Elik leaned in closer, his smirk widening. "I said," he repeated, dragging the words out slowly like I was some kind of idiot, "you're gonna buy lunch for us. It's a tradition, you know? Newbies buy meals for the seniors. You can consider it your initiation into the real academy."
I bit back a sigh, irritation bubbling inside me. I'd heard enough about these so-called 'initiations,' and it wasn't something I was in the mood for. "So you're telling me, you want me to buy your squad lunch?"
He nodded, unbothered. "That's the deal. My captain's hungry. What, don't you know how it works?"
I felt the anger rising, but I kept my voice calm. "Yeah, I get it. You want me to buy you food. But here's the thing, Elik," I said, stepping forward so we were toe-to-toe, "I'm not your errand boy, and I don't need to prove anything to you."
For a second, Elik's smirk faltered, but it was gone before I could even savor the moment. He didn't like being talked back to. And then I heard it—the sound of laughter coming from the other side of the room.
I didn't need to look up to know what was happening. Elik weren't the only ones with power here.
Before Elik could snap back at me, the sound of someone clearing their throat broke through the tension.
"Elik. Stand down."
I didn't even need to turn around to know who had spoken. The voice was as calm as ice, and it was unmistakable. Their captain, the one everyone feared, stood behind me.
His posture was perfect—like a king surveying his kingdom. His dark brown hair was slicked back, and his eyes gleamed with that cold, calculating look I had come to associate with the truly dangerous.
I didn't even flinch as he walked toward me.
"You must be new," the captain said, his eyes scanning me with interest, "unaware of how things work. But maybe we can help you out." He paused, letting the silence stretch for a beat before he continued, "You should show some respect to your seniors, especially when you know who they are."
I took a deep breath, trying to maintain my cool, though everything in me screamed to tell him where to shove his 'respect.' Instead, I gave him a flat look. "And why would I do that?"
He smirked. "Because we're one of the Sabik-El Ophiuchus Royals. We're one of the best. And you're lucky enough to be in our presence."
A few nearby students overheard and quickly exchanged knowing glances, but I wasn't fazed. There was something about the way he spoke—like he thought his status alone could control the room.
The worst part? He wasn't wrong. People were starting to whisper, eyes flicking back to us as if waiting for me to cower.
But just as I was about to respond with something suitably sarcastic, a loud voice cut through the tension.
"Hey, is that Avant?"
I looked up in surprise. There they were. Kairos, Aira, and Xander—Squad 13—striding into the hall like they owned the place. And judging by the way everyone went silent at their entrance, they pretty much did.
My stomach dropped. I hadn't expected them to show up, certainly not at a moment like this.
Xander was the first to spot me. "There he is!" he shouted, waving exaggeratedly. "Avant, our fourth member!"
The entire dining hall froze. Elik's smug expression faltered, and the Sabik-El Ophiuchus Royals' captain's lips twitched as though trying to keep his cool. But it was no use—Squad 13 had arrived, and the power dynamic in the room had just shifted.
I sighed under my breath, hoping this wouldn't get out of hand. But Xander, as usual, wasn't one to hold back.
"Yo, you guys know the tradition, right?" Xander called out with a grin, his voice carrying across the hall. "Newbies buy their seniors lunch. So, you red hair dude, how about you treat us? We've been waiting all day."
Elik and the squad were now trapped in their own game. They couldn't back down without losing face, and everyone in the hall could see it.
There was a moment of stunned silence before the Sabik-EL Ophichus Royals started scrambling, clearly unprepared for the situation. The captain tried to save face, but the words came out strangled.
"W-wait, Squad 13 isn't supposed to be in this hall!" he stammered, looking around at the students who were now openly laughing at his expense.
Kairos raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying every second of this. "Oh? And why is that? You think we're too good for the commoners?"
The advanced squad captain couldn't do anything but stammer in defeat. The very essence of their pride was being chipped away by a single squad.
I looked at Kairos, who was smirking like the devil himself, and muttered, "You couldn't have waited five more minutes to make a scene?"
Kairos shrugged, as if he couldn't care less. "You know us. We just wanted to show some love to our newest member."
Aira chuckled lightly, clearly enjoying the spectacle. "They didn't seem too fond of you, Avant. But don't worry, they'll learn."
I couldn't help but feel a little relief. Having Squad 13 step in wasn't exactly how I imagined the day would go, but at least Elik and his crew were getting a taste of their own medicine.
But there was a cold knot of unease forming in my gut. This was only the beginning.
The challenges, the political games, the attention—it was all piling on. And if Squad 13 was going to be my shield from the fire, then I had a feeling I'd need more than a few meals to survive what was coming next.