As Levi stepped out of the helicopter, the crowd of students instantly turned their heads, all eyes on him. The blades of the helicopter whipped the air, creating a loud hum as it lifted off from the landing pad. Within seconds, the excited chatter of the students began to rise.
Helicopters were a rare sight for many here—only nobles typically arrived in them. Commoners, on the other hand, rarely experienced such luxuries in their everyday lives. But for these students, it was a taste of their future. Once they became Drifters, they'd see plenty of them on their missions. Still, the sight of Levi, calm and composed as he descended, left an impression.
As Levi walked through the crowd of students, the chatter became big like every person is talking to one another. The thing about these comments are bad, these comments are bad because he didn't ever go out of the house and didn't attend any parties that happened between children and this caused the rumors about how introverted the D clan's future heir Levi D. Tempest was.
As Levi walked through the crowd, the murmurs grew louder, almost like a wave passing through the students. He could hear fragments of conversation, whispers cutting through the general buzz.
"Isn't that Levi D. Tempest?" one student asked in a hushed voice.
"Yeah, the D clan's heir. Never seen him at any of the gatherings," another replied.
"I heard he never leaves the house. What a weirdo," someone muttered, just loud enough to be heard.
"He probably thinks he's too good for everyone," a voice chimed in from the back.
Levi kept moving, he didn't give a fu*k about the chatter only a normal mc would pay attention to that chatter and get into a fight.
Levi walked past the crowd and soon reached the gates of Purple Lock Academy. The gates themselves were tall, made of a dark, polished metal, with intricate patterns woven into the bars. At the center, a large emblem of the academy—a stylized lock surrounded by violet-colored vines—gleamed under the sunlight. The gates were imposing, but not overly grand; they had a certain elegance, understated yet clearly significant.
Beyond the gates, the academy grounds opened up into a wide courtyard lined with stone paths. The buildings of Purple Lock were a mix of old and new, with towering spires and modern structures blending seamlessly. The main building, visible from where Levi stood, had high-arched windows and deep purple accents that matched the name. Ivy crawled up the sides of some older stone walls, giving the place a sense of history. Around the courtyard, tall trees, their leaves tinged with purple hues, swayed lightly in the wind.
Students moved in small groups, some rushing between buildings, others lingering in conversation, their voices creating a steady hum that filled the space. At the far end, near the central building, was the entrance exam area Levi needed to reach.
Even though the students were divided into different academies, the selection process relied heavily on their achievements. For commoners, the journey began early. From ages 5 to 10, they attended preliminary academies where their progress was carefully monitored. These early years were crucial, as the speed at which they improved would determine their future placement. The best-performing students, ranked from 1st to 100th, earned a place in prestigious academies like Purple Lock. Only the top few ever made it that far.
For nobles, the path was different. They were taught by private tutors from an early age, learning the basics in the comfort of their homes. Their education was tailored, and they had the advantage of personalized instruction without the need for the common academies. Commoners, by contrast, had to compete early on and prove themselves through these structured assessments, with no such luxury.
This divide was often a point of tension, as the commoners had to work their way up, while nobles already had a head start before even stepping foot in places like Purple Lock.
Even for nobles, the academy placement wasn't always guaranteed. Most noble children, despite their private tutoring, were randomly assigned to different academies once they reached the age to attend. However, there was one exception—children from the top four clans had a direct path to Purple Lock without the randomness of selection.
Their status and lineage granted them entry to the most prestigious academy, bypassing the process that others, even fellow nobles, had to face. This distinction set the top clans apart even further from the rest, adding another layer to the already competitive environment.
The entrance test at Purple Lock wasn't just about admission—it established the ranks that would define the students' status within the academy. These ranks weren't just a matter of personal pride; they shaped how students interacted with each other. If a noble ended up ranked lower than a commoner, they could face ridicule from their peers, seen as a shame to their noble lineage. However, not all responded to the ranking system with bitterness. Some saw it as motivation, using the competition to fuel their ambition to climb higher in future tests.
The test also highlighted the divide between commoners and nobles. It was structured in a way that often brought this difference to the surface, showing the nobles their perceived superiority while pushing commoners to prove their worth. As a result, nobles frequently banded together to form groups, not just for the sake of camaraderie, but to prepare for future competitions where they would face off against other noble groups. This rivalry between noble factions was a separate event, this will be explained later in the upcoming chapters.
There will be a lot of tests every year from more than 20 to a maximum of 40. Some are theory tests and some are practical combat tests.
Though Levi was confident he could easily win the tests and claim the rank 1 spot, he had to limit himself for now. His elemental skills were sealed until he finished the tower, leaving him with only the strength path skills to rely on. But that was enough for now. He knew he had the power to overwhelm anyone at this academy, possibly even destroy the whole place if he wanted. Yet, showing off wasn't part of his plan.
There were hidden dangers among these students—those connected to the gods Lyra had spoken of in her mind. It was risky to reveal too much too soon and he is nowhere near the power to fight the Gods. Levi had been careful, always aware that even though he held great power, others in this world had secrets of their own. But there was something else that nagged at him. Ever since arriving in this world, he had only encountered the female lead, the supposed "Main character" of this story. Strangely, the male lead hadn't appeared yet.