The new students were gathered in a separate area, each with a different expression—some were nervous and anxious, while others looked proud and aloof. The atmosphere was strangely silent, as if held together by an eerie balance.
Until one figure appeared. A wave of murmurs spread through the crowd—some mocking silently, while others laughed out loud.
Austin remained as calm as ever, as though the "useless waste" they were all talking about wasn't him. The students grew angry seeing him so composed.
Why? They had to endure trials, overcoming harsh competition just to stand here, while Austin didn't have to do anything and had what they had worked so hard for.
Was it simply because his father had money and power?
Austin paid no attention to the envious, hateful gazes around him.
After all, he had already lived one lifetime, and it would be beneath him to quarrel with these kids now. But just because he didn't care didn't mean others would let him be.
Ciel Cross, the son of the Cross family's great elder.
Unlike Adonis, Ciel's father, Stall Cross, wasn't exactly a model family man—he had multiple wives and a string of mistresses. Although Ciel was the legitimate son, his talent was only mediocre.
Compared to his more accomplished half-brother, he wasn't particularly outstanding, not to mention the countless illegitimate children who constantly vied for his status.
The only comfort Ciel had within the family was Austin. Since Austin was a "waste," no matter how useless Ciel was, there was still someone worse off than him.
Ciel walked up to Austin, looking down at him from above and sneering, "Getting in here must've cost your father quite a bit of effort, huh?"
Austin slowly raised his head. His body was still too small, underdeveloped, and at the moment, he was even shorter than a pest like Ciel.
But that didn't stop his sharp tongue. "You're too kind, dear brother. No matter how much my father spent, it surely wasn't more than what the great elder has had to shell out."
The surrounding students burst into laughter. Whether they were mocking Ciel or Austin didn't matter—Ciel felt his dignity being trampled. His face turned red as he glared at Austin.
Then he smiled cruelly and said, "You, a useless piece of trash, want to attend the Royal Academy? I suggest you tuck your tail between your legs and go home to hide under your mother's skirt. Oh wait, you don't even have a mother, do you? Hahaha…"
Ciel laughed maniacally, and some others around them couldn't help but snicker, whispering to each other. Suddenly, the entire place fell into silence. All eyes were on Ciel, who was now being choked by Austin's hand.
The large, bulky Ciel was now being forced to his knees on the ground by Austin's slender arms. Austin's aura had shifted, becoming cold and terrifying.
His gaze was that of someone who had bathed in blood and witnessed countless deaths, like a divine sword that hadn't even been drawn, yet still struck fear into everyone.
In that instant, facing Austin, Ciel felt his legs go weak, unable to move. His throat was squeezed tight, and he couldn't breathe—his face flushed red.
He could feel the icy and unmistakable killing intent. There was no doubt—Austin truly wanted to kill him! What was happening? Could this really be the same waste he had always known?
Just as Ciel was about to cry out in terror, Austin released him. Ciel collapsed to the ground, deep marks from Austin's fingers embedded in his neck.
It was clear that had Austin applied just a bit more pressure, Ciel's life would've ended right then and there.
Austin took a cloth from his pocket and leisurely wiped his fingers, as if he had just touched something filthy.
He looked down at Ciel, who was still lying on the ground in shock, and smiled, saying, "I'm sorry, big brother, but I don't think I can go hide under my mother's skirt. Like you said, I don't have a mother…"
He paused, as though lost in thought for a moment. After a brief silence, he smiled and said, "How about this? Let's make a bet. If I come out on top in this assessment, you'll roll out of the academy. If I don't, my life is yours. What do you think?"
He casually used the term "big brother," but his eyes were full of mockery and disdain. Ciel was infuriated, unable to believe that Austin could ever rank first in the assessment.
The earlier incident was brushed off as a coincidence, and Ciel's opinion of Austin hadn't changed. Furthermore, Austin was wagering his life, while Ciel would only have to leave the Royal Academy.
It was a favorable deal for him. If he backed out now, he'd be the laughingstock of Imperial City! Losing to a "waste"? Never!
Ciel struggled to his feet, sneering at Austin, "You truly don't know your place. Just don't come crying and begging to me when the time comes."
Austin continued to smile at Ciel and said slowly, "Those who break their word will face the consequences."
Ciel shouted, "A waste is still a waste. You'll never beat me!"
He yelled, though it was unclear if he was mocking Austin or trying to boost his own confidence.
Austin merely smiled, then turned and walked away.
The feeling of striking at a soft target left Ciel even more furious, and he ended up venting his anger on a few lesser family lackeys who served the Cross family.
Just then, the cold, mechanical voice of a machine echoed throughout the square: "Welcome, new students. You will now begin the entrance assessment for the Royal Academy. Here are the rules and the scoring system..."
The robotic voice began explaining, and everything was exactly as Austin remembered from his past life. During the assessment, students could compete but were not allowed to kill each other.
If a student's health dropped below 40%, they would be removed from the assessment zone. The more magical beasts a student killed and the more rare herbs and artifacts they collected, the higher their score would be.
Each student was given a personal system in the form of a wristband. Scores would be tallied and displayed on a large screen in the square.
The top five students with the highest scores would receive a reward from the academy, though the nature of the reward remained a mystery. Nonetheless, this did nothing to dampen the students' determination.
Austin joined the line, waiting to enter the assessment zone. Ahead of them stood a massive teleportation device—one of only three in Imperial City. Two were in the Royal Palace, while the third was at the Royal Academy.
Austin looked at the soft blue light emanating from the teleportation machine. He closed his eyes and stepped forward. From this moment on, destiny would be rewritten.
.
As the light faded, Austin opened his eyes and found himself standing in a desert.