Chapter 5: Entrance II
Inside the Auditorium at Yosen Magic Affiliated College
Damian, Shane, and Kaiden stepped into the grand auditorium, their eyes sweeping over the large, elegant space.
"As expected of a National Affiliated College," Damian muttered. "Even the auditorium looks this grand."
National Affiliated—more commonly known as Magic Affiliated.
The world had changed since the old era, splitting into four distinct boundaries for four races.
Seven continents became their domains.
Three continents belonged to the Magic Affiliated. One massive land was ruled by the Celestials.
A large and small continent were claimed by the Vampires, while a smaller one was home to the Humans—those devoted to faith, governed by the Inquisition or the Vatican.
Shane sighed, glancing over the massive hall that looked more like a high-end theatre.
"Unfortunately, Yosen isn't the only institution getting resources from the Magic Affiliated. They spread their assets pretty thin."
"Hm… Let's sit over there."
Shane pointed toward a row near the edge of the auditorium, where the seats curved in a semi-circular arc.
The auditorium was divided into two parts: the lower floor, where most students would sit, and an extended platform above, offering a higher view of the stage.
"Sure," Kaiden and Damian agreed, following Shane to the chosen seats.
As they settled in, Shane glanced around.
"Lucas is probably still getting his transfer papers sorted. Not sure if he'll even have to take the assessment."
Meanwhile, Enma would likely be with the Student Council.
Since the rules stated that the Freshman Representative had to join the council, it had fallen to their eldest brother.
Rock-paper-scissors might've been a dumb way to pick the rep between them but Shane and Kaiden weren't about to do it.
Damian, as usual, hadn't cared about the rankings or council to begin with.
And now, they had to admit how boring their experiences had been so far.
Damian had already leaned back against his chair and started dozing off.
Kaiden had buried his face in a book, as always, his focus entirely elsewhere.
Shane, meanwhile, tapped away on his phone without a care in the world.
The auditorium slowly began to fill as more students trickled in.
By the time only ten minutes remained before the orientation, the hall was packed.
"Guys. It's almost time," Shane said lazily, glancing toward the podium.
Damian cracked one eye open with a sigh, but closed it back almost immediately while Kaiden, still absorbed in his book, didn't even look up.
Soon, a striking black-haired woman walked onto the stage.
She wore a sleek black suit with a matching skirt that reached just above her knees, exuding a professional and commanding presence.
"Silence, everyone!"
The chatter in the hall died down instantly.
"We will now begin our freshman orientation…"
The speech dragged on—filled with the usual rhetoric the students had heard countless times before.
Though the world had entered an era of peace, there were still forces beyond human comprehension: other races, powerful monsters, and the mysterious gates.
Humanity's mission had remained the same since the day Professor Elric opened the first gate to another world—
Preserve the world. Eliminate the threats beyond the gates.
Yet, humanity itself was often the greatest enemy.
Despite the looming dangers, many humans misuse their powers, and others, unable to awaken, fear what they themselves couldn't comprehend or control.
"With that," the staff member concluded, "let us welcome the sixty-ninth student council president of Yosen College to the stage."
The students stirred with excitement as the staff member stepped aside, allowing the student council to enter.
At the head was a young woman whose beauty left the auditorium in stunned silence.
Long, straight black hair framed her face, and her azure blue eyes gleamed beneath her bangs.
She wore a pristine white uniform with gold buttons, a dark blue tie with three golden stars, and a pair of white gloves.
A cape-like trench coat draped over her shoulders, completing the regal look.
"Whoa, she's gorgeous!"
"I think I'm in love already!"
"I'm so glad I enrolled here."
"Idiot. Do you think you have a chance with her?"
"Hey, let a man dream!"
The crowd buzzed with admiration, some students clapping and cheering, while others whispered their more... questionable fantasies.
"Oh?"
Shane raised an eyebrow from the back row, the only one among his brothers to react, and even that came off as lacklustre.
Damian, however, had already returned to dozing off, even before this, his arms folded across his chest.
Kaiden was still immersed in his book, seemingly oblivious to the entire orientation.
They always behaved this way—detached, indifferent to the hype around them.
However, this was just one of the many quirks that came with being a Creed.
Shane stifled a laugh, glancing at his brothers' lack of enthusiasm.
"Well, whatever."
The president began her speech, her voice confident and poised.
"I want to extend a warm welcome on behalf of the entire student body to all of you embarking on your journey at this prestigious institution…"
Shane leaned back in his seat, eyes half-lidded as the speech droned on.
"They really like speeches here," he thought, his expression darkening with boredom.
The three brothers remained in their seats, unmoving, mostly bored and somewhat tired, until:
"And now, it is my pleasure to welcome the Freshman Representative of the twentieth year—Enma Creed."
A ripple of applause spread across the hall.
Some students clapped politely, while others exchanged confused glances, murmuring amongst themselves.
"Haah. So, it begins."
Damian muttered, cracking his neck as he sat up straight for the first time since they arrived.
Even Kaiden and Shane shifted their attention toward the stage, setting aside their usual distractions.
They clapped as Enma stepped onto the podium, offering silent support to their older brother.
"Sniff. Our big brother... He's grown up so fast."
Shane shamelessly wiped an imaginary tear, dramatically placing a hand over his heart.
"Shane, stop overreacting," Kaiden said flatly, adjusting his glasses.
On stage, Enma stood tall but almost lazily—due to his appearance—as he began his speech.
"It is my honor to serve as the Freshman Representative of this prestigious class. As we embark on this new chapter…"
Meanwhile, Shane leaned back again, his eyes scanning the crowd below. His gaze narrowed.
"As expected... we're already being targeted," he murmured to himself, observing the subtle glares directed at Enma from various students.
Magic clans—families that traced their lineage back to the first Awakeners—still held influence in this world.
Many of these clans viewed the Creeds with suspicion.
It wasn't just that the brothers lacked a prestigious family name.
No—what truly infuriated their peers was that four nobodies had swept the top rankings.
"For some reason, I'm really starting to hate those stares."
Damian muttered under his breath, rubbing his temples.
"Oh? We're on the same page then."
Amidst the crowd, a girl with a katana at her side tightened her grip on the hilt, her eyes fixed on Enma.
Not far from her, a boy with feral, beast-like eyes bared his teeth, growling softly.
Several other students that stood out from the mediocre ones all glared at Enma, as if already marking him as a target.
The speech continued, and when it finally ended, some students clapped while others remained silent, their hostility barely concealed.
With the orientation wrapping up, the students were directed to collect their identification cards and find their class placements.
Enma was still stuck the SC buisness.
Meanwhile, the remaining of the Creed brothers have found themselves in a peculiar situation…
"As expected… Of course, we're all in the same class."
"To think the school would actually…. Ugh."
Damian muttered with a particular deadpan expression.
The three of the four brothers sat together in a lecture room shaped like a semi-circle.
The other students scattered across the rows, but they were few in numbers.
It was only obvious this class was a room set apart for those who are truly built different.
"Damian."
Shane whispered, pulling a pen from his bag, twirling it with a smirk on his face.
"How about we tag-team and blind a few people today?"
"You're sick," Damian replied, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice. "But yeah... I hate those stares too."
"You two aren't seriously going to do that, are you?" Kaiden staggered slightly, his eyes narrowing.
Of course, it was going too far—but knowing Damian and Shane, they weren't exactly ones to joke about things like this.
Heck, forget just blinding someone—if they wanted it so, they could escalate into an all-out war on the first day.
"Who knows..."
Shane, the most likely culprit to start such a mess, replied with a casual shrug, as if didn't concern him in the slightest.