As the hubs opened, a blinding light erupted, forcing Kane, Leo, and Liam to close their eyes. But unlike the others, instead of collapsing and writhing in pain…
"Wait, nothing?" Kane's voice held surprise. "I don't feel anything."
Leo and Liam glanced at each other, equally bewildered. The unbearable pain others were enduring was completely absent.
"Maybe it's the rings?" Liam speculated, his mind racing. "Or maybe… because we've done something like this before?"
"Look, the rings are glowing!" Leo pointed, his voice tinged with awe.
Sure enough, their rings emitted a soft glow, and they could visibly see strands of blue energy being absorbed into them.
"She wasn't lying," Kane murmured, feeling a flood of relief. He wasn't prepared for a situation where the rings might have failed, so he mentally thanked his luck.
"Thank goodness," he whispered.
Moments passed, and recruits around them began to stir, slowly regaining consciousness, including Sophie and a few others from the haven. It was as though the lieutenant had been waiting just outside because, as soon as the recruits began to stand, he walked back in, holding a circular, sphere-like device.
"I see you've finished the intake process. Now it's time for me to check that everything went as planned," he announced.
Kane, Leo, and Liam exchanged looks of relief. They were immensely grateful they'd trusted the rings. If they hadn't, who knew what would have happened? And considering the rings worked the first time, they trusted they'd pass this inspection too.
Minutes later, the lieutenant scanned each recruit for the energy signature that identified ability users. Once again, the rings did their job perfectly; the lieutenant moved past them without a hint of suspicion.
After the scan, he led them to another hall where the recruits were seated, chatting casually. Kane, Leo, and Liam found empty seats and sat down.
The lieutenant climbed the podium again, ready to deliver more instructions. "We're done for today. The location of your dorm rooms will be sent to your comlings. You'll be assigned four per room—no special selection process. It's first come, first serve, so no need to fight. The rooms have been carefully prepared for your accommodation."
He continued, his tone sharpening. "And, as usual, the girl's dorm is strictly off-limits for boys and vice versa. Any violation of this rule will result in immediate expulsion. If you need to be all 'lovey-dovey,' do it outside. Not within dorm premises. Dismissed."
With that, he stepped off the podium and disappeared.
The hall erupted into noise as recruits discussed the day, many already forming alliances. The strong began bonding, while the weak were quickly sidelined. This was the world they were now part of—a world that had no mercy for the weak. Kane, Leo, and Liam understood that better than anyone.
"Well, that's it for today," Leo said, a mixture of exhaustion and relief in his voice. "Let's head to the dorm and claim a room. For a second there, I thought I'd be separated from you guys."
The other kids from the haven had already dispersed, looking to forge connections with stronger recruits. Liam checked his com, and a map of the academy appeared on the screen.
"Let's go."
Far across the room, a girl watched them with an intense, almost hateful glare. Her gaze lingered for a moment before she turned and walked away without a word.
---
Outside, they were once again in awe of the academy's grandeur. The seven towers standing majestically at the far edges of the academy glowed like brilliant beacons in the evening light. The academy was massive—almost as big as Veridan itself, a city that was no small place.
At the center of the academy stood an enormous building, surrounded by various smaller ones, each serving different purposes. Bookshops, weaponry, libraries, and training facilities were all seamlessly integrated into the grounds. Leo looked like he might cry with excitement as they took it all in.
"I can't believe we made it, guys!" he exclaimed, practically bouncing from one marvel to the next.
"Calm down, Leo," Kane said, smiling at his friend's enthusiasm.
It wasn't even nighttime yet, and the lieutenant hadn't required them to head to their dorms immediately. Seeing other recruits touring the grounds, they decided to explore a bit too.
The academy was even more impressive than they'd thought. Aside from training facilities, weaponry, and libraries, they discovered other unexpected luxuries like cinemas and stores. Every shop was high-tech, attended entirely by artificial intelligence. All they needed was currency to make a purchase.
"Hey, what do you think they use for currency here?" Kane asked, noting that almost everything had a price tag.
"Who knows? Maybe they'll explain it tomorrow," Liam replied, still marveling at the academy's advanced design. Compared to Earth, the technology here made Veridan's systems seem crude.
As night approached, they decided to head to the dorms, following the map on their coms. On the way, they passed a small, field-protected door with a warning sign advising everyone to steer clear. The boys were curious but chose not to investigate further. No point in causing trouble on their first day.
Finally, they reached the dorm building—a tall, beautiful structure that surpassed the haven back home. Kane, Leo, and Liam felt a thrill of excitement as they entered.
"Can you see the girls' lodge from here?" Leo asked, glancing around.
"Nope. They must be serious about the whole gender separation thing," Kane replied as they stepped inside, admiring the building's design.
The interior was just as impressive, with rows of doors stretching into the distance. As they walked in, they noticed the hard stares they received from other recruits. Many wore expressions of disdain.
"Welcome to life as an E-ranker," Liam muttered, shaking his head as they ignored the stares and continued to the elevator.
During the test, they'd landed among the lowest ranks, alongside most non-powered recruits. But somehow, Kane and his friends had stood out more than the others, and they knew they'd have to bear the brunt of the academy's harsh treatment for the "weak."
After navigating the hallways and stares, they finally reached an empty room, unlocked it with their com, and stepped inside.
"Whew," Leo sighed in relief. "Didn't think we'd get out of that maze of hostile glares."
"We'll get used to it," Kane said, trying to lighten the mood. "On the bright side, we're already popular!"
"Oh, and where's our stuff? I remember packing some clothes," Liam said, looking around.
"It was all disposed of," Kane explained. "I heard some recruits talking about it earlier. Guess they figure we don't need it."
As they settled in, the door swung open, revealing a recruit they didn't recognize. He was strikingly handsome in a way that was almost irritating, with brown hair, brown eyes, and a steady gaze.
He looked them over, his eyes stopping at their coms. As soon as he saw the capital "E" on their screens, his face fell.
"Ah, so you're E-rankers too," he said, his voice tinged with resignation.
Leo leaned over and whispered to Liam, "Did I do something wrong again?"
Ignoring him, Liam spoke up. "Hey, what's wrong, buddy?"
"Nothing." The boy's expression shifted. "It's just… we're all E-rankers, and you know exactly what that means." He gave them a half-hearted smile, hiding a hint of frustration.
They understood. E-rankers were the lowest in the academy hierarchy, treated like nobodies.
"By the way, I'm Alex. Alex Zander."
They introduced themselves, and before long, they all settled into their beds. It had been a long day, and fatigue soon overtook them.
"Goodnight, everyone."
Just as Kane was drifting off to sleep, a familiar sensation washed over him—a feeling he hadn't had in a long time. In front of him, a blue-black screen materialized.
[Quest Completed: Enroll into the Military Academy]
[Reward: …]
Finally, the system was back.