Kane's muscles burned as he trudged through the cafeteria line, balancing the ache in his arms from the system's mandatory workout with the hunger gnawing at his stomach. The food didn't look appetizing—gray protein blocks and something that might have been soup—but he grabbed a tray anyway, his focus drifting to the conversation at the table where Liam, Leo, and Alex sat.
Their voices carried faintly over the clatter of utensils and the chatter of cadets. Leo, ever the loudmouth, was spinning a dramatized version of the morning's confrontation, while Alex kept interrupting to correct him.
"...and then I told him off, no hesitation," Leo was saying, chest puffed out.
"Yeah, right," Alex muttered, rolling his eyes. "You were two seconds from running."
Kane snorted, making his way over. They were idiots, but at least they were his idiots.
"Yo, Kane," Liam greeted as Kane slid into the seat next to him. "What took you so long? You look like you ran a marathon?"
Kane shrugged. "More like the system's newfound personality. It's unbearable." He stabbed at his protein block with his fork, his appetite fading as he replayed the girl's calculating gaze in his mind.
Kane stiffened after saying his last few words, noticing that Alex had been there and he had just spoken about the system, while Alex didn't care, he just thought it was part of their way of talking.
"You still stuck on that?" Liam asked, catching the look on Kane's face and trying to light up the mood.
"Stuck on what?" Leo cut in, mouth half-full.
"That girl," Kane said. "From the cafeteria this morning. The one who wouldn't stop staring at us."
"Oh, her." Alex glanced up. "I thought she looked bored, not creepy."
"She wasn't bored," Liam said, his tone sharpening. "She was paying attention. Watching us too closely."
"Maybe she thought we were cute," Leo offered with a smirk, winking at no one in particular and chomping down ravenously on his meal.
Kane raised an eyebrow. "She didn't look impressed, if that's what you're hoping for."
"Could be scouting," Liam added. "Sizing up competition."
"Competition for what?" Alex asked, his voice lowering, he wasn't really used to group conversations but somehow the boys made him feel comfortable.
"For everything," Liam said simply. "This place isn't just about following orders and getting stronger. It's about figuring out who's worth keeping around—and who's not."
Kane pushed his tray away, his appetite was now officially gone. He hated how right Liam sounded. The academy wasn't just a place for training; it was a proving ground, and everyone here was a target or a threat.
---
Kane, Liam, Leo, and Alex made their way toward the central training complex, following the stream of cadets funneling into the towering glass building. The crowd buzzed with excitement and nervous energy, their footsteps echoing through the wide halls.
"Is it just me, or does this place feel like a labyrinth?" Alex muttered, glancing around at the identical steel-lined walls.
"That's because it is," Liam replied, studying the overhead signs. "This way leads to the main auditorium. Stay close."
They entered a vast room filled with rows of seats and a stage where an officer stood, flanked by two massive display screens. The cadets settled into their seats as the officer stepped forward, his authoritative presence commanding only silence.
"Welcome, cadets," he began, his deep voice reverberating through the hall. "Today, we determine where you belong. Your abilities define your role, and your role defines your success. Pay attention."
The speech was brief and full of wisdom that only few could make meaning of.
The screens lit up, displaying the three primary classifications:
Attack Type – Specializing in direct combat and overwhelming force.
Defense Type – Shielding allies and enduring punishment.
Enhance Type – Amplifying the abilities of oneself or others.
"Your classification will be determined by the system's analysis," the officer continued. "This ensures you are placed where your strengths can be honed and utilized to their fullest potential."
The process began quickly, each cadet stepping forward to a terminal where their data was scanned. The results appeared instantly on the screen, eliciting murmurs from the crowd.
When Alex's turn came, he hesitated before placing his hand on the scanner. The system beeped, and his result appeared:
Enhance Type.
Alex blinked, unsure how to react. "Enhance?"
Leo leaned closer with a grin. "Guess you're the support guy, huh? Gonna boost us to victory?"
Alex scowled, he never really liked his abilities, he was a special type of enhancer that could only buff others, so he was useless without any companions.
Once again, the boys held firmly to the rings and it worked like a charm.
When it was Leo's turn, his classification flashed boldly on the screen: Attack Type.
He puffed out his chest, smirking. "No surprise there." Liam had told him to act like that so it wouldn't look suspicious.
Liam and Kane followed, both earning the same result: Attack Type.
As the results continued, Kane noticed the mysterious girl from earlier step up to the terminal. Her scan was quick, but her classification wasn't displayed. Instead, she returned to her seat with an air of quiet confidence.
"What's her deal?" Kane whispered to Liam, she was now bugging him. She didn't even try to hide her stare making it all the more scary.
Liam shrugged. "No idea, but she keeps looking this way."
Indeed, the girl's sharp gaze flicked toward Liam more than once, her expression unreadable.
---
All the classes were once again divided into five sets and students were randomly placed in them, fortunately, they were all in the same class.
Kane, Liam, Leo, and the girl found themselves in the same Attack class. The room was designed for function over comfort, with reinforced walls and heavy-duty desks. Their instructor entered shortly after, his imposing figure radiating authority.
"I'm Instructor Vayne, and I'll be your homeroom teacher" he said, scanning the room. "This is Attack Class 4, and if you're here, it means you're built for combat. But raw strength is useless without control."
He walked to the center of the room, gesturing toward the reinforced walls.
"Abilities are powerful tools," Vayne continued. "But unchecked, they're dangerous—to you and everyone around you. This semester, you'll learn to wield your power with precision, discipline, and purpose. Fail to do so, and you'll find yourself out of this academy faster than you can blink."
He pointed at Kane. "You. Name."
Kane sat up straighter. "Kane, sir."
"Good. What's your ability?"
Kane hesitated. 'I... don't know yet, sir. The system hasn't revealed it' Kane almost said out loud before recalling his current location.
"Em, it's windy manipulation," Kane finally said with a shaky voice.
Vayne frowned, then nodded. "let me be clear—whether your ability is flashy or subtle, its mastery is what matters. Understood?"
Kane didn't really understand why he had spoken his last few words but still replied;
"Yes, sir," Kane replied, feeling the weight of the instructor's gaze.
The girl, seated near the back, caught Kane's attention again. This time, her eyes weren't on him—they were fixed on Liam, studying him like a puzzle she intended to solve.
Whatever her intentions were, Kane couldn't shake the feeling that they were only just beginning to unfold.
---
By the time drills wrapped up in the late afternoon, Kane's muscles felt like they'd been wrung out. He dragged himself back to the dorm, grateful for the quiet. Leo and Alex had already crashed on their beds, while Liam was still out, probably going over maps or strategies.
Kane had just kicked off his boots when his system buzzed to life again.
[Objective: Discover the Girl's Intentions]
[Reward: ???]
[Penalty: Increased Danger Level]
Kane interest grew even more, he had also found something particularly strange about the girl from earlier and now the system was confirming his suspicions but even so;
He groaned, rubbing his temples. "Great. Now I'm supposed to go play detective?"
The system's response came quickly, dripping with sarcasm.
[You've got legs, don't you? Use them]
"Yeah, and they're about to fall off," Kane muttered, flopping onto his bed. He closed his eyes, hoping sleep might dull the ache in his body, but the knock on the door shattered any chance of rest.
It wasn't the sharp, confident knock of a commanding officer or the casual rattle of a friend. This was deliberate. Measured.
Kane opened the door to find her standing there, hands clasped behind her back. Her uniform was spotless, and her expression unreadable.
"You're Kane, right?" she asked, her tone cool but not unkind.
He nodded, more out of confusion than agreement.
"Can I come in?"
Kane hesitated. Behind him, Leo was snoring loudly, and Alex had half a foot dangling off his bed. "Uh... now's not really—"
He wasn't really bothered that she had come up to knock at the door, what he was really worried about was how she was able to get past the security and to the boys dorm at this time of the night.
"It'll only take a minute."
Her voice wasn't forceful, but there was something in it that made refusal feel impossible. He stepped aside, letting her in.
She didn't waste time. "I saw you earlier. In the cafeteria."
"Yeah, I noticed." Kane leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "You weren't exactly subtle."
She didn't flinch at the accusation. "You're new here, but you don't move like a rookie. I wanted to see if you were worth the attention."
Kane frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
She turned to face him, her gaze sharp and direct. "It means you've got potential. But potential doesn't mean anything here unless you know how to use it."
Is she crazy?, I've got potential?, how does she know this stuff?
Kane's irritation flared. "And you're here to teach me, is that it?" He took a quick glance at her com and her grade made him gulp.
A freaking grade B, wait, is she the girl from the testing programme?
She smirked, a flicker of amusement breaking through her stoic demeanor. "Hardly. I'm just here to warn you. Keep your head down and your circle tighter. You don't want the wrong kind of attention."
Before Kane could respond, she was already heading for the door.
"Wait," he said, stepping forward. "What's your name?"
She paused, hand on the doorknob. "That's for you to find out"
And with that, she was gone.
Kane stared at the closed door, her words replaying in his mind. Keep your head down. Tighten your circle.
It felt less like advice and more like a threat.
Who was this girl? And why was she so interested in him and his friends?
Looking at the system quest earlier, he now felt the motivation to accomplish it.