The birds sang their morning melody as a cool breeze flowed gently through the air, carrying the fresh scent of dew and the promise of a new day. Sunlight filtered through the trees and rooftops, painting the world in warm hues of gold. The rays of light crept into countless homes, signaling the start of yet another busy day for those who resided within Pollus Academy's bustling campus.
In one particular dorm room, thick curtains hung over the windows, shielding its interior from the brilliance of the rising sun. Yet, determined as ever, a single sliver of sunlight slipped through a small gap, landing directly on the closed eyes of a young man sprawled out on his bed.
"Ugh... fuck," Arthas groaned, stirring from his sleep as the light became impossible to ignore. He rolled over, pulling the blanket over his head, but the damage was done. With a heavy sigh of defeat, he finally gave in, tossing the covers aside and sitting up.
Rubbing his face, he glanced around the unfamiliar room, momentarily disoriented. The sterile yet luxurious furnishings and the faint scent of polished wood jogged his memory.
"Right... Pollus Academy." His tone was dry, laced with a mixture of disbelief and resignation. "Thought that shit was just a nightmare."
Yawning loudly, Arthas stretched his arms, groaning as his muscles ached from the previous day's events. The Entrance Exam had been a brutal, nerve-wracking experience that had left him physically and mentally drained. He still couldn't shake the memory of the Demonic Shaman's grinning face or the chaos of that final explosion.
"Well, I didn't die. That's something," he muttered to himself, running a hand through his messy crimson hair.
Deciding he needed to shake off the remnants of sleep, he grabbed a towel and trudged toward the bathroom. The door creaked open, revealing a sleek, modern setup with gleaming tiles and polished fixtures.
The sight of the showerhead immediately lifted his spirits. A grin crept onto his face as he twisted the knob, and warm water sprayed out in a steady stream.
"Oh, hell yeah! This place has a shower? Fuckin' awesome!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing slightly in the tiled space. "Fancy as hell, too. Feels like I'm living in a five-star hotel or some shit."
Stepping under the water, he let out a contented sigh as the warmth washed over him, easing the tension in his muscles. For a moment, all the worries and frustrations of the past few days seemed to melt away.
"Alright, Arthas," he muttered under his breath, lathering soap into his hair. "You survived one hell of a shitstorm to get here. Now, time to see what this Academy's really got in store for you."
As he rinsed off, his mind wandered back to the events of the previous day, the attack of those 4 examinees, and that Demonic Shaman. Pollus Academy wasn't just another school. It was a proving ground, a crucible designed to push its students to their absolute limits.
And he, Arthas Bloomlyn, was ready for whatever the hell came next—or so he told himself. For now, though, he'd take this moment of comfort and savor it.
__
A week had passed, and the start of classes was finally upon us.
-RIIIIINGG!!!
The loud, echoing bells of Pollus Academy rang through the air, signaling that it was time for the students to gather for their first official lesson.
"Good morning to you all students," boomed a voice from the front of the room. "I am your homeroom teacher. Call me Professor Arc."
Every student in the room nodded, some nervously, others more relaxed, but everyone seemed to understand the gravity of the moment.
"Alright," the Professor continued, his voice gaining an edge of authority.
-Thud!
He slammed a device onto the desk, a spherical object that shimmered with faint magical energy. The atmosphere in the room instantly grew heavy, as if the entire class could feel the weight of what was about to happen.
"Firstly, before we begin," the Professor's voice rang out, "I want to assess each and every one of your abilities. Based on your magical prowess and control, that will be your starting grades."
A wave of pressure flooded the room. Nervousness settled over most of the students, their gazes flicking toward each other in uncertainty.
'Right... This,' I thought to myself, bracing for what was coming.
Professor Arc's eyes scanned the room, searching for a volunteer. His gaze landed on one student, a random face I didn't recognize.
"You there," he pointed directly at the student. "What's your name?"
"I-Ian Krix," the student stammered, his voice shaking.
I barely suppressed a flinch. 'Ian Krix? The main character of Daedalus Eternus?'
The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. And with that, a wave of pity flooded my chest. I knew exactly what was about to go down.
Ian stepped forward, his face a picture of nervousness. He stood in front of the glowing sphere, looking almost unsure of what to do next.
"I want you to form a magic circle on the sphere. Once you do, use your strongest spell and hold it for as long as you can. This will help the sphere assess your mana control and magical prowess."
Ian nodded and positioned himself, hands raised as he began to form the magic circle.
"Light—"
Before he could finish his incantation, the spell detonated in a brilliant explosion.
BOOM!
The magic circle shattered, the force of the explosion knocking Ian off balance. His focus was completely broken.
"Ah?" Professor Arc muttered, staring at the chaotic result. "Disappointing... Mana Control is G, Magic Strength is F, Mana Capacity is F... How did you even survive the test?"
The room was filled with snickers and mocking whispers. Some students barely held back their laughter, while others shot Ian pitying glances.
'How did he even survive this? I mean, in the game, I controlled him, but I didn't think his stats were this bad...'
"Total grade: 26.67... a failing grade. Make sure to improve, Student Krix. Train everything on this list. Got it?" Professor Arc said coldly.
Ian nodded, his face red with embarrassment, and quickly returned to his seat. The others couldn't help but giggle at his expense.
I sighed quietly, shaking my head. It was clear this wouldn't be the last time poor Ian got the shit end of the stick.
'Sorry, man, but I gotta focus on myself first,' I thought, my gaze turning forward.
"Lets continue. You, come here." Professor Arc's voice cut through the murmurs in the room, and another student stepped forward, ready to try their hand at the assessment.
The process repeated as each student took their turn. Some did better than Ian, others worse. Each spell cast was judged, and the room filled with the buzz of students holding their breath, waiting to see how they'd measure up. As the minutes ticked by, I couldn't help but feel the growing pressure.
It was nearly my turn.
I could feel the anticipation building inside me, but it wasn't fear I was dealing with—it was something else entirely.
Out of instinct, I called up the stats I had earned from the entrance exam. It had completely slipped my mind due to the whole Demonic Shaman fiasco, but I knew I had to use every advantage I had.
[System]
Status:
Strength [23]^
Defense [21]^
Endurance [21]^
Intelligence [60]^
Charisma [10]^
'Good enough,' I thought, glancing at the status panel only I could see.
"You, come here," Professor Arc called my name, breaking my thoughts.
I stood up, feeling the eyes of every student on me as I walked to the front. Murmurs broke out immediately—of course, being me, it was expected.
"You know what to do, right?" Professor Arc asked, his tone slightly less cold this time.
I nodded firmly. "Yes, Professor."
He gave a small, approving smile and gestured for me to proceed.
I took my stance, arms raised and palms facing the glowing sphere in front of me.
'Pretty sure I got a new spell when I hit 60 points in intelligence... Let's give it a shot.'
The magic circle began to form before me, growing at a visible speed. Professor Arc's eyes widened slightly as the circle expanded, but the real shock came when it continued growing until it reached six meters in diameter—double the size of any circle the students had seen up to that point.
I steadied my breathing, focusing all my attention on the magic before me. I needed to release this spell with precision.
"Flare: Storm."
The magic circle erupted, creating a fiery tornado that spiraled wildly in all directions. The wind from the storm whipped through the room, sending strands of flare flying dangerously close to the students. But before anyone could react, the sphere absorbed all the mana, cutting the spell short as it began to assess my magic.
Professor Arc's eyes scanned the results, and I could see the surprise on his face.
"Highest I've seen in this classroom," he muttered, his voice laced with awe. "Mana Control: A, Magic Strength: B, Mana Capacity: A... Kid, how the hell did you end up last in the entrance exam?"
I shrugged nonchalantly, offering the most plausible explanation I could come up with on the spot.
"... It's like I grew stronger while fighting those demons, sir. That's all I know."
It was a complete lie, but who the hell was going to believe I got stronger with the help of some mysterious system?
"I see," Professor Arc said with a nod, clearly not satisfied with my answer but unwilling to push further.
"Alright, all of you... Get the hell out of this classroom and head back to your dorms. Now," he snapped, clearly done with the assessment.
The students scrambled to grab their things, eager to escape the oppressive atmosphere of the classroom. And just like that, the first day of school was over.
I couldn't help but wonder how the rest of the days would unfold. If today was any indication, things were about to get a hell of a lot more interesting.