Kael was led through the vast hallways by none other than Dorothy, who explained the layout of the building and briefed him about the academy as quickly as she could. Whenever Kael asked questions, she gave little to no response, making it clear this wasn't a friendly interaction. It was simply her job, and she clearly couldn't wait to be rid of him.
From Kael's perspective, the academy was enormous, with hundreds of students all dressed in the same uniform as him. As he walked alongside Dorothy, he noticed students demonstrating abilities that surpassed what could even be called human. Some could move the wind with a mere flick of their fingers, while others displayed reflexes he couldn't begin to comprehend. And the level of craziness around him made him blink twice in disbelief.
But that wasn't the only thing that caught his attention.
The higher-grade students mostly glared at him with disgust. Kael quickly realized that this wasn't about him waking up late, as Dorothy had claimed—it was because of his grade. Grade ones like him were clearly looked down upon. Most of the first-year students walked with their heads down, especially when encountering higher-grade students. From their stares, Kael could tell they were making their hierarchy known to him.
'So that's how it is. The strongest prevail, and the rest are left to fall in line,' Kael thought to himself.
Kael wasn't one to be intimidated by such behavior. He had witnessed his fair share of bullying in his younger years, and he wasn't afraid of an ambush. All he wanted now was to reunite with his friends.
Eventually, Dorothy led him to a large building separate from the academy. She explained that this was where the second-year students lived—the Year Two Dormitories.
After that, she guided him through the building, past hordes of boys his age and younger, until they reached a particular door. She knocked, and after a brief pause, the door swung open to reveal another student. This boy had short, dark, curly hair and a striking appearance, almost making Kael feel self-conscious.
"Good morning, Miss Dorothy," the boy greeted with a respectful bow.
'Looks like he's not just cute, but respectful too,' Kael thought, though his immediate suspicion was that the boy was likely only polite to higher-ups and wouldn't extend the same courtesy to him.
However, when the boy's eyes landed on Kael, his expression brightened.
"Hey, I'm Eric Gorman! Nice to meet ya, newbie!" Eric exclaimed enthusiastically.
Kael was taken aback by the boy's warm greeting. He had expected Eric to look at him with disdain for being a Grade One, but instead, he seemed genuinely glad to meet him.
'Could this guy be lying?' Kael wondered, but quickly decided to return the kindness. "I'm Kael Auron."
"Kael, you'll be staying here until you hear further instructions from the school officials," Dorothy said, her tone businesslike. Without another word, she turned and walked off, clearly eager to leave Kael behind.
"Come on in," Eric said, grabbing Kael's wrist and pulling him into the room. "Let's not stay out here too long, especially with your Grade."
Kael noticed the Grade Three displayed on Eric's necklace, and his suspicion grew. Why was Eric being so nice to him?
As Kael took in his surroundings, he saw that the room was spacious, with three beds, providing enough room for all three dormmates to live comfortably.
"Wow, it's really nice," Kael commented, feeling slightly impressed.
Eric nodded casually. "Sure, it is. This is the second-year dormitories."
Eric flopped down onto his bed. "You might be wondering why I'm being so nice to you."
Kael held his breath, waiting for the question. He nodded slightly in response.
"Well, as a Grade Three, I need a decent enough slave."
Kael froze. "What?"
'This is his angle all along? He wants to own me as a slave?' Kael couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"According to Miss Dorothy, you just woke up, which means you're vulnerable here at the academy and in the world outside. You're a mere Grade One, so I'm offering protection. My family is one of the great families around here," Eric said, his grin wide and unsettling.
Kael clenched his fists, feeling irritated by Eric's words. 'So that's it. He wants to use me for protection, and to what end?'
"But why me?" Kael asked, his voice cold. "I'm Grade One with zero use to you. Wouldn't a Grade Two be much more useful?"
Eric's face darkened with a cold glare, but Kael's words were more than valid.
What Kael didn't know was that Eric had an ability that allowed him to see the auras of people. Normally, he would've dismissed Kael as weak and beneath him, but something about Kael's aura caught his attention. Most mutated humans had a green aura, but Kael's aura was purple.
Eric's suspicions grew. 'Could it be that he's a fake ranker? Or is his ability too unique for the necklace to properly grade?'
Eric had heard rumors about people whose abilities were so unique that the grading system couldn't keep up, and Kael just might be one of those rare cases.
"I just want you," Eric said, extending his hand toward Kael. "You give me a great vibe."
Kael hesitated, unsure of how to respond. He didn't want to accept the offer, but he knew refusing might lead to trouble.
"I'm not sure how to react yet. Please give me some time—" Kael began, but was interrupted.
"What the hell is this?" a voice suddenly cut in. "Can't you see someone's sleeping?"
Both Kael and Eric turned to see a boy with yellow hair, his expression full of resentment. At first, the boy's anger seemed to be directed at both of them, but when his eyes fell on Kael's Grade One necklace, his anger shifted solely to him.
"Hey, what the hell is this Grade One trash looking at me for?!" the boy ranted.
Kael was relieved for the change in topic but irritated by the boy's attitude. "I'm sorry if I bothered you," he muttered.
Eric quickly intervened. "Don't mind Jeremy. He's just had a bad time with other Grade Ones."
'Other Grade Ones?' Kael thought, narrowing his eyes. He glanced at Jeremy's necklace, confirming it displayed the same Grade One as his own, yet Jeremy acted as if he were superior.
"Shut up, you filthy rat!" Jeremy snapped at Eric. "Stop trying to make him your slave. You did that to our last roommate, and look where that got us!"
Kael realized there was tension between Eric and Jeremy long before he arrived, but it wasn't his place to get involved.
As they continued to argue, a notification popped up in front of Kael.
{Quest}
{Reach level 5 to reach the first stage of evolution in order to grow stronger.}