The next morning, Alex headed to attend his classes, but he was unsure which ones to attend or at what time. He decided to visit the reception hall for guidance. The receptionist, a middle-aged woman with striking features, greeted him warmly. Alex bombarded her with questions about the classes and the first-year curriculum.
She explained that first-year students could choose only three subjects. Magic and history were compulsory, while students could select one weaponry class, either archery or swordsmanship etc. The receptionist checked Alex's form and revealed that he had chosen spear class, magic, and history.
Alex's eyes widened in alarm. "Fuck, my father, the king, will kill me if he finds out I chose spear over sword!" He muttered to himself, recalling the kid whose body he was in.
"Miss Receptionist, can you tell me when my first class starts and in which room?" Alex asked frantically.
"Your first magic class starts right now, and you only have one minute left," she replied with a hint of urgency.
"Oh, what?! One minute?! Let's fucking run!" Alex exclaimed, panic rising in his voice.
"Go left from here, and it's the 8th room, right after the 7th one," the receptionist directed, her voice calm and composed.
"Okay, miss! Thanks!" Alex shouted, already sprinting down the hallway.
As Alex burst into the classroom, he breathed a sigh of relief - the teacher was nowhere to be seen. "Oh, I'm saved," he thought.
However, his relief was short-lived, as all eyes turned to him. The students whispered among themselves, their voices filled with disdain. "I told you he's trash," one student sneered.
"See, he didn't even show up on time."Alex didn't bother to acknowledge the whispers and stares. To him, these kids were just that - kids.
Alex's gaze scanned the room, searching for an empty seat. There was only one available, and it was clearly reserved for him - his name was printed on the desk. To his surprise, the seat next to him was occupied by Arthur, the fragile-looking boy he had met earlier.
He settled into his seat, his expression calm.
The fragile boy, Arthur, broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper. "H-hi,..." He stammered, his eyes fixed on Alex.
Alex responded with a casual "Hii, dude, Arthur."
Arthur's nervousness was palpable, his voice almost inaudible as he whispered, "Thanks, sir...Alex...for helping me earlier."
Alex raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What do you mean?"
Arthur's eyes darted around the room, ensuring no one was listening. "I...I'm one of the Awakened," he whispered, his voice trembling.
"Oh, so what did I do? How did I help you?" Alex asked, curious.
"Nothing, sir. You just...gave me confidence," Arthur replied, his voice sincere.
Alex smiled. "Oh, that's it. Okay, don't let it weigh on your heart."
Arthur nodded, then changed the subject. "By the way, do you know who's going to teach us about magic, sir?"
"I do know, sir. Miss Albian will teach us about magic and how it works," Arthur replied.
"Is there a fundamentals class or something?" Alex asked.
Arthur shook his head. "I don't know, sir."
Just then, Arthur's eyes widened. "Oh, sir, have you heard? We have to choose an opponent from the seniors for a match, and today Miss Albian will give us a list of students, from top to bottom."
Alex's eyes lit up with interest. "Oh, okay. That sounds interesting.
As Miss Albian entered the room, the students immediately fell silent.
"New students of Oxid Academy," she began, "as you're aware, the test this weekend will require you to spar with your seniors. I have the list of second-year students in my hands. Please note that third-year students are not within your reach yet; they're on a whole different level."
Miss Albian paused, surveying the room.
"For now, focus on choosing an opponent from the second-year students. Some of them may be at the level of third-year students, but they're still within your reach. Remember, your performance in this test will determine your progress to the second year."
She emphasized, "Your performance, not just your marks, will decide whether you advance to the next year. Take the second-year students, for example. They didn't simply pass to the next year by learning for a year and scoring marks. Their performance in the tests earned them their current status."
Miss Albian's gaze swept the room, acknowledging the students.
"As you may have noticed, there are some different faces in this class. They are students who failed to pass to the next year. I expect you all to take this test seriously and demonstrate your skills."
Miss Albian continued, "Although it ultimately depends on you, the choice of opponent is crucial. You'll be facing second-year students, and I must remind you that the gap between first and second year is significant."
With a flick of her wrist, a holographic board materialized, displaying a list of students. "Here is the list of second-year students you can choose from. Take your time, and select wisely."
The holographic board, crafted by intricate magic, hovered in the air, awaiting the students' decisions.
Miss Albian instructed, "Come one by one and choose your opponent. Simply tap on the name of the student on the screen."
One by one, the students approached the holographic board, selecting their opponents. As the line dwindled, only Arthur and Alex remained.
Arthur stepped forward, his eyes scanning the list before tapping on the last name. Having made his choice, he returned to his seat.
Now it was Alex's turn. He walked up to the board, surveying the list:
Rank | Name | Dungeons Cleared
------|------------------|-------------------
1 | Shelly Grevillea | 99
2 | Luck Agniverta | 93
3 | Kaid Rylan | 75
...
200| Lyra Flynn | 1
Alex's eyes scrolled through the list, his mind weighing the options. Who would he choose?
There were 200 students on the list, As Alex scanned the list, his eyes landed on a familiar name: Luck Agniverta, ranked second. Alex's thoughts flickered with intrigue. "Why don't I just beat this guy?" he mused. "I mean, he's my brother, and Father mentioned him."
However, Alex's gaze drifted to the top-ranked student. With a confident smirk, he tapped on the name: Shelly Grvilana, ranked first. The crowd murmured, sensing the spark of competition.
Miss Albian's eyes widened in surprise, mixed with a hint of concern. "Alex Agniverta, why did you choose such a formidable opponent?" she asked.
Alex shrugged nonchalantly. "Teacher, you might understand or you might not, but I find strong opponents...underwhelming. You see, a truly strong person views weaker opponents as insignificant, like a fly buzzing around their head."
Miss Albian's expression turned thoughtful, her eyes narrowing slightly as she considered Alex's words. The classroom fell silent, the students sensing the weight of Alex's statement.
But because they saw Alex as trash of the royal family the students erupted in laughter in seconds even Miss Albian cracked a smile, however,
Miss Albian's smile faded, replaced by a serious expression. "Alright, Alex, just remember: don't cry after you lose. The person you've chosen is not an enemy you can even dream of defeating. Shelly Grvilana is a cut above the rest, even among the second years. Your brother, Luck, is a genius prodigy, and even he couldn't defeat her."
The classroom fell silent once more, the students exchanging nervous glances. Alex, however, remained unfazed, a confident smirk still plastered on his face.
Alex grinned, his eyes sparkling with confidence. "Let's see, Miss Albian... who beats who?" and like that, he sat on his desk calmly.
..
Arthur's eyes widened in curiosity. "Sir, why did you choose the number one student? I chose the last one on the list."
Alex chuckled, his expression calm. "I don't know, kid. It's just...I can not see anyone being stronger than me in any world."
And if there's someone I cant surpass in this life so what, I will surpass them eventually in the next one.
Arthur's eyes sparkled with intrigue, and he leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. "Really, sir? You think you're stronger than Shelly Grvilana?"
Alex's grin widened, his confidence unwavering. "I don't think, I know."