As Seraphina left the hall, another teacher came and stood behind the podium.
He was Kevin Voss, Vice Chancellor of Nexus Academy.
He was tall and composed. He carried himself with a deliberate grace, and his every movement was calculated like a strategist.
His face was sharp, angular cheekbones cut like stone beneath pale skin. But it was his eyes that held the room hostage those piercing icy blue eyes devoid of any warmth yet brimming with an intellect that missed nothing.
His voice was so smooth that he did not need to raise it to command attention.
"That will be all from the Chancellor"
Kevin began, his gaze sweeping over the students like a silent observer checking their worth.
"Now, let us proceed to what truly matters."
"As Chancellor Vael said, this academy will test you, and only the strong ones will be favored. Don't expect fairness from us. We are not your parents who love you, and we won't side with you unless you prove your worth."
Kevin's tone was cold there was no indulgence in it.
"You will be favored if you are strong. Without strength, you are nothing here. Frankly speaking, I think this is a waste of time, but due to the academy's culture and traditions, we have to do it. Anyway, as you all should know, your classes start today. When you leave the hall, you will collect a smartwatch and phone given by the academy. These two items are essential for your academic life. From your classes to your teachers and your everyday life, they will be necessary. Your class schedules are all given on your phones. After getting them, find your class and go there."
"That's all!!"
As Kevin finished talking, he soon left the hall. Alongside him, all the other remaining professors left the hall.
Many students started talking about their experiences some excited, some frightened.
Every student started leaving the hall.
Lucas also got up and started to leave.
'The academy is extremely harsh as it's described in the novel.'
Lucas was reminded again by the speeches from the chancellor and the vice chancellor how tough and harsh the academy was.
As Lucas left the hall, he collected his smartwatch and phone from the volunteers who were giving them to the freshmen.
The smartwatch and phone given by the academy were special. Both were equipped with advanced AI. They showed a student's battle power, rank in both class and year, a map to navigate the massive academy, and access to the dorms.
Sigh!
"Let's see how bad my rank is."
While the original Lucas was strong, in Nexus Academy where only the best could get in, he was probably very low ranked, which was no good for any situation.
Lucas put his biometrics on the phone, and it registered him.
[Biometrics Registered]
.
.
.
[Welcome, student Lucas Lockhart]
.
[Your class rank is 49/60]
.
[Your overall rank in your entire batch: 569/600]
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[Your next class is combat training]
.
.
[Please make your way to the Colosseum]
.
.
Damn!
'So, I am ranked forty-nine out of sixty students in my section and five hundred sixty-nine out of six hundred in the entire first-year batch.'
"It's bad. I need to raise my rank in the upcoming midterm; if not, my chances of surviving will be low."
'For now, let's go to combat training. I can't be late.'
****
Lucas was navigating through the academy to reach the Colosseum the place where combat training would take place. Combat training was taught by Aria Frost. He didn't want to be late since she didn't like latecomers.
Lucas was worried and excited about the combat training class because, in the novel, combat training was where, for the first time, the main cast would go against each other, starting their journey as a team and friends.
This was the same place where the original Lucas's downfall started. During combat training, Lucas would fight against one of the main cast. After losing the fight, he took out his anger on another girl, which was the reason he lost his ability to fight. Since this event happened in the very early chapters of the novel, Lucas didn't remember how exactly everything happened and played out.
So, he needed to improvise.
.
.
.
As Lucas navigated through the academy grounds, he soon reached the massive Colosseum, a testament to the academy's relentless pursuit of excellence, a battlefield where the weak were destroyed and the strong started writing their names into legends.
.
.
.
Inside the Colosseum, towering walls of blackened stone loomed over the arena. Massive iron gates lined the perimeter, each leading to underground chambers where students prepared for their duels and combat.
The arena itself was vast a shifting battlefield that could morph at the professor's command. Sand, stone, ice, or a swamp the terrain could transform into anything the professor wished for. This arena ensured that every student was prepared for every kind of battlefield.
High above the arena, the grandstands stretched in a semicircle, filling with professors, examiners, and fellow students during different academic games or tournaments. Some of the seats were decorated with gilded crests reserved for the elite Esper's those who had already carved their names into history. At the highest point of the Colosseum was the massive throne from which the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor would watch and judge every movement below during different events.
Sadly, today wasn't one of those events, so the Colosseum was empty.
As Lucas made his way to the center of the arena, he saw students standing in formation, waiting for the professor to arrive.
Lucas joined the formation. Soon, Professor Aria Frost entered the arena.
She came in front of the students, her eyes scanning every student's face.
"Welcome to your first official class. Looks like all of you are ready to fight."
"For today, I first need to see what you all are capable of doing. So, all of you will duel with each other."
Some students eyes widened. Some were confused, but Lucas knew exactly what was going to happen. Everyone here would fight against another person.
"Since there are sixty of you, all of you will be paired with another student and placed in a group. So, thirty groups will be made. Randomly, one group will be called."
"Every group will come over to the center of the arena and fight each other."
"Understood?"
As Aria finished talking, one of the students raised his hand,
"Professor, how will the groups be made? Will we choose another person, or will you pair us with each other?"
"Good question." Aria's voice was low, but every student could hear it.
"You will be paired randomly with each other. And who you will be paired with that information will be available on your smartwatch."
"Now, prepare for the duel. First group, come to the arena."