The sun had risen high in the sky, awakening nature and life. People stirred from their slumber beginning their day, some heading to work others embarking on new journeys, forging new paths.
Nexus Academy was no different. The morning sunlight bathed the academy in a golden glow, making it resemble a monument of the gods.
Today marked the beginning of a new chapter for the latest batch of students at Nexus Academy. From this day forward, their journey as official espers would begin.
But,
Before their academic curriculum could commence, one last formality remained: the orientation program.
*****
The sun was now high, and the academy grounds buzzed with life. Freshmen's eager and filled with anticipation gradually gathered in the Grand Conference Hall.
Among them was Lucas. He had risen early, taken a shower, and dressed in his academy uniform from the luggage he had brought with him.
A black, form fitting combat bodysuit, accompanied by a high collared, long tailed coat of matching black. On his chest, a silver ornament bore the carved symbol of a battle ram's skull an unmistakable mark of a freshman, a greenhorn at the bottom of the hierarchy.
Without wasting any time, Lucas made his way to the Grand Conference Hall.
*****
The Grand Conference Hall a place where students officially began and ended their academic journey. Towering pillars lined the walls, supporting a massive arched ceiling that projected an illusion of the sky outside.
Rows of elevated seating stretched across the hall filled with students clad in their academy uniforms.
Lucas entered, scanned the hall, and chose a seat at the back corner, where he had a full view of the room.
"It's about to start."
"The main cast should be arriving soon."
Having arrived early, Lucas observed as students as they walked in. There was still half an hour before the orientation would begin.
He glanced around, searching for familiar faces.
Sure enough, they appeared.
Arthur and Dean walked in together Arthur with his ever cheerful demeanor, and Dean with his usual serious expression. A perfect duo, one carefree the other focused.
Lucas shifted his gaze.
In another section of the hall, a girl with long dark blue hair entered alongside a black haired girl. He recognized them instantly.
"Looks like Lia and Sasha have started their friendship."
Four out of five main characters found.
Only one remained,
Lucas scanned the room again.
And there he was.
With his distinct appearance, Ryker Case was impossible to miss.
"Looks like all of them are here."
"Nothing has changed so far."
The air hummed with anticipation. Conversations had turned to hushed whispers.
At the front of the hall, a colossal mahogany podium stood atop a raised marble platform. Behind it, the emblem of the academy a golden ram's skull with an spiraling horns glowed faintly under the soft lights.
To the left and right of the podium, faculty members and high-ranking academy officials sat in their designated seats, their expressions unreadable.
Step!
Step!
Whoosh!
The grand doors of the hall swung open.
Silence fell,
Lucas turned his attention to the platform.
A woman entered, her presence alone commanding the attention of everyone in the hall.
She walked towards the podium with a measured, regal grace.
She wore a tailored crimson blazer over a black lace blouse. An attire that spoke of both power and authority. Her every step exuded the composure of a queen and the sharpness of a predator.
But it was her piercing amber eyes that stood out the most.
Eyes that seemed capable of looking into the soul of anyone they landed upon.
Lucas knew exactly who she was.
Chancellor Seraphina Vael
One of the very few Predator rank espers in the entire world.
A pillar of humanity.
A woman who ruled over others not the other way around.
Standing behind the podium, her gaze swept over the sea of students before her.
Then, her lips curled into a smirk.
Not warm, not cruel.
A knowing smirk.
A look that told every student in the hall that she understood them far better than they understood themselves.
Finally, she spoke.
"Welcome to Nexus Academy. Some of you stand here believing you are special. That you are destined for greatness chosen by fate itself."
Her voice smooth, yet edged with amusement resonated through the vast hall.
"I am here to tell you the truth."
"You are not."
A heavy silence fell over the room, tension thick enough to cut.
Seraphina let the moment linger, watching as uncertainty crept onto their faces.
"Greatness is not given to anyone. It is taken. It is fought for clawed from the grasp of those too weak to hold onto it."
"If you think your bloodline, your talents, or your past victories will shield you from the harsh reality of this academy, you are already doomed to fail."
A ripple of unease spread through the hall.
Seraphina's gaze sharpened.
"Look around you. The ones seated beside you are not merely fellow students."
"They are your rivals. Your obstacles. Your greatest challenges."
"Some of you will rise carving your names into history, commanding power beyond your wildest imagination."
"Others… will fall"
"Become mere footnotes, forgotten by time."
She continued, unwavering.
"This academy is not a place for the weak willed. It is a cruel and relentless forge, where only those worthy enough will emerge as warriors, scholars, and rulers of tomorrow."
"Those who cannot endure the trials ahead will break and be cast aside."
"But those who can,"
"They will ascend to the top of the world."
She paused, scanning the students.
"It is not kindness that will carry you forward, but your strength, will and mastery of the power you wield."
Her words carried weight undeniable, absolute.
Some students swallowed nervously. Others clenched their fists, a fire igniting in their eyes.
Those who were weak hesitated.
But those who were strong,
Their blood burned with determination.
Seraphina's voice carried one final decree.
"My academy will test you. This world will demand everything from you."
"Those who cannot rise to meet its expectations will be left behind."
She leaned forward slightly.
"Your future begins now."
Her amber eyes gleamed.
"Try not to disappoint me."
And with that,
Chancellor Seraphina Vael turned and left the podium.
Leaving the weight of her words to settle over the students like an immovable force.
.
.
.