The chalk struck the board with a firm tap as the professor's voice filled the spacious lecture hall.
"Humanity and Remnants are two distinct species that have existed for several thousand years. And for just as long, they have been at war. Remnants possess supernatural abilities far beyond human limits. With these powers, they sought to make humanity their slaves. But humanity did not kneel. We responded with resistance… and destruction."
Nova raised his hand.
"Why did they want to make humanity into slaves in the first place?"
The professor smiled faintly, pacing in front of the board.
"A fair question, and one that cannot be answered without first understanding the Remnants' origin… and the man they called The King."
The room hushed.
"The King was the first man to awaken supernatural power—an event that rewrote history. At first, he was nothing more than a conqueror of Earth. But his ambition… his hunger… knew no boundaries. He tore through the stars, one universe after another, consuming them as though they were nothing more than stepping stones."
The professor's voice lowered, his tone deepening like an old storyteller's.
"He built an empire spanning countless worlds. And from each conquered realm, he chose followers—those he deemed 'worthy'—and shared fragments of his power with them. These became the first Remnants. His generals. His enforcers."
He turned, chalk scraping as he drew a crude crown above a sprawling web of lines that connected to smaller circles.
"Elves, dragonites, fairies, giants… beings who once ruled their own worlds now bent the knee to him. And he wove them together—world by world, realm by realm—into a single colossal universe of his own making."
A girl in the second row raised her hand, and the professor nodded.
"The King ruled it all. But he was not content. Even among his own kind—his fellow humans—he saw no equals. Only toys to be played with, broken, and discarded."
Ai's hand shot up.
"If he was that greedy, why stop conquering? Why combine the universes instead of going further?"
The professor smiled thinly, shaking his head.
"Greed has limits, though they are rarely recognized until it is too late. The King wished to perfect the universe he had built before venturing further. That… was his greatest mistake."
Minos leaned toward Nova, whispering,
"This is some complex stuff."
Kiyomasa was scribbling furiously on a notebook. "I'm taking notes."
Nova smirked. "Just focus."
The professor's gaze swept over the class.
"In time, humans, elves, vampires, fairies—all the races—rose together in rebellion. But the Remnants were too strong, and the blood of the fallen ran like rivers. Millions died each day."
He paused, letting the weight of those words settle.
"It was not until an elven scientist created something extraordinary—a weapon, not of steel, but of power. A mark, carved into the very soul, that granted humans the ability to rival Remnants."
With a sharp snap of his fingers, the board behind him lit with the image of a swirling emblem—a mark that seemed almost alive.
"And that brings us… to our first lesson. The AMI Marks."
The professor's voice carried across the lecture hall, deep and steady.
"This… AMI Mark," he began, gesturing toward the glowing emblem projected on the screen, "is what allowed humanity to stand against the Remnants—and, in time, to overpower them."
Nova lifted an arm, her expression curious.
"Sir, what exactly is this AMI Mark? And… how does it work?"
The professor gave a faint smile, the kind that suggested a long story was coming.
"To understand the AMI Mark, we first need to understand the Remnants themselves."
Minos let out a groan, leaning back in his seat.
"Oh great. The old 'to understand this, you must first understand that' loop."
Kiyomasa was already scribbling in his notebook.
"It's fine. I'll just write it all down and decode it later."
Nova smirked, tilting her head at him.
"He's a classic old-school teacher. That doesn't mean he's bad—it means he's experienced."
Minos shook his head.
"Yeah, no. I'm not buying that."
Nova chuckled under her breath.
"Just… keep listening."
The professor's tone deepened.
"A Remnant's power source is something called Vana. During the First Human–Remnant War, our scientists conducted countless experiments on captured Remnants, and through those… Vana was discovered."
"Vana?" Miwa repeated, rolling the word on her tongue. She leaned toward Ai and whispered,
"What kind of name is that?"
From the back, a boy raised his hand.
"Professor, why is it called Vana?"
The professor nodded as if he'd been waiting for that question.
"As you might suspect, the name 'Vana' originates from an older term—Mana. Long before the Remnants, the people of Euphoria practiced magic, and mana was the lifeblood of their craft. Mana existed everywhere—in the air, in the earth, in every living being. But after the King conquered the known universe, he systematically eradicated it, destroying every method of harnessing that energy."
His eyes swept across the class, letting the gravity of the statement sink in.
"Do not misunderstand vana for something like mana they aren't similar even in the slightest. According to old scriptures mana was present everywhere but not everyone could use it.
Vana however is different it's like a natural energy created inside the body of every living creature."
"How is that possible, professor?" Nova asked tilting his head.
"You see when a wheel moves it creates kinetic energy, same way a living body creates vana it doesn't do anything nor is it visible or feelable it simply flows out of the body."
Ai raised her voice.
"So… how does Vana actually work?"
The professor clicked to a new slide showing the cross-section of a Remnant's skull.
"Every Remnant is born with a crystalline organ embedded in their brain. This 'Gem Core' acts as a converter—instead of letting the vana escape it stores it and circulates it through the body converting it into usable power."
Another boy spoke up. "So they can use Vana because of that gem?"
The professor inclined his head.
"Exactly. Without that core, the Vana inside them would remain dormant, inert. The gem is the reason they can wield their powers."
Nova's eyes narrowed in thought.
"Then… does that mean, sir, that anyone with such a gem could use powers? Not just Remnants?"
The professor's lips curved in a faint smile.
"Yes. In theory, anyone could awaken Vana—it is as natural to the body as breathing. But here lies the problem: awakening Vana is one thing; circulating it and transforming it into power is another. Humans have no natural means of doing so. That's why we… mimicked the Remnant's gem."
He clicked to another projection—this time, an intricate sigil engraved into human skin, glowing faintly.
"This is the AMI Mark. Think of it as an artificial Gem Core for humanity. It is a living conduit etched into the bearer's body, capable of channeling Vana and converting it into usable strength."
A boy near the front raised his hand eagerly.
"So with the AMI Mark, humans and Remnants are equally strong?"
The professor shook his head immediately.
"Not even close. While the AMI Mark allows humans to access Vana, there are strict limitations. It cannot be granted to just anyone. A non-Remnant must first reach a certain threshold of physical and mental conditioning—only then can their body withstand the constant flow of Vana."
A girl in the second row frowned.
"What happens if someone gets it before they're ready?"
The professor's tone turned grim.
"Their body would fail. The pressure of Vana surging through an unprepared frame would rupture blood vessels, organs… even bone. In short, they would… burst—like an overinflated balloon."
Miwa made a face.
"That's disgusting."
The professor ignored her and continued,
"This is why the AMI Mark is rare. Only one in a thousand humans ever reaches the required state to survive it."
Another boy's voice rose from the crowd.
"So… there's no other way to fight Remnants?"
The tension in the room shifted. Someone else spoke before the professor could answer.
"Yeah, so if we can't get AMI Marks, we're useless in battle, right?"
The professor raised both hands in a calming gesture.
"Not at all. The AMI Mark is not the only path to combat readiness. It simply gives an edge. Without it, humans can still fight Remnants—though they must rely more on skill, strategy, and equipment."
He stepped to the side, revealing another hologram: armored suits, sleek rifles, and blades glowing with contained energy.
"Energy weaponry, reinforced combat exosuits, adaptive shields—these can allow a well-trained soldier to defeat low-tier Remnants. A skilled fighter, even without the AMI Mark, could take down a one-star threat… possibly even a zero-star, with enough preparation and grit."
A dozen more hands shot up.
Nova leaned forward.
"Sir, what exactly is that gear?"
The professor's eyes glinted with amusement.
"I see curiosity is alive and well in this class. Good. But… a semester's worth of knowledge cannot be poured into a single day."
A few students groaned in protest.
"Patience," the professor said, closing the projection. "Tomorrow, we will begin dissecting the nature of Remnant classifications and the star-tier system. Until then—rest your minds. Overfeeding them will only make them slow."
The room buzzed with quiet chatter as he left the podium, leaving behind more questions than answers.
The group spilled out of the lecture hall, the heavy wooden doors swinging shut behind them.
Minos stretched until his shoulders popped.
"Well… that was fun."
Nova pulled his hands out of his pockets saying, "Haven't found anything that interesting in years. Honestly… amazing."
Ai gave a small nod. "Amazing… and complicated."
Nova smirked and said,"That's what makes it worth knowing."
Miwa piped up, almost bouncing on her heels.
"Please explain it to me—"
Kiyomasa raised a hand immediately. "Me too. Explain it to me too."
"Alright, alright, I'll break it down for you later."Nova gave a short smile.
Minos checked the wall clock by the hallway."Three hours gone already. Time really flew."
Ai glanced back toward the empty lecture hall.
"We were all so focused we didn't even notice."
Miwa groaned in mock despair.
"And we're only one class in. We still have two more today."
Kiyomasa flipped through his notebook—every page filled with cramped handwriting and diagrams. "My notebook's already full… Guess I'll have to buy a new one."
Nova chuckled while leaning forward to look into his notebook. "Buy two. Trust me, they'll come in handy."
Ai leaned forward slightly, eyes still thoughtful. "It's fascinating, though—this whole Vana system. The idea of a crystal in the brain controlling everything…"
Nova gave a short understanding nod. "Yeah. When you think about it, it changes how you see Remnants entirely."
Miwa tilted her head, a sudden thought hitting her. "Wait… do we have those crystals too?"
Everyone turned to look at her.
Ai blinked. "That's… actually a good question. Do we?"
Nova tapped her chin. "I'd think so. How else would we be using powers?"
Minos raised a brow.
"Is there even a way to check for sure?"
Nova's eyes lit up with a playful glint. "Oh, there's a way. I can make us… see inside each other's heads."
Kiyomasa leaned forward immediately."Do it. Right now."
Nova looked around, scanning for a quiet spot.
"Not here. Let's find somewhere out of sight."
They slipped out to the campus courtyard and circled around to a massive old tree whose branches cast a wide shade.
Ai crossed her arms.
"Alright… what exactly are you going to do?"
Nova clasped his hands together, fingers weaving in quick, deliberate motions. When lhe pulled them apart, a rectangle of pure darkness shimmered into existence between his palms—like a slice of night sky torn from the world.
"This," he said, "is a viewing screen. Put simply… we'll be looking inside."
He turned to Kiyomasa.
"You first. Sit."
Kiyomasa plopped down cross-legged. Nova lowered the black screen over his head like a veil, and an image flickered to life—a faint outline of his skull, hazy and shadowed.
Minos exhaled in relief. "Thank god it's in black and white."
Nova smirked with a mischievous glint, "I can switch it to full color if you want."
Miwa's head shot back in alarm.
"No. Absolutely not. No hell no."
Nova laughed, then leaned closer to the display.
"Wait… oh. Oh, this is insane."
Kiyomasa squinted upward. "What? What's there?"
Nova looked at him with wide eyes.
"You have a gem. Right in your brain."
Ai stepped forward immediately.
"Check me next."
One by one, they all sat before the screen—Minos, Ai, Miwa—and one by one, the truth came out.
Each of them carried it: the same crystalline core the professor had described.
Nova leaned back at last, dispelling the black screen with a wave of his hand.
"Well… I guess that settles it. We're all Remnants."
Ai folded her arms with a satisfied smile.
"We tested it ourselves. Now it all makes more sense."
Nova tilted his head toward Kiyomasa. "So… what's next on the schedule?"
Kiyomasa flipped through his bracelet.
"Combat training class."
Minos gave a low whistle.
"Now that… I'm looking forward to."
---
Zazm stepped out of the classroom, hands in his pockets, shoulders loose but his eyes… hollow. He walked without aim, gaze unfocused, as if his mind was wandering somewhere far beyond the school walls.
Footsteps pattered behind him. "Hey—are you going without me?"
Marine's voice carried that teasing, singsong tone, but Zazm didn't even flinch. It was as if her words were swallowed by the air before they could reach him.
She sped up, falling into step beside him, tilting her head to peek at his expression.
"Come on, stop acting like you aren't listening."
Zazm's voice came at last, low and curt.
"What do you want?"
Marine smirked, eyes glimmering like she'd been waiting for him to ask.
"I wanna become your friend."
Zazm kept walking. No reply. Just the steady sound of his shoes against the floor.
Only when they reached the turn toward the courtyard did he finally look up.
"Why?"
Marine's smirk deepened, playful yet unreadable.
"That's a secret."
Zazm's gaze flickered away, and he continued walking. Silence stretched between them, heavy and one-sided. Marine filled it without hesitation.
"It's simple, really. I'm sitting with you now. Might as well be good friends, right?"
"I don't wanna," Zazm said flatly.
Marine let out a mock sigh, clasping her hands behind her back as she walked.
"You're a tough cookie… but I'll definitely break you."
Her voice was light, almost joking, but the way her eyes lingered on him for a heartbeat too long made it feel like a promise.
--
Jennie sat with her arms folded on the desk, watching the professor pace at the front.
On her right, Lisa leaned back in her chair; on her left, Nirin sat with one leg crossed over the other.
"That teacher is a ten out of ten," Nirin whispered.
Lisa smirked. "You've got good eyes, Nirin… but he keeps yapping."
Jennie gave an awkward smile. "He's our professor, guys. And he is teaching us."
Lisa groaned. "Jennie, I'm already getting a headache trying to process all this."
Jennie chuckled.
"But this place is really fun."
Nirin nodded. "I'm enjoying my time here too."
Lisa slumped forward, chin on the desk. "You two are weird…"
Her words trailed off as the professor stopped mid-sentence.
"Lisa," he called.
No reaction.
Lisa tilted her head slightly. "Huh… now I'm hearing his voice calling me."
Jennie stepped on her foot—once, then again.
"Ow—Jennie, why are you stomping my foot?"
The voice came again, firmer this time.
Lisa waved a hand lazily. "I'm tired, I'll talk later."
Jennie's eyes widened in alarm.
The professor's voice rang out once more.
"Lisa."
Lisa finally turned around.
"What do you wa—PROFESSOR!"
Professor Riu stood there, one brow raised."So kind of you to finally hear me."
Lisa shot up straight in her seat. "I was always listening, professor!"
"Is that so? Then would you mind answering the question written there?"
Lisa nodded rapidly. "Of course!"
Nirin leaned toward Jennie, whispering, "She's done for."
Jennie gave a nervous laugh. "Let's hope she gets off easy…"
The moment broke as the classroom door slammed open.
A man stepped in—crimson eyes catching the light, crimson hair falling over his forehead. His smirk carried a weight of effortless confidence.
"How's everyone doing?"
Professor Riu descended the steps toward him, almost stiff with formality.
"Sir Asher—it's an honor to meet you."
Asher chuckled. "No need for that, professor. You were once my upperclassman."
Riu blinked in surprise. "It's… a surprise you remember someone like me."
For the briefest moment, Asher's smirk faded. His expression softened into something distant, almost painful.
"I don't forget people, Riu. Or their names."
His gaze dipped, hiding something unspoken.
"I always remember."
Riu's voice lowered. "Everything okay, Sir?"
Asher lifted his head with his usual grin.
"Just lost in thought for a second."
Around them, every student was on their feet, heads bowed.
"No need to do all this for me—just sit down," Asher said with a light laugh.
Some students exchanged puzzled looks.
"Why are you all acting like this?"
A girl near the front stammered,
"You're… Sir Asher Ellis Ried. One of the Eleven Zero Stars."
Asher laughed again.
"Were you studying to get into EIAA… or my biography?"
The girl's face turned pink.
With an easy jump, Asher landed on the professor's desk.
"Relax. I'm just here to see what you're studying. Nothing more."
His gaze swept over the room—and lingered on Jennie for a beat longer than anyone else. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"Hope you're all having fun in EIAA."
Silence.
"Is anyone gonna answer or not?" he asked suddenly.
A boy in the back straightened like a soldier.
"It's a great place, sir! We're having a lot of fun!"
His tone was stiff, nervous.
Asher leaned his chin on his hand, looking unimpressed.
Riu stepped forward. "They're just extremely nervous, Sir Asher. Please don't mind them."
"I'm not minding," Asher said, "but I'd prefer if they were a little more casual with me."
Riu chuckled softly. "All the power and fame hasn't changed you at all.
"I'm not the type to be influenced by things like that."
Asher hopped down from the desk.
"Anyway, I'll be your professor too. I'll get to know all of you eventually."
With a casual wave, he added,
"I've got work now. See you later."
The door clicked shut behind him, and the hallway quieted.
Asher smirked to himself. "That was fun."
Then, his bracelet vibrated.
He raised it, and a pale-blue hologram shimmered to life—Rhyes' face appearing above his wrist.
"What's up, Rhyes?"
"How are you fitting in at EIAA?" Rhyes asked.
Asher grinned. "You know me—I can fit anywhere."
"Good. Anything out of the ordinary?"
Asher thought for a moment. "Only the attack last month. That's the only thing."
Rhyes nodded. "That was expected… but still, keep your guard up."
"I'm already on it," Asher replied.
"What about the kids?"
"Haven't talked to them much yet—they were busy. But I think they're fitting in fine."
Rhyes smiled faintly. "Good. Look after them. I'll talk to you later."
"Yeah. Later."
The hologram blinked out, and Asher lowered his arm, the faint smirk still playing at the corner of his lips.
---
"And then he just… jumped."
Zephyra's voice carried into the quiet room.
Elziora's soft laugh followed. "What kind of foolish idea was that?"
Zephyra snorted.
"The worst kind. But it was hilarious."
Their laughter overlapped until a flat voice cut through.
"Would you two mind shutting up?"
Zazm finally turned, eyes as expressionless as ever. Zephyra and Elziora were seated comfortably in his room.
Elziora tilted her head with a gentle smile. "We're only talking."
Zazm's gaze lingered on her. "What are you doing here?"
"I came with Zephyra," she replied lightly, hands folded neatly in her lap.
Zephyra gave a quick nod. "Yeah, a few things happened and… we ended up here."
Zazm didn't respond—his expression didn't so much as flicker—before he turned back to the book in his hand.
Elziora's voice stayed calm and curious.
"Have you been keeping up with things since coming here?"
A short nod. "Yes. A lot."
She continued as though coaxing him to speak more. "I imagine it must be overwhelming—millions of inhabited planets, the technology, the cultures…"
Zazm's reply was flat. "Somewhat."
"What about the others?" she asked. "Do you all still meet?"
"Every day, at Lunch."
Zephyra grinned at Elziora. "See? You're getting used to his style."
Elziora's lips curved slightly. "Mm. At first it was difficult—he gives one answer to ten questions. But now… I can read between the lines."
Their small back-and-forth was cut when Zephyra's eyes narrowed.
"Zazm, What are you doing nowdays?"
He didn't even look at her. "What are you talking about?"
"That girl you keep hanging around with," she said, standing.
"It's the other way around," Zazm replied without pause.
Zephyra crossed her arms. "I've seen it. You even reply to her sometimes."
Zazm's eyes flicked up to meet hers. "Only so she'll stop talking."
Elziora's gaze turned mildly disapproving. "You men…"
Zazm closed his book and placed it on the desk with deliberate calm.
"If I stay here, this conversation will end badly for me."
Elziora laughed softly. "Then I'll take my leave."
Zephyra leaned forward. "How exactly are you planning to leave?"
"Same way I came in," Elziora replied, glancing toward the window.
Zazm's tone didn't change. "And how did you get out of the castle?"
A faintly sly smile touched her lips. "I can get out whenever I wish. And I can fly—it makes things easier."
Zephyra smirked. "Imagine going for a stroll and seeing the Queen just casually floating by."
"That would be charming," Elziora said with a light laugh. She stepped to the window, lifted herself onto the sill, and—without hesitation—jumped.
Her body didn't fall far before she began to rise, weightless, carried upward on invisible currents. Within seconds, she was a dark silhouette against the pale sky.
Down below, in the garden, a boy sitting on a bench happened to glance up. His eyes widened.
"IS THAT THE QUEEN?!"
The boy beside him followed his gaze, saw nothing, and frowned.
"Have you finally lost it?"
The first boy clutched his head. "I'm so behind in my studies I'm hallucinating the Queen flying over campus…"
Zephyra looked at Zazm who was about to go to sleep. "What are you gonna do now?"
Zazm looked at her with same flat gaze, "Why ask when you already know?"
Zephyra shrugged with a smile, "Yeah but come on."
Zazm didn't answer instead he layed down on his bed and before he knew he had fallen asleep.
_______________________