The academy's acceptance ceremony was in full swing. The grand hall, filled with hundreds of new students, buzzed with energy. Laughter, cheers, and the occasional friendly challenge echoed through the space.
Despite the celebratory atmosphere, Bolt remained still.
His eyes were locked onto Felix, the one person who had beaten him in the entrance trials. Felix stood near the front, calm and composed, that same smirk playing on his lips.
Bolt clenched his fists.
The trials had been brutal, but he had fought through each one. He had started at the bottom—literally the lowest score possible—and yet, here he was, standing as the second strongest among the new recruits.
But something wasn't right.
Even now, with victory behind him, there was a weight in his chest. A nagging feeling in the back of his mind.
Aether, noticing Bolt's silence, nudged him. "Dude, you good? You look like someone just told you your parents were in debt."
Akane rolled her eyes. "That was a horrible analogy."
Bolt shook his head. "It's not that. It's just… I feel like something's off."
Aether raised an eyebrow. "You mean, besides the fact that Felix is acting like he owns this place?"
Bolt smirked slightly but said nothing. He wasn't sure how to explain it. It wasn't just Felix. It was everything.
The way the instructors had barely reacted when he and Felix had shattered expectations during the trials. The way Felix, despite his victory, didn't even seem remotely excited. The way the entire academy felt too perfect.
Like it was hiding something.
His thoughts were interrupted as the lights flickered.
For a split second, the entire hall went pitch black.
Murmurs spread through the students. Some gasped. Others laughed it off.
Then, the giant screen above the hall glitched.
A high-pitched, ear-splitting sound rang out, like a corrupted transmission. Static crackled across the screen, and then—
A voice echoed through the speakers.
A deep, distorted voice.
> "…You think you're safe…?"
The entire room fell silent.
Bolt's heartbeat quickened.
> "The trials were nothing but a joke. The real battle is coming. And most of you… won't survive it."
A sudden wave of pressure filled the room. It wasn't magic. It wasn't an ability.
It was pure, raw intent.
The screen flickered again. The static crackled louder. Then—
A symbol appeared.
A jagged, blood-red emblem. A claw-like slash, cutting through a black circle. The emblem pulsed, almost alive.
Bolt's entire body tensed. What the hell is this?
Aether's face went pale. Akane took a step back. Around them, students whispered in confusion, some in fear.
Felix, however, stood completely still. His expression unreadable.
Before anyone could react, the headmaster, a tall man with silver hair and piercing golden eyes, stepped forward. He lifted his hand—
And snapped his fingers.
Everything reset.
The screen turned black. The speakers cut off. The lights returned to normal. The oppressive presence vanished instantly.
As if nothing had happened.
The headmaster's voice rang out, calm and commanding. "That was nothing but a meaningless disturbance." His golden eyes swept over the students. "You are now officially students of the academy. You have no reason to fear."
Silence.
Then, slowly, conversations resumed. Students turned to each other, trying to rationalize what had just happened. Some brushed it off as a hacker attack. Others claimed it was a test.
But Bolt knew better.
That wasn't a test.
That was a warning.
Aether exhaled sharply. "Dude… that was not normal."
Akane nodded, her expression tense. "That wasn't some prank. Someone actually hijacked the academy's system."
Bolt frowned. His instincts screamed at him. That symbol—he had never seen it before, and yet, something about it felt… familiar. Like it was meant for him.
Aether nudged him again. "Bolt… that symbol. Have you ever seen it before?"
"No," Bolt muttered. "But I have a feeling this won't be the last time we see it."
Felix, who had been silent all this time, suddenly turned his head slightly toward them. A smirk played on his lips.
"Huh."
That's all he said. Then, he turned back and walked away.
Bolt narrowed his eyes. That guy knows something.
His gut had been right.
This academy was hiding something.
And now, someone wanted them to know it.
Later That Night
Bolt sat on his dorm bed, staring at the ceiling. The event from earlier played in his mind over and over. The voice, the symbol, the feeling it gave him.
Who were they?
What did they want?
And why did he feel like this was just the beginning?
He had no answers.
But one thing was certain.
His life at the academy wasn't going to be normal.
He had fought his way through the entrance trials, proving he be
longed here. But now, the real battle was about to begin.
And this time, it wasn't about rankings or tests.
It was about survival.