The sun rose over Valkyros Academy like a blade slicing through the red-stained sky. Its light didn't warm the stone towers or steel walls—it simply illuminated the battlefield that doubled as a campus.
Kai stood silently before the gates of the Inner Sector, the portion of the academy reserved for trial survivors. Behind him, a group of students stumbled forward—wounded, quiet, and wary of the future.
A colossal steel arch opened without ceremony.
Dozens of instructors waited on the other side, clad in black-and-silver uniforms, most with visible scars or weapons strapped across their backs. Each one radiated strength. Not a single weakling existed among them.
"Welcome to Valkyros," said a woman with white hair tied in a brutal ponytail. Her eyes were glowing amethyst, her presence as heavy as a mountain. "I am Instructor Nyra. For the next year, I will be your overseer. Fail, and you die. Succeed, and you rise."
Her gaze swept over the students like a predator among prey.
"You will be assigned to dorm sectors based on your trial ranking. The weak get nothing. The elite get everything."
A nearby automaton clanked forward and projected a glowing list into the air.
> Top Five Rankings
1. Elira Voss – 81 Kills
2. Kai Drakonis – 76 Kills
3. Ren Halden – 68 Kills
4. Tysha Renwyn – 66 Kills
5. Kael Mortas – 64 Kills
Some students turned toward Elira with a mixture of awe and fear. She didn't look back. Her blade hung lazily at her side, eyes fixed on Nyra.
Kai didn't react. Rankings meant little. Survival was what mattered.
---
Dorm Sector Omega: Elite Quarters
The interior of the Omega Dorm was far removed from the stone halls outside. Walls glowed faintly with defensive enchantments, and the rooms were large enough to accommodate both rest and training.
Kai stepped into his personal chamber. A bed, reinforced armor rack, spell-circle training mirror, and auto-refill weapon shelf greeted him. Spartan, but functional.
As he dropped his blood-stained cloak onto the chair, the [System] chimed again.
> [SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Dorm Registered: Omega Suite – Kai Drakonis
Daily Resource Pack Unlocked
Auto-Regen Enabled During Non-Combat Hours
Suggested Path: Skill Fusion or Physical Reinforcement
Kai ignored it for now.
Instead, he sat at the edge of his bed and closed his eyes.
The silence in his room contrasted harshly with the chaos of the trial.
Even as he rested, his mind replayed each kill. Not with guilt. But with calculation.
---
Later That Evening: The Arena Briefing
All surviving candidates gathered inside a large circular arena. Hundreds of tiered stone seats surrounded a stage where instructors stood shoulder to shoulder.
Nyra raised her hand.
"Let this be your second warning—Valkyros does not operate like your kingdoms or clans. Power defines everything here. Friendships can be forged, but weakness is fatal."
Another instructor, a bald man with a jagged scar running from eye to jaw, stepped forward.
"You will be sorted into Factions within the Academy. These factions are not merely for politics. They are for survival."
A magical screen appeared, displaying three emblems:
1. Black Fang – Aggression, brute strength, front-line roles.
2. Moonveil – Stealth, assassination, reconnaissance.
3. Iron Oath – Strategy, magic, ranged domination.
Kai's gaze sharpened. So they wanted to split the students early—divide, conquer, mold.
Nyra continued. "You may choose your faction. But you only get one chance."
Candidates around Kai began to murmur.
Ren grinned beside him. "I like smashing things. Black Fang for me."
Elira stepped forward without a word and placed her hand on the Moonveil sigil. It pulsed, and her name etched itself into the air.
Others followed, trickling in.
Kai remained still.
Then finally, he stepped forward, ignoring the eyes on him, and placed his palm against the Iron Oath emblem.
A calm, tactical approach. Not just brute force. That's where he could study the academy's secrets… and plan his rise.
---
Faction Quarters: Iron Oath Division
The Iron Oath wing was located within a spiraling tower, filled with arcane laboratories, scroll forges, and enchantment chambers. But beneath the surface elegance was a constant undertone of rivalry.
An older cadet, perhaps second-year, approached Kai near the entrance.
"Fresh blood?" The boy had layered robes and a silver spell ring. His voice was cocky, but his magic pressure was real.
"Second place in the entrance trial. Not bad," he continued. "But rank means nothing here."
Kai stared him down. "Then why mention it?"
The older cadet's smile vanished.
Another second-year stepped in between them. "Enough, Selen. He's here because he earned it."
A girl with pale gray hair, half her face covered by a rune mask, offered Kai a nod. "You'll want to watch your back in Iron Oath. Ambition here is sharper than daggers."
Kai said nothing, but in his mind, gears began to turn. Enemies were already placing themselves in front of him. He would remember every face.
---
Midnight: Unseen Eyes
In the deepest hour of the night, while most cadets slept, Kai stood at the edge of the training ring, running silent forms with his blade.
Sweat rolled down his back. Each slash was deliberate. Each motion refined.
Suddenly, a presence behind him. He didn't turn.
"You don't sleep either?" came Elira's voice, quiet as death.
"No time to waste," he replied.
She stepped into the circle, mirroring his posture. "You're stronger than you look."
"You're quieter than you seem."
They traded a few motions. Not an attack—just an exchange between potential rivals. Or allies. Or something in-between.
Before she left, she said one thing: "Watch your dorm tomorrow. Someone's going to test you."
Kai nodded. "Let them."
She vanished into the night.