"All arise!"
The grand banquet hall buzzed with noise as the first years stood in salute.
"Now sit."
The man who addressed them was the head of the student disciplinary committee.
"Welcome, all of you, to the entrance ceremony of the greatest academy in the world."
The young man with a scar stretching from his chin to his cheek paused.
Then, with an intimidating voice, he continued. "This isn't Pantheon, or your home, or your clan. This is Apex, you fuckers. I don't want to hear your whining about how important your family is. Only one thing matters in Apex."
He paused again, saying nothing, but the word etched on nearly every facility bearing the Apex name echoed in their minds.
Dominance.
"Demons, humans, no matter what race we face, here at Apex we dominate. In here there are no real rules, because only the strong create rules."
He grinned. "You hate a teacher so badly you want them gone? Then work your ass off and earn more points than that teacher."
