In the first year courtyard of the academy, before the start of the morning lessons, several students of Class S, the highest ranked class among all levels, had gathered as part of their early routine.
They exchanged short conversations and discussed the latest news about the upcoming examinations.
The other students watched them from afar with eyes that carried both admiration and awe.
Zenith Van Valeria stood at the center of the circle, surrounded by the sons and daughters of noble families.
The gazes of dozens were fixed upon her.
She did not speak and showed no interest in anyone around her, yet her silence alone was enough to impose authority.
Her white uniform with its fine golden lines carried a brilliance that could not be ignored.
The crest of House Valeria, etched on her left shoulder, was a clear declaration of a lineage that preceded her wherever she went.
Her short white hair fell with disciplined precision, revealing golden eyes that appeared cold, as if they knew nothing but focus and order.
Her features were balanced and precise, closer to academic perfection than human warmth.
Her straight posture suggested she was more accustomed to standing than sitting, like a soldier raised to master silence before speech.
She looked at the courtyard before her not as a student observing an academy, but as a commander evaluating a field before the battle.
Every training, every exam, every discussion in this courtyard was, to her, nothing more than a prelude to something far greater.
A real war that had not yet been declared.
Around her stood five girls, the closest circle to her and the only companions she had in a world that recognized nothing but excellence.
To her right was Saphira De Lunaris.
Her long silver hair reflected the gray light above them, and her eyes carried a stillness as unshakable as ice.
She spoke in a low and cold voice:
"In the next stage of the trials, if direct engagement is allowed, I will freeze the entire field before anyone can move".
Beside her stood Talia Korr Aelion, her hand resting on her hip.
She laughed lightly and said:
"Why bother with so much effort? A single gust of wind is enough to bring down two entire classes if aimed well".
Her words carried both confidence and arrogance, and her short sky blue hair swayed fluidly with each movement.
Their other companion, Nerine De Valeia, remained silent most of the time.
Her blue eyes followed the conversation with a calmness that resembled water observing its own flow.
Her small smile was one none of them could decipher.
When she finally spoke, her voice was soft and smooth, yet within its depth lay a hidden note that hinted at a quiet threat.
"It is easy to talk about control, but when the fight begins, only the water knows where it will overflow and where it will drown".
On the other side stood Elora San Astryn.
She was absorbed in her digital slate, shifting between data and names with sharp precision.
She spoke without raising her head:
"Class A has only four candidates this year who can be considered a real threat to us. The rest are not worth mentioning".
Finally, to Zenith's left, stood Reina Van Valeria.
She was a distant relative, yet closer to her by blood than most of those around her.
Her golden hair was tied with a red ribbon, and her eyes shone with a sharp and challenging light.
She spoke loudly enough to draw every gaze:
"The clan war this year will benefit us greatly. The rewards are many and unlike any before. Alliances will be allowed. This is our chance to prove that we are the true heirs of noble power in the academy".
Zenith did not answer at first.
She knew Reina enjoyed the sound of her own voice and did not dislike being the center of attention.
Zenith, however, had always preferred action over words.
Saphira spoke next in a calm tone.
"Instructor Lawrence mentioned that the lower classes have begun showing unexpected results. Even Class E and D achieved progress in their field training".
Talia laughed lightly and said with open mockery:
"Class E and D? Those fools can barely lift a sword without cutting themselves".
At that moment Zenith turned toward them.
Her gaze alone was enough to silence their amusement.
She spoke softly but with a clear and cutting voice that carried over the noise of the courtyard.
"Mocking the weak does not make us stronger. The lower classes exist to be crushed, yes. But it must be by our hands, not our arrogance".
Silence fell for a moment.
Reina smiled lightly and said:
"As always, your words strike true. But you still do not know how to enjoy a conversation, Zenith".
Zenith gave no reply.
She lifted her eyes toward the gray sky that stretched above the academy, then slipped on her white glove over her right hand and said with a steady voice,
"What matters now is ascending the floors of the Arcanos Tower. Every world we conquer brings us back to our rightful place, which is the summit. We were not born to compete with them. We were born to surpass them all".
Elora raised her head and spoke with her usual coldness.
"Exactly as we were raised and trained. The weak disappear. The strong ascend. The rule never changes".
In that moment Zenith's eyes moved to the far side of the courtyard.
Amid the crowd, she saw a young man walking with quiet steps.
His black hair fell over his eyes, and he paid no attention to anyone.
She did not know who he was, and she did not try to remember.
But somewhere deep inside, she felt a faint and distant sense of recognition.
A shadow that passed through memory without shape or name.
She lowered her gaze once more and said quietly as she prepared to leave:
"Let us go. The next class begins in five minutes".
She moved first, and the others followed her with synchronized steps, the sound of their boots echoing across the courtyard.
The elite class did not walk like the others.
It was watched from afar.