There were already students waiting outside—some from earlier buses. They stood in small groups or alone, chatting, fidgeting, or just staring at the gates.
Some laughed nervously. Some looked scared. Some were already talking about Eternal Ascendancy.
All types of students were there—different ages, different cultures, different backgrounds.
But every single one of them was waiting for the same thing: the opening of the academy gates.
When it seemed all the students had gathered, a bell rang.
Dong~
A single, clear note that cut through the chatter and drew every eye.
The bell did not ring again.
Slowly, the gates of the academy campus opened.
A middle-aged man stepped through first—straight posture, strict at first glance, dressed in simple dark robes. Behind him walked a group of scholars—men and women with calm, intelligent faces, carrying themselves with quiet confidence.
The middle-aged man came to a halt just outside the gates. Then, unexpectedly, a warm smile spread across his face.
The students who had braced for a strict, cold teacher let out small sighs of relief.
He spoke, voice carrying clearly to everyone.
"Hello, students. Welcome to Central Academy."
All the students greeted him back—some shyly, some loudly, a wave of young voices echoing across the courtyard.
Then the middle-aged man continued.
"I am the head of the academy, Gino. And behind me are your teachers, who will teach you everything—from ancient history to future sciences, from how the world works to how to think clearly and solve real problems. We only teach what actually works. And what will be helpful to you."
Hearing him introduce himself and explain the academy's purpose in such simple, direct words, the students understood something important.
Their academy life was going to be really… unique.
And probably tough.
They could already imagine themselves with tired faces, buried in books, preparing for endless exams and tests.
But then Gino spoke again, his voice calm and clear.
"Do not stress over exams and things now. The academy does not have exams. Only your performance and behavior here will be evaluated. Your teachers will give you an academic score based on their observations. When your score reaches a certain threshold, you will graduate. If you are not satisfied with your score, you can appeal to the academy council."
Hearing there were no exams, the students' faces lit up with relief. Smiles broke out. Whispers of excitement spread through the crowd.
But as Gino continued, their expressions slowly turned grim.
A brave student near the front raised his hand.
"Head Gino… what if one of us never reaches that threshold?"
Gino smiled—warm, but with a quiet firmness behind it.
"Then you will not graduate from the academy. And not graduating means you will only be able to do low-level jobs. Middle-level or top jobs will be very hard to find."
The words landed heavily.
Faces changed. Some students looked down, suddenly regretting their decision to come here. Their future now depended on teachers' evaluations? No exams to cram for, no clear passing marks—just subjective scores? It felt unfair. It felt like… they were being forced to perform perfectly in front of their teachers, or else.
But no one dared speak their doubts aloud.
Gino's face returned to its strict lines when he noticed the shift in mood. He saw the regret, the fear, the wrong assumptions flickering across young faces. But he said nothing about it.
He knew the truth they didn't yet understand: the teachers—and even he himself—were puppets. No human emotions. No favoritism. No bias. Their evaluations would always be fair, accurate, and based purely on performance and behavior. Never wrong.
The council for appeals existed only to give the illusion of recourse—to make the students feel they had a path, even if they never needed it.
Gino raised his voice again, cutting through the unease.
"All students from age 5 to 10—assemble on the left side of me."
"Students from age 11 to 15—assemble in the center."
"Students from age 16 to 18 or older—assemble on the right."
The students snapped out of their thoughts. They moved quickly, sorting themselves into groups. They tried to look confident. The courtyard filled with quiet shuffling and nervous glances.
When everyone was in place, Gino nodded.
"Students on my right—you have 5 teachers here. Go with them. They will explain all the details and your curriculum."
"Students in the center—you have 7 teachers. Follow them."
"Students on my left—you have 10 teachers in total. They are experts in their fields. If any of you want to explore a different field later, submit an application at my office. I will call an expert from that field to teach you."
Then the warm smile returned to his face.
"Okay? Go now."
The students slowly moved out, following their respective teachers toward the classrooms.
Some walked with excitement flickering in their eyes.
Some still looked worried, minds spinning with questions about scores and futures.
But all of them stepped forward.
Into something new.
Into Central Academy.