The moment Noah stepped into the auditorium, every pair of eyes in the room snapped to him.
It didn't matter how many students filled the seats, how many excited whispers filled the air for the briefest of moments, there was only him.
He didn't acknowledge the stares or the sudden drop in the ambient noise.
He simply walked down the center aisle with a calm, measured step, his eyes fixed straight ahead, knowing full well that all those gazes were locked on him. His presence demanded it.
Noah Astra was not the kind of person to concern himself with pleasantries or attention.
He had never asked for admiration or admiration, yet it seemed to follow him wherever he went.
The power of his bloodline, the fear his name invoked, the way he carried himself it all made him a figure that others couldn't help but regard with awe or fear.
He reached the row where Ares was sitting, not missing a beat as he slipped into the seat next to him.
He sat in complete silence, not even bothering to look at the boy beside him. Ares the perfect student, the one who had stolen his first place in the entrance exams.
Noah didn't care.
Ares, for all his skill and charisma, was just another character in a world filled with them. But Noah wasn't here to play nice.
He was here for a reason, and that reason wasn't to make friends.
It wasn't even to become the hero or the villain.
It was to find his own path in a world that wanted to dictate his every move.
The Vice-Principal stepped onto the stage, drawing all eyes once again to the front. She was striking, her features sharp and defined, and her presence could command anyone's attention. Her hair was black as midnight, her eyes a vibrant green that shone like gemstones.
But it wasn't her appearance that captivated Noah's attention.
It was the subtle way she lingered on him when she took the stage. Her gaze briefly swept over the room of students, but it didn't stop there. She lingered just a moment on him, and then on Ares Valtorin, who was sitting beside him.
Noah didn't react. He wasn't surprised. It was only natural for someone in her position to acknowledge power.
He didn't need to say anything for her to know who he was. The Astra name was famous enough, after all.
The Vice-Principal smiled, a smirk playing at the edges of her lips, but there was something in the way she held herself a subtle power that commanded respect.
"Welcome, students," she began, her voice smooth and confident. "I hope you're ready to begin your journey at Aguroquin Academy, where you will either rise to greatness… or fall into obscurity."
Her words hung in the air for a moment, before she smirked again, catching the gaze of a group of boys who were too busy ogling her to pay attention.
Her mana flared.
A wave of crushing pressure poured from her, a quiet but overwhelming force that seemed to wrap around every student in the room, compelling them to focus.
The boys who had been too distracted by her beauty suddenly stiffened, their eyes wide as they felt her presence.
"You will learn to respect the power you are given," she said, her tone laced with authority.
Noah smiled faintly, his gaze returning to the stage.
This academy… It's more than just a school.
And today, a new chapter in the story had begun.
The Vice-Principal stood tall on the stage, her emerald eyes scanning the hundreds of fresh students seated before her.
The weight of her presence alone was enough to keep everyone silent, but her next words would shake them far more than any pressure of mana ever could.
"I expect all of you to rise to this academy's standards," she said, her voice laced with authority. "And if you don't?"
She paused, letting the silence settle thick in the air.
"You'll be expelled."
A few murmurs spread through the students, some shifting in their seats, others scoffing as if the warning didn't apply to them.
Noah Astra simply remained still, his expression unreadable, amethyst eyes watching Valeria Rhyne with quiet interest.
The woman smirked at the subtle tension she had stirred.
"This is no ordinary academy," she continued. "The weak will be left behind. The incapable will be discarded. You will fail if you do not meet our expectations. You will be expelled, and your dreams, your ambitions, your future will vanish like dust in the wind."
A slow, creeping dread settled over the students.
Expulsion didn't just mean leaving the academy it meant complete and utter disgrace.
This was the greatest institution on the continent of Aguroquin, and failure here meant failure everywhere.
Valeria leaned forward slightly, as if addressing them more intimately. "But before we go any further, let me ask you all a question."
She shifted her gaze towards the back rows.
"Between monster and humans. What is something only the latter knows?"
A hush fell over the auditorium.
A few students hesitated before speaking up.
"Love," one girl answered softly, glancing at the boy beside her.
"Sadness," another student muttered, his voice tinged with melancholy.
"Dreams," a third voice called out, firm with conviction.
Valeria tilted her head slightly, as if considering their words.
Then, she exhaled through her nose half amused, half disappointed.
"There is something far more fundamental than all of that."
Her piercing green eyes roamed over the crowd. "It is the reality that you will all die someday."
A heavy silence blanketed the auditorium.
The students who had answered earlier lowered their heads, their previous confidence crumbling under the weight of that truth.
"Monsters," Valeria continued, "simply act out their destined programs. They do not hesitate, they do not falter. Even if their comrades or kin perish, they continue forward unbothered, unthinking. But humans? Humans are different."
She let the words sink in, watching as the students fidgeted uncomfortably.
"We understand that our lives are finite," she said. "And because of that, we struggle. We adapt. We fight."
She paused, scanning the room for any sign of understanding.
"Now think," she commanded. "How will you make it to the end of your years at this academy? You'll need to adapt. You'll need to challenge yourselves. To face your fears."
Then, she gave a sharp, knowing smirk.
"But why?"
The silence that followed was deafening.
The students shifted uncomfortably, whispering among themselves.
The question was deceptively simple, yet no one could answer it.
Noah Astra, however, already knew.
In the novel, this was a defining moment for Ares the protagonist who would spend days obsessing over the question. He had never figured it out until much later.
But Noah now inside this world himself already knew the answer.
He let the silence stretch for a few seconds longer, then finally spoke.
"Because death is always close."
The entire auditorium turned to him.
Even Ares, who had been deep in thought, snapped his gaze towards Noah.
Valeria's smirk widened, her emerald eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Bingo."
She took a step forward, her voice carrying across the hall like a blade cutting through the air.
"This academy is designed to push you to your limits. You will struggle. You will suffer. You will face loss when your comrades are expelled, and you will learn to fear your own impending demise."
A subtle chill ran through the students as her words settled in.
"If you grow careless, if you hesitate, if you fail to adapt…" She trailed off, the smirk still playing on her lips. "Then you'll be next."
A tense silence followed.
Then, the doors of the auditorium swung open once more.
A dozen academy staff members entered, each holding a stack of sleek, silver smartwatches.
They moved efficiently, handing one to every student.
"These," Valeria said, "will serve as your student IDs, track your schedules, and notify you of unexpected changes in your classes or emergencies."
The moment Noah received his, he turned it over in his palm, inspecting it. It looked identical to the one described in the novel.
A small screen flickered to life on the device, displaying his name, rank, and assigned class.
_________________________________________
[Noah Von Astra]
[Rank: #2]
[Class: 1-S]
_________________________________________
The highest-ranking students were assigned to Class 1-S, the elite class of first-years, while the others were divided among Class 1-A, 1-B, and so on.
Once all students had received their watches, Valeria spoke again.
"The top ten students of this year's entrance exam," she announced, "follow me."
Noah stood up immediately. He already knew this moment was coming.
Ares Valtorin also rose from his seat, his gray eyes flickering toward Noah, as if trying to decipher what kind of rival he had just gained.
The rest of the top-ranked students followed suit.
As Noah walked towards Valeria, he could feel the weight of dozens hundreds of eyes on him.
He didn't care.
He didn't care that the protagonist was looking at him.
He didn't care that his fate in the novel had already been decided.
He didn't care that this entire academy was a place designed to push its students to the brink.
All he cared about was one thing.
This time, I will not die a useless death.
This time, I will decide my own fate.
With that thought, he stepped forward, past the rest of the students, and followed Valeria Rhyne.
…
The ten students walked through the academy's grand halls, led by Valeria Rhyne.
Their footsteps echoed against the polished marble floors, the corridors stretching endlessly before them.
Noah Astra remained quiet, his hands in his pockets as he took in the extravagant interior.
The academy was just as it had been described in the novel ornate yet modern, with towering windows that allowed the morning light to flood in.
The paintings on the walls depicted past heroes, legends of the Aguroquin Continent, warriors and scholars whose names had shaped history.
But Noah had no interest in any of that.
He was far more focused on the people walking beside him the top ten students of the first-year class.
Each one of them was a key figure in the story. Some would become allies. Others would become were wild cards.
For five minutes, they walked in silence until they reached a massive building the Top Ten Dormitory.
Valeria stopped in front of the entrance and turned to face them.
"This is where the ten of you will be staying," she announced. "It is a ten-floor dormitory, with each floor belonging to one of you."
She gestured towards the sleek, glass-paneled building.
"The tenth floor belongs to Ares Valtorin, the first rank."
Ares, who had been silent until now, simply nodded. gray eyes scanned the building with mild interest.
"The ninth floor belongs to Noah Astra, second rank."
Noah didn't react, but internally, he was relieved.
Being on the higher floors meant more privacy and fewer chances for others to bother him.
"And so on," Valeria continued. "Each of you has a floor to yourselves, complete with a personal training room, study, and bath."
A few murmurs of approval rippled through the group.
The accommodations were undoubtedly luxurious, but none of them were foolish enough to think it was just a gift.
They would be expected to meet the academy's near-impossible standards.
Valeria smirked at their expressions, then gestured toward the lounge area.
"For now, wait here," she ordered. "I need to retrieve something."
She turned toward the staff behind the minibar. "Give them drinks."
The moment she left, the tension in the room shifted.
Now, it was just the top ten all gathered in one place for the first time.
Noah observed them quietly.
They were an interesting group.
The Top Ten of all first years besides Noah and Ares :
• Isolde Eirwen (#3) – Silver-haired, blue-eyed mage with ice and water affinity. The cold, calculating daughter of a duke.
• Luciana Luminus (#4) – Golden-haired, red-eyed first princess of the empire. A mage with light affinity, known for her tactical mind.
• Asher Arven (#5) – Black-haired, red-eyed dagger user with shadow and darkness affinity. Son of a duke. Stealthy and perceptive.
• Nova Solstice (#6) – Red-haired, red-eyed fire mage with fire and lava affinity. A hotheaded, reckless daughter of a duke.
• Amy Aeolus (#7) – Green-haired, green-eyed archer with wind affinity. Daughter of a marquis. Gentle and caring.
• Adrian Voss (#8) – Brown-haired, brown-eyed spearman with explosion affinity. A commoner like Ares. Arrogant, but kind.
• Izarion Arquiel (#9) – Black-haired, brown-eyed swordsman with illusion affinity. Son of a count. Intelligent and kind.
• Cyphera Bloodcrown (#10) – Black-haired, yellow-eyed rogue with blood affinity. Uses threads and daggers. An illegitimate daughter of a marquis, cunning and manipulative.
Each of them was strong, each had their own ambitions, and none of them would hesitate to step on others to rise higher.
And now, they were all looking at him.
Cyphera was the first to break the silence.
She leaned forward, her sharp yellow eyes narrowing as she smirked. "Noah Astra, right?"
Noah didn't respond immediately. He simply took a seat on the lounge chair and grabbed the drink placed before him.
Cyphera tilted her head, unfazed by his lack of reaction.
"You knew the answer to Valeria's question," she continued. "I have to admit I'm curious. How did you know?"
Her words caught the attention of the others.
Luciana, the imperial princess, crossed her arms. "It wasn't just a lucky guess, was it?"
Ares, who had been quiet the entire time, also looked toward him.
Noah took a slow sip of his drink.
Troublesome.
He could ignore them, but that would only increase their suspicion.
And in a place like this, standing out too much was dangerous.
"It was obvious," he said flatly.
Luciana narrowed her eyes. "Obvious?"
He set his drink down, meeting her gaze with an unreadable expression.
"Everything she said led to that conclusion. Monsters do not fear death, nor do they understand it.
Humans, however, do. And because of that, we adapt. We evolve. We struggle.
That's what she was implying."
Silence.
Then, Asher Arven chuckled.
"Simple as that?" he mused, swirling his drink. "Guess we were just too dumb to figure it out."
Nova scoffed, crossing her arms. "Tch. Stupid question anyway."
Noah didn't reply. He had already said enough.
Luciana, however, was still unconvinced. Her red eyes studied him carefully, as if trying to see through him.
"…I want to know your thought process," she finally said.
Noah sighed internally.
This is annoying.
But before he could reply
CLACK.
The sound of heels clicking against marble filled the room as Valeria Rhyne returned.
In her hands were a stack of keycards.
She smirked at them. "I see you're already getting to know each other."
She didn't wait for a response before handing out the keycards.
"These are for your floors," she said, passing them out. "They'll give you access to your personal quarters."
Noah took his without a word.
Valeria glanced at the ten of them, amusement flickering in her emerald eyes. "Get some rest," she said. "Tomorrow, your classes begin."
With that, she left.
One by one, the students also stood up, heading towards the elevator.
Noah was the second-to-last to leave.
As he stepped into the elevator, Ares who had remained silent throughout the entire conversation finally spoke.
"…You're different from what I expected," he said.
Noah turned his head slightly. "Oh?"
Ares studied him carefully before shaking his head. "Never mind."
The doors of the elevator slid open, revealing the ninth floor.
Without another word, Noah stepped out.
The moment the doors closed behind him, he let out a long exhale.
This world was dangerous.
Everyone here was a monster in their own right.
But that was fine.
Noah Astra had already decided.
He would survive.
No he would thrive.
With that final thought, he entered his room, locking the door behind him.