Morning in the Academy of Ruin began with screeching ravens and a breakfast that tried to bite me.
I was halfway through battling a croissant with teeth when the dining hall doors exploded open.
"OUTTA THE WAY, LOSERS!"
A blur of blonde lightning zipped across the room—and decked me in the face.
"Gah! What the hell?!"
The girl grinned, crouched over me. Athletic. Wild. Lightning tattoos crackling on her arms.
"Yuria Blitzfang," she said. "Ranked third. Lightning Core. You're the human, right?"
I groaned. "Was. Before you broke my jaw."
"Let's spar."
"What part of that sounded like consent?"
But she was already dragging me to the Arena. Apparently, duels were a normal part of life here.
She tossed me a staff. "You don't even have a Core yet, huh? Figures. Try to survive, squishy boy."
Lightning surged as she rushed me.
I panicked. Then something inside me clicked. My Codex flared. Symbols ignited in the air.
[Override: Arena Rules → Gravity = 2x]
Yuria tripped midair. Slammed face-first into the ground.
Silence.
Then… laughter.
"You little cheat!" she howled. "I LIKE you!"
That's when I realized something terrifying.
I could change reality.
But only in small bursts.
And only through *code.*
What the hell had I been reborn as?