Arcadia Academy—an enormous, bustling, prestigious school for the magically gifted, genius warriors, and brilliant future scholars. Outside in the academy's courtyard, rows upon rows of new students stood proudly in their standard uniforms.
At the front, standing upon a wooden podium, one of Arcadia's professors addressed the crowd. His voice carried across the courtyard, welcoming the students to Arcadia Academy. He spoke of striving to be the best versions of themselves, of working hard to grow stronger, not only for their own sake but for the future of the Nebula Kingdom. He stressed their duty to fend off the vile worshippers known as Ethris.
It was a good speech. Stirring, even.
And yet, at the very back of the crowd, I couldn't help but stifle a yawn.
Not because it was bad, well… partially. But mostly because I'd heard this exact speech more than a few times back when I played NOTFH. In fact, I usually skipped this whole intro sequence altogether. Unfortunately, I didn't have a skip button now—I could only wait it out.
Around me, the other students were getting restless too. I caught snippets of complaints and mocking whispers, mostly from the noble kids who clearly thought themselves above listening to lectures.
I ignored them. Kids would be kids. Still, I had to admit—it was a long speech.
Finally, the professor moved on. His tone shifted as he introduced the ceremonial oath for the top students and a few freshman representatives.
That was when seven students walked up onto the stage.
My eyes narrowed.
Yeah, just from their appearances alone, I could tell—they were main characters.
Two in particular stood out.
The first was a girl with long platinum-blonde hair tied neatly in a silky ponytail. Her dark sea-green eyes shimmered under the sunlight. She was beautiful beyond belief. More importantly… she was the protagonist of this world. Yang.
The second was a male student whose messy silver hair somehow looked perfectly styled, slicked back with effortless charm. His periwinkle eyes gleamed with confidence. If "handsome" had a dictionary entry, his face would've been there. Hayden Break.
The number one top student.
The crowd immediately broke into hushed gossip:
"Did you hear? His test scores were insane!"
"Yeah, he's practically perfect…"
"They say he's stronger than most knights and mages already!"
I tuned them out, watching Hayden carefully.
In NOTFH, Hayden was infamous. A character known as "The Alpha and the Omega." His control over mana was so absurd he could amplify it by four to five digits beyond the standard limit. He wasn't just a genius among prodigies—he was borderline a demigod.
I clenched my jaw.
Even if I couldn't reach the game's True Ending myself, maybe… just maybe, I could steer Hayden toward it. Push him down the right path and prevent the countless bad endings.
But that wasn't up to me.
That was Yang's role.
She knew the original novel better than anyone. She'd have the ability to guide the main cast, especially Hayden. And since she, like me, was from modern Earth, maybe we'd be able to get along.
…Or maybe she'd decide I was a nuisance. Worse, an enemy.
Either way, dangerous.
Still, this world didn't follow the novel—it followed the game. And when it came to game knowledge, I had the advantage. As long as I played smart, there was no reason to take unnecessary risks.
Compared to Yang—the protagonist who could shape the entire story—I was nothing more than an irrelevant extra. A background unit that most players ignored.
It was better that way.
I shook the thought aside, focusing back on the professor's speech.
But my gaze lingered on Yang.
Her role was critical. She alone possessed the ability to purify the corruption spread by Ethris. Beyond that, she had two abilities that made her even more frightening: one that could drain others of their power, and another that allowed her to call upon blessings from planetary gods.
Yeah. Definitely not someone to underestimate.
I clenched my fists, reaffirming my goal.
Survive. Stay alive. Support the protagonist and main cast from the shadows. And stay out of their way.
The professor finally concluded with another warm welcome, his words swallowed by the thunderous cheers of students across the courtyard.
That was when the system window flickered before my eyes:
[Episode 1: Enroll Into Arcadia Academy — Completed].