I continued walking along the academy roads towards the Government Building. It must have taken about thirty minutes, but surprisingly, I didn't notice the time passing. There was always something new to see, something that caught my eye at every turn.
If it were not for the lingering presence following me, I might have said I had a great time. It kept following me until I entered the building.
The inside of the Government Unit was larger than I had expected.
The ceiling stretched impossibly high, lined with soft white lights. The floor was smooth black stone, polished so perfectly that it reflected everything like a dark mirror. Faint glowing signs were embedded in the walls. some pointed toward dorm sectors, others toward offices and elevators.
I paused, scanning the space, unsure where to go. Near the entrance, a reception desk caught my eye. It was a sleek, curved structure, standing beneath the silver crest of the Unified Academy System.
As I made my way toward it, two girls passed by, their voices clear and loud enough to hear.
"Did you know the new patch starts tomorrow? I heard there'll be two heirs from the Four Families in it."
"Eh? For real?"
"Yeah. It's gonna be interesting. You know how in our year, there was zero competition."
"Thanks to Victor. The gap between him and second rank is just stupid."
"Exactly."
I kept walking, half-listening, half-focused on the stars pinned to their shoulders.
It seemed the stars marked the year. That was my guess.
They didn't speak as if comparing themselves to the top ranks, which suggested they hadn't achieved anything notable yet.
By process of elimination, the stars could only indicate their year.
The reception desk was staffed by a young woman, probably in her early twenties. She wore a dark grey uniform. different from the student coats, likely an academy staff variant. and a slender communication device looped around her ear. She gave me a brief glance, then a small, professional nod.
"You must be one of the new students."
I nodded. "Yeah. How can I get updates about the war at the front lines? And where can I find the academy rules?"
Her eyebrows twitched slightly — just a flicker — but she answered smoothly:
"The rules should already be uploaded to your smartwatch. As for front line updates, your room's AI can access official reports and live data feeds. Just ask it."
"I see." I turned to leave, then stopped and asked, "Is there a place where I can measure my physical and mental states?"
The staff woman actually laughed, a short, genuine sound. "You can view your physical stats, mentality level, stamina, and other traits directly on your smartwatch. There's no need for a separate facility."
My eyebrows twitched at that, but I gave a curt nod. "Thanks."
She returned the nod and turned back to her work.
I glanced down at my smartwatch. This thing was turning out to be more useful by the second.
A touch on the screen projected a map into the air in front of me. A red marker pulsed at my current location in the Government Unit. Other glowing markers appeared across the map, each with a short explanation when tapped.
My room was in Sector A.
The Government Unit was divided into three sectors:
Sector A and B — student dormitories.
Sector C — classes and instructor offices.
Top Floor. restricted access. Reserved for the principal's office, the council chambers, and the offices of high-ranking academy staff.
I followed the glowing path on the floor toward Sector A.
After about five minutes, I stood before my door.
Room 327 — Roy Carver.
The inside was more spacious than I'd expected.
A single bed rested against the wall, beside a sleek desk. A compact but modern bathroom with a glass shower was tucked neatly in the corner. Toward the back, a small section was clearly designed for training: padded floors, reinforced walls.
The large window drew my attention first. It offered a clear view of the academy's outer training grounds. the ones belonging to the Ashfords. From up here, I could see students in silver and red uniforms sparring under the afternoon sun.
Leaving the window, I sat down on the bed. The mattress adjusted automatically to my weight, humming softly as it calibrated.
A second later, my smartwatch vibrated.
Then a voice spoke from it. a calm female voice.
"Welcome, student Roy Carver. Assigned class: Black Class."
I blinked.
This was new to me. My family home had been simple, with almost no advanced tech. nor in the prison where I'd spent the last eight years…
With a hint of hesitation, I asked, "What is the Black Class? Give me all available information."
The voice responded instantly:
"The Black Class was founded this year. You are part of the first batch. Currently, there are eight students enrolled. Your classes begin tomorrow morning. Your assigned instructor is Sinner Grace."
"Eight students?" I muttered.
That was an unusually low number for a class. Maybe that was the point — fewer students meant tighter control.
Still, something about the name Black Class didn't sit right with me.
I leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
"Can you show me my stats?"
A glowing interface flickered before my eyes:
Student: Roy Carver
Stage: 6
Class: Black
Strength = 1
Strength is too low.
Recommended: Begin training program.
Ask the AI assistant for personalized routines.
Dexterity = 0.7
Dexterity is too low.
Recommended: agility training required
Ask the AI assistant for personalized routines.
Constitution = 1
Constitution is too low.
Recommended: Endurance training required.
Ask the AI assistant for personalized routines.
Calculating Mentality…
…..
…
..
.
Mentality = 23
High Stat Detected.
Automatically reporting to Academy higher-ups…
I jolted upright in my bed as the final line burned across the screen in bright red letters:
Reporting Complete.
I froze, my mouth hanging open. All of this happened in a second, and I couldn't do anything.
"…Fucking technology."