"I'm Lucien," he said after a moment. "Passed the Evaluation a few months back."
Ashley's eyes widened slightly. "Already?"
"yup," he replied. "It wasn't pretty though."
I eyed him more carefully now. The way he sat. The way people instinctively gave him space. The way the other guy had backed off without a word.
"…What's your Legacy?" Ashley asked.
Lucien hesitated, just a fraction of a second, then shrugged.
"Primordial."
The word hit me like a blunt object to the ribs.
For a heartbeat, I thought I'd misheard him.
Ashley's fork froze mid-air. "You're joking."
"No."
Primordial.
The second highest rank known. The kind of Legacy you only ever heard about in stories or whispered reports. The kind nobles fought wars over. The kind the Vanguard bent rules for.
Not throwing my spoon at him took me more willpower than i'd like to admit.
My chest tightened.
'Of course.'
'Of course I'd meet someone like that on my first day. It's like Fate itself is rubbing my weak Legacy right into my face.'
I felt heat rise behind my eyes, sharp and bitter, cutting through the warmth of the meal. My fingers curled slowly around the spoon, metal biting into my palm.
"…Wow," I said.
It came out flat. Too flat.
Ashley stared at Lucien like he'd just told her the sky wasn't real. "That's– that's incredible."
Lucien waved it off. "It's just a starting point."
I almost laughed.
'Just.'
'A.'
'Starting.'
'Point?!'
'Is this Bastard implying I almost died just to get to the starting point? Is he picking a fight?!'
I forced myself to swallow another mouthful of stew. It tasted different now. Almost Heavy. Lucien must have noticed the grimace on my face.
"And you?" Lucien asked, turning to me.
The way he asked, neutral, genuinely curious– somehow made it worse.
"…Adaptation," I muttered. "The Rank is Resonant."
The word felt disgusting in my mouth.
Ashley shot me a look.
Lucien studied me for a second longer than before. Not dismissive. Not impressed. Just… thoughtful.
"Adaptation," he repeated. "That can be dangerous."
I looked up sharply. "Dangerous?"
He nodded. "Legacies that change don't obey the same rules. They either stagnate… or break expectations entirely."
Something twisted in my chest.
That didn't sound like pity.
It sounded like hope.
And I hated him for it.
Because coming from someone like him, from someone who'd been handed the peak on a silver platter– it felt hollow. Easy. Like encouragement you give a drowning man from the shore.
"Right," I said coolly. "I'll be sure to remember that."
Lucien didn't rise to it. Just inclined his head slightly. "You should."
Silence stretched between us.
Ashley cleared her throat, clearly sensing the tension. "So," she said quickly, leaning forward a little, "uh– since you've been here longer…"
Lucien glanced at her.
"Where do we actually see the list of courses?" she asked. "And where do we sign up?"
That seemed to break whatever invisible line we'd been dancing around.
Lucien relaxed slightly. "Course listings are in the academy wing. Second floor. There's a central hall with projection boards– updated daily. You sign up at the registration desks right beneath them."
"Are there limits?" she asked.
"For most courses, there aren't. But some are locked behind Evaluation clearance, others by Legacy rank or instructor approval." He paused. "Most are open to newly awakened though."
Ashley nodded, committing it to memory. "Good to know."
Lucien stood a moment later, his food unfinished. "I should get going. Squad training."
He looked at me once more before turning away. Not smug. Not superior.
Just certain.
As he walked off, I stared down at my tray, jaw tight.
'Primordial.'
I crushed the last bite of stew between my teeth.
'Must be nice,' I thought bitterly.
Ashley nudged me lightly with her elbow. "You okay?"
I forced a smile.
"Yeah," I said. "Perfectly fine. Actually, Im great."
But inside, something dark and restless stirred.
Deep envy.
We finished the last of the meal in a comfortable quiet.
Well– comfortable for Ashley, at least. I was still emotionally recovering from the concept of Primordial existing within arm's reach of my table. I scraped the bottom of the bowl with my spoon like it had personally wronged me, savoring every last bite.
I leaned back with a satisfied sigh. "If the Vanguard Spire collapses tomorrow, at least I'll die having eaten this."
Ashley laughed, soft and a little surprised. "You really are committing to the act like you've never had a warm meal before."
"I mean it's true." I said solemnly. "I did eat some warm meals before, Just not one that didn't come with either a bill, a favor, or the very real chance of food poisoning."
She shook her head. "Come on. Let's go before all the good courses fill up."
Reluctantly, I stood. My body protested– quietly, but persistently. Still sore. Still healing. But it held together, and that was good enough for now.
We followed the signs Lucien had mentioned, moving deeper into the academy wing. The atmosphere shifted the further we went. Less dormitory. Less cafeteria. More… purpose.
The hall we entered was massive.
Projection boards hovered along the walls, dozens of them, each displaying rotating lists of courses. Names, prerequisites, instructor profiles, enrollment limits. Awakeneds stood scattered throughout the space, some alone, some in small groups– arguing quietly, pointing, debating.
This was where paths diverged.
"Wow," Ashley murmured. "There's… a lot."
"Yeah," I said. "And I already feel underqualified."
She shot me a look. "You literally survived a Mana Fiend."
"And apparently walked away with the bargain-bin version of a Legacy," I muttered.
Ashley ignored that and stepped closer to one of the boards, eyes scanning rapidly. "Okay. Mana Zone Navigation. Survival Protocols. Aether Control Fundamentals…"
She paused. "This one looks useful."
I leaned in to read it.
Practical Mana Zone Traversal
— Environmental Hazards
— Monster Behavior Patterns
— Resource Conservation
— Escape Routes and Extraction
Ashley tapped the board. "This seems like a must, right? Especially before the Evaluation exam."
I grimaced.
"…I'll pass."
She turned to me, clearly confused. "What? Why?"
I scratched the back of my neck. "I've kind of… been doing that already."
Her brows knitted together. "Doing what?"
"Mana Zones," I said. "Traversing them. Scavenging. Since I was… younger."
Her expression shifted. Slowly.
"You mean," she said carefully, "you've been going into Mana Zones before awakening?"
"Low-rank ones," I clarified quickly. "Edges. Ruins. Nothing suicidal."
"Hold on, You facing a mana fiend on your own wasn't a joke?" All color left her face
I nodded quietly.
She stared at me like I'd just confessed to juggling knives for pocket change.
"…Eli," she said. "That's insane."
"Desperate," I corrected. "There's a difference."
She opened her mouth, closed it, then sighed. "Okay. That explains… a lot."
I shrugged. "Guess I finally got paid in trauma and Adaptation."
She huffed despite herself, then shook her head and returned to the board. "Fine. I'm still taking it."
"Good call," I said. "You're smarter than me."
She smiled faintly and kept browsing, pointing out others as she went.
Aether Output Regulation.
Combat Coordination for Squad-Based Awakeneds.
Legacy Synchronization Basics.
"I think I'll take this one too," she said, tapping Aether Theory and Core Development. "Seems important."
I paused.
That one had caught my eye too.
Understanding Aether. How it flowed. How it grew. How it changed.
If there was any place Adaptation might stop being a joke, it would be there.
"Yeah," I said slowly. "I'll take that one as well."
Ashley nodded approvingly and finalized her selections. Confident. Certain.
Then she looked at me.
"And you?"
I glanced back at the boards.
My eyes drifted past the beginner and intermediate listings– past the ones with friendly descriptions and generous enrollment caps, until they landed on something tucked near the top, almost out of place.
Special Close-Quarter Combat + Spear Theory & Applied Aether Techniques
Instructor: [High Ranker, Name Redacted]
Prerequisites: Invitation Only
Enrollment: 1 / 2
I felt my pulse quicken.
Close combat. Spear work. Aether integration.
Everything about it screamed lethality.
"…This," I said quietly.
Ashley followed my gaze. Her eyes widened. "Invitation only?"
"And taught by a High Ranker," I added.
She blinked. "Wait– you know what that means, right?"
"Not really," I admitted. "I was going to ask."
She hesitated, then explained. "Rankers are the four hundred strongest humans. Period. Titles recognized globally."
I swallowed.
"High Rankers," she continued, "are the top Two hundred."
My stomach dropped.
"That's…" I exhaled slowly. "That's insane."
"And you want that course?" she asked.
"I want that course," I said immediately.
Ashley studied me for a moment. Then she sighed. "You can't sign up for it, Eli."
"I know."
"You need to be invited. By the instructor."
"I know."
"And there's already a student."
"I know," I repeated.
She folded her arms. "Then why are you staring at it like it personally insulted you?"
Because something in my chest ached when I looked at it.
Because after Resonant, after Adaptation, after Lucien...
I wanted something that didn't feel small.
"I'll find a way," I said quietly.
Ashley didn't laugh. She didn't tease me.
She just nodded.
"…Okay," she said. "But for now?"
"For now," I agreed, forcing myself to look away, "I'll take Aether Theory."
I selected the course. The board confirmed my enrollment with a soft chime.
It wasn't flashy.
But it was a start.
As we stepped away from the boards, I glanced back one last time at the invitation-only listing.
'One student. And one empty slot.'
'I'm coming for you' I thought.
'High Ranker or not.'
'Resonant or not.'
'Somehow– I'd earn my place.'