The towering gates of Brim Academy stood like a monument to power and knowledge. Built from ancient white stone and reinforced with powerful enchantments, the academy had existed for centuries as one of the most prestigious institutions in the world.
Here, the strongest talents of every continent were trained.
Kings, generals, legendary adventurers, and even great sages had once walked through these very gates as students.
And now, Nox stood before them.
Despite the excitement in the air, he reminded himself of one important thing.
Stay low.
The power he possessed was far too dangerous to reveal too early. If people discovered that he had three Unique talents—and an additional acquired one—it would attract attention from nobles, kingdoms, and possibly even enemies.
Nox had no intention of becoming a target.
So as he entered the academy grounds alongside hundreds of other students, he kept his expression calm and unremarkable.
The academy campus was enormous. Towering lecture halls surrounded a massive central arena where combat training took place. Large dormitory towers rose in the distance, while training fields stretched far across the academy grounds.
Students from noble families arrived in luxurious carriages, wearing elegant clothing and surrounded by servants.
Others, like Nox, arrived with far less attention.
To the academy officials, Nox appeared to be just another commoner student.
And that was exactly how he wanted it.
But before any student could officially enroll, they had to pass the Entrance Examination.
This test determined two important things:
The rank of their talent.The class they would be assigned to.
At Brim Academy, students were divided into classes based on their potential. The most powerful students were placed in S-Class, where they received the best instructors and training.
Lower-ranked students were assigned to classes ranging from A-Class to F-Class.
Nox joined a long line of students waiting outside the academy's main examination hall.
Large crystal devices had been placed throughout the room. These magical instruments could analyze a person's aura and determine the rank and potential of their talents.
Several academy instructors watched carefully as students stepped forward one by one.
Some looked bored.
Others looked interested.
Among them were teachers who quietly favored students from powerful noble families.
Politics existed even in the academy.
One by one, students stepped forward to be evaluated.
Some crystals glowed faintly.
Others shone brightly.
Occasionally, a loud announcement would echo across the hall.
"Talent Rank: B."
"Talent Rank: A."
Cheers erupted whenever a student received a high ranking.
Soon, it was Jaret's turn.
He stepped forward confidently and placed his hand on the crystal.
The crystal began to glow intensely.
A deep gravitational pressure filled the room.
The instructors leaned forward with interest.
"Gravity Manipulation," one of them muttered.
Moments later, the crystal flashed brightly.
Talent Rank: S
The announcement echoed across the hall.
Murmurs spread among the students.
"An S-ranked talent?"
"That's rare."
Jaret stepped back calmly, though he clearly looked pleased with the result.
Finally, Nox's turn arrived.
He stepped forward quietly and placed his hand on the crystal.
The moment his hand touched it, the crystal flickered violently.
For a brief moment, it seemed as though the system was struggling to analyze his power.
Inside his mind, Nox could see the system interface activating.
He quickly suppressed most of his aura.
If the crystal detected the full truth, chaos would follow.
After a few tense seconds, the crystal stabilized.
Then the announcement echoed through the hall.
Talent Rank: S
Gasps filled the room.
An S-ranked talent was extremely rare, especially for someone believed to be a commoner.
The instructors looked surprised.
But they did not question the result.
Nox stepped away calmly, hiding his true strength.
Soon after, two other students stepped forward who would change the course of his academy life.
The first was a girl with long silver hair and calm blue eyes.
Her presence alone made the room feel cooler.
She placed her hand on the crystal.
A powerful surge of magical energy erupted around her.
Talent Rank: S
Her name was Maria.
The second girl stepped forward next.
She had long red hair and sharp, confident eyes.
The moment she touched the crystal, flames flickered in the air around her.
Talent Rank: S
Her name was Fiona.
Both girls immediately attracted attention from the instructors.
But what surprised them even more was their reaction afterward.
Instead of focusing on the nobles surrounding them, both Maria and Fiona glanced toward Nox.
During the examination, they had noticed something unusual.
When Nox touched the crystal, the device had reacted strangely.
As if it had sensed something it could not fully understand.
And both of them were curious.
After the examination concluded, the rankings were announced.
The top performers would be placed into S-Class.
The results were displayed on a large magical board in the center of the hall.
1st Place — Nox
2nd Place — Maria
3rd Place — Fiona
4th Place — Jaret
Students whispered among themselves.
"A commoner got first place?"
"Who is that guy?"
Jaret looked surprised when he saw the rankings.
But he said nothing.
For the first time since arriving at the academy, he looked at Nox with genuine curiosity.
Soon afterward, academy staff guided the top students toward the S-Class building.
Maria approached Nox along the way.
"You're interesting," she said calmly.
Nox raised an eyebrow.
"Am I?"
She nodded.
"The crystal reacted strangely when you touched it."
Before Nox could respond, Fiona suddenly appeared beside them.
"You noticed that too?" she said with a grin.
Maria looked slightly annoyed.
"Of course I noticed."
Fiona turned to Nox.
"You're hiding something, aren't you?"
Nox simply smiled.
"Maybe."
The two girls exchanged curious looks.
Neither of them had expected the quiet boy who ranked first to be so calm.
Soon the students arrived at the S-Class training hall.
This building was larger and far more luxurious than the other classrooms.
Inside, the students took their seats.
Not long after, the Opening Ceremony began.
The Academy Headmaster himself appeared on stage.
He was an elderly man with long white hair and sharp golden eyes.
Despite his age, the aura around him was incredibly powerful.
The entire hall fell silent as he began speaking.
"Welcome to Brim Academy," he said.
"For centuries, this academy has trained the strongest talents of the five continents."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"You are not simply students. You are the future defenders of this world."
He began explaining the history of the five continents.
The ancient wars.
The fragile treaties.
And the constant threat posed by the continents of Yajooj and Majooj.
"Peace has never truly existed in our world," the headmaster said gravely.
"And one day, another great war may come."
His gaze swept across the hall.
"When that day arrives… the strength you develop here will determine the fate of the world."
After the ceremony ended, the students attended their first class.
Their instructor was a tall man with sharp eyes and a serious expression.
"My name is Professor Ardent," he said.
"I will be responsible for training the S-Class students."
He looked around the room carefully.
"Being placed in S-Class does not make you special."
"It simply means the academy expects more from you."
He pointed toward the training arena outside.
"Starting tomorrow, your real training begins."
"Combat. Talent control. Survival."
"By the end of the year, only the strongest students will remain in this class."
The atmosphere in the room grew tense.
Excitement mixed with determination.
For many students, this was the beginning of their journey toward greatness.
For Nox, it was something more.
This academy would be the place where he would grow stronger.
Where he would uncover the truth behind the curse placed upon him.
And where the world would slowly begin to witness the power he had kept hidden for so long.
As the class ended, Maria and Fiona once again approached him.
Maria crossed her arms.
"You're definitely hiding something."
Fiona smiled mischievously.
"And we're going to figure out what it is."
Nox simply walked past them with a calm expression.
But deep inside, he knew something important.
Life at Brim Academy was about to become far more interesting.