Theo's POV
The door creaked as I pushed it open.
Above it, a metal plate read:
Class D
The lowest class in the academy.
A few students were already inside when I walked in.
The classroom itself was smaller than the ones I'd seen while walking through the halls earlier.
The walls were plain stone, and the desks were older, scratched with years of wear.
It didn't look like a room meant for the future defenders of humanity.
More like a room meant for the ones the academy had already given up on.
I stepped inside quietly.
A few heads turned.
Most of the students looked nervous… or annoyed.
I found an empty seat near the middle and sat down.
So this is where I start.
Class D.
The weakest class.
The class filled with students who were considered to have little potential.
And apparently… that included me.
A few minutes later the door opened again.
A tall, broad-shouldered student walked in with messy brown hair and an annoyed expression.
He glanced around the room before dropping into a chair nearby.
"Great," he muttered. "Class D."
Another student behind him laughed.
"Same here."
One by one more students entered until the classroom slowly filled.
Twenty students in total.
Some looked frustrated.
Some looked embarrassed.
Some just looked tired.
Then the door opened again.
But this time, the entire room went quiet.
A man walked in slowly.
Mid-thirties.
Short dark hair with a few strands of grey.
A long black academy coat.
And a thin scar running across his eyebrow.
He stopped in front of the class and looked around.
His eyes were calm.
But there was something about him that made the room feel… heavier.
Then he spoke.
"Welcome to Class D."
His voice was low and steady.
No one said anything.
He leaned casually against the desk.
"Most of you are here because the academy believes you lack potential."
Several students lowered their heads.
I didn't.
He continued.
"Good."
The room looked up in confusion.
"Because students who believe they're special usually stop trying."
His gaze slowly moved across the classroom.
"Students who start at the bottom…" he said quietly.
"…have the most room to grow."
Then he straightened.
"My name is Professor Kaelen Drayke."
A few students straightened immediately.
"I'll be responsible for your training."
Someone in the back raised a hand nervously.
"Sir… are you really a former Raider?"
Drayke glanced at him.
"Yes."
"What rank?"
He paused.
"B."
A few quiet murmurs spread across the room.
B-rank Raiders were powerful.
Very powerful.
Drayke ignored the whispers.
"You're here to become Raiders. Which means some of you will die in Gates one day."
The room froze.
He said it so casually it took a moment for the words to sink in.
"So I won't waste time pretending this academy is a playground."
His eyes sharpened.
"You will train."
"You will fight."
"And if you're lucky…"
"…you might survive long enough to become useful."
Silence filled the room.
Then suddenly—
The door burst open.
A tall boy with short blond hair stepped inside, clearly late.
"Sorry, professor."
He walked in like he didn't care at all.
Drayke glanced at him.
"Name."
"Kairo Flint."
"Late on the first day."
Kairo shrugged.
"Didn't feel like running."
A few students snorted quietly.
Drayke stared at him for a moment.
Then he nodded toward an empty seat.
"Sit."
Kairo walked past the desks and dropped into the chair next to mine.
He leaned back lazily.
"Guess we're classmates," he said casually.
I nodded slightly.
"Theo."
He glanced at me.
"Theo what?"
"Theo Vale."
He studied me for a moment.
Then grinned.
"Nice to meet you, weakest student in the academy."
I blinked.
"Word spreads fast."
He chuckled.
"Oh, everyone heard about the water magic guy."
A few students nearby glanced over.
One girl with short dark hair leaned forward curiously.
"So you're the one they're talking about?"
I sighed.
"Probably."
Drayke suddenly slammed a book onto the desk.
The loud sound made everyone jump.
"Enough talking."
The room went silent again.
He crossed his arms.
"Today's schedule is simple."
"First, evaluations."
"Then combat tests."
Some students immediately looked nervous.
"Your results will determine your initial Raider ranking."
That made the room tense.
Ranks mattered.
A lot.
Drayke continued.
"After evaluations, you'll begin training immediately."
A boy near the window raised his hand.
"Professor… will we fight students from other classes?"
Drayke's eyes flickered slightly.
"Yes."
A few students looked excited.
Others looked terrified.
He added calmly,
"Higher classes enjoy reminding Class D where we stand."
The room became quiet again.
Kairo leaned toward me slightly.
"Translation," he whispered.
"We're about to get bullied."
I didn't answer.
Instead, I stared down at my hands.
Water magic.
Weak.
Useless.
At least… that's what everyone thought.
But they didn't know one thing.
My mana capacity was strange.
Abnormally high.
Higher than it should be for someone like me.
I still didn't understand why.
But I knew something else.
If I trained hard enough…
If I pushed far enough…
Water magic wouldn't stay weak forever.
And one day…
Everyone in this academy would realize they were wrong.
I slowly looked toward the window.
The sky outside was clear.
But something told me this academy was about to become a lot more dangerous.
And this…
Was only the beginning.