Chapter 28: Nethira Prime

The morning sun bathed the academy grounds in a golden glow, the warm light gleaming off the uniforms of the gathered students. The training ground was alive with the buzz of energy—nervous excitement, scattered laughter, and the occasional whispered conversation. Today was the day the year-one students of Rose Faction Academy would embark on their first hunt on another planet.

Thousands of students stood assembled, their ranks stretching far and wide across the vast grounds. In the middle of the crowd, Kaden stood beside Jace, both of them blending into the sea of faces. Jace poked Kaden with his elbow and whispered, "What did you do to Mr. Duke?"

Kaden turned to him with a raised brow. "Nothing. Why?"

Jace tilted his head toward the front. "You should look at him. The way he's glaring at you—if looks could kill, you'd be dead a thousand times over."

Curious and mildly alarmed, Kaden glanced at Mr. Duke. The man stood with his arms crossed, his face as cold and sharp as a blade. His piercing eyes were locked on Kaden, practically boring holes through him. Kaden swallowed hard; the man's expression screamed murder.

Before he could process it, Mr. Duke marched toward him, grabbed him roughly by the arm, and dragged him to a quiet spot away from the other students.

"You will not tell anyone what you saw," Mr. Duke hissed, his voice low and threatening.

Kaden blinked innocently. "About you f**king a student? Sure, I'll keep my mouth shut," he said, his tone mockingly casual. "But only on one condition: from now on, my test report card should be as blue as the ocean."

Mr. Duke's jaw clenched, his teeth grinding audibly. After a tense moment, he muttered, "Fine."

Kaden smirked, stepping back. "Pleasure doing business with you."

As he walked away, Kaden thought to himself, "I wasn't going to expose him anyway. None of my business, and it seemed consensual." Still, it felt good to have an edge over someone like Mr. Duke.

Meanwhile, Mr. Duke watched Kaden's retreating figure, his eyes narrowing. "That brat. I can't trust him. I have to get rid of him."

Back with Jace, Kaden shrugged off his friend's curious look. "What did he say?" Jace asked.

"Nothing," Kaden lied. "Just scolding me for failing all my tests."

The atmosphere shifted when the massive warehouse doors in front of the training ground creaked open, revealing several glowing portals within. The students fell silent, their awe visible as they took in the sight.

The portals shimmered a bright green, signaling that they were for interplanetary travel. Kaden had heard that white portals were used for travel within Earth, but this was his first time seeing one that led to another world.

The teachers began guiding students in batches toward the portals. With thousands of students present, the process was slow. Kaden and Jace waited near the back of the line, watching as group after group disappeared into the glowing void.

As their turn approached, Jace nudged Kaden. "I still can't believe humans managed to create portals to other planets before GTA 6."

Kaden let out a small laugh, shaking his head. "Priorities, huh?"

When their turn finally came, they stepped forward together. The moment they entered the portal, a strange sensation washed over Kaden. It was as if his body had been submerged in cool water, weightless and drifting. Around them, stars and constellations seemed to shimmer and swirl, creating a breathtaking, surreal landscape. The experience was disorienting and exhilarating all at once.

After what felt like only seconds, they emerged on the other side. The planet was eerily similar to Earth, but there were differences that set it apart. The ground was carpeted with small, vibrant grass that stretched endlessly, creating a lush green expanse. The air was crisp and carried an unfamiliar scent, and the sky had a faint greenish hue, giving the atmosphere an alien yet tranquil vibe.

Ahead, soldiers and teachers were already arranging the students into neat rows. Kaden and Jace quickly joined a line, falling into place. Behind them loomed a massive shelter, its size staggering. It was as large as a city back on Earth, bustling with life and heavily guarded by soldiers. Surrounding the shelter was a colossal wall, thicker and taller than anything Kaden had ever seen—its scale enough to put even the walls from "Attack on Titans" to shame.

The wall was a clear sign of the dangers that lurked beyond, built to defend the shelter from relentless beast attacks.

Once all the students had arrived, one of the teachers stepped forward, a device amplifying his voice. "Welcome to Nethira Prime," he announced, his voice echoing across the field. "For your practical test, you will be grouped into teams of three. You have ten minutes to form your groups."

The announcement sparked a flurry of activity. Students scrambled to form alliances, scanning the crowd for potential teammates. In the chaos, one student stood out. A boy with striking red hair moved gracefully through the crowd, his handsome features and confident demeanor drawing a swarm of admirers.

Kaden leaned toward Jace. "Who's that?"

"That's Billy Rose," Jace whispered, his tone filled with awe. "The child of the Rose Faction leader. He's insanely powerful—he scored a perfect 15 on the strength test, it'll really be good if we can get him to join us"

Kaden snorted. "Yeah, good luck getting him to join us. Let's go find someone else."

As they searched, Kaden's eyes landed on a figure with silver hair standing a little distance away. Without hesitation, he walked over, tapped her on the back, and asked, "Hey, want to join us?"