RANKING BOTTOM
[You will now be transported to the Academia]
Upon selecting his 5th skill, dizziness pricked Alab's head as his body disintegrated into lights. The next moment, he unveiled his eyelids and a grand scenery satiated his sight.
Massive birds of multitude wings flew, creating charming hues with each flap of their vast wings. Assorted granules escaped the tip of their multicolored feathers that danced with the serene air, leaving a trace of enchanting trails as they flew south.
Behind the trails was an endless sky, reflecting the color of a tranquil ocean. As the trails receded, the oceanic sky remained soothing to look at. White clouds of varying outlines clung to the serene sky.
Stepping his foot in the wide stretch of verdant expanse, Alab glimpsed at foreign plants before him. Layers of diamond and tear-shaped leaves covered the rigid branches of the tree, precisely following a distinct pattern. It was a sight to behold as the condensed air swept the leaves that fall out of the massive trees. These seemingly common trees in another world held their ground against the elegance of the Sakura trees back on Earth.
Fruits pearl-sized hugging the trees' branches further amplified its charm as it enticed the onlookers for a single bite.
Alab could only sight for a dozen meters more before a fog reaching endless altitude blocked his vision. The fog appeared to restrict the neighboring area behind it.
Alab took a breath as he turned around. His nose sucked in the oxygen that swept through his little figure. After just one inhalation, Alab caught sight of the oddity in the air. The air was too condensed and Alab speculated that there must be other components besides what was known in Earth.
Tossing this thought off as he could take his time adjusting to the foreign air anyways, Alab concentrated on the matter before him.
He was currently behind a stretch of entities. There were humans and deep ahead, there were entities with human figures but an additional detail like protruding horns and tails made them allotted with a different definer.
There were also entities hiding in the shade, their eyes glimmered red under the murky trees.
"Those must be draconian, there are also fairies, and giants among them, huh", Alab mumbled as his eyes scanned the area 180°. He deduced that they were the other participants mentioned by the system.
As his eyes keenly analyzed the unfamiliar species, a flashy introduction resonated in his ears.
"I want to greet you all who are qualified to partake in this periodic opening of the Academia. You, the exiles of your world are now given a chance to redeem yourselves out of that exile title."
An old man of average frame stood openly at the 5 square meters stage which settled in front of the crowd. Clad in a glamorous crimson robe that glimmered with the touch of the daylight, the old man pointed to his chin as he appeared to ponder over his next line. His voice resonated audibly even to the rearmost part of the crowd where Alab stood.
His attire alone could fetch millions of gold but what caught the interest of the most was the withered 2 meters branch gripped by his thin arms. It emitted an aura that captivated one's desire for larger power. It was his magic staff and was likely an SSS-grade item.
His casual gestures devoid of vigilance made him appear a fool for standing before unknown participants.
Greed flashed in numerous players' eyes as they glared at the vulnerable old man.
Unbothered, the old man continued. Excitement was evident in his tone.
"This is a school where the fittest would survive. Those who are incapable of adapting to change will be weeded out. You will all have to stay in this Academia for a year and fight your way to the top. Some of you may be like a newborn to magic. While some are well-versed. Still, you are given an initial equal footing. You were given a chance to select higher grade skills at the same time earlier at the skill selection.", the old man took a pause as he gasped for air. This weakness added up reasons to the onlookers.
Having realized the weakness of the old man and seeing that there were no other people besides the participant and the old man in the area, greed overcame several students as they stomped their feet on the ground. In rash, they pounced on the old man.
"Fools", witnessing everything transpired in the rearmost, Alab mumbled.
"Rest assured, we, here at Academia are beyond delighted to witness how you grow as an individual. So please...", the old man proceeded in his script, not sparing a glance at pouncing students.
With a deep breath, the surrounding air was depleted as the man finished his script.
"So please, please give us a breathtaking battle, exiles KIKIKIKi"
*swoosh*
Turbulent air sliced through the attacking students. Chopped bodies plunged to the verdant soil, painting red hues in the warm grass.
"Before I take my leave, let me introduce myself. I am Empre, a magistrate of Magic Tower and the dean of the Academia. I hope you all have a blast journey."
The old man vanished without a trace as he ended his lines. Contracted breathing overwhelmed the area as jaws dropped to the ground. The participants were yet to process the lawless killing that transpired.
No law authorities, nor medics came to mediate. It was not the echoing of police sirens but the mild chirping of birds that resonated in the area.
In the rearmost, Alab murmured.
"Indeed, this world is lawless"
Yet to pull themselves out of the despair and desire of escaping Academia, the sphere etched in the center of the stage brimmed with light. A middle-aged man coated with a black suit materialized from the light. With a discrete opening of his mouth, he introduced.
"I am Luke Silver, a proctor of the Academia, and is tasked with the deliberation of the rules and regulations in the Academia. You may be thinking that this world is lawless by now, but that is not entirely true. There are certain rules that you have to follow strictly.", the man deliberated, not troubling himself with the participants grieving on the ground. Whether they grasp or not his deliberations, it was no longer his concern.
"We are currently on the outskirts of the Academia. As you can see, fog covered the perimeter of the area. Behind the fog is an area that will be unveiled over time. Do not ever try to try to trespass the set boundary, take that as my warning."
Participants began lifting themselves out of the ground as they immersed themselves in Luke's words. Paired with his otherworldly beauty, the [Charm] skill of Luke was currently activated.
"Later on, after I finished my deliberations, the Academia will be unveiled with the recession of the fog. But before that, let me explain the certain rules you will have to follow in Academia."
"First, you are not allowed to harm, or worse, kill other students. Once discovered and proven guilty, a severe punishment will be imposed. Second, everyone has to partake in the assessment to be conducted occasionally. A ranking will be released in real time and those who ranked bottom will be deprived of their lives. Those who choose to forfeit will also mean forfeiting their lives. You will be killed. Lastly, a reward will be given to those who survive each assessment, no one is allowed to take someone else's reward else they will be punished."
"I hope everything is clear. Now, for the initial ranking"
Greenish vapor was emitted from the figure of Luke as he channeled his power to the bracelet of beads in his left arm. The vapor was directed to the beads as lights fluctuated in its core.
In no time, the beads released a glow as the ranking was unveiled in each participant's eyesight.
Before him, Alab glanced at the translucent screen comprising nearly a thousand names. Then, he skimmed for his name.
[Initial Ranking:
Remaining Participants: 982/1000
Rank 1: Aurora
Rank 2: Eyebeast
Rank 3: Lucifer Dawn
....
...
.. (Omitted)
...
Rank 500: Buggy J.
....
..
..
Rank 970: Joseph Macatangay
...
..
Rank 982: Alab Lukeford]
At the very bottom of the list, Alab found his name.