"First Day"

After taking a quick shower and putting on his military uniform, Theo left his dormitory and made his way to his first class. The boys' residences were only a short five-minute walk from the central campus building, which housed all the classes.

While he walked through the bustling campus, Theo couldn't help but notice a significant increase in the number of students compared to the test day. Many female and male students, both first and second years, were also on their way to the academy, creating a surge of activity throughout the campus.

The academy had sorted the five hundred first-year students into four separate divisions based on their performance rankings.

° Class A: 10 Rank 7 and 40 Rank 6

° Class B: 45 Rank 5 and 55 Rank 4

° Class C: 100 Rank 3 and 50 Rank 2

° Class D: 65 Rank 2 and 135 Rank 1

This separation formed a subtle hierarchy in the military academy, with the first section occupied by the top-performing students, while the fourth section was occupied by the lowest-performing students. Even in the military academy, where discipline and impartiality were paramount, those with and without power were still discriminated against. This underscored the reality that biases and hierarchies could still prevail even in structured institutions.

Interestingly, Aiden, Jack, and I had all ended up in separate sections, indicating that their performances were distinct from one another. The academy itself consisted of two distinct departments at the start.

°Research Department

°Combat training department

The students who had a strong grasp of Psionyx but lacked affinity often chose to enroll in the research department. Their primary goal was to create innovative and groundbreaking ways to utilize Psionyx energy, making them specialists in the field. The department was also responsible for designing various weapons tailored to individual strengths, and the students received basic combat training to prepare for unexpected scenarios. However, their main focus was on brainstorming and conducting experiments in the laboratory.

Apart from weapon production, the department also explored new applications for Psionyx, resulting in significant advancements in medicine and engineering. This made the research department a comfortable and effortless choice for many students.

On the other hand, students with high Psionyx affinity opted for the more challenging Combat Training department. The program involved intense and grueling training to improve their Psionyx proficiency and weapon mastery. It is an extremely physically demanding course.

Those who demonstrated mastery over Psionyx manipulation were highly respected both within and outside the military. Skilled Psionyx manipulators received exceptional treatment and held prestigious positions. Their remarkable abilities were praised, and they were considered some of the military's finest.

Individuals who acquired such abilities were also highly esteemed beyond their military careers, with many opportunities and privileges available to them. Theo decided to enroll in the Combat Training department because of his lack of interest in research and his desire to become stronger. His training sessions with Neil served as additional motivation.

After a short five-minute walk, Theo finally arrived at the grand main building. The structure was much larger than it appeared from a distance, with the emblem of a crimson dragon with scales rising from its back emblazoned above the entrance. This was the esteemed emblem of the army. Two armed guards stood at the entrance, diligently verifying the identity of each person who entered.

The interior of the building was an impressive sight to behold, with stone walls made of Nutriasten, one of the strongest and most resilient substances in the world. Theo couldn't help but wonder how the army had managed to obtain such valuable material.

As a first-year student, Theo attended his mandatory general studies class, which took place in a large hall with several seating chairs at the back. Arriving fifteen minutes early, he took a seat in the far back, hoping to remain undisturbed. Other students gradually trickled in, and soon it was time for the class to begin.

Theo was sitting in the back of the classroom, he recognized a familiar face in the crowd - Bryan, the student he had fought against in the second round of the combat test. Seeing a familiar face amidst the sea of new students provided a small comfort for Theo.

The teacher entered the classroom. Despite his small stature, he had a commanding presence that demanded respect.

"Good morning, students. My name is William. It's a pleasure meeting you and I will be your general studies teacher for the next year," he began.

"We will get familiar as time goes on, so let's begin the class without further ado. Our first lecture today will be about The Shadowfall War. As you all know, the Shadowfall War, often regarded as the worst war in human history, started 15 years ago. Does anyone of you know what the reason for this war was?"