Ranking of the Contestants
"Leave before I'll rip out your throat!" He yelled, clenching his fists tightly.
?!?!?
What? Did I come at the wrong time? Has this something to do with my father?
"Why? Did I do something to offend you?" I asked, confused. It would be a shame to give his teachings up.
"You even ask why? You Hazecrest scum are all the same! You're probably nothing but a pawn, controlled by your father to get me into joining your faction. Leave now before I teach you what real pain feels like!" He threatened
Although still confused, I had a better grasp of why he is that angry. Adelio Hazecrest wasn't exactly a kind man and pillaged everything he could get his hands on as long as it would bring him profit.
He is an ambitious person who always put himself above others. His actions are ruthless and unforgiving, earning him many enemies along the way.
Although he does have his fair share of allies. People like him usually become kingmakers once they gain enough power through blood or money.
Professor Mistscribe must be one of those victims whom Adelino exploited. Now that he knows I am related to him, I guess that explains why he instantly rejected me.
"Professor Mistscribe calm down. Neither am I on good terms with my father nor do I want you to join the Hazecrest faction. In fact, I'm not even in their faction." I explained calmly.
The man stared at me for several seconds, carefully observing every detail to determine if I'm telling the truth. My words seemed to have some effect on him since he finally relaxed his stance.
"Proof it. Adelio has already robbed me of my loved ones once through trickery. If I find out he has any involvement in your arrival today, then I will tear you apart, limb by limb." He warned.
That he goes as far as to openly threaten me speaks volumes of how much hatred he holds towards my father. Not choosing Hazecrest as my faction was the right choice after all.
Although the repercussions will be annoying...
"One member of the student council should have already noted down my faction choice. If you don't believe me, check their files." I replied, giving him an answer that hopefully satisfies him.
"If you really did not associate yourself with your own faction and your father, then I will give you a chance. But know that I refuse to train weaklings. If you don't have the strength or willpower to endure my harsh training methods, then don't even try."
He paused for a moment and continued.
"I hope you aren't like your father. I still have a score to settle with him and that won't change even if you become my student. Do I make myself clear?" He said with a stern look in his eyes.
"Yes. Thank you for giving me a chance." I nodded.
Perfect. If I pave the way for him to eliminate my father, then I don't have to worry about getting payback for having threatend my father. That alone makes this worth it.
Suddenly, an announcement rang across the academy grounds. Even in this run-down dojo, I was able to hear the announcement clearly as if it was being played directly inside my head.
"Attention new students! The result of your entrance test is out. Meet at the front gate to see in which Class you have been placed."
Now is the moment of truth. Will I be in the same class as the main characters or do I need to fight myself up to Class A?
"You should go now, Noah. Come back tomorrow and I will decide whether I will teach you or not. If you didn't lie to me that is." Professor Mistscribe said.
I gave him a quick nod and left the dojo without another word. I could already hear the commotion outside as more and more people were rushing to meet at the front gates.
Screams of joy and tears of sorrow echoed throughout the academy. Some got what they wanted while others failed miserably. Either way, everyone had a reason to celebrate or mourn.
Squeezing through the crowd, I arrived at the front gates where I saw many students gathered together. A big banner hung above us, displaying our classes and overall rank.
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Class A:
1: Onyx Meadowbleeder
2: Alice Thalvith
3: Aurora Skystride
...
14: Roy Emberwing
15: Noah Hazecrest
16: Isabella Glorydrifter
...
28: Kayn Cinderash
29: Darius Titanshield
30: Luna Emberwing
Class B:
31: Elara Starshaper
...
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Yes! I made it to Class A. With this, my dream of creating the most perfect art that mankind has ever witnessed won't be out of reach.
Seeing that Luna is also in Class A, I guess I replaced a side character in the original novel. All of this will most likely drastically change the future events of the story but that's what I want anyway.
The end vision that I have planned does not depict Kayn defeating the evil but instead him joining forces with them to slay an even bigger threat.
And to achieve that, I need to become stronger than all of them to embody it. It will be glorious. Just thinking about the final battle brings shivers down my spine. I can't wait...
"Noah, you did it!" Shouted Adeline behind me, hugging me tight.
She startled me a bit but I quickly regained my composure. To think she waited here for me in hopes that I'd pass the entrance exam. It's nice knowing that someone cares enough to do such a thing.
"Thanks, Adeline." I smiled warmly.
"Now that you are officially part of the academy, we can hang out again. Come on, let me show you the central building of the Hazecrest faction." She urged.
"Yeah, about that... I did not choose Hazecrest as my faction and am currently unaffiliated." I explained
"Haha... I didn't know you would be the type to joke about that Noah." Adeline gave an awkward laugh, thinking I was joking.
"No, I'm dead serious. I did not choose the Hazecrest faction." I repeated.
Adeline's eyes widened in confusion, and she stared at me with a mixture of surprise and disbelief before finally asking, "Why? Is this because of father? I don't understand. I know he was hard on you, but he's always had our best interests at heart."
"Adeline," I warned, "for your own sake, you need to snap out of these delusions. You barely know the real him, and yet you blindly trust him just because he's family. I'm promising you, one day he will be the cause of your downfall."
"Are you serious, Noah?" Adeline's expression shifted from confusion to slight anger. "You think you know him better than I do? That's ridiculous. I trust him because he's family, yes, but also because he's shown me nothing but kindness and support. You're just being paranoid."
"Can we please just drop this and join the others? I don't want you to miss out on this opportunity to increase your strength exponentially." Adeline pleaded, her frustration clear in her voice.
"I cannot do that Adeline. My mind is set on another path and no amount of persuasion from you will change that." I replied coldly.
"Noah, your ignorance will cost you dearly," Adeline warned before turning away and walking off. "But just know that if you ever face trouble, I'll be here for you." Her words hung in the air, heavy with a mix of concern and disappointment.
It's worse than expected. She is making the same mistake as in the novel.
Her loyalty towards her father shrouds her judgement and blinds her eyes to his flaws. Not that she had a choice since Adelio Hazecrest carefully planned this all out from the beginning.
"It's already getting late..." I muttered to myself as I made my way towards the dormitories assigned to us.
Tomorrow morning will mark the beginning of my stay here. And if the information is still valid, that day will also determine the hierarchy in the class for the following weeks.
Upon arrival, I was greeted by a luxurious design in the lobby area. The walls were painted in soothing colors, and the floors looked like marble. The spacious lobby was well-furnished with comfortable seating, tables, and other amenities.
After being handed a keycard with my designated room number, I made my way inside to find a beautifully decorated bedroom in white and blue tones.
There were two comfortable beds, each equipped with their respective bedding, a wardrobe filled with clothes and shoes, a desk, and various miscellaneous items scattered around the room.
A large window let in plenty of natural light, bathing the entire area in bright hues. The room felt more like a hotel suite than student accommodation, but then again, it was only given to Class A.
With that said, I decided to take a shower first. After washing up, I changed into something comfortable and laid back on the bed. I wanted to rest early tonight since tomorrow will be a busy day.
As I closed my eyes, the last image that came to my mind was Adeline. She is too naive to understand the reality of the situation.
If things go south, there might be bloodshed between me and her faction. I hope that doesn't happen.
For her sake, and for the sake of fulfilling my dream.