I was in the classroom, flipping through a digital pamphlet about the Penta Academy Tournament.
Didn't expect much.
Then I saw the rankings.
"…Rank 3?" I muttered.
I glanced around the room, half-expecting someone to laugh. Nope. Dead serious. Our academy was third out of five—just below two long-established powerhouses.
Jin leaned over from the seat beside me, barely even looking at the screen.
"Doesn't matter if we're dead last," he said casually. "As long as there's someone strong to fight, I'm going all out."
I looked at him.
Yup. Combat addict through and through.
Noah's voice came from behind us.
"I'm really nervous…" she admitted. "Aren't there strong heroes-in-training in the other academies? Like… really strong ones?"
She wasn't wrong. The other schools had legacies—families whose names alone made villains hesitate.
Before I could answer, footsteps approached.
Slow. Confident.
We turned.
Silvia was walking toward us.
She was wearing round, nerdy glasses that didn't match her usual sharp image, and in her arms was a ridiculously thick book—the kind that looked more like a weapon than reading material.
The title alone made Jin whistle.
"Hero Bloodlines, Ability Evolution, and Historical Tournament Data—Revised Edition."
"…Since when do you read stuff like that?" Noah asked.
Silvia pushed her glasses up with one finger.
"Since I realized brute force isn't enough this time."
She dropped the book onto the desk.
THUD.
Dust almost came off it.
"I've been researching the other four academies," she continued. "Their top students. Their power types. Their weaknesses."
Jin's grin widened.
"Oh? Anyone interesting?"
Silvia's eyes flicked to me for a brief second before returning to the book.
"Plenty," she said. "But there's one thing they all have in common."
Noah leaned forward. "What?"
"They're expecting us to lose."
I smiled faintly.
[…That's fine.]
Underestimation was comfortable.
Dangerous for everyone else.
Silvia sat down across from us and adjusted her glasses, the lenses catching the classroom light for a moment—sharp, calculating.
"Alright," she said, tapping the book. "Power structure of the five academies. I'll keep it simple."
I leaned back in my chair. Jin leaned forward. Noah hugged her notebook like a shield.
"Rank One—War God Academy."
The name alone made the room feel heavier.
Silvia continued, "It was built to honor the legacy of the old Rank Two hero who died in battle—Footman, also known as The God of the Spear."
Jin's eyes lit up. "I've heard of him."
"Everyone has," Silvia said. "His superpower allowed him to endow fire-enhancement into any equipment he wielded. Spears, armor, even boots. The enhancement didn't just add fire—it multiplied physical strength, durability, and striking power."
She paused.
"He wasn't flashy. He was overwhelming."
Noah swallowed.
"So their students…"
"Trained under that philosophy," Silvia replied. "Direct combat. Weapon mastery. No wasted motion."
Jin cracked his knuckles, smiling like he'd just been promised a feast.
"Sounds fun."
"Rank Two—Cosmo Academy."
Silvia's tone shifted slightly.
"An academy built by nobles," she said, "for nobles. Entry is restricted almost entirely by bloodline, sponsorship, or absurd wealth."
I snorted. "So… rich kids with powers?"
"Rich kids with refined powers," Silvia corrected. "They specialize in spatial abilities, cosmic manipulation, and high-efficiency energy control. Less brute force. More… elegance."
Noah frowned. "That sounds scarier somehow."
"It is," Silvia agreed. "They don't fight fair. They fight smart."
She turned the page.
"Rank Three—Ragnarok Academy."
She looked up at us.
"Our academy."
I felt something stir at that.
"Ragnarok used to be Rank One," Silvia said. "Back when heroes were symbols, not celebrities. It pays homage to the First Hero—the one who stood alone before the system, the rankings, and the Association even existed."
Jin blinked. "Then why did we fall?"
Silvia's fingers tightened on the page.
"Politics. Internal collapse. Talent drain. The world changed—and Ragnarok didn't keep up."
She exhaled.
"But that also means we don't fight like the others."
I smiled faintly.
"We improvise."
Silvia nodded.
"Rank Four—Zephyr Academy. An all-girls academy."
Noah perked up. "All girls?"
"Yes," Silvia said. "They specialize in speed, precision, and coordinated combat. Wind-based abilities are common, but not mandatory. Their real strength is teamwork."
She tapped the book again.
"They don't win by overpowering opponents. They suffocate them."
Jin scratched his head. "That's… terrifying."
"And finally—Rank Five—Hellfire Academy."
The room went quiet.
Silvia's voice dropped.
"An academy built on one philosophy: survival of the fittest."
I straightened slightly.
"No safety nets," she continued. "No guaranteed graduation. Students fight each other as much as they fight monsters. Dropouts are common. Casualties are… not unheard of."
Noah's face paled.
"And they're allowed to compete?"
"They produce results," Silvia said simply. "The Association looks the other way."
She closed the book with a soft thump.
"That's the field we're stepping into."
Jin stood up, grinning wide.
"Good. I was getting bored."
Noah looked between us, nervous but determined.
"…As long as we don't die, right?"
I leaned back, hands behind my head.
[War gods. Nobles. Survivors.]
"…Yeah," I said. "As long as we don't die."
Somewhere deep down, my powers stirred—quietly amused.
Because this tournament?
It felt less like a competition—
And more like a warning shot.
Silvia flipped another page, her expression sharpening.
"Now for the leading figures within each academy. These are the ones everyone's watching."
Jin leaned closer. "The real monsters."
"Exactly."
She tapped the page.
"War God Academy's spearhead—Maximilian. Talent level: one in a thousand."
That made even Jin pause.
"He wields dual axes," Silvia continued. "Heavy ones. Not ceremonial—actual execution-grade weapons."
I raised a brow. "Dual axes? Subtle."
"Nothing about him is subtle," Silvia said. "His power is… similar to Noah's."
The room went quiet.
All eyes turned to Noah.
She stiffened, then let out a small sigh. "Yeah… that's because he's a distant relative of mine."
Jin's head snapped toward her. "Wait—what?"
Noah nodded hesitantly. "Same bloodline. Just… different branches."
Silvia continued, "Maximilian possesses a partial beast transformation. Unlike Noah, who can shift into multiple were-animals, his form is fixed."
Noah spoke softly, filling in the gaps. "He turns into a war-beast. Not fast. Not agile. Just… strong. Every transformation amplifies his muscles, bone density, and pain tolerance."
I whistled. "So he's a walking siege weapon."
"Exactly," Silvia said. "And unlike Noah—he embraces the berserker state. He doesn't resist it."
Noah's hands clenched in her lap.
"That's… dangerous," she murmured. "If you let it take over—"
"He already has," Silvia said bluntly. "That's why War God Academy adores him. He embodies their doctrine."
Jin grinned, eyes burning. "I want to fight him."
I shot him a look. "You want to fight everyone."
"True."
Silvia turned the page again but paused.
"Kade," she said, eyes narrowing behind her glasses. "If you fight Maximilian—don't hold back."
I tilted my head. "Why? Afraid I'll lose?"
She shook her head.
"Afraid you'll hesitate."
Noah looked up at me then, worry clear on her face.
"He won't stop once he starts," she said. "Even if you're down."
I smiled faintly, stretching my fingers as I felt the familiar hum under my skin.
"Good," I said. "I heal fast."
Inside, something sharp and amused stirred.
[A berserker who doesn't know when to stop?]
[Sounds like my kind of problem.]
And somewhere far away, at War God Academy—
A man with two massive axes sneezed for no reason at all.
Silvia pushed her glasses up and flipped to the next page.
"Next—Cosmo Academy," she said. "This one's important."
She turned the book around so we could see.
Two students stood side by side in the photo. Same uniform. Same emblem. Completely different builds.
One was huge—thick neck, broad shoulders, arms like they could crush steel.
The other was skinny, almost delicate, with sharp eyes and a composed expression.
"Twins from the House of Ankers," Silvia explained. "Sullivan and Vulcan."
I tilted my head. "Twins? You sure?"
"They're nobles," Jin said. "Weird genetics probably."
Noah leaned closer, pointing at the thin one. "That guy looks scary… he must be the control-type."
"Yeah," I agreed. "Skinny, calm, schemer vibe. Definitely the chain guy."
Jin nodded. "Then the big one's the brute. Armor or strength-type."
Silvia didn't correct us immediately.
She let the silence sit.
Then she spoke.
"Sullivan has a control-type power. He can conjure energy chains to restrain enemies, suppress movement, and interfere with ability activation."
We all nodded in unison.
"Makes sense," Jin said. "Told you."
I smirked. "Called it."
Silvia tapped the page.
"Sullivan is the bigger one."
…
"…Huh?" Noah said.
I blinked. "Wait. What?"
Jin leaned forward. "No, no—you just said control-type."
"Yes," Silvia replied calmly. "And he's the large one."
She slid her finger to the thinner twin.
"Vulcan is the skinny one. His power is armor materialization—full-body manifestation with massive stat amplification."
The room went quiet.
I stared at the picture again.
Skinny frame. Relaxed posture. Hands in his pockets.
"That's illegal," I muttered.
Jin rubbed his face. "You're telling me the twig turns into a tank… and the mountain guy plays support?"
Noah shivered. "That's scary…"
Silvia nodded. "Cosmo Academy trains them to break expectations. Vulcan's armor compensates for his physique entirely, while Sullivan uses his size to anchor his chains more effectively."
I leaned back, exhaling.
"Great," I said. "So if we see a big guy, don't rush him. If we see a skinny guy—run."
Jin grinned, excitement creeping back in. "Even better. That just makes it more fun."
I smiled too, eyes glinting.
[Cosmo Academy, huh…]
[Yeah. I already don't like you.]
Silvia turned the page again.
"Next—Zephyr Academy."
The photo spread showed a lineup of girls in light-colored uniforms, their insignias shaped like wings and wind crests. The atmosphere around them felt… different. Less aggressive. More refined.
Silvia's finger stopped on one girl near the center.
She was petite, short silver hair tied neatly, soft eyes, and a smile that looked more fitting for a café than a battlefield.
"This is Liliana Stein," Silvia said.
Noah immediately relaxed. "She looks… nice?"
Jin squinted. "Too nice."
I leaned in, studying the picture. Cute. Fragile-looking. The kind you'd underestimate without thinking twice.
Silvia closed the book halfway.
"Do not let your guard down because of her appearance," she said firmly. "Liliana is an unknown variable."
That got our attention.
"She's the core of Zephyr's team," Silvia continued. "Every formation, every strategy revolves around her. We have no confirmed records of her ability—no public matches, no training footage, nothing."
I frowned. "No leaks at all?"
Silvia shook her head. "None. Zephyr Academy locked everything."
Jin whistled softly. "That's bad."
"It's worse," Silvia added. "Based on indirect assessments… she might be as strong as Maximilian from War God Academy."
Noah stiffened. "That strong…?"
"Possibly stronger," Silvia said. "The problem is—we don't know how."
I leaned back, clicking my tongue.
[Unknown ability, unknown ceiling, cute face.] [Yeah… that's dangerous.]
Silvia turned to the final page.
"And lastly—Hellfire Academy."
The photo was different from the others.
No clean uniforms. No neat formations.
Just silhouettes.
Some smiling. Some glaring. Some not even facing the camera.
Hellfire's emblem looked more like a brand burned into flesh than a symbol.
"They're the underdogs this year," Silvia said. "Historically, they place last or near-last."
Jin crossed his arms. "Then why bother mentioning them?"
Silvia's eyes sharpened.
"Because this year… Hellfire Academy has completely closed off information."
I raised an eyebrow. "No profiles?"
"No student data," Silvia said. "No power registrations. No rankings. No leaks."
Noah hugged her arms. "That's… creepy."
Silvia tapped the page once.
"But there's one thing that keeps coming up in underground channels," she said. "Rumors. Whispers."
Jin leaned forward. "About what?"
Silvia looked at us one by one.
"This year, Hellfire has someone strong."
Strong how?
She didn't say.
"Strong enough," Silvia finished, "that people believe he might lead Hellfire out of last place… and straight into chaos."
I smiled faintly.
[Unknown monsters, hidden leaders, sealed academies…]
I cracked my knuckles under the desk.
"Looks like this tournament's going to be fun after all."
As Silvia finished her explanation, she slowly closed the book and turned to me.
"So," she said, adjusting her glasses, "that's all the information we have. Do you have something to add?"
All eyes shifted to me.
I looked at each of them—Jin leaning forward with excitement, Noah trying to look brave but clearly anxious, Silvia calm but alert.
Then I smiled.
The moment I did, the atmosphere changed.
Jin's grin twitched.
Noah stiffened.
Silvia's fingers tightened around her book.
They all had the same thought.
—Oh no. Something bad is about to happen.
"Well…" I said slowly, stretching the word as I leaned back in my chair. "You know how it is."
I stood up.
"We don't have much time."
Silvia tilted her head. "Meaning?"
I spread my arms like a villain announcing the end of the world.
"So that means we start training," I said cheerfully.
"Not normal training."
Jin's eyes lit up. "Oh?"
"We're ramping it up," I continued.
"To hell mode."
Noah's face went pale. "H-Hell… mode?"
Silvia adjusted her glasses again, suspicious. "Define 'hell.'"
I grinned wider.
"Daily combat drills."
"Zero comfort zones."
"Live-fire simulations."
"Power exhaustion training until you physically can't stand."
Jin slammed his desk. "YES."
"No breaks?" Noah asked weakly.
"Breaks?" I tilted my head. "Sure. When you pass out."
Noah whimpered.
Silvia stared at me for a long second, analyzing, calculating.
"…You're serious."
"Dead serious," I replied. "War God has monsters. Cosmo has resources. Zephyr has secrets. Hellfire has unknowns."
I tapped the desk.
"We have time pressure and no margin for error."
Jin cracked his neck, grinning like a madman. "When do we start?"
I checked the clock.
"After school," I said.
"Tonight."
"And every day after that."
Noah slowly raised her hand. "Are we… going to survive this?"
I smiled again.
"That depends," I said lightly.
"On how badly you want to win."
Silence followed.
Then—
Jin laughed.
Silvia exhaled slowly, already planning.
Noah swallowed… and nodded.
And just like that—
Our path to the Penta Academy Tournament began the hard way.
I walked toward the classroom door, hands in my pockets, already picturing how miserable the next few weeks were going to be—for them.
Just before stepping out, I stopped.
Then I glanced back.
"One more thing."
They all looked up.
"One-on-one?" I said, shaking my head. "That just ain't gonna cut it."
Jin frowned. "What do you mean?"
I pointed at all of them—slowly, deliberately.
"You guys aren't fighting solo monsters in the tournament. You're fighting teams. Coordinated ones. Trained ones."
I smirked.
"So from now on—"
I pushed the door open halfway.
"—you lot are fighting me."
Silence.
"…Huh?" Noah said.
"Wait," Silvia said carefully, "define fighting."
I turned fully, my grin unmistakably dangerous.
"One versus four."
"Every session."
"No holding back."
Jin froze.
Then his lips split into a feral grin.
"…You're serious?"
"Dead serious."
Noah's tail flicked out unconsciously. "That's not training—that's bullying!"
"Team-building bullying," I corrected.
Silvia crossed her arms. "You're confident."
"Confident?" I shrugged. "Nah."
I tapped my chest.
"I'm the benchmark."
Jin laughed, loud and sharp. "If we beat you?"
I met his eyes.
"Then you're ready."
Noah swallowed. "And if we don't?"
I opened the door and stepped into the hallway.
"Then we keep going," I said over my shoulder,
"until you stop thinking like four people… and start moving like one."
The bell rang.
Behind me, I could feel it—the shift.
Fear.
Excitement.
Resolve.
Jin cracked his knuckles.
Silvia adjusted her glasses.
Noah took a deep breath.
And somewhere deep inside, I smiled.
[Good.]
[Break first. Then rebuild.]
The Penta Academy Tournament wasn't ready for us.