The screen flickered.
For a moment, the hall remained completely silent.
Then a line of golden text appeared.
GROUP A — RANKINGS
The students instinctively leaned forward.
Everyone had been waiting for this moment.
Their performances during the entrance examination had finally been converted into numbers—numbers that would determine their position within Aurelian High.
Vega stood beside the podium, watching without expression.
The first name appeared.
1. Aric Valen
A murmur swept through the hall.
There it was.
The name everyone had expected.
Aric Valen.
The heir of one of Stella's most prestigious families.
Aric stood tall as his name shone at the top of the screen.
His lips curved into a satisfied smile.
He didn't look surprised.
He looked as though the position belonged to him.
Stares filled the room admiration from some, envy from others.
Aric welcomed every one of them.
'Stare all you want, little pebbles.'
His chin lifted slightly.
'You belong on the ground.
I was born to soar.'
The list continued.
2. Neva Frost
Neva's eyes narrowed.
'Second.
Not first.'
Her fingers curled slightly at her sides.
She had performed well. She knew that.
But that wasn't enough.
'I can do better.'
She wasn't angry at Aric.
She was disappointed in herself.
3. Kael Astor
A young man with neatly combed black hair and silver eyes adjusted the spectacles resting on the bridge of his nose.
His expression remained completely unreadable.
He studied the screen for several seconds.
Then quietly adjusted his glasses again.
"Hmm"
Nothing more.
4. Seraphine Veyra
A wave of whispers followed.
Seraphine's wavy purple hair framed her face as she smiled effortlessly, already surrounded by students congratulating her.
She accepted the attention naturally.
She was clearly accustomed to it.
A social butterfly who somehow seemed to know everyone within minutes.
5. Moriko Everlyn
Moriko stared at the screen.
Her eyebrows twitched.
"…Fifth?"
She wasn't pleased.
Not even slightly.
Her arms folded across her chest.
6. Mira Elaris
Mira's golden eyes moved over the rankings.
'Sixth.'
She smiled faintly.
There's plenty of room to improve.
She wasn't disappointed.
If anything, the ranking gave her something to chase.
7. Ethan Cross
A tall, imposing boy with short white hair and brown eyes stood quietly among the crowd.
He glanced at his ranking.
Then at the students around him.
No celebration.
No disappointment.
He simply nodded.
8. Sara Elen
Sara's eyes widened when she saw her name.
She quickly looked around.
Several students were already staring at her.
Her cheeks reddened.
She nervously tightened her grip on the fabric of her uniform.
"Why is everyone looking at me…?"
9. Rey Everlyn
Rey's smile appeared immediately.
"Ninth! Not bad!"
Then his eyes moved upward.
He froze.
His sister's name was three places above his.
He stared at the screen for several seconds.
"…Traitor."
Moriko glanced at him.
"You're jealous of your own sister?"
"No."
A pause.
"…Maybe."
Moriko rolled her eyes.
Finally..
10. Jay
The hall quieted slightly.
Jay looked at his name.
No reaction.
No surprise.
No disappointment.
Tenth.
His eyes remained on the screen.
'Perfect.'
Being number one would attract too much attention.
Being somewhere near the bottom would make survival more difficult.
Tenth was ideal.
High enough to establish himself.
Low enough to observe.
I can watch the people above me.
Learn their strengths.
Learn their weaknesses.
His eyes moved toward the top of the screen.
And wait.
The list continued below.
GROUP B — RANKINGS
26. Brook Hale
27. Leo Mercer
The names continued.
Students searched anxiously for their own.
Some smiled.
Others frowned.
A few stared at the floor after seeing their positions.
Then came—
GROUP C — RANKINGS
51. Selena Hart
52. Jeremy Cole
And finally...
GROUP D — RANKINGS
76. Lyra Snow
77. Lucas Reed
The names continued downward.
Then...
86. Reha
Silence.
Several students exchanged confused glances.
A commoner.
Again.
First she had entered Aurelian.
Now she had made it into the top hundred.
Not only that
She had surpassed hundreds of students from prestigious families.
Reha herself stared at the screen in disbelief.
'Eighty-six…'
She slowly clenched her hands.
She had expected to be near the bottom.
She hadn't expected this.
And then the list ended.
The students remained frozen before the screen.
Four groups.
One hundred students.
One hierarchy.
Some were thrilled.
Others were disappointed.
For many, the ranking wasn't merely a number.
It was a statement.
Aurelian had judged them.
And now everyone knew where they stood.
A sudden clap echoed through the hall.
Clap.
Everyone turned.
Vega stood on the podium.
"Now," she said calmly, "I assume you all know your ranks."
Her gaze swept across the students.
"As I mentioned earlier, these rankings are not permanent."
She paused.
"They can change at any time."
Several students straightened.
"If you believe you deserve to stand above someone else…"
Vega's eyes hardened.
"Don't tell us."
A beat of silence.
"Show us."
The words settled heavily over the room.
For those disappointed by their rankings, something ignited.
Determination.
For those at the top, something else appeared.
Pressure.
Because now they had something to lose.
"Your classes will begin tomorrow."
The screen changed.
"Aurelian High will be divided into four groups."
"Group A will occupy the fourth floor."
"Group B, the third."
"Group C, the second."
"And Group D, the first."
A subtle reaction moved through the room.
Even the physical layout of the academy reflected the hierarchy.
Vega continued.
"Your ranking determines where you begin."
She paused.
"Not where you finish."
As the students began filing out, conversations erupted.
Some were already discussing how to climb the rankings.
Others were comparing scores.
A few couldn't stop talking about the two names that had disrupted decades of tradition.
Jay.
Reha.
Two commoners.
Two names that shouldn't have been there.
Yet they were.
Meanwhile — Stella
A large screen displayed Aurelian's rankings inside a luxurious residence.
Several members of the Valen household stood before it.
When Aric Valen appeared at number one, smiles spread across the room.
"Just as expected."
An elderly man nodded with satisfaction.
"He has upheld the Valen name."
But when the screen reached the bottom of Group A, one of the family members frowned.
"Wait."
The room quieted.
"Jay."
The name remained on the screen.
10. Jay
A commoner.
Someone from outside the prestigious families had entered the top ten.
The atmosphere changed.
"How?"
No one had an answer.
Evangeline
Elsewhere, a modest household gathered around a screen.
Reha's name appeared.
86. Reha
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then...
"She made it."
A smile slowly spread across someone's face.
"She actually made it."
Back at Aurelian
The students had left.
The hall was empty.
Vega walked through a quiet corridor toward a private meeting room.
Inside, five figures sat around a circular table.
Marcus leaned back comfortably.
"So," he said with a faint smile, "how are the new students?"
Vega took her seat.
"They're doing fine."
She paused.
"At least for now."
Marcus chuckled.
"Poor souls."
Vega narrowed her eyes.
"Don't underestimate them."
Marcus's smile widened.
"I wouldn't dream of it."
A voice suddenly cut through the room.
"Vega."
Everyone turned.
A man in his fifties sat at the head of the table.
Yellow hair.
Piercing blue eyes.
An unmistakable presence.
Vector.
"What are your thoughts on the top five?"
Vega straightened slightly.
"They're exceptional."
She thought for a moment.
"Aric, Neva, Kael, Seraphine, and Moriko all demonstrated remarkable potential during the examination."
She continued.
"If properly trained, they could become some of the most capable students Aurelian has produced."
Vector nodded slowly.
"Good."
He rose from his chair.
"Prepare everything necessary."
Vega nodded.
Vector took several steps toward the door.
Then stopped.
His expression changed slightly.
"What about that boy?"
Vega knew exactly who he meant.
"Jay?"
"Yes."
"He's under observation."
Vector turned.
"And his rank?"
"Tenth."
For the first time, a faint smile appeared on Vector's face.
"Tenth…"
He repeated the number quietly.
"Interesting."
His gaze shifted toward the window.
A commoner.
An orphan.
Ten years old when his life supposedly ended.
And yet somehow…
He smiled.
"Very interesting."