The Extra's Rise

Thankfully, seating arrangements weren't dictated by rank, so I remained next to Rose in the absurdly oversized auditorium.

And what an auditorium it was.

Plush leather seats that felt like they were designed for royalty, an acoustically perfect design that probably cost more than an entire kingdom's annual budget, and a general air of you are in the presence of something important, act accordingly.

I sank into my chair, resisting the urge to sigh in satisfaction. If the lectures are half as comfortable as these seats, maybe this won't be so bad.

Students continued filing in until all hundred first-years had taken their seats. Despite its colossal size, the auditorium made us cluster together in the first three rows, herded by the professors like prized cattle being prepared for a very educational slaughter.

Rose suddenly nudged me, not very subtly. "Oh look, that's Professor Nero!"

I followed her pointing finger to a tall man standing near the stage.

Nero Astrellan.

Black hair, storm-grey eyes, standing with the kind of perfect posture that suggested he had never once slouched in his life.

The Constellation Sorcerer.

A mid-Immortal ranker, a title that carried weight even in this academy. While every professor at Mythos Academy was at least an Ascendant-ranker, Nero was a cut above.

There were only two hundred Immortal-rankers in the entire world. And here he was, standing before us like this was just another Monday.

The lights suddenly dimmed. Conversations died immediately.

Someone far more terrifying had stepped onto the stage.

A woman with long black hair tied back into a ponytail and sharp brown eyes that seemed to evaluate and dismiss every single one of us in the span of a breath.

Valerie von Lampez.

"The Vice Headmaster," Rose muttered, sounding just as awed as everyone else.

She had every right to be.

Nero Astrellan was impressive, sure, but Valerie von Lampez was on an entirely different level.

A peak Immortal-ranker, ranked among the top twenty strongest in the world. A swordswoman so terrifyingly skilled that even legendary warriors thought twice before crossing her.

When she spoke, she didn't need a microphone. Her voice cut through the silence like a blade, steady, controlled, and carrying the weight of absolute authority.

"Good morning, new students of Mythos Academy."

A hundred first-years, some of the most brilliant prodigies of the generation, sat completely still as she looked over us.

"I am Valerie von Lampez, the Vice Headmaster of Mythos Academy."

A murmur of recognition spread through the students.

"I can see some of you know my name," she continued, entirely unfazed. "That's good. It means you understand at least a fraction of what this academy represents."

Her gaze swept over the hall, and for a brief, horrifying moment, I felt like she had looked directly into my soul.

"All of you have worked extremely hard to reach the level where you could set foot in the world's greatest academy," she said, her tone neither praising nor condescending—just stating a fact. "And I commend you for that effort. Mythos Academy exists to take the best and forge them into legends."

I swallowed.

"And we will settle for nothing less."

There was no doubt in her words. No room for failure. You either rose to the peak or were left behind.

She continued.

"Let me explain the structure of your classes. Twice a year, your ranks will be reassessed. That means that if you prove yourself, you can move up from Class B to Class A. If you grow complacent, you may fall from Class A to Class B—or worse."

The meaning was clear.

There were no safety nets here. You didn't get to stay at the top just because of an entrance exam.

"This system is based purely on strength."

A few students stiffened at that.

"However," she continued, her eyes narrowing slightly, "do not be foolish enough to neglect your grades. Strength may determine your class, but you need your academics to graduate. A fool with talent is still a fool."

I resisted the urge to sigh. So, in other words, you had to be a genius in battle and also not fail your written exams. Fantastic.

Valerie's expression didn't soften as she finished. "Now, with that established—let us begin."

The ceremony had officially started.

And I had the distinct feeling that Mythos Academy was going to be far more terrifying than I had expected.

"What a speech," Rose murmured, glancing at me with wide eyes.

I nodded. Valerie von Lampez had spoken, and now the entire auditorium was collectively re-evaluating their life choices.

The silence lingered for a few moments before a professor stepped forward, clearing his throat.

"Now, for the oath of the student representatives."

His voice carried the same practiced authority as someone who had been doing this for years and had long since stopped being impressed by the terrified first-years in front of him.

"Rank 1, representative of the male students, Lucifer Windward, please come onto the stage."

A shift in the atmosphere. Eyes turned toward the golden-haired figure in the front row.

Lucifer stood, unhurried, composed. The very picture of effortless confidence. He might as well have been stepping onto a victory podium, not a stage for a ceremonial speech.

"And Rank 3, representative of the female students, Rachel Creighton, please come onto the stage."

Rachel rose next, moving with the same unshaken grace, her sapphire eyes calm, shoulders squared.

The two of them walked up the stairs as if they had been born for this moment—which, in many ways, they had.

They were used to this. Used to being at the center of attention, to the weight of expectations pressing down on them like a second skin.

Meanwhile, the rest of us just watched, fully aware that we were witnessing the first glimpse of the people who would define this generation.

"Now that this is done, I'll explain more about your classes," Valerie said as Lucifer and Rachel returned to their seats, the weight of their titles settling back onto their shoulders like well-fitted cloaks.

"As you know, the two main paths of combat are the Mind aspect and the Body aspect. The Mind aspect revolves around spellcasting, manipulating mana using the circle method. The Body aspect is about turning mana into aura, reinforcing one's body and weapon for close combat."

She let the words hang in the air for a moment, giving the students just enough time to process before continuing, her tone unwavering.

"We expect all students to maintain a suitable proficiency in both, regardless of which path they specialize in. That is the baseline standard. However, each of you will have the choice to focus more on one aspect than the other, which will, in turn, affect your class schedule."

Valerie folded her hands behind her back, pacing slightly as she spoke.

"Mythos Academy prides itself on its diverse and elite curriculum. We offer classes for everything—from the intricacies of high-tier spell formulas to advanced weapon mastery. Whatever you wish to pursue, we have a course tailored for it. You have already been pre-assigned suitable classes for your first year based on your aptitude and entrance exam results."

There was a slight murmur among the students at that. Pre-assigned? It made sense, of course. This wasn't some casual high school where you picked electives for fun—everything at Mythos Academy was calculated to push students toward their highest potential.

"To ensure fairness and proper progression," Valerie continued, "classes are restricted by sections, meaning you will train alongside those at a similar level. There will be no 'easy classes' or shortcuts."

Mind aspect and Body aspect.

The words echoed in my mind.

Arthur—this Arthur, the body I now inhabited—was undoubtedly a Body aspect fighter. His path was one of swords, steel, and aura.

I glanced at Lucifer.

Him.

The Divine Swordsman. The hope of humanity.

And yet, even he had failed.

He had climbed to the very peak of power, shouldered the expectations of an entire world—and it still wasn't enough.

I had less than a decade to change that fate.

I exhaled slowly, already feeling the weight of that impossible deadline settle onto my shoulders.

'Looks like I'll need to take some drastic measures, huh?'

Valerie's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"There will be no classes today," she announced. "Instead, we encourage all of you to socialize. Get to know your classmates, form connections—because you will be training, fighting, and growing alongside them."

Her gaze swept across the auditorium one last time.

"Classes begin tomorrow. Good luck, future of Earth."

And just like that, the ceremony was over.