A week had passed since the trial of the Chambers. Though classes had been suspended to give the students time to rest, an unease lingered like a taut string over the grounds of Zheno Academy. The air seemed heavier, charged with the nervous excitement of what tomorrow promised: the Grandmaster's announcement of the official rankings.
Everyone knew this was more than formality. It wasn't simply about numbers on a board — it was the very system that would divide them. By the second year, classmates would no longer be a random assortment of students. Those who bore the same ranking tier would be placed together, creating natural divisions: the strong clustered at the top, the weaker shunted to the bottom. The whispers of favoritism, discrimination, and competition sharpened the air like blades pressed to the skin.
Wads felt it too.
The northern wing of the training ground was quiet, save for the breeze that carried the faint clang of steel and the muffled shouts of sparring from afar. He leaned lazily against an open window, arms crossed on the sill. The wind slipped through his hair, cool and restless. He exhaled slowly, his dark eyes scanning the empty courtyard below.
Discrimination, huh? he thought, the words rolling bitter in his head. This ranking will split everyone wide open.
"Daydreaming, Wads?"
The voice broke his thoughts. He turned, and there she was — Liora Vallegoire.
Her black training tunic clung neatly to her figure, light and unrestrictive, paired with a belt where her sword hung at her side. Her hair was tied into a high ponytail, though rebellious strands framed her face, brushing softly against her cheek. Her mismatched eyes — gleamed with playful curiosity.
"You don't really strike me as the type to stare out windows," she teased, leaning one shoulder against the frame.
Wads gave her a faint look before replying, "How have you been since the Trial? I didn't get the chance to see you after it ended."
At the mention, her gaze flickered upward, as though sifting through the fragments of memory. "Hmm… exhausted, I suppose." Her tone softened before she straightened, a sly grin tugging at her lips. "Nash and I crossed half the Chamber together. For the final battle, we ran into a gigantic ogre."
Her face scrunched in disgust, as though recalling a sour taste. "It was hideous. I swear its stench still clings to my nose. Ugh, slimy, greasy, the kind of thing that makes you regret having eyes in the first place."
Wads let out a small chuckle at her exaggerated expression.
"And your prize?" he asked.
Liora's eyes widened briefly, then she huffed, gesturing to her sword. "Of all things? A keychain." She held up the handle, where a small crimson trinket dangled loosely, absurdly delicate against the lethal edge of her blade. "Since I had no idea where else to put it, I just hooked it here. Ridiculous, isn't it?"
Her laughter was light, tinged with embarrassment.
Wads arched a brow, lifting his hand to show her a plain band of metal around his finger. "I got a ring… can't take it off." His voice carried an edge of laziness, but the deep sigh that followed betrayed his annoyance.
That was enough to send Liora laughing outright, her heterochromia glittering with amusement. "A ring that clings to you? That's almost worse. You're not alone though — I heard the same happened to Klyden. A golden bracelet locked itself on his wrist, and no matter what he tried, it wouldn't come off."
Wads groaned at the thought, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Yeah, Lady Keiya chewed him out for that. Still don't understand how the two of them got so… close." He said it dryly, eyes turning downward to his boots as though the ground were more interesting.
"Close?" Liora repeated, tilting her head toward the window. "Like that?"
Her emphasis caught his attention. He frowned and leaned over her shoulder, following her gaze.
There, in the courtyard below, stood Keiya Anastasia Zheka — hair blazing like a storm of firelight, her aura radiating red flame. Opposite her was Klyden Yurei, wielding nothing but his raw physicality and that ever-persistent grin. She slashed at him with precision, each strike flaring with magic. He blocked, evaded, and countered with ease born of brute strength.
The gap between them was obvious: Keiya's mastery of magic versus Klyden's overwhelming physical dominance.
Watching the two clash, Wads let out a quiet tsk, followed by a soft laugh. "Of course. She's glaring daggers, and he's still grinning like an idiot."
From above, Keiya's glares could've cracked stone, yet Klyden's smile only widened each time he narrowly dodged her attacks. The scene was absurd, almost comedic, the balance between fire and stone.
———
Morning came.
The air in Zheno Academy was tense, brittle with anticipation. The Hall of Fame — grand and gilded, lined with statues of legendary figures — was filled with students, their chatter weaving into a chorus of anxious murmurs. The towering board at the center glowed faintly, awaiting the reveal.
A single gong resounded. Silence fell like a curtain.
Then, the names burned into existence.
Top Leaderboard — First Years
1. Reiyell Georgia Frey Ravenscroft — Clarkeo Arcana III | Deity X
2. Liora Vallegoire — Clarkeo Arcana II | Deity Q
3. Ashborne Dunsmore — Clarkeo Arcana II | Deity Q
4. Ysoria Eldridge — Clarkeo Arcana I | Deity X
5. Klyden Yurei — Clarkeo Arcana II | Deity Q
6. Keiya Anastasia Zheka — Clarkeo Arcana I | Deity X
7. Thaddeus Wynthrope — Clarkeo Arcana I | Deity Q
8. Jerken Knightmore — Clarkeo Arcana I | Deity Q
9. Vexana Tret Gewerson — Clarkeo Arcana I | Deity Q
10. Wyxro Waxzi — Yukereo Arcana III | Deity XX
11. Nash Voldemort — Yukereo Arcana II | Deity R
12. Yetro Zaikeroli — Yukereo Arcana I | Deity Q
…and countless more.
The murmurs swelled. Whispers darted through the crowd like sparks: joy, envy, anger, disbelief.
Wads's eyes scanned the glowing names, searching — until he found it. His lips tugged upward instinctively before he bit down on them, forcing the smile away.
But then — thud!
A weight slammed into him, sending him sprawling across the polished floor. A familiar laugh rang above the gasps of onlookers.
"YOU DID IT, WADS!" Klyden's voice boomed as he ruffled his friend's hair with rough, cheerful pats. His grin stretched wide, boyish, proud. "I SAW THAT SMILE!" He jabbed a finger accusingly at Wads's face, cackling.
"Get off me," Wads muttered, rolling his eyes and brushing the fleeting smile from his lips. But the warmth in his chest betrayed him.
Around them, celebration mixed with disappointment — cheers from the elated, silence from the disheartened.
And then Wads's gaze was caught.
Across the hall, standing with unshakable poise, Reiyell. Her blue hair caught the light like strands of moonlight, her eyes sharp and unreadable. For the briefest of moments, their eyes locked. And then — the smallest curve of her lips.
A smile. Subtle, proud, almost knowing.
Wads blinked, uncertain whether he'd imagined it.
Before he could linger, another weight dropped onto him. This time a cascade of hair fell into his face. He brushed it aside, only to reveal Liora's gleeful grin.
"I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT, LITTLE MOON BOY!" she crowed, laughing in unison with Klyden.
Pinned between the two, Wads scowled, but he couldn't deny the heat pooling in his chest — a warmth he hadn't realized he'd missed.
For once, he let it happen. He sat there, caught between their laughter, gazing at them with something rare: a smile.
Not mocking, not lazy, not restrained. Warm. Genuine.
It slipped past his defenses, unguarded.
Both Liora and Klyden froze for a moment, their faces flushing red before bursting into chaos.
"DID YOU SEE THAT? HE SMILED!" Liora squealed.
"I KNEW IT! HE HAS A HEART!" Klyden added, pointing furiously.
Their voices rose into a comical uproar, drawing curious stares from others.
Wads groaned, pushing himself up and turning away. "You're both insufferable."
But they chased after him anyway, laughing, teasing, their voices echoing through the grand hall.
And though he wore his familiar scowl, the warmth lingered still — proof that for all the battles ahead, for all the ranks and divisions, he wasn't climbing alone.