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Riyan stood among nearly two thousand people gathered from across the globe.
The grand entrance hall of Vireon Academy stretched high above them, a ceiling of glass and steel that shimmered under the morning sun.
Sparks of energy danced through the air as students showed off small bits of their power — sparks of lightning crackled between fingers, water swirled in midair, a floating piece of metal spun above someone's head.
Everywhere, excited chatter and nervous laughter blended into a living storm of noise.
Riyan's heart pounded so loudly he could hear it echo inside his skull. He kept his arms close, his shoulders hunched.
> So many people… all stronger than me… what am I even doing here?
His hands trembled slightly, betraying the fear he fought to hide.
---
Near him, two boys started arguing.
"Hey, you! Normal people don't belong here!" one of them shouted, his voice loud enough to slice through the entire hall.
The other boy — quiet, smaller, with plain clothes — clenched his fists at his sides, his eyes dark with hurt and rage.
"Why did you even come here? You're useless!" the first boy sneered, shoving him back roughly.
The crowd began to turn, curious eyes locking onto the scene.
A few snickered, some whispered, and others waited for a fight.
Suddenly, the quiet boy took a step forward, his face twisting. Before anyone could stop him, he swung his fist.
It connected with a sickening crack. The loudmouth flew backward, crashing into the marble floor so hard the ground split beneath him.
Gasps erupted like gunshots.
> How did he do that?!
Riyan's eyes widened, his instincts screaming.
The boy who had been punched staggered up, his face twisted in fury. Water gushed around his arms, rising and swirling like coiled serpents. It condensed into a spear so sharp and clear it gleamed like glass under the bright lights.
His eyes glowed with pure killing intent.
> He's going to kill him…!
Without thinking, Riyan's feet moved.
But before he could even take another step —
---
A girl appeared.
Beautiful, with a quiet intensity that wrapped around her like an invisible cloak.
She didn't speak. She didn't need to.
With a small motion of her hand, the water spear froze solid, then shattered into a thousand crystal-like shards that fell harmlessly to the floor like rain.
Time seemed to stop.
People gasped, whispers exploding across the hall.
> "It's her! One of the newest Nova!"
> "She has telekinesis! She can control everything — even other elements!"
> "I heard she has a normal sister she protects… she hates bullies!"
The girl's eyes swept over the two boys, cold and sharp enough to cut steel.
> "What are you doing in my presence?" she asked quietly, her voice soft yet carrying across the hall like a thunderclap. "I will never allow anyone to mock normal people."
The boy with water powers stumbled backward, his aura fading under her gaze.
The quiet boy swallowed hard, still breathing heavily, his fists slowly unclenching.
---
Before they could act again, Riyan stepped forward, surprising everyone.
He moved without thinking — almost on instinct — his feet feeling lighter than ever before. In a blink, he stood between the two boys.
> "Article 7, Section 3," Riyan declared loudly, his voice echoing. "Anyone who uses their powers for personal reasons or outside approved areas will be marked as a villain — selfish people who only care about themselves."
The hall fell into stunned silence.
Dozens of eyes watched, recording, analyzing.
The boy with water powers snarled but didn't attack again. His eyes burned with hatred as he turned sharply and spat on the ground.
> "Tch… I'll see you all in the test," he hissed before storming off, his water dissipating into harmless steam.
The girl looked at Riyan. Her eyes lingered, scanning him — as if searching for something beyond his skin.
Riyan felt his spine tighten under her gaze, but he held firm.
Finally, she turned without a word, her long hair swinging gracefully behind her as she vanished into the crowd.
---
The quiet boy exhaled shakily and stepped forward, wiping sweat from his brow.
> "Hey… thanks for stepping in," he said, voice still shaky. "I'm Kenji. I really thought I was gonna die there."
Riyan gave a small, uncertain laugh, feeling his tension slip away.
> "I'm Riyan. Just… a construction worker."
Kenji blinked.
> "A construction worker? Seriously?! You must be insane to come here… they'll probably make fun of you, you know."
Riyan shrugged, his eyes steady.
> "I don't care. I'm used to it. Besides… maybe it's finally time to stop hiding. We're in the same group now. We can be friends, right?"
Kenji's eyes widened before he broke into a relieved grin.
> "Yeah! Of course! We'll watch each other's backs. No matter what."
They clasped hands awkwardly, but it felt genuine — something warm flickered in Riyan's chest, something he hadn't felt in a long time.
---
Suddenly, a loud metallic bang echoed from the stage, silencing the hall instantly.
All eyes turned.
A figure stepped forward.
She stood tall, impossibly graceful. Her uniform looked like molten silver stitched into dark cloth, her long hair cascading down her back in shimmering waves.
The air seemed to bend around her presence, heavy and electric.
> "It's her… Astra…"
> "The daughter of the Null Stone…"
> "She awakened a power no one has ever measured…"
Astra's eyes glowed faintly as she looked over the crowd, her gaze sharp and unreadable. Even the other Nova instinctively stepped back, lowering their heads as if standing before a queen.
Riyan felt a sudden shiver crawl down his spine.
> Who is she really…?
Astra's eyes paused on him — just for a heartbeat — and he felt something deep inside twist uncomfortably, like an old wound reopening.
She turned away just as quickly, raising her hand to silence the restless whispers.
> "Welcome to Vireon Academy," she announced, her voice soft but echoing in every corner of the hall. "Here, your power is nothing without purpose. Your past does not define you — your choices will."
She paused, her eyes sweeping across each face as if she could read every hidden fear, every dream.
> "I do not care what titles you hold outside these walls. Here, you are all the same: seeds that may bloom… or wither."
Her words hit Riyan's chest like a hammer. Seeds. The same word his grandfather used.
His breath caught.
> Grandpa… did you know this would happen?
Astra lowered her hand.
> "Prepare yourselves. Tomorrow, your tests begin. Prove yourselves… or leave."
---
Riyan stood frozen as the crowd began to disperse.
Kenji nudged his shoulder, eyes wide.
> "Man… she's terrifying, huh? But also kinda cool…"
Riyan didn't answer right away. His eyes stayed fixed on the stage where Astra stood moments ago.
> What am I really doing here? Can I live the life Grandpa wanted… or is something bigger waiting for me?
His fingers curled
slightly, a strange warmth pulsing in his veins.
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> ⚡ Teaser for Chapter 6 ⚡
Will Riyan survive the trials ahead, or will his secret be exposed? And what exactly is Astra hiding?
Stay tuned — last chapter for this week!
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