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Chapter 2 - ## Chapter 2: Return to Acadia… The Grey Ghost’s Plans

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# Novel: Echoes of Cursed Time

## Chapter 2: Return to Acadia… The Grey Ghost's Plans

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Golden sunbeams crept through Ayan's window, waking him to a new—or rather, very old—reality. He stirred to the faint sounds of commotion from the hallways outside, the laughter of teenagers and excited chatter. This was his daily soundtrack ten years ago, before his life became a symphony of screams and clashing steel.

Ayan rose from bed, feeling the lightness in his young body. Gone were the fractured bones and exhausted muscles that had burdened him in his previous life. He slowly wandered the room, touching its familiar walls, running his fingers over old books on the shelves, and gazing into his mirror which reflected a face he hadn't seen in a long time. The young man looking back at him, with his raven hair and wide grey eyes, was the innocent version of himself, yet to know the world's cruelty.

"The Royal Academy Acadia…" Ayan whispered, his memory recalling the details of this place. Acadia was more than just a school; it was a fortress of knowledge, a stronghold where humans trained to confront supernatural threats. Its majestic main building stood in the heart of the capital, with blue domes and towering spires that touched the clouds. It housed thousands of students, divided into classes according to their abilities and potential. And the Genius Class, to which Ayan now belonged, comprised five hundred students, believed to have a bright future in the fields of magic, combat, and strategic studies.

Ayan remembered the bitterness of his previous life when he was expelled from here. At that time, his sole ambition was to become a Holy Knight, fighting demons and vampires. But a secret related to his lineage, which he only discovered years later, led to his ruthless expulsion, shattering his dreams. Now, back again, his knowledge of this secret, and of many secrets of the Academy and its corrupt leaders, was his only weapon.

"I must be careful…" Ayan thought as he put on the elegant Academy uniform, consisting of a dark jacket and a golden badge bearing the Academy's emblem. "I won't repeat my mistakes. I won't draw attention. I'll just be an ordinary student… at least on the surface."

But being ordinary in the Genius Class, especially ranked 200th, was not easy. This class included:

* **Aparit:** The undisputed number 1 student. Ayan remembered his story well. Aparit was born and lived a quiet life with his parents until demons killed them, leading to his adoption by a former Holy Knight hero. Aparit was not just a natural genius; he possessed a unique system that allowed him to purchase spells and skills by completing tasks imposed by the system. No one knew about this system except Ayan himself from the distant future. Aparit was a respected, calm, and brave character who would become a legendary knight in the future. Ayan knew well that Aparit would be a formidable opponent if their interests clashed.

* **Daker:** The legitimate heir to the city's most powerful guild, ranked number 2. Daker was an ambitious, intelligent young man with significant influence even at this early age. Ayan recalled that in the future, Daker tried to recruit him to work together, but Ayan refused, leading to a silent enmity between them.

* **Other Geniuses in the Top Ten:** Two girls ranked 3rd and 4th, and males and females alternating up to rank 10. All were individuals with exceptional talents and impressive track records, all destined to become "heroes" who would shape the world's future.

Ayan pondered his plan of action: he had to stay under the radar. He wouldn't participate in every mission or challenge that showcased his abilities. He would do the bare minimum to maintain his position, while only using his knowledge of the future to his advantage. He wouldn't possess any sudden superpowers or a system to aid him. All he had was his memory and his experiences as the "Grey Ghost." This meant he would have to think outside the box, manipulate circumstances and people, and exploit their weaknesses and strengths to achieve his goals without arousing suspicion.

"The Academy's failure to recognize my strength will be to my advantage," Ayan smiled faintly, not cynically so much as slyly. "Let them think I'm just an ordinary student ranked 200. The surprise will be greater."

Ayan remembered his two closest friends in this class: one ranked 250, the other 260. Both were good young men, but they lacked the ambition or abilities to rise in rank. Ayan knew he would need allies, and these two friends were a good starting point.

On his way to class, Ayan passed by the outdoor training ground. He saw students gathering, some practicing sword fighting, others concentrating magic in their hands. The first class was about to begin. He entered the large classroom for the geniuses, where the seats were arranged in a circle.

The class teacher stood before them. She was young, twenty-four years old, with a scientific rank of 60. She was considered a genius herself, and the youngest teacher in the Academy. Her beauty was striking, with bright eyes and dark hair falling over her shoulders. Her name was "Lena," and Ayan remembered that she was a pivotal character in the future, but his role in her life was not yet clear to him.

Lena raised her head and smiled at her students. "Good morning, geniuses. Welcome to your first day as part of Acadia Academy…"

Ayan sat in his seat, in the back of the hall, where he could observe everyone without being noticed. His grey eyes did not fully reflect the previous coldness, but they held a new determination. He was no longer just a survivor; he had become a strategist, a player in a game whose rules he would never have understood before.

The first class was about to begin, and with it, Ayan's second life would commence, with full awareness of every step he took and every person he met. The question was no longer whether he would survive, but how he would change the rules of the game to his advantage this time, possessing nothing but his mind and memory as a weapon.

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