Leo walked back to stand at his original spot beside Avril, who was still gawking at him as if her brain hadn't fully rebooted yet.
He shot her a sideways glance, lips curling into a cheeky grin.
"What? Cat got your tongue?"
That did it. Avril snapped out of her stupor and stomped hard on his foot.
"—Ah! Okay, okay!" Leo hissed, instantly shutting up as he hopped once on the uninjured foot.
Satisfied, Avril folded her arms, refusing to look at him.
Leo grumbled under his breath, then lifted his gaze—and froze for a second.
Alauna was staring straight at him. Not angrily.
Not confused.
Just… looking.
Their eyes met.
Leo raised an eyebrow and gave her a casual, confident wink.
Alauna jerked her head away so fast her hair whipped behind her, her cheeks immediately flushing pink.
Leo smirked.
Somewhere behind him, Avril muttered, "I saw that."
He pretended not to hear her. "I see the miracle boy is getting cozy with the ladies," Max drawled as he approached, hands stuffed in his pockets and a teasing smirk plastered across his face.
Behind him walked Theo, calm as always; Gray, unreadable; and Ray, who wore the exact same mischievous grin as Max—like two hyenas who shared the same brain cell.
"Of course he's gonna be a ladies' man," Ray added, nudging Max with his elbow. "Look at him. One wink and people start blushing."
"Seriously?" Leo said with a grin that matched theirs. "I wink one time and you two show up like gossip aunties?"
Max placed a dramatic hand on his chest.
"Gossip aunties? I am offended. Deeply, spiritually wounded."
"Emotionally traumatized," Ray added solemnly, nodding.
Theo sighed. Gray blinked once, slowly, as if deciding whether this conversation was worth brain cells.
Leo rubbed his temples. "Why did I decide to hang out with you people?"
"Because you love us," Max said.
"No," Leo replied immediately.
"Yes," Ray insisted.
Avril crossed her arms and muttered, "It's like babysitting a bunch of idiots."
Max gasped. "We are not idiots!"
Ray pointed at Max. "He is. I'm just handsome." Theo covered his face.
Gray separated himself, his actions screaming he doesnt want to be associated with the three red hairs.
Leo exhaled, defeated.
This group was going to be the end of him. The other students could only stare.
Seven of them now—Leo, Avril, Alauna, Max, Ray, Gray, and Theo—bunched together like some perfectly synchronized group of prodigies who didn't even need to try. The air around them felt different. Heavier. Brighter. Stronger.
Whispers spread like wildfire across the field.
"Look at them…"
"Are they actually friends already?"
"No, that's not friendship. That's a super-team."
"Seven monsters in one place… terrifying."
The murmuring grew—right up until a voice boomed across the grounds:
"Alright! Enough standing around! Get moving to your various classes!"
Void's voice slammed into the field like a lightning strike.
Every student—even the bold ones—straightened instinctively. Leo and the others blinked as if someone had popped their little bubble of banter.
Void pointed directly at them, expression equal parts impressed and exasperated.
"Leo! Avril! Alauna! Max! Ray! Gray! Theo! You seven—Class Elite! Move!"
A stunned silence spread so thick you could almost touch it.
Class Elite.
The highest-ranked class in the academy.
Reserved only for monsters.
The crowd stared at them, wide-eyed, whispering, gaping.
Max broke the silence first.
"Well," he said with a grin, "that's us."
Ray slung an arm around him. "Top of the food chain, baby." Alauna exhaled heavily. "Fantastic. I'm stuck with clowns and soo called geniuses."
Theo adjusted his sleeves calmly. "Let's just go."
Gray had already begun walking.
Leo scratched the back of his head, trying to ignore the hundred eyes glued to them.
This was… a lot.
But he followed the others.
Seven figures—walking toward their classroom.
Seven prodigies.
Seven monsters. The academy would never be the same.