By noon, everyone knew about the incident at Training Ground Seven.
Rin sat alone in the academy dining hall, a massive stone chamber with vaulted ceilings and long tables arranged by year and rank. First years occupied the tables nearest the kitchen, while senior students sat closer to the raised platform where faculty dined.
The whispers followed him like a second shadow.
"...heard he didn't even get hurt, the demon just manifested on its own..."
"...Adrian's Water Sentinel needed repairs, completely destroyed..."
"...dangerous, he can't even control it properly..."
Rin pushed his food around his plate, appetite gone. Across the hall, Adrian sat with a group of Silver rank students, his arm bandaged and his glare venomous.
"You're letting them get to you," Malachar's voice echoed in his head. "Weakness invites more attacks."
"I'm not trying to look weak. I'm trying to eat lunch."
Before Rin could continue, someone dropped a tray on the table across from him. He looked up to find a girl with messy brown hair and oil stained fingers grinning at him.
"Mind if I sit?" she asked, already sitting. "I'm Kira. Kira Steelwright. Bronze tier, which is honestly better than I expected since my summon is a mechanical spider that keeps trying to eat my tools."
Rin blinked. "You... want to sit with me?"
"Why not? You're the most interesting thing to happen at this academy in years." She bit into her sandwich enthusiastically. "A demon lord from another dimension? That's incredible! Do you know how many research papers could be written about your bond?"
"Most people think it's dangerous," Rin said.
"Most people are boring." Kira waved dismissively. "I'm a Crafting track student. We study summon enhancement, magical engineering, bond optimization. Your situation is fascinating." She leaned forward. "So, have you checked the ranking boards yet?"
"Ranking boards?"
Kira's eyes widened. "You don't know? Oh, right, you're scholarship. They probably didn't explain the system." She pulled out a small card from her pocket, bronze colored with her name and a number engraved on it. "Every student gets ranked based on their summon's tier and their performance in battles. Rankings determine everything: class placement, resource allocation, even graduation prospects."
She pointed to a large board mounted on the dining hall wall. It displayed hundreds of names in glowing text, organized by tier and number.
"Platinum tier students are at the top, numbered one through fifteen. That's Elena Brightstar at number one. Gold tier is next, about forty students. Silver tier is the largest group, around two hundred. Bronze tier, that's me and about fifty others." She hesitated. "You're not on the board yet. Unranked students don't get listed until their first official evaluation."
"When is that?"
"End of the first month. There's a ranking tournament where unranked students fight for placement." She grimaced. "It's brutal. If you can't achieve at least Bronze rank by end of first term, the academy removes you. They call it academic unsuitability."
Rin's stomach dropped. "I have to fight in a tournament?"
"Against anyone unranked, which includes some second years who dropped rank." Kira checked the time. "What's your next class?"
Rin checked his schedule. "Summon Combat Theory, Professor Graves."
"Oh, you're in for a treat. Graves is intense but fair. See you around, Rin!" She hurried off.
The walk to Combat Theory took him through the academy's eastern wing, past training halls where he could hear summoned creatures clashing against training dummies. Other students gave him a wide berth.
Professor Graves's classroom was an amphitheater style lecture hall with a sand covered arena at the center. Students sat in tiered seats surrounding the pit. Professor Graves himself stood in the arena, a scarred man in his fifties with short gray hair and the build of a veteran warrior.
"Eldraven," he called as Rin entered. "Down here. Now."
Every head turned. Rin descended the steps slowly.
Professor Graves studied him. "I heard about this morning. Adrian's Sentinel needed three hours of repair work." He crossed his arms. "Normally I'd call that excessive force. But since it was self defense, we'll call it a learning experience."
"Yes, sir," Rin said quietly.
"Your demon, this Malachar. What combat style does he use?"
Rin hesitated. "I don't know. Sword fighting, I think?"
"You think?" Graves's expression hardened. "You're bonded to a warrior class summon and you don't know his combat style? That's negligence." He raised his voice. "This is lesson one. Know your summon. Their strengths, weaknesses, preferred tactics. A summoner who doesn't understand their partner is a liability."
He gestured to the arena. "Demonstration time. Someone volunteer to spar with Eldraven's summon. Non lethal contact only."
Silence. No one moved.
Then Elena Brightstar stood. "I'll do it."
The whispers erupted immediately. Rin's heart sank.
Elena descended gracefully. "This isn't personal. I simply want to see if the demon is as dangerous as everyone claims."
"Lady Brightstar," Professor Graves said, "are you certain?"
"If Eldraven can't manage his demon against a superior opponent, we'll know he's a danger to the academy."
It was a trap. If he refused, he looked afraid. If he accepted and Malachar hurt Elena, he'd be expelled. If he lost badly, he'd be humiliated.
"I accept," Rin said.
"Excellent." Professor Graves stepped back. "Standard spar rules. First to yield or first to take three solid hits loses. Summons only. Begin when ready."
Elena activated her mark. Light burst forth, coalescing into a figure of breathtaking beauty. An angel, nearly eight feet tall with four wings of pure radiance. Its armor seemed made of solidified sunlight, and in its hands materialized a spear that hummed with holy energy.
Lumiel, her Celestial Guardian. A Platinum tier summon.
The class erupted in excited chatter.
Rin touched his mark. "Malachar. I need you."
His shadow exploded upward, crimson mist coalescing into the demon lord's massive form. Malachar rolled his shoulders, his armor grinding. "An angel. How nostalgic. I killed dozens of them in my world."
Lumiel raised its spear. Its voice was like wind chimes. "Demon. You will fall before the light."
Malachar laughed, drawing his massive blade. "They all say that."
Professor Graves raised his hand. "Begin!"
The angel struck first, moving with impossible speed. Its spear thrust forward, a beam of holy light following the strike. Malachar sidestepped and brought his sword down in a brutal overhead swing.
Lumiel blocked with its spear, and the clash sent shockwaves through the arena. Students gasped as sand exploded outward.
"He's matching a Platinum tier," someone whispered. "That's impossible."
The combatants separated, circling. Lumiel launched into the air, raining down strikes of light. Malachar planted his feet, using his sword to deflect the attacks with practiced precision.
"Notice how the demon lord doesn't waste movement," Professor Graves narrated. "Every deflection is minimal but effective."
Lumiel dove, spear aimed at Malachar's chest. The demon sidestepped and grabbed the angel's wing, using its momentum to slam it into the ground. The impact cratered the arena floor.
"First hit," Professor Graves called.
Elena's expression remained calm, but her hands clenched.
Malachar grinned, his eyes burning brighter. "Is that your best, little angel?"