For an entire month, Rio trained relentlessly in the small private training room provided by the academy.
Every student at Freya Academy was assigned a personal training space. After all, only one thousand students were selected from across the entire world each year. Considering that scale, the academy's resources were nothing short of terrifying.
At first, Rio couldn't help but feel surprised.
How had the original Rio entered the academy without any connections?
The answer soon became clear through his inherited memories.
Freya Academy operated a fixed-seat system. Children from common families,or orphans,were randomly selected from among all applicants. Around one hundred seats were reserved exclusively for them, allowing entry without connections and completely free of charge.
Surprisingly, the original Rio had been one of those hundred.
The main protagonist was as well,born into an ordinary family, with no backing to speak of.
"Let's check my progress this month."
[Name: Rio Flash]
[Class: Swordsman]
[Rank: D-]
[Max Rank Potential: No Limit (X)]
[HP: 1000/1000]
[MP: 400/400]
[STR: 42/100]
[SPE: 33/100]
[AGI: 31/100]
[DEF: 39/100]
[INT: 29/100]
[Talent: Limitless (X), Sword Aptitude (X)]
[Techniques: Basic Swordsmanship (D-), Elemental Sword Art (D-)]
[Skills: Body Strengthening (E+), Lightning Sword (E+)]
[Evaluation: You are an absolute anomaly! Although you are weak now, your potential is unlimited!]
"I've already reached D-," Rio murmured.
"That's thanks to my sword aptitude. My growth was smooth up to this point… but once I move deeper into D-rank, it'll slow down a lot."
Still, the results spoke for themselves.
"Well," he said with a small nod, "my hellish training wasn't for nothing."
I should leave for the entrance ceremony now, he thought. This academy is extremely strict about punctuality.
After walking for about fifteen minutes, Rio arrived in front of the ceremony hall and entered without hesitation.
So many students are already here… I should find a seat.
At exactly 9:00 a.m., the massive gates of the hall closed shut. The lights dimmed, leaving only the stage illuminated.
A beautiful woman stepped onto the platform.
"Hello, students. It's a pleasure to meet you," she said calmly.
"I am Raji Croft, the principal of this academy, and an SS-rank student."
The hall erupted instantly.
"Oh my god! It's Raji Croft!"
"The legendary frost mage!"
"One of the only three SS-rank humans!"
An excited boy sitting beside Rio shouted at the top of his lungs, barely able to contain himself.
Rio himself was stunned.
Not only was she breathtakingly beautiful, she was also one of the three strongest humans on Earth.
There were no SSS-ranked beings among humans, or any other race, for that matter. Reaching SSS-rank was so difficult that SS-rank individuals effectively represented the peak power of an entire race.
The elves possessed four SS-rank awakeners.
Just a single SS-rank was enough to ensure a race's survival. Those without one were forced to live as subordinates, or were wiped out entirely when an SS-rank dungeon appeared within their territory.
Only a handful of SS-rank dungeons had ever been recorded.
As for SSS-rank dungeons?
None, yet.
Of course, Rio knew how the story went.
The protagonist would eventually reach SSS-rank, defeat an SSS-rank dungeon, save humanity, gain fame, beauties, and make other races submit… blah blah blah.
After nearly half an hour, Raji concluded her speech and invited the top-ranked student of the first years onto the stage.
Here comes the main villain.
"Please welcome our first ranking of this year's first-year students, Link Rex."
Link Rex.
The central antagonist of the novel.
Born into the most powerful background imaginable, he was the only son of Ashtel Rex, an SS-rank awakened and the head of the Awakener's Association.
Link possessed SS-rank potential and had been trained personally by his father in martial arts from a young age.
Talented. Ruthless.
Given enough time, he could even reach SSS-rank through talent alone.
On the surface, he appeared polite and kind, but beneath that mask lurked a sadist willing to go to any lengths to get what he wanted.
A perfect villain.
He commanded countless subordinates, and an S-rank expert guarded him from the shadows at all times.
This guy is dangerous, Rio thought. I should never get involved with him.
Only the main protagonist, Fade Crest, could eventually contend with Link. Even then, it would take years.
Right now, Link is already D+ rank. According to the novel, he would advance to C-rank shortly after the midterms.
"Now," Raji said, "you may proceed to your respective classes. I hope all of you will work hard and one day become humanity's support."
Students began leaving the hall in an orderly fashion. Rio followed along.
Minutes later, he stopped in front of his classroom.
"A-3," he muttered. "Same class as the protagonist… and the other named characters."
"Looks like my academy life won't be peaceful."
He entered and scanned the room before taking a seat near the window ,third desk from the right.
As students settled in, some began chatting excitedly.
Rio didn't join in.
He had always been a loner,even in his previous life. Socializing had never interested him much.
Soon, a cold-faced woman entered the classroom, her sharp gaze sweeping across the students.
She was beautiful as well,though not quite on the same level as the principal.
"I am your class teacher from now on," she said calmly. "And I expect you already know my name."
Of course he did.
Anna Datt.
An S-rank fire mage.