Chapter 60 : The apex

Chapter 60: Chapter 60 : The apex The massive auditorium of Zenith Academy was packed to the brim. Thousands of cadets—first years, seniors, mentors, and even several nobles—sat in neatly arranged rows, eagerly awaiting the official commencement of the academic year. Banners floated above, enchanted to display footage of the Academy, and the grand chandelier above flickered with a soft blue luminance. Excitement crackled in the air like static before a thunderstorm. But as soon as a tall figure gracefully stepped onto the stage, the chaotic chatter melted into silence. It was Alicia von Crestvale. The dazzling third-year, already a mid-Master ranker, walked confidently across the podium, her long white hair cascading behind her like a comet’s tail. Her regal bearing made even the proudest nobles among the cadets unconsciously sit straighter. The girls admired her. The boys... worshipped her. And even the proud elves, vampires, and dwarves had to admit—however begrudgingly—that she commanded attention. A hush fell as she stopped at the center, gazing down at the sea of faces with a smirk. Alicia von Crestvale stepped onto the stage with elegance and confidence, the very air shifting around her presence. Her amethyst eyes gleamed under the spotlight, and her long white coat fluttered behind her like a royal mantle. Instantly, the chattering cadets fell silent, their attention stolen. Even some of the most composed upperclassmen in the balconies above leaned forward with interest. Alicia gave a small smirk, clearly amused by the attention. She raised a hand, and with a subtle flick of her finger, a golden crest formed in the air behind her—the insignia of Zenith Academy—as a rune amplified her voice. "Welcome to Zenith Academy," she began, her tone smooth but sharp, like polished steel. "Where your pride will be tested, your titles ignored, and your true strength revealed." Some cadets straightened at her words, while others glanced nervously around. A few nobles visibly twitched at the part about titles being ignored. "Now, before we get into the fun part," Alicia continued, her voice laced with theatrical sarcasm, "let me quickly remind you of a few rules. I know—boring—but trust me, you’ll want to pay attention if you don’t want to end up mopping the Gravity Combat Hall with your face." A few chuckles rippled through the audience. She held up a single finger. "Rule One: No fighting inside the academy grounds." Her expression hardened. "This is an institution, not a tavern brawl. You throw a punch in the hallway, you’ll be on toilet-cleaning duty for a month. With a toothbrush." Some students laughed nervously. "Rule Two: If you do wish to settle a score, challenge them to a duel—formally, in the designated arenas. Only if both parties agree. Any forced duel or ambush..." Her eyes narrowed. "...and the professors will personally ’educate’ you. And trust me, they don’t teach gently." A murmur passed through the crowd. The veterans among the upperclassmen nodded solemnly, as if remembering past traumas. "Rule Three: Damaging academy property will be punished. Severely." She gestured toward the shimmering dome of the auditorium. "These facilities cost more than your entire noble estates. So if you blast a hole in a wall or fry a training bot? Better hope you like rebuilding walls and running laps around Avaloria for the next month. Barefoot." The entire crowd groaned, some in disbelief, others in horror. Then she paused for effect before holding up four fingers. "Rule Four: No superiority complex." Her voice now had a cold edge. "This one’s especially for our precious noble students—" She smiled sweetly as the noble cadets visibly flinched or sneered. "who seem to think bullying commoners is a birthright. It isn’t. This is Zenith. You are all cadets now. You are judged by strength, skill, and character. If anyone is caught harassing others based on bloodline, status, or wealth..." Her tone dropped to a warning whisper, amplified for all to hear: "...you’ll be humiliated, stripped of your privileges as a cadet, and—if necessary—thrown out without a second thought." "Remember, this is not your home. This is not your clan hall, castle, or fancy palace. Here, bloodlines are nothing more than ink on paper unless your strength proves otherwise. If you’re expecting the privileges of nobility, you’re in the wrong place. If you think your family name can get you out of trouble—well, let’s just say... we have dungeons for that." The nobles scoffed and sneered at that, some whispering among themselves. But Alicia’s sharp gaze pinned them in place. "Oh, and for those thinking I’m bluffing?" Her smile turned wicked. "Ask your seniors who thought they were untouchable." At that, the upperclassmen shuddered. A chill ran down their spines as if remembering something they wanted to forget. "Also, don’t forget—your actions outside the Academy carry as much weight as those inside. You represent Zenith now. Wear that with pride. And please—don’t make me come after you. Trust me, you don’t want that." A stunned silence filled the auditorium. Then, unexpectedly, the commoner cadets burst into applause and laughter, while the nobles simmered with indignation. Alicia raised her hand to silence them. "Alright! Now that I’ve finished being terrifying," she said with an exaggerated sigh, "let’s get to the real reason you’re all here—because even I’m not a fan of boring speeches." The crowd chuckled, the atmosphere finally easing. "It’s time to announce your top ten cadets. And trust me, the rankings may... surprise you." A few cadets gulped. That was a strong opener. A ripple of nervous laughter followed, mostly from the commoners who were enjoying the subtle jabs at their noble peers. A few whispers stirred in the back. "That’s... kind of inspiring." Then Alicia grinned wider. "Alright, let’s get to the real reason we’re all here." Cheers erupted. She raised her hand dramatically. "Drumroll, please!" Magical runes spun around her as the stage lit up. "Now, I present to you the Top 10 Cadets of this year’s entrance examination. If your name is called, please come up to the stage." She let the suspense linger before announcing: "Rank 10... Aurelia Lumina!" "Rank 9... Thalos Lumina!" Thunderous cheering followed. Fairies all around screamed in joy for their princess and prince. The fairy cadets erupted into cheers. "Long live the Princess and the Prince!" echoed several voices. "Rank 8... Maria Lunehart!" A radiant girl who looked breathtakingly beautiful in her academy uniform stepped out, drawing thunderous applause from the cadets of the Holy Kingdom of Celestara. "Rank 7... Elaria Moonshade Lareth’Thalas!" The elven princess strutted forward, chin raised with a smug smile dancing across her face. The elven cadets practically roared, sneering smugly at the other races. "Rank 6... Seraphina Starlight!" The entire male population of the auditorium howled like wolves. Even some professors facepalmed at the intensity. "Rank 5... Charlotte Evans Avaloria!" More roars followed, this time from the humans. The human faction now sneered right back at the elves. A prideful and smug Charlotte walked to the stage, flipping her hair. "Rank 4... Lilith Noctis Bloodrose!" Gasps and deep sighs followed as the vampiric beauty walked with deliberate elegance. The boys cheered while the vampire cadets simply nodded in pride. "Rank 3... Alden von Crestvale!" This time, there was an awkward silence. A few girls screamed, but the male cadets? A smattering of polite claps. A few high-pitched cheers from girls. The boys? Not even a peep. Some even crossed their arms. Alden’s smirk twitched as he cursed the male population inwardly. Charlotte and Seraphina were already giggling. "Oof," Charlotte muttered. "That’s what we call a social casualty." Seraphina and Charlotte burst out laughing. "Guess being pretty isn’t enough," Seraphina teased. "Shut up," Alden muttered, face twitching. Then, with a knowing smirk, Alicia announced: "Rank 2... Ethan Williams!" And suddenly, silence. Pin-drop, world-ending silence. No one clapped. No one screamed. No one moved. It was as if the air had frozen. "Wait... he’s not number one?" The thought echoed in thousands of minds. The prophesied hero. The Light’s Chosen. The future of humanity. Not. Number. One. Alicia let the silence hang like a guillotine, eyes gleaming mischievously. The tension was exquisite. Ethan, for his part, simply smiled. He wasn’t surprised. Not even a little. "It’s just as I thought," he muttered, a small smile forming on his lips. "That silver-haired joker... is really something." Meanwhile, a horrifying realization dawned on Alden. He looked like someone had kicked his puppy. "No. No. This can’t be happening," he whispered. "That silver-haired bastard can’t outrank me. I’m better than him. Yes—I’m even more handsome than him!" Charlotte patted his shoulder. "Now it can only be in your dreams." Seraphina added, "Maybe if it were a comedy show , you’d be ranked 1." "Guess you’re third wheel now," Charlotte added. Alden glared at both of them. As the cadets finally began murmuring again, trying to process the bombshell, Alicia finally spoke up. "Now then... the moment you’ve all been waiting for." She extended her hand. A magical banner unfurled behind her. "Rank 1 – Alex Dragonheart" Alicia smirked. " The cadet Who will also serve as your Apex and represent the first years." Gasps. Shock. Confusion. "Who?" No one had heard of this name. No noble records. No fame. No prestige. Just a name. A mystery. A silence fell again as the cadets waited. All the top ten cadets had reached the stage. All... except one. "Alex Dragonheart, please come to the stage," Alicia called. No answer. She frowned. "Alex Dragonheart?" Suddenly, the auditorium doors slammed open. Two figures stormed in. It was Alex. And beside him—Draven Storm Everforge, the dwarven prince. Draven immediately lunged at Alex, grabbing him by the collar. "You bastard! We almost died because of you! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, GOING AMONG THOSE BEASTS?!" Alex raised his hands innocently. "Relax! We’re alive, aren’t we? The professor saved us. Perfect timing, wasn’t it?" Draven was fuming. "Alive?! We fought a pack of Nightmares! I almost got my butt punctured, you psycho!" Then he froze. So did Alex. They both turned slowly. Thousands of eyes were watching them. In silence. In shock. Alicia cleared her throat loudly. "Well, thank you for gracing us with your... dramatic entrance." Draven turned red. "Crap." He turned to Alex and smacked him on the head. "You idiot! We’re an hour late because of you!" Alex blinked. "Wait... we’re late?" He looked around, confused. His face turned red with embarrassment. Then he grinned nervously. "Did I miss something again?"