The great seminar hall slowly filled with the sound of footsteps, chairs creaking, and the faint murmurs of hundreds of students. Sunlight streamed through the crystal roof above, scattering over the vast dome and lighting up the stage at the front.
Elara, Amanda, and Cole managed to find seats in the third row—close enough to see the stage clearly, yet not too close to draw attention.
Elara placed her bag beside her and looked around, her black eyes wandering over the sea of new faces. Everyone seemed excited, nervous, or both. Some whispered about the teachers, others scrolled through their phones, waiting for the orientation to begin.
"Wow," Amanda muttered, crossing her legs neatly. "Can't believe we actually got front seats. Usually, the early ones get them."
Cole smirked. "That's because we're responsible students."
Elara chuckled softly. "Or maybe because everyone else is too nervous to sit in front."
Amanda giggled, then leaned a little closer. "Hey, did you guys hear about the new principal?"
"Principal?" Elara tilted her head. "You mean the one they just appointed?"
Amanda nodded eagerly. "Yeah—Aren Vaylen. They say he's the second-ranked hero of the Solaran Union. I even heard he was offered a position in the High Council but refused."
Cole raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "Second-ranked? That's… huge. What's he doing running an academy?"
"They say he believes new generations decide the future," Amanda replied, her voice full of awe. "Also…" she grinned mischievously, "he's supposed to be incredibly handsome."
Elara blinked. "You're excited about that part, aren't you?"
Amanda laughed lightly, brushing her hair back. "Of course! If our principal's that powerful and good-looking, maybe school won't be that boring after all."
Cole rolled his eyes. "Unbelievable guys by the way where is Ethan is he going to be late on the day of orientation ."
Before Elara could reply, the soft hum of chatter around the hall began to fade. One by one, heads turned toward the stage.
A group of people had entered.
Six to seven individuals walked across the wooden platform, their steps calm and commanding. The air itself seemed to shift slightly—more refined, heavier, filled with presence. These were not ordinary teachers.
Each of them wore the same black and white uniform, with silver emblems pinned to their collars. The emblems shimmered faintly, glowing differently depending on their strength and rank.
A tall man in the center bore an emblem with five intersecting lines—the mark of Apex Rank 5. To his left, a woman with short grey hair and calm eyes had four lines on her emblem—Crux Rank 4. Even the staff members standing at the edge, holding files and tablets, bore three-core insignias visible faintly on their forearms, pulsing with energy.
Elara leaned forward slightly, whispering to Amanda, "They're all ranked so high…"
Amanda nodded, her expression serious now. "Yeah. Even the assistants are stronger than most heroes outside."
Then, the atmosphere suddenly stilled.
From behind the staff, a man walked forward—tall, calm, and radiating quiet authority. His semi-long black hair brushed against his ears, and his light blue eyes shone faintly under the bright hall lights.
He wore the same uniform, but on him, it looked sharper—like it belonged there. The moment he stepped onto the stage, the temperature seemed to drop just a little. Every student in the hall instinctively straightened their posture.
"That's him," Amanda whispered, almost under her breath. "Aren Vaylen…"
Elara could feel it too—the faint pressure in the air, not suffocating, but enough to make her heart quicken. His presence wasn't loud, yet it demanded respect, admiration.
He reached the center cubicle, resting his hands lightly on the podium. For a moment, his eyes swept across the hall, calm and unreadable, before he spoke.
Even before he uttered a single word, the entire seminar hall was silent—completely still.
The new principal of Astral Academy had arrived.
The hall was so silent that one could hear the faint hum of the air vents above. Every student sat with their backs straight, eyes glued to the man standing behind the podium—Aren Vaylen, the second-ranked hero of the nation, the newly appointed principal of Astral Academy.
He adjusted the mic slowly, his calm expression giving away nothing. The students waited, holding their breath, expecting a deep, commanding speech—something about discipline, excellence, and responsibility. The kind of speech that shakes you to your core.
Aren cleared his throat once.
Then again.
And then, in the most casual tone possible, he said,
"Hmm… good morninggg everyone… welcome…"
He paused. Looked down. Tilted his head.
"Hmmm… wait—what was I supposed to say again?"
The silence that followed was almost comical.
A few students blinked in confusion. One boy dropped his pen. Another student, somewhere in the fifth row, whispered, "Did he just—forget?"
Even the teachers on stage stared at him in disbelief. The Apex-ranked instructor at the side, the one who earlier looked like a battle-hardened general, was frozen mid-expression. The woman with the Crux 4 badge blinked rapidly, unsure whether to laugh or worry.
Was this really the Aren Vaylen? The man who once fought a dragon alone for three days? The one who was said to have destroyed an entire army of corrupted beasts with just his sword?
He smiled faintly, almost as if amused by their expressions. "Ah, yes. It happens, guys. Happens all the time. Anyway, where was I… right!"
He straightened his posture, eyes twinkling mischievously.
"Welcome to the Astral Academy! Here, you'll become the strongest—well, if you actually do what I tell you. If not, you'll still be stronger than most heroes I know."
Some students exchanged confused glances. Others couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Aren continued, his tone somewhere between casual and playful.
"So, work hard, train hard, study hard—but…" he paused, leaning slightly closer to the mic, his lips curving into a teasing grin, "…don't do too much fun without me. Hahaha! Let's have a great academy life together!"
And with that, he gave a small salute-like wave, the kind a friendly senior might give.
No one moved. No one clapped. It was as if everyone's brain needed a few seconds to catch up.
Amanda whispered under her breath, "Is… he serious?"
Cole's mouth twitched. "That was… not what I expected."
Elara blinked, utterly confused, though she couldn't help but smile a little. Somehow, despite the strange behavior, there was something genuine in his words—something warm.
Before anyone could process what just happened, Aren's body shimmered faintly. A soft, glowing yellow light spread around him, scattering into bright particles that danced in the air.
Gasps echoed throughout the hall.
Within seconds, his figure dissolved into the golden light—and then, vanished completely. The particles hung in the air for a moment longer before fading away, leaving the hall bathed in silence once again.
A moment later, the Apex-ranked teacher stepped forward, rubbing his temple with a tired sigh.
"...Well," he muttered into the mic, "that was our new principal, Aren Vaylen. You'll… get used to him."
The hall erupted into laughter.
Elara smiled softly, shaking her head.
"Brother's not going to believe this," she whispered under her breath.
And with that, the first day at Astral Academy truly began—not with a strict lecture, but with a golden shimmer and a hero who forgot his own speech.