A deep buzz of anticipation filled the auditorium at Hero University. It was a hall larger than most could imagine, its rows easily seating a thousand students on dark wooden benches. The air was thick with excitement, nerves, and fresh rumors.
All around Ray, students whispered in low voices, their murmurs like faint wind brushing through the hall.
"Who do you think placed first?"
"It must be the kid who came out unconscious—he went in so fast."
"No, it's got to be Lyra. She's the Ashford heir."
Groups clustered together, arguing quietly. The four great family heirs sat apart, regal in posture even among the crowd. Up in a high, sealed gallery, family representatives watched unseen—their faces obscured from the students below, yet their presence commanded the room.
Ray sat quietly, his thoughts already racing ahead. Last life, Lyra took first. The other three heirs followed, then Sofia secured fifth. But this time… will it be me? If I want to change my fate, I have to place first. Only then will the right people notice me.
As his thoughts spun, the doors at the far end opened. Principal Grey Ford paced up to the center of the stage. He stood beneath the bright spotlights, broad shoulders set, and eyed the room with steady authority.
He didn't waste time. When he finally spoke, his words echoed instantly.
"Good afternoon, students." The ripple of conversation died at once. The memory of the brutal trial—the battered bodies, the crushed hopes—hung over them now.
Ford's gaze swept the crowd and the shadowed balcony, his face unreadable. "As you all know, we just concluded the trial. Today, I will announce the top five performers. Members of the four families are among us, and I expect no commotion."
He let that warning drift straight to the high gallery. Ray caught one family representative lean forward, their unreadable eyes focused on Ford and the stage.
"Now." Ford's voice grew harder. "In fifth position: Sera Hawke."
A ripple ran through the audience—murmurs, sharp surprise. Even Sera herself looked caught off guard, lips pressed tight with disappointment. Her silver hair glimmered under the lights as she glared, not at Ford, but up towards her family's hidden box.
"Fourth place goes to Will Stone."
Will's jaw clenched. "No way. Fourth?" he muttered, voice loud enough for half the hall to hear. His face was a storm of resentment, but he forced himself still. A moment later, his fists unclenched, and he sank silently back into his seat, swallowing the sting of defeat.
"Third position: Vera Colin."
Vera didn't blink or flinch. She simply tilted her head, eyes narrowing as she scrutinized Ray from across the rows—measuring, analyzing, as though searching for an answer only she could see. When she found none, she looked ahead once more.
Grey paused, the tension mounting. "Second place is Lyra Ashford."
This time, the room crackled with surprise. Lyra didn't move, didn't break her icy composure. Yet in the silence, Ray saw her inhale sharply—maybe in disbelief, maybe in resolve. All throughout the hall, whispers grew—if Lyra was second, then…
"…So only that unknown guy can be first! Yes, it's that boy, Ray!"
Ford smiled—not kindly, but with pride as well as expectation.
"And the first position, this year, goes to Ray."
It was as though Ford's words shattered a spell—the entire hall turned to look at Ray. Some students gawked, others fell silent, a few began talking again, curiosity and awe mixing in their voices.
"So his name is Ray…"
"He's the one, huh?"
"I want to see what he's really like."
Up in the family chamber, the shadows seemed to shift—the representatives watched Ray now with obvious interest, as did the four heirs seated below.
Ford continued, his voice ringing loud and clear. "Ray will represent Hero University this year. The top five will join the special S-class. These five will train differently, preparing for events beyond the academy walls. But there will be ten spots total—five more students will have a chance to prove themselves and join the S-class, evaluated by their achievements and growth."
Ray sat motionless, feeling every gaze. He knew what it meant to be watched, to be measured—but this time, he welcomed it. Change had come, and now everyone knew his name.
In the crowd, the tension gave way to electric excitement—and somewhere up in the gallery, one figure leaned closer, a smile flickering beneath the shadow.
The game was changing now, and Ray was at the center of it.