Sai and Ariana walked along the city's main street; in the distance, the tall white towers of the Academy were visible. The walls shone with a soft white light, as if the surface had been washed by rain, and the marble columns stretched upward, merging with the clouds.
They approached the main gate. The guards glanced carefully at Sai's documents, then at Ariana's pendant. A silence hung for a moment, then one of the guards nodded:
"Proceed."
Sai and Ariana walked side by side, their shadows hidden by the night light of the lanterns, which no longer seemed threatening. Sai held the pouch with the documents and phone; Grandpa had already loaded the data, including his biometrics and preliminary registration in the Academy's system.
They entered through the white arched gates. The atmosphere was surprisingly calm. Inside, the courtyard was vast, with neatly laid paving stones, clean fountains, and green lawns. Hundreds of students stood in orderly columns, all without haste. Not a trace of humiliation, shouting, or mockery. Here, it seemed, different rules applied.
In the large reception hall, Sai was directed to a terminal where the system automatically began scanning his documents. His name, surname, age, and baseline stats appeared on the screen—physical conditioning, cultivation aptitude, mental stability.
"The Academy uses a ranking system," pronounced a voice emanating from a holographic interface built into the hall. "It determines your potential and capabilities. The ranks are: Initiate, Warrior, Knight, Titled, Titan, Devil, Tyrant, Monster. Your initial rank is assigned based on your physical and mental state upon arrival."
Sai looked at the screen. His rank wasn't among the Titans or Devils yet. He was ordinary. An ordinary Initiate.
"The system records your level of strength, experience, aptitude for Echo and energy control. It will update automatically as you progress."
Ariana stood beside him, her documents being scanned as well. A holographic inscription confirmed her high status, befitting her lineage.
"At the Academy, it is forbidden to demean other students, or to use lineage or wealth for advancement. Only your ability, strength, and diligence are evaluated here," the voice continued. "Any complaints or violations are recorded automatically and may result in sanctions, up to and including expulsion."
Sai felt a strange relief. Here, his past, his fears, or his accidental origins didn't matter. Here—only ability and willingness to work.
He lowered his gaze to his rank: 'Initiate'. It wasn't a title or a legend. But it was honest. And it meant a chance.
"All is ready," the system voice announced. "Proceed to the main hall."
They passed through the wide doors. Inside, the hall was enormous, vaulted, with white columns and windows through which sunlight softly streamed. Students dispersed to classrooms and corridors, all heading to their respective tasks, discussing their first assignments and training sessions.
Sai felt a slight excitement. Beside him, Ariana asked quietly:
"Is everything in order with your documents?"
Sai nodded, showing her the phone: Grandpa had pre-loaded the registration codes, medical waivers, and contact information. All the documents were in order.
"Yes," he said. "Everything's fine."
They walked on, observing the Academy's immense structure. The white walls seemed almost transparent in the sunlight. The Echo stirred slightly beside him, listening to the foreign energy, sensing the potential of the other students.
"Sai," Ariana said quietly, "here, everything is real. There are no hidden threats. Only… work and learning."
He nodded. He knew this was the first day of his new path. And now he had a goal. Not a title, not recognition, not fear. Only the work on himself and the strength he needed to develop.
---
After Sai passed through the main hall, Ariana stopped by one of the side doors leading to the dormitory for high-born students.
"I have to attend to my own matters," she said softly, with a slight smile. "I'll see you later."
Sai nodded, feeling a little embarrassed.
"Be careful," he said.
"You too," she replied and left, dissolving into the stream of students, leaving him alone.
Now he stood in the middle of the corridor, feeling an unfamiliar silence. Students bustled around him, but there was no familiar voice of Grandpa, no familiar shadow, only the Echo, quietly fluctuating within him.
Sai took a deep breath.
The system, integrated into the Academy, activated immediately:
"Welcome, Sailor Asher."
"Your dormitory is Male, Block D, Floor 2, Room 14."
"Access to your personal locker and storage is granted."
"For navigation, use the holographic map integrated into the terminal interface."
The screen before him projected a map of the Academy: marble corridors, staircases, several inner courtyards, and dormitory blocks. Dots flashed on the schematic—other students already moving towards their buildings.
"Each student has an individual rank," the system continued. "Your initial rank: Initiate. Your strength, cultivation abilities, and control over the Echo will be updated automatically."
"At the Academy, it is forbidden to demean other students. The use of force outside of training or permitted zones is punishable."
"The Academy evaluates only ability and progress, not lineage, wealth, or social status."
Sai listened, watching as the system marked his route to the dormitory. He noticed that on the map, almost all other students' ranks varied from Initiate to Titan. A few units had the status "Monster," meaning their abilities exceeded the normal scale.
He couldn't help but feel a slight anxiety. While he remained an Initiate, others already possessed strength he was only beginning to understand. But inside him, there was no fear—only desire.
He slowly made his way to Block D, feeling each step on the staircase lifting him towards a new life.
When he reached Room 14, the system automatically opened the door. The room was small but tidy: two beds, a wardrobe, a desk, and a window through which the Academy's lantern lights were visible.
"The room is assigned to you and inaccessible to other students without your permission," the system stated. "All internal regulations will be displayed on your personal terminal."
Sai placed the pouch with his documents and phone on the bed and sat down. He looked out the window at the flickering lights of the Academy and for a moment felt the emptiness: he was alone now.
But the Echo stirred inside him, softly responding to Sai's thoughts.
"It seems," he said aloud to himself, "that everything depends on me now."
He opened the terminal on the desk. The system displayed in detail:
· Training and class schedules;
· Information on potential allies and students of the same rank;
· Updates on strength levels and progress;
· Locations for personal training and meditation rooms;
· Access control to special Academy zones.
Sai swiped the screen. He saw hundreds of students, each marked with their rank. He didn't yet understand how quickly he could grow, but the system clearly showed that progress depended solely on himself.
He leaned back on the bed and closed his eyes. The night was quiet, but the city beyond the Academy walls lived its own life.
For the first time, Sai felt: although he was alone, he now had a path that no one could stop.
"Grandpa…" he said quietly, "I won't let you down."
---
Sai approached Block D. The white walls of the building gleamed under the Academy's lanterns, and the staircases were impeccably clean. The system automatically opened the door to his room: Room 14 on the second floor.
Inside, everything was neat: two beds, two wardrobes, a desk, a small window letting in the soft lantern light. Sai noticed a bag on the bed next to his—probably belonging to his roommate.
He cautiously stepped over the threshold.
"Hello," a voice sounded. A young man, roughly twenty years old with dark hair and a calm gaze, was sitting on the bed unpacking his things.
"Hello…" Sai replied a bit timidly, feeling ordinary life making him shy again.
"You're new?" the roommate asked, smiling.
"Yes… Sai," he said, showing his documents.
"I'm Lars," the young man extended his hand. "Nice to meet you. Don't worry, everyone's new here, so you won't be alone."
Sai shook his hand, surprised. It was quiet inside the room, but there was a friendly atmosphere—the first in a long time.
"Listen," Lars said, "the system showed us our lockers. Let's take a look."
They approached the wardrobes. Sai opened his and froze.
Inside, books, notebooks, and magical supplies were neatly arranged: a set of crystals, spell scrolls, inkwells, quills, training tools. Everything was labeled and meticulously placed.
"They give us all this?" Sai whispered, not believing his eyes.
"Yes," Lars replied, smiling. "The Academy doesn't joke around. Everything you need for study and training is already here. You can start right now."
Sai ran his hand over the shelves. The magical crystals vibrated slightly, reacting to the presence of the Echo within him.
"I've never seen anything like this…" he said quietly.
"Wait until you see the labs and training halls," Lars said, grinning. "It's even more impressive there."
Sai sat on the bed and looked out the window. Below, the faint noise of the Academy could be heard: students walking the corridors, holograms of the system flickering, rank symbols glowing.
He opened one of the books, flipping through the pages: spells, theoretical descriptions of Echo energy, exercises for concentration and control of power. Everything was ready, as if the Academy had known in advance what he would need.
"Lars," he said, "do they give you everything right away? Even materials for magic and training?"
"Yes," Lars nodded. "The system ensures everyone has what they need. No need to buy or search for anything. It's all official."
Sai closed his eyes for a moment, feeling a strange sensation. Everything was organized. Clean. Without humiliation. Without fear. Only order, rules, and the opportunity to grow.
He looked at his roommate, then at his things, then at the window where the Academy's lights flickered.
"It seems," he said quietly, "that everything depends only on me now."
Lars smirked.
"That's the most interesting part," he said. "Welcome to the Academy, Sai."