As another student's result was announced, Rank A, Caster class, the hall erupted with cheers again. Lucien simply kept to his thought, strengthening his resolve once again.
He had no intention of staying in Division Five forever.
Not when he carried something that even the world itself couldn't measure.
And somewhere, deep inside his soul, the faint whisper of the system responded.
▓▒░ [Acknowledged. Growth path initialized.] ░▒▓
▓▒░ [Welcome, Soulbinder.] ░▒▓
Lucien allowed himself a small smirk. "Then let's begin."
The assessment ended not long after Lucien's turn. The energy in the hall had changed, some faces glowed with relief while others carried quiet disappointment. The instructors stood at the front, watching the crowd with expressions that revealed nothing.
One of them, the same stern elf from earlier, stepped forward and raised his hand slightly. The murmur of voices faded. "Now that the results have been recorded, you all know where you belong," he began. His tone wasn't cruel, but it carried a weight that pressed down on the room. "The higher your division, the better your access to training halls, Aether tools, libraries, even the quality of food and dorms differ. The Academy rewards effort, but it also acknowledges talent. That is the reality of Aetherion."
His words caused a ripple of mixed emotions across the hall. The noble students from Division 1 and 2 straightened, their pride barely concealed, while those in Division 4 and 5 lowered their heads. Lucien stood quietly among them, his hands in his pockets, eyes calm. He could feel the quiet frustration around him, but for him, this wasn't defeat.
The instructor continued, "But don't lose yourselves to despair. The Academy does not bind you to your division forever. Advancement is possible through merit, combat, or breakthroughs. You could rise higher if you prove yourselves in evaluations, tournaments, or missions. It has happened before, though rarely."
Those words, though meant to inspire, only sounded like a distant hope. Still, they clung to it. It was all some of them had.
Lucien listened, half-focused on the instructor and half on his own thoughts. He could sense the faint hum of the system still lingering in his mind, quiet but alive, like a whisper waiting for his command. "So," he muttered under his breath, "they think rank decides worth. Fine. I'll play along for now."
Beside him, a thin beastfolk boy from Division 5 exhaled softly. "Guess this is it for us, huh? Division 5…"
Lucien turned slightly, his expression unreadable. "It's only the bottom if you plan to stay there," he said simply.
The boy blinked, then gave a faint, uncertain smile.
The instructor concluded, "You will be assigned to your dorms according to division. General classes begin tomorrow. Aether Theory, Combat Fundamentals, and Essence Stabilization will be mandatory for all. Specialized classes will follow after your initial evaluations. From now on, your time here will decide whether you rise or fade."
With that, the hall began to empty. The newly awakened walked in clusters, whispering about ranks and paths. Division 1 students laughed quietly among themselves, already acting as if the Academy belonged to them. Division 5 students moved slower, their steps heavy with doubt.
Lucien stayed behind for a moment, glancing back at the resonance orb on the podium. Its glow had dimmed again, just as it had during his test. To everyone else, it had marked him as an F-rank. To him, it had simply been the start of something no one else understood.
He brushed a bit of dust off his sleeve and muttered, "They'll see soon enough."
Then he turned and walked toward the exit, the hum of voices fading behind him, his mind already fixed on what lay ahead, mastering the system, understanding his strength, and proving that fate had made a mistake in calling him weak.
Lucien left the assessment hall with a calm expression, though the air around him was still thick with the tension of divided pride and envy. Outside, groups of new students clustered together, chattering about their ranks and dorm placements. The higher divisions moved in lively packs, laughing as if they already belonged here, while those from Division Five walked quietly, each step weighed down by the thought of what that label meant.
He followed the map engraved on his student tag, walking past rows of dorms that reflected the same hierarchy the instructor had warned them about. The Inner Sanctum dorms glowed faintly with Aether veins running through their walls, self-lit corridors, and guards stationed at the entrance. Students from higher divisions stood at balconies that overlooked the rest of the campus, almost as if they were watching from another world.
When Lucien reached the Outer Quarters, the glow of refinement had long faded. The walls were old, the air heavy, and the faint hum of energy barely noticeable. His dorm building looked like it had survived a small storm- cracked walls, chipped paint, and lanterns that flickered more than they shone. The courtyard grass was uneven, and the small training field nearby had worn-out dummies missing limbs.
He didn't complain. After years in the Veyren district slums, this felt almost peaceful.
Inside, his dorm room was simple— two beds, one cracked mirror, a small shelf, and a window that refused to close properly. The scent of dust hung in the air. He dropped his small bag on the floor and took the left bed. It creaked but held.
"This'll do," he muttered as he unpacked. He folded his spare clothes neatly, placed a small dagger beside the bed, and adjusted the sheets. He had lived in worse. Besides, this room was temporary. He didn't plan to stay in Division Five long. The system had chosen him for a reason, and he was going to find out why.
Just as he sat down to rest, the door opened with a loud creak. A tall beastkin stepped in, dragging a small trunk behind him. His short brown hair framed a face that carried both fatigue and mischief, and his wolf-like ears twitched at the faint noise of the door.
"Finally found this dump," the boy groaned, kicking the trunk aside and glancing around. His tail flicked once before his golden eyes landed on Lucien. "Guess you're my roommate."