The classroom smelled of disinfectant and fear.
Rows of students sat at sleek, individual desks, screens embedded into the tabletop. Every keystroke, every glance, was tracked. Cameras hovered from the ceiling like silent birds, watching everything—but not everything. That was the gap Kairo had noticed the day before.
He entered last, unassuming, sliding into the back row. His uniform was crisp, his expression neutral. Around him, chatter buzzed: scores being compared, alliances whispered, early
strategies discussed.
"Did you see House A's rise?" one student murmured to another.
"They're unstoppable. We'll never catch up."
Kairo noted the fear, the desperation in their tones. Perfect.
The instructor, a tall man with sharp features and eyes that seemed to pierce through the room, didn't speak immediately. He let the tension build, letting the students stew in the anxiety of their rankings.
Finally, he clapped once.
"Good morning, students of Echelon. Today begins your first official challenge. You will work in pairs—assigned randomly—and each pair will solve a set of problems on your terminals. Points are earned individually but affect your House ranking collectively. Collaboration is encouraged… but not mandatory."
A collective murmur ran through the classroom.
Kairo's terminal pinged almost immediately, showing his partner:
Partner: Elena Maris
House: B
He barely glanced. Elena was known for her academic brilliance and social influence—top twenty, cunning, observant. Aligning with her would draw attention. Exactly the sort of attention Kairo didn't want, but needed to observe.
He approached her desk. Elena looked up, smiling. Sharp. Calculating.
"Vale," she said lightly, almost teasing.
"You're late. I hope you're not planning to coast through this."
"I observe before acting," Kairo replied calmly. "Efficiency first."
She raised an eyebrow. "Bold statement for a forty-one scorer."
He didn't flinch. The corner of her mouth twitched—amusement or challenge, he couldn't tell yet. Perfect.
The instructor activated the terminals. Equations, riddles, logic problems, and seemingly random data sets filled the screens. Complexity designed to reveal weaknesses—both intellectual and social.
Kairo studied Elena as she began typing furiously. She solved patterns quickly, her eyes scanning not just the data, but the reactions of nearby students. He noticed a hesitation—a micro-expression—as she glanced at another pair. Someone was watching her, testing her.
Interesting
He started typing deliberately, slower than necessary, letting her lead the initial solutions. Every keystroke, every glance, every hesitation was a signal. He cataloged alliances, rivalries, tendencies, and the subtle pushes and pulls of influence.
The first test ended. Scores flashed across the terminals. Some students cheered. Some frowned. Elena's pair scored slightly below perfect—not enough to rise, but enough to test the system's reaction.
"Not bad," Elena whispered. "You're… quiet."
"Observation is underappreciated," Kairo replied. "Yet highly effective."
She laughed softly, a sound that blended intrigue with caution. "You think this system is fair?"
Kairo glanced around. A few students lingered too close, pretending to ignore the interaction. "Fair?" he said. "I think it's measuring compliance. Control. Not intelligence."
Her eyes sharpened. "Careful, Vale. That kind of thinking will make enemies quickly."
"I'm counting on it," he said, voice low.
Outside the classroom, unseen sensors adjusted, recalibrated, and recorded. Rankings would update again tonight. Pressure points would form. Alliances would shift.
Kairo didn't care about the numbers—not yet.
He cared about understanding the players.
And in a school designed to erase the weak, understanding was survival.
As the bell rang, students filed out, already whispering strategies and complaints. Kairo walked alone, Elena beside him silently. He let her lead, letting her social influence shield him from early attention.
But in the shadowed corner of the hallway, a pair of eyes followed. Lucien Ardent.
First. Again. Always first to notice anomalies, patterns, and threats.
Kairo's lips curved into the faintest smirk.
The game had begun.
End Of Chapter 2