The orientation hall was packed.
Two hundred students filled the space—Gold clustered at the front, Silver behind them, Bronze at the back pressed against the walls like they were trying to disappear. The sections that had been separated for six months now existed in the same room, same air, same hierarchy.
And everyone was staring at the board.
The holographic display dominated the far wall—twenty meters wide, five meters tall, names scrolling in ranked order with cultivation bases and point totals beside each entry. The combined leaderboard. All four sectors. Every student who'd survived Year One.
HEAVEN'S GATE, ORION ACADEMY — YEAR TWO COMBINED RANKINGS
GOLD CLASS (Ranks 1-30)
1. Yenna Frostveil — Foundation Establishment Rank 7 — Sector 1
Kael's eyes tracked down the list.
2. Karacus Drakemore — Foundation Establishment Rank 7 — Sector 3
3. Cassian Vale — Foundation Establishment Rank 6 — Sector 3
4. Mason Croft — Foundation Establishment Rank 6 — Sector 3
