The moment Shivay crossed the gates of Astra Dominion Academy, the world behind him felt like it had been sealed away.
It wasn't just a physical transition.
It was something deeper.
The air itself felt different—heavier, sharper, almost… aware.
Every breath he took carried a faint resistance, as if the atmosphere itself was testing him, measuring him, judging whether he truly belonged here or not.
Shivay didn't stop walking.
But he noticed everything.
The ground beneath his feet wasn't ordinary stone. It had a faint texture to it, almost like layered formations of something ancient, compressed over centuries. The walls surrounding the entrance weren't just architectural—they radiated a subtle energy that made the space feel alive.
This wasn't a place built recently.
This was something old.
Very old.
"Keep moving," the suited man said from behind him.
Shivay didn't turn. "I am."
They walked deeper inside.
With every step, the pressure fluctuated slightly, as if reacting to his presence. It wasn't overwhelming anymore, but it hadn't disappeared either. Instead, it felt controlled—like a system designed to constantly push and evaluate those inside.
"So this pressure… it's intentional," Shivay said.
"Yes," the man replied. "It ensures that only those who can adapt remain functional. Weak bodies break. Weak minds collapse. Weak will… disappears."
Shivay smirked faintly. "Efficient."
"It's necessary."
They moved past the entrance area, and the academy began to reveal itself fully.
Massive training grounds stretched across the landscape. Structures resembling ancient temples stood alongside modern buildings. Some areas looked like they belonged to a completely different era—stone arenas, towering pillars, massive statues carved with symbols Shivay couldn't immediately understand.
And yet, everything coexisted.
Seamlessly.
"This place…" Shivay said slowly, "…isn't just an academy."
"No," the man replied. "It's a foundation."
"For what?"
"For power."
Shivay finally glanced at him.
"…That vague answer again."
"You'll understand soon."
They stopped in front of a wide platform where several other students had gathered. Some looked confident, others overwhelmed. A few were still struggling with the pressure, trying to stabilize their breathing.
As Shivay observed them, he noticed something important.
The energy around each person was different.
Some were faint—barely noticeable.
Others had stronger presence—unstable but visible.
And a few…
A few stood out.
One tall guy near the front had a dense aura, sharp and aggressive. Another girl stood calmly with her eyes closed, her energy stable, controlled.
"…So everyone here is already different," Shivay thought.
He wasn't entering a world of normal people.
He was entering a world of anomalies.
"Stand here," the man said.
Shivay stepped onto the platform.
The moment he did—
The pressure changed again.
This time, it didn't just press against him.
It penetrated deeper.
Into his body.
Into his core.
His muscles tightened slightly, but his expression remained unchanged.
"…So it escalates," he murmured.
"Yes," the man said. "Initial screening is just the beginning."
Shivay exhaled slowly, adjusting.
He didn't resist blindly.
Instead, he let the energy flow through him, observing how it interacted with the power inside his body.
And then—
Something clicked.
The energy within him responded.
Not defensively.
But intelligently.
It aligned.
Balanced.
Adapted.
"…Interesting," Shivay muttered.
He wasn't just enduring the pressure anymore.
He was learning from it.
Using it.
Across the platform, a few students noticed.
"That guy… he's not struggling at all."
"Who is he?"
"No idea… but he's not normal."
Shivay ignored them.
His focus remained inward.
He raised his hand slightly.
Just a small movement.
But enough.
A faint spark appeared.
Barely visible.
But real.
Electricity flickered between his fingers.
Controlled.
Stable.
This time, it didn't collapse instantly.
He held it for a second longer.
Then—
It faded.
"…Progress," he thought.
"Don't show off," the man said quietly.
"I'm not," Shivay replied. "I'm testing."
"That's worse."
Shivay smirked faintly.
Before he could respond—
A voice echoed across the platform.
"Welcome."
Everyone turned.
A man stood at the far end of the platform.
Tall.
Composed.
His presence alone was overwhelming.
Unlike the others, his aura wasn't just strong—
It was absolute.
"Head Instructor," the suited man muttered under his breath.
The instructor stepped forward slowly.
Every step he took seemed to shift the atmosphere itself.
When he spoke again, his voice was calm, but carried weight.
"You have all passed the first threshold."
A pause.
"But that means nothing."
Several students stiffened.
"In this academy," the instructor continued, "potential is irrelevant without control. Talent is meaningless without discipline. And power…"
His gaze swept across them.
"…is worthless if you cannot survive."
Silence followed.
Then—
"Before you enter fully, you will undergo alignment."
Shivay's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Alignment?"
The instructor raised his hand.
The ground beneath the platform began to glow faintly.
Symbols appeared.
Ancient.
Complex.
The energy in the air shifted.
Sharpened.
Focused.
"This will determine your compatibility," the instructor said. "Not just with energy…"
His gaze paused briefly on Shivay.
"…but with your own existence."
Shivay felt it immediately.
Something was about to happen.
Something important.
The symbols intensified.
Energy gathered beneath their feet.
Then—
It activated.
A wave of force surged upward.
Not outward.
Inward.
Directly into them.
Several students screamed.
Some collapsed instantly.
Others struggled to remain standing.
The energy wasn't just testing their bodies.
It was probing deeper.
Into their core.
Into their identity.
Shivay clenched his fist slightly.
The force hit him.
But this time—
He was ready.
Instead of resisting, he focused.
Observed.
Adapted.
The energy tried to penetrate his core.
But the moment it did—
It encountered something else.
Something far greater.
Something ancient.
For a brief moment—
Everything froze.
The symbols beneath him flickered.
The energy destabilized.
The instructor's eyes narrowed.
"…What is that?"
Shivay felt it too.
Deep within him—
Something responded.
Not aggressively.
Not violently.
But with authority.
The incoming energy… slowed.
Then—
It aligned.
As if acknowledging something.
Shivay's breathing remained steady.
His expression calm.
But inside—
He understood one thing clearly.
"…This power…"
"…isn't normal."
The surge ended.
Silence followed.
Several students lay unconscious.
A few remained standing, barely.
And Shivay—
Stood completely stable.
Unshaken.
The instructor stared at him.
Not casually.
Not briefly.
But with focus.
"…Interesting," he said quietly.
Shivay met his gaze.
"…Yeah," he replied internally.
"…I get that a lot."
The next phase had begun.