Dorm room six was a quite adequate dormitory, possessing all the bare necessities a student could need. It had a private toilet, a spacious wardrobe to store both personal clothing and the academy's uniform, a large bed that practically invited comfort, and three additional beds positioned separately in the room. Each bed was occupied: one by Kairos, another by Darnell, and the last by a boy who seemed to be the silent type, as he had done nothing throughout the night except lie down and sleep.
Darnell, on the other hand, had been relentless, disturbing Kairos with his animated recounting of their fight. He exaggerated every detail, his excitement evident in his gestures and loud voice.
Finally, morning arrived. The first day at the military academy had begun.
A notification beeped from their phones, instructing them to put on their uniforms and head to the cafeteria for breakfast before proceeding to class. Kairos, stretching as he sat up, sighed and moved towards his drawer after freshening up. He pulled out the academy's uniform and put it on. It was slightly loose on him at first, but as soon as he finished wearing it, the material adjusted, reshaping itself to fit his body perfectly.
"Nanotech uniforms," he muttered, slightly impressed.
The uniform itself was distinct—a dull, ash-like shade composed of an unusual fabric, featuring a bright red collar, dark trousers, and sleek, stylized sneakers. On Kairos, the outfit fit seamlessly, complementing his pitch-black hair.
"Wow, it looks really great on you!" Darnell commented from across the room. His attention then shifted to the silent boy, his enthusiasm undiminished. "You too, man! Though, I gotta say, you look way skinnier without that baggy sweater and trousers."
The blonde-haired boy, surprisingly unbothered by the comment, stretched out his hand toward Kairos. "I'm Carlos."
Kairos stared at his hand for a moment, as if analyzing it for some unseen threat, before reluctantly shaking it. "Kairos."
Despite Carlos's lean frame, his striking looks were undeniable. Something about him made Kairos wonder what kind of person he was.
There was no time to ponder that question further, though, as they needed to head to the cafeteria for breakfast. Without wasting time, the trio left their dorm room and made their way to the massive cafeteria.
Upon arrival, they were met with a stunning sight—a hall filled with hundreds of seats, with students occupying the majority of them. The sheer number of students took them by surprise.
Kairos hadn't expected this level of attendance.
A military academy was supposed to be hard to get into, wasn't it?
Or perhaps many of these students were from factions that had taken an interest in them. That would make sense, especially considering the military wouldn't accept just anyone. Every person here had potential—enough to attract the military's attention.
Let's just hope the food here isn't as low in quality as it is in quantity.
They reached the serving area, where a stout woman in her forties stood with an oversized ladle, scooping servings of soup onto trays. Her demeanor was comically strict, her hands moving with precision as she dished out portions.
Kairos stepped forward and received his meal—a tray containing three items: a bowl of soup, a cup of milk, and a piece of bread.
Darnell and Carlos visibly frowned at their meals. "This looks like a step down," Darnell grumbled, eyeing the food with disappointment.
Kairos, however, felt differently. The aroma of the soup was enticing, and though it appeared unappetizing, he was eager to taste it. It smells good enough to go for seconds, he thought.
Sitting at their table, he wasted no time digging in. He scooped up a spoonful of the soup and took a cautious sip.
The taste hit his tongue, and he was taken aback.
It was rich—almost like beef—but without any actual meat in it. The flavor carried an underlying sweetness, something akin to curry.
Kairos didn't dwell on it. It had been a while since he had something this good, so he devoured it without hesitation.
Darnell, watching him, furrowed his brows. "Wait—you actually like the military food?"
Kairos ignored him, continuing to eat. Did I ask for your shitty remarks?
Carlos, seemingly understanding Kairos's silence, responded on his behalf. "He must be really hungry. That's just his condition, I guess."
The conversation died down after that, and they continued their meal in silence.
Just as they finished eating, the cafeteria erupted into a chaotic symphony of voices. Shouting. Excitement. Chattering students.
Curious, they left their table and followed the crowd gathering around a large digital screen that had appeared on the far side of the room. From their position, they could see the glowing text displayed at the top of the monitor:
TOP SUMMONS OF THE FIRST YEARS AND USERS
Kairos immediately lost interest.
Still, for the sake of knowing who to avoid, he decided to glance at the list.
Number One: ...
His eyes widened.
"That girl?" he muttered, recognizing the name and picture.
It was the same girl who had stared at him with an obnoxious attitude the other day.
So she has a really powerful summon?
Kairos scanned the crowd, trying to locate her, but she was nowhere to be seen.
She probably knew something like this would happen and ate her meal early before this nonsense started.
The other names on the list were unfamiliar to him, but one stood out—just a few feet away, a male student stood, basking in the attention of a surrounding crowd.
Students gathered around him, praising him as he displayed his summon—a massive white Griffon, its presence alone exuding power.
Griffons were legendary creatures, nearly indestructible. Only magic or primordial attacks could harm them.
And there was only one faction known for using Griffons as their summons.
The Thorne family.
"Wow, that's Rivet Thorne," Carlos spoke up beside Kairos. "He's ranked seventh. Now look at number six."
Kairos turned his gaze back to the screen, curious about what Carlos was referring to.
And then he saw it.
Number Six: Kairos
Murmurs spread through the crowd.
"Who is that?"
"He's not from any known faction."
"The monitor says he has a failed legendary summon."
"Kairos? Who the hell is that?! Why is a nobody ranked above Rivet?!"
Kairos felt his blood boil.
That damned instructor. She dismissed my summon in seconds, and now this? What the hell?!
Then, a commanding voice cut through the chatter. It was deep, authoritative, and loud enough to silence the entire cafeteria.
"Hey, you. You're that Kairos kid, aren't you?"
The room fell into an eerie hush as the students turned their attention to the source.
Rivet Thorne was stepping forward.
His piercing gaze locked onto Kairos, his stance oozing confidence.
"You're ranked above me? How so?"
Kairos could already smell the trouble from a mile away.
This... was trouble.