Victor made his way through the Academy's inner city. The further he walked, the more apparent the ranking system became. The F Rank dorms were bleak like narrow, boxy buildings stacked tightly together with minimal ornamentation.
D and C Rank areas showed some improvement: better architecture, greenery, tech panels.
But the B Rank area was another level.
Victor stood in front of a tallbhexagonal building coated in glittering mana glass. The entrance was guarded by crystal drones, and each floor had its own floating platform balconies. He stepped through the access scanner and let his key card grant him entry.
Within were fluorescent lights and obsidian floors. Elevators lined the central atrium, and several students passed by in tailored Academy uniforms, chatting or walking with calm confidence.
He took the lift to the seventh floor and found his room—Unit 5-7B.
The door hissed open.
Inside, the room was spacious. At least four times the size of his room back on the surface.
Two beds separated by a central divider, glass desks equipped with computers, closets, and even a small living area with a couch and entertainment screen.
Victor stepped in and paused.
Someone else was already there.
A boy leaned against the window with his arms crossed. He had an athletic build, mocha skin, and dreadlocks tied into a loose bun. He wore the same white Academy uniform with his sleeves rolled to the elbow.
His eyes flicked to Victor.
"So you're my roommate."
Victor blinked. "Looks like it."
The boy looked him over with a neutral expression, then nodded once. "Name's Kairo. Warrior class. Rank B."
Victor stepped forward and offered a hand. "Victor Revenant. Warrior class. Also B Rank."
Kairo accepted the shake. "Let's not make this difficult, yeah? I like quiet. I train hard. Don't bring drama into this room."
Victor gave a short laugh. "Trust me, I'm here to survive, not stir trouble."
Kairo grinned faintly. "Good. You snore?"
"Only if I'm exhausted."
Victor dropped his bag onto the bed and glanced around. The whole place still felt surreal.
He had money to an extent.
And he had finally made it to the Academy.
Hours later, Victor was laying with his back on his bed and arms behind his head.
His eyes were fixed on the smooth white ceiling of his shared Academy dorm.
Kairo, his new roommate, was on the other side of the divider wall in the shared living space, calmly scrolling through a glowing book-like interface with several graphs and sparring diagrams.
Yet Victor's mind was elsewhere.
Two problems heavily disturbed his mind.
One: how was he supposed to continue playing Ascendant Realms in secret while having a roommate?
Two: what would he do about the interface failure from earlier—when the Academy system couldn't detect or verify his level?
He didn't have a system like the other Awakened. His power came from the game. The very game he smuggled into this academy.
Victor bit his lip and stared at his bag.
His only real option was to play late at night, when Kairo was asleep. It wouldn't be easy—if Kairo was a light sleeper, he could get caught. But there was no other way. He needed to grow stronger both in the game and out here.
The Void Emperor Bloodline was potent, but only through Ascendant Realms could he cultivate and unlock more of its potential.
He sighed, then glanced at the clock.
Elsewhere in the Academy—
Rank C Dorms, Room 3-C
"Say that again, little spark plug! I dare you!"
Danny stood with his fists clenched as he towered over a thin boy wearing a mage class uniform. The boy had an arrogant look and a smirk that refused to fade.
"I said," the mage repeated while flicking his wrist so a small flame burst in his palm, "if you had half a brain, you wouldn't be dumb enough to think muscle solves every problem."
Danny cracked his knuckles. "And if you had half a spine, you wouldn't need flashy sparks to talk tough."
Their third roommate, an Assassin class student, reclined on the top bunk across the room with a literal tub of popcorn in hand while watching in amusement.
"This is the best welcome I could've hoped for," he muttered between bites.
Danny took a step forward, but a knock on the wall from the hall startled them all. An instructor's voice barked through the hallway intercom.
"Keep it down in there, Room 3-C. First warning. Next time, we deduct credits."
Danny glared at the mage. "This isn't over."
The mage grinned. "Wouldn't dream of it."
Rank B Dorms, Room 22-B
Amara stood quietly while unpacking her belongings onto a built-in glass shelf in her room. Her uniform jacket was neatly hung, and she was sorting her books and essential devices with her usual methodical flair.
Across the room, her roommate lay sprawled on her bed while blowing bubbles with gum that popped every twenty seconds.
Amara had tried to initiate a handshake when she first walked in, but the girl hadn't even looked up.
That was the response she got.
Now, Amara just sighed and focused on settling in.
"So much for friendly roommates," she murmured.
Rank A Dorms, Room 1-A3
Selene was twirling around her new room with her arms spread like a dancer as she stared at the beautiful decor.
Smooth crystal floors, reinforced walls with mana-glyphs that pulsed gently, a queen-sized bed with self-heating linen, and even a personal mana-bath.
"This is everything," she sang while falling back onto her bed dramatically.
She lay there for a moment, then turned toward the ceiling.
"But how do I find Victor now? This place is so huge!"
With a huff, she reached into her side pouch, pulled out a blue-and-pink lollipop, unwrapped it with one hand, and stuck it into her mouth.
She sucked on it thoughtfully with her legs kicking lazily.
"I'll find you, my mysterious handsome boy. You can't hide forever."
Author's Note: Guys please we need reviews.