Aiden stood on the cracked training field outside Blackvein's eastern gate, arms crossed, watching the chaos.
The Echo Academy had only been running for three months, but the place already looked lived-in. Makeshift tents flapped in the wind.
Students hauled scrap metal and salvaged Seed Vault parts across the dirt. Shouts and arguments mixed with bursts of laughter.
This was exactly what he wanted.
After Liran's breakthrough with the portable anchors, Aiden made the decision. No more closed academies for nobles and officers only. The new network of learning centers opened to anyone under twenty-five who brought one original idea.
They had to combine something from the Seed Vault archives with current imperial tech and show a working prototype or a solid plan. No fees. No bloodline checks. Just results.
