The holidays ended with a sharp shift in the Academy's atmosphere.
The playful energy of the first year was gone, replaced by the rhythmic clanging of metal and the heavy, bone-deep hum of gravity generators.
As Kaelen, Mina, and the rest of House Ignis walked into the newly renovated Training Hall, they noticed the floor was no longer made of "Liquid Logic" tiles.
It was solid, reinforced obsidian-steel, built to withstand the crushing force of the new curriculum.
Professor Andrew stood at the center, his arms crossed over a chest that looked like it was carved from granite.
He was a Peak Level 195 Strand-Phase Warrior.
At that level, a human's muscle fibers are practically braided with their Ribbon energy, making them as dense as industrial cables.
"Welcome to Year Two," Andrew barked, his voice vibrating in their chests like a physical blow.
"Last year, you learned how to feel the Ribbon. This year, you learn how to keep it from snapping your bones."
The Biological Gap and the Serum
Kaelen felt the weight of his new Catalyst Band.
It was already vibrating, sensing the increased power in his thread after the incident in the Capital.
But as the Professor explained, a strong spirit in a weak body was a recipe for disaster.
"The Ribbon gives you power," Andrew said, pacing before the line of students with predatory grace.
"It makes you faster and smarter. But biology is not equal."
"Some of you have bodies that naturally adapt; others have nervous systems that will melt under the pressure of Level 30."
"That is why the Federation provides the Serums."
He gestured to a row of automated medical bays lining the obsidian walls.
"The Type-1 Serum is mandatory for all second-year students. It reinforces your cell walls and thickens your bone density."
"As you grow, you will move up. The Academy provides up to Type-5 by the time you graduate primary."
"Secondary school handles Type-6, and High School gives you Type-7."
"If you want the final three—the legendary Type-8, 9, and 10—you'll have to earn them through blood and merit on the front lines protecting the borders."
The Injection
One by one, the students stepped into the bays.
When it was Kaelen's turn, he felt a cold, sharp sting in the side of his neck.
Almost instantly, a strange, heavy warmth spread through his limbs.
It didn't feel like a sudden burst of energy; it felt like his body was becoming... denser. More solid.
"It's weird," Mina whispered as she stepped out, rubbing her shoulder.
"I feel like I'm made of lead, but my silver thread feels... quieter. More tucked in."
"That's the stabilization," Kaelen noted, testing the weight of his own hands.
"The serum is building a cage for our energy so it doesn't leak out and damage us."
5x Gravity: The First Test
"Enough talk!" Andrew shouted, his eyes flashing with a sudden, competitive light.
"Serums are active. Now, let's see if they work. Computer! Set Training Zone to 5x Earth Gravity!"
The air didn't just get heavy; it became a physical, crushing weight that slammed into their shoulders.
Kaelen felt his knees buckle instantly. Every single breath required a massive, conscious effort of his lungs.
Beside him, Leo let out a strangled groan, his orange thread flaring as he tried to use his energy to hold himself up.
"Don't use your Threads!" Andrew roared, walking through the high-gravity zone as if it were a light summer breeze.
"If you rely on the Ribbon to stand up, the serum won't bond with your muscles. Stand up with your own strength!"
Kaelen gritted his teeth so hard his jaw ached. His vision began to blur at the edges.
He could feel his heart hammering against his ribs, struggling to push blood through a body that now weighed five times its normal amount.
He looked over at Mina. She was shaking violently, her face deathly pale, but she was slowly straightening her back.
Pushing the Limit
Kaelen focused on the internal warmth of the Type-1 serum.
He imagined it weaving through his muscle fibers, acting like a molecular scaffold.
Slowly, agonizingly, he began to stand upright, fighting the invisible hand pushing him down.
"Look at Veyron," Sora gasped, her own forehead dripping with heavy beads of sweat.
Kaelen wasn't just standing; he lifted a foot and began to take a shaky step forward.
Each movement felt like wading through thick, freezing mud.
"Good," Andrew said, stopping directly in front of Kaelen.
The Professor's Level 195 presence was suffocatingly strong, adding to the atmospheric pressure.
"Your father told me what you did in the Capital, Kaelen. You overstretched. You tried to be a Level 100 with a Level 20 body."
"That was a mistake you won't repeat. Here, we build the body first."
By the end of the hour, most of the class was collapsed on the floor, gasping for air as the gravity returned to normal.
Kaelen stayed standing the longest, his legs trembling but his gaze fixed firmly forward.
He realized now that the Type-10 Serum at the border wasn't just a reward—it was a necessity for survival.
To face the true monsters of the universe, a human had to become something much more than biological.
"Tomorrow, we do it with weights," Andrew promised with a wicked, toothy grin.