Boros paced slowly across the wide stage.
His boots clicked loudly against the wooden floorboards, the sound echoing off the high ceilings.
"I hope you all know what you signed up for," Boros started.
'This guy always loved making dramatic pauses,' I thought to myself.
There were exactly sixty students present in the hall today.
All of us were first years.
There are five academies within the human continent, with Royal Genesis being at the top.
It was the place where rich nobles and highly talented awakeners preferred to go first.
The architecture of the hall was deeply intimidating, built with towering stone pillars and huge glass windows that let in the bright morning sun.
The air was tense, filled with the nervous energy of teenagers who were completely unaware of the reality waiting for them.
Boros stopped pacing and looked directly at the crowd.
"Our world is not the same as it once was. A kid cannot walk in the dark anymore, afraid of thugs kidnapping him. Now, we have monsters devouring bodies, shapeshifting or a cave which might simply appear out of nowhere and swallow the whole town along with it."
A lot of the students swallowed hard at those harsh words.
A short boy with curly blonde hair and freckles started sweating heavily.
He quickly wiped his forehead with the back of his academy uniform sleeve.
A boy with thick glasses pushed them up his nose, his hands trembling slightly.
A girl next to him, who had a small, delicate frame, hugged her notebook tightly to her chest as if it could protect her from the monsters.
"You, the brave ones standing here, are the hope to conquer the caves and bring light to our world," Boros declared.
"With our faculty's hardcore training, you will be sent out to explore, defeat the monsters, and capture the places that were spoiled by the devil's essence. You will reclaim what our land once was."
Everyone in the front row nodded eagerly, their eyes shining with misplaced pride.
But it is not as easy as it sounds.
Surviving outside these walls requires a lot more than just blind hope and basic academy training.
I knew how many people in this room were going to die before graduation.
"Most of your classes will be highly practical," Boros explained, clasping his massive hands behind his back.
"What cannot be taught by reading textbooks can be learned from actual, bloody experience."
He called out to a woman standing near the heavy stage curtains.
A tall woman with long, straight silver hair walked out gracefully.
She brought a large, perfectly round crystal orb from a box.
It emitted a bright blue light, looking as if it were filled with constantly moving water.
"This is a miracle orb," Boros said, pointing a scarred finger at the glowing object.
"It was made with the help of top mages from the magic towers. They worked together to design an exam that is as close to real combat as possible for the students who are just beginning their journeys."
Boros reached out his hand.
When his fingers touched the smooth surface of the crystal, it instantly turned a dark shade of red.
The red light reflected across the faces of the students in the front row, making them look like they were standing in front of a raging fire.
"Tomorrow, you will be taking this exam to determine your official rankings among your peers," Boros announced.
"Your final score will decide your advanced classes, your private dorms, and many other important perks."
He stepped away from the orb, letting the silver-haired woman carry it back to the shadows.
He looked back at the excited students.
"Those who score first will be awarded with a weapon from our private inventory, where strong awakeners' artefacts are safely preserved."
"Whoa," a tall, muscular student with a faded buzzcut whispered loudly to his friend.
"This is so cool," a girl with bright green pigtails bounced lightly on her heels, completely ignoring the danger mentioned just a few minutes earlier.
I wasn't excited at all.
I stood completely still, my hands resting lazily in my pockets.
My best weapon, the specific blade I used to survive the absolute end of the world last time, was picked up in a terrible, isolated island ruled by giants.
It was the worst exploration I have ever done in my entire life.
The ground was always covered in a layer of shit and bone. Every single night was a desperate fight for survival against creatures that could level a city block with one punch.
The monsters on that island were twice the size of normal bosses, and they hunted in packs.
I broke almost every bone in my body securing that sword.
'To think I would have to go back to that cursed place again to get my gear,' I thought, my jaw clenching tight.
The memory alone made my chest ache.
I turned my head slightly to the side to check on the others.
I saw Melissa standing just a few feet away, but her expression was completely weird.
While all the other kids were practically drooling over the promise of legendary artefacts and school fame, she looked like there was absolutely no interest in any of this.
Her blue eyes were dull, unfocused as she stared at the floor.
Feeling my intense gaze, she turned her head back to look directly at me.
The bored look vanished instantly.
She smiled widely, tilting her head in that familiar, teasing way of hers. She even offered a small, sarcastic wave.
'Creepy,' I thought, quickly looking back at the stage to avoid her trap.
What is her deal, really?
Was Melissa also a regressor?
I don't even know what actually happened to her in the last life.
She was just a noble who never crossed my path until the very end of the war. The fact that she is acting so differently now, knowing hidden secrets and plotting to enter high-level caves, makes my head spin entirely.
I really need to figure out her actual agenda before she gets me killed.
"That is all for now," Boros said, his deep voice cutting through the rising chatter of the hall.
"Train hard for today. Tomorrow, the test will happen."
He finished his formal speech and walked down the short stairs at the edge of the stage.
But instead of exiting through the side doors like all the other teachers, he walked directly towards the crowd of students.
The cadets quickly parted in a panic, making a wide, clear path for the imposing principal.
He walked straight down the middle aisle, ignoring the wealthy nobles who were trying to catch his eye and stopped right in front of me.
"Cadet Shane," Boros said loudly.
His uncovered eye practically scanned my full body.
The intense stare made the hair on my arms stand up.
It felt like he was reading my hidden stats right out of the air.
"Yes, sir," I replied, keeping my posture completely straight and my face blank.
"How does it feel?" Boros asked, his tone was casual, but the weight behind the words was heavy.
"Huh?" I blurted out, genuinely caught off guard by the random question.
Boros did not blink.
He just stared down at me, crossing his hands over his back.
"How does it feel to be the one who knows everything yet nothing?" he clarified, his voice dropping low enough that only I could hear the real question.
I froze completely.
My mind raced frantically, trying to figure out exactly what he meant.
Did he somehow know about my past life?
Did he sense the system running in my head?
Or was he just talking about my fight with Zephyr in the training hall last night?
I kept my face blank, absolutely refusing to give him any clues.
"I am not sure I understand the question, sir," I lied smoothly, maintaining steady eye contact.
"I think you do," Boros said, a small, knowing smirk pulling at the corner of his scarred mouth.
"Make sure you do not waste this one month of training, Shane. The things waiting in the dark do not care about your potential or your secrets. They only care if you are strong enough to survive when the lights go out."
He turned his broad back on me and walked confidently out of the hall.
The door slammed shut behind him, leaving me standing there with a cold feeling in my gut.