Sol woke up from a good night's sleep, washed up, and headed towards the kitchen. Both of his mates were still sleeping, so he started making breakfast for them.
After making breakfast, he saw Len getting out of his room and went to do the laundry.
Yesterday, Lance had no time to clean up, so Len suggested letting him do the cleaning from tomorrow onwards in the morning.
After everyone had breakfast, all got in their uniforms and set out for classes.
After parting ways with both of his mates, he went to his classroom and sat in yesterday's seat.
Pretty much everyone had formed groups among them, whether it be haughty nobles or commoners. In this world, their is disputes among Nobles and commoners, but they do not have factions. In a sense, both can't exist without the other; despite Nobles hating commoners, they also need them for various labor work and menial jobs. Infact the community that had the most jobs was the commoners', so upsetting them would lead to various strikes and could even gain the attention of the church and the Royals.
After waiting a couple of minutes, the main cohort walked in: The prideful but respectful Lex, the gentle and caring Vivi, the jealous but upright Lily, the haughty but sensitive Phoebe, and the man himself, Nolan.
As they were chatting, Phoebe suddenly looked at Sol and then whispered something to them.
After that, everyone walked towards me, and Phoebe, with a slight smile on her face, said
"Hello! Solace, I thought you were quite alone, so why not join us?"
After that, Vivi immediately jumped forward and said with a worried expression
"Hey, I saw yesterday how you got forced to fight by-" She narrowed her eyes and glanced at Phoebe, and continued, " If she is threatening you for something, tell me, I will take care of her."
"Hey!! I didn't force him!! Who do you think I am?" Phoebe said with a gasp.
With them arguing and Lex chatting with Lily, Nolan slowly approached Sol.
"Hey, I'm Nolan."
"Solace"
"Actually, we had plans to go to the mall in the academy and just explore in the evening, but Phoebe suggested inviting you, and seeing you sitting alone, would you like to join us?" Nolan said
Sol wondered for a bit and then nodded. 'I mean, I have to get involved at some point. Why not now?
"Sweet, then I'll add you to our group," Nolan said with a smile on his face
With that, everyone sat down, and the homeroom started
"Today, I'll take the basics of the Threads," Mrs. Mel said with a strict voice.
As Sol already knew all the things she said, he didn't pay much attention.
The Threads were the ethereal threads connected to one's soul that grant them control over the supernatural powers of the thread, depending on one's affinity. If the affinity of your thread is only Layer 3, you cannot advance further than Layer 3. And after every advancement, the knowledge of the powers and abilities of the Layer automatically reveals in your mind.
As A person has a maximum of 3 Threads connected to them, the highest layer you can unlock of any of the three threads you have becomes your Potential rank. There are a total of 7 Potential Ranks from F to S. Similarly their are 7 layers to a thread.
To advance in a layer, you need to train your body and the powers you have. Only when your body can accommodate the power of the next layer would you be able to advance.
If you have a low-layer thread and a high-layer thread, the power of the low-level thread will rise in potency as you advance.
And to use that power, you have Essence; every ability you use costs you Essence.
After the lecture, there was a break of 15 min before the Weapons and Combat lecture.
Just then, Phoebe came to me excited.
"Hey, Solace-" As Phoebe was taking, Sol interrupted her and said
"Sol, Just Sol would do."
Then she smiled a little and said
"So 'Sol', are you coming with us in the evening?"
"Yes, I got nothing else to do after our training," Sol said
"Sweet," She replied.
As the Academy was more focused on advancement, it was more focused on threads
Various professors would take the subject related to their own affinity.
Such as Lectures on Elemental and material threads, Lectures on conceptual, etc.
And all lectures are compulsory, even if you don't have a related thread.
Today was a lecture on Elemental and Material.
After a bit of talking, Phoebe and Sol went to the next Practical lecture.
The professor was old, with drooping eyes, he said in a curt voice.
"Hello, I am Professor Damien, and I will be teaching you how to use your Elemental, Material, as well as conceptual Threads".
Despite his old age, he looked quite strong; he needed to be, he was the first major antagonist.
In the novel, he was affiliated with the church and recruited some students who looked promising. And that's when Nolan caught his attention, who had both hope and shield up to layer 6, but when the church realized he was the son of Sara Leodra, they immediately told Damien to capture him.
Actually, Mother of both Nolan and Phoebe were first captured for brainwashing, and the reason was simple. They both had 'Thread of Key', A thread that can unlock anything from simple locks to sealed gods, and that's what the church was after, to unseal Netharis.
After giving an introduction to each thread type, He asked us to form pairs and spar with our Threads.
Phoebe immediately came running to me to form a pair.
'Actually, this is a good, I was actually on the breakthrough to rank F. I just need a push'
Unlike the last sparing session, this time the room was an open arena.
After taking a stance against Phoebe, Sol heard Phoebe's voice
"Let's use one thread. I am using Frost. What about you?"
"I'll go with chains," Sol decided, as that was the only thread that had offensive ability.
Solace moved first—chains slithered from the ground, darting like striking vipers. Phoebe swept her arm outward; icicles formed midair, shooting to intercept. Crystal clashed with iron, fragments flying. Solace lunged through the debris, fist aimed for her jaw.
Phoebe ducked low. His punch grazed her hair as she drove her knee up—Sol twisted, blocking with his forearm, grunting as her strike numbed his bone with cold.
"Fast," he muttered.
He kicked off, sweeping low. She hopped back, toes barely scraping the stone as she flicked her wrist, sending shards of ice toward his exposed side. Solace slapped the floor mid-roll—chains shot up, forming a crude shield. The icicles shattered against it, and he burst forward, closing the gap again.
Now it was hand-to-hand.
Sol's jab came fast, then a hook—both blocked, Phoebe's arms moving with sharp, economical precision. She countered with a palm strike to his ribs, frost crackling along her skin. He staggered, but twisted into a spinning backfist, barely brushing her cheek.
They broke apart.
Chains lashed at her feet, trying to trip. Phoebe sidestepped, grabbing the nearest chain and yanking it, pulling Sol off balance. She pivoted, driving her elbow toward his sternum. He caught her arm, twisting it, trying to lock her shoulder. But ice crusted over her forearm, forcing him to let go with a hiss.
She spun, low kick aimed at his knee. He blocked with shin-to-shin, then shoved her back with both hands.
Sol suddenly surged, chains wrapping around her ankle and wrist. He yanked, pulling her off-balance, his other fist cocked back. Phoebe let herself fall with the momentum, twisting in the air—her heel snapped upward, smashing under his chin. Sol reeled, grip loosening. She landed, breath ragged but sharp, and conjured a single, jagged icicle in her hand like a dagger.
Sol wiped blood from his lip, smirking. He dashed forward again, this time swinging wide, chains flaring behind him. Phoebe blocked with her icy blade, their arms locking. Sol kneed toward her gut—she caught it with her thigh, hissing at the impact—and pushed back.
Solace's essence was running out and was on its last leg.
With a sudden burst, she shattered her icicle, frost exploding into a storm of shards. Sol winced, blinded for a heartbeat. Phoebe seized the chance, driving her shoulder into his chest, then sweeping his legs with hers.
He hit the ground, chains scrambling to rise—but she was already above him, hand poised, icicle tip at his throat.
"Okay You win," Sol said, gulping
His chains rattled softly as they vanished back into the floor.
She also took back the icicles and said with a smirk, "Got flattened again?"
Just as he was going to answer, He felt a pleasant sensation wash over him,
His essence rushed back in, and suddenly, information was revealed in his head.
He had broken through and was F rank.