Thomas's face scraped harshly across the stone floor, leaving a long red mark.
"Arrgh—!"
In less than a heartbeat, students began gathering around them.
Not to help, of course.
Oh no—this was entertainment.
The only real fun the lower ranks ever got in this academy: the classic clash between the powerful and the powerless.
The stompers and the stomped.
"You think this academy is your house, huh?" a harsh voice cut through the murmurs. "Who gave you permission to shout in front of me?"
Ronald.
Green rank Ronald.
The proud owner of a swollen ego and a brain cell count that likely matched his shoe size.
Here, the hierarchy was simple:
Blue → Green → Red → Gold → Black.
Black was theoretically the highest, but no student had ever awakened a Black-rank power. Not yet, anyway.
(And definitely would not the Blue-rank Plant Whisperer who had conversations with grass.)
Thomas tried to push himself up, but before he could even get his knee off the ground, another kick slammed into his ribs—this time from one of Ronald's followers.
"Did you get permission to stand?" the boy sneered, his voice dripping with mockery.
The gathered students—mostly Blues and Greens—snickered from the sidelines. The higher-ranked students had their own buildings, their own training grounds, and their own luxurious lives.
Meanwhile, these students made do with watching the daily beatings like it was the morning news.
Some professors watched from the upper windows but didn't intervene.
They never did.
As long as blood didn't spill on the academy's official carpets, it wasn't their problem.
Kick after kick rained down on Thomas until his body simply stopped responding. He wasn't knocked out—just too exhausted and in too much pain to move.
Kai stood at the edge of the crowd, hands tucked into his pockets, spine stiff.
His eyes never left the scene.
He wasn't seeing Thomas.
He was seeing himself—being beaten, humiliated, stepped on.
This was all written in the novel. This beating wasn't random. It was a plot device.
A stepping stone for the real protagonist to shine later.
A diamond shines brightest next to coal.
They… were the coal.
Changing anything here messing with the plot could change the future he already knew.
And if that future changed, he wouldn't know what awaited him.
The unknown was far scarier than sticking to the script.
Besides, even if he wanted to help Thomas… he had no real power.
Ronald wasn't just a bully.
His ability, Bone Tempering, made his bones harder than steel—and even at low-level D rank, Ronald's body was basically a walking, talking metal bat.
When the crowd eventually dispersed, Kai quietly dragged Thomas to their classroom like a sneaky criminal carrying an unconscious accomplice.
Their professor glanced at them… and promptly pretended not to see.
Typical.
After class, Kai headed straight to the garden.
He sat cross-legged on the soft grass, focusing on his core.
A moment later, a tiny plant beside him sprouted eyes and a mouth.
The little creature blinked up at him like an adorable leaf fairy.
"Hi mister! Did you wake me up?" it chirped.
Kai smiled faintly. "Actually, my friend is injured. Can I ask for help?"
The plant looked absolutely delighted that someone—anyone—was speaking to it.
It rustled its leaves excitedly, then turned toward a cluster of greenery.
Kai couldn't hear them talking.
His E-rank ability only allowed him to speak directly to one plant at a time. No group chats.
After a few moments, the little plant turned back toward him.
"Hey mister! See that round-leaved plant under the big tree over there?"
Kai followed the direction. "Mm."
"Pick the large petals—but don't touch the baby plants, okay? And what kind of injury does your friend have?"
A memory of Thomas getting repeatedly kicked flashed in Kai's mind like a highlight reel of misery.
He shook it off.
"Ah, nothing too big," he joked lightly. "He just got kicked a bunch of times. Maybe broke a bone or two."
The plant gasped dramatically, swaying its leaves.
"Oh no! Take some of my leaves too. I'm good for pain relief!"
Kai gathered the herbs, tucked them into his pocket, and walked back feeling oddly proud of his very silly ability.
His mind drifted elsewhere—so much so that he didn't notice the person in front of him until he collided with a solid wall of meat.
Ronald.
With a tray stacked with rice and meat like a miniature mountain.
Kai looked up with calm eyes, summoned the most harmless smile he could manage, scratched his neck, and made himself physically smaller.
He even slouched.
It didn't work.
CRASH.
Kai's back slammed into a marble pillar.
Laughter exploded around the hall.
Ronald and his goons walked away without even glancing back, as if injuring people was part of the academy's daily timetable.
Kai dusted himself off.
"My, my… I can't believe I have to suffer even in this life. Whatever," he muttered.
He walked back to class with serene eyes and a very bruised ego.
---
Kai sat in the last row.
Today's lecture was about "How to Enhance Your Abilities and Grow Your Rank"—a topic the students pretended to care about but secretly knew was hopeless.
There were two ways to awaken power in this world:
1. High Awakening – Extremely rare. Reserved for people with royal bloodlines or monstrous talent.
2. Low Awakening – Everyone else.
You awakened at some miserable rank like E, stared at it long enough, and accepted that it was your lifelong identity.
Technically, you could upgrade your rank.
Practically?
No one bothered.
It was like telling a frog it could become a dragon if it trained hard enough. Very inspirational. Completely useless.
The professor dismissed them after finishing the lecture.
"Lastly—there will be a Summoning Ceremony soon. Details will be given tomorrow. Make sure to attend."
Summoning Ceremony.
Kai perked up.
Ah yes… this was when the protagonist and the other main characters got their overpowered beasts. I need to make sure to watch—
He was mid-fantasy when an elbow jabbed him sharply.
"Hey," Thomas whispered, his voice a mix of gratitude and irritation. "What kind of beast do you think we're gonna get?"
Kai forced a twisted smile.
Beasts?
Haha.
He already knew what he was going to get.
And it wasn't a beast—it was something much worse.
He changed the subject. "How are you feeling now?"
Thomas brightened immediately, anger evaporating.
"Oh! I feel totally fine now. No pain at all—well, maybe a little discomfort—but look, I can even flex!"
He hugged Kai with emotional devotion.
"Bro, you could be a famous physician! Your family really underestimates you!"
Kai smiled softly…
Until his eyes fell on the still-glowing red screen floating in front of him.
[ QUEST ACTIVATED ]
[ Go to the Forbidden Forest ]
[ Reward: +20 Stat Points, Skill: Poison Nails ]
[ PUNISHMENT: Expulsion from the Academy ]
The letters gleamed menacingly, red and aggressive enough to burn his retinas.
WHAT.
THE.
FUUUUUCK!?
"Kai? Hey bro—what happened?" Thomas waved a hand in front of him.
Kai didn't answer.
Because his life had just gotten significantly worse.