The Vice-Principal finally stopped shouting about dismembering demons with his dentures. He cleared his throat, adjusting his tie as if he hadn't just traumatized half the student body.
"Listen well, hatchlings!" he barked. "Classes do not begin until Monday. You have two days. Two days to settle into your dorms. Two days to explore the campus. Two days to make allies... or enemies."
He grinned, his teeth sparkling menacingly.
"Use this time wisely. Dismissed!"
'Finally,' Kaizen thought. 'Freedom.'
He hadn't moved a muscle for the last twenty minutes. He was stiff as a board. Why? Because the stupid, shiny, over-friendly Protagonist next to him wouldn't stop yapping.
"Dude, look at that chandelier," Leo whispered. "It's huge. I bet it costs more than my village."
Kaizen stared ahead.
"Dude, do you think they serve meat every day? I love meat."
Kaizen didn't blink.
"Dude, that Vice-Principal is so cool. I want to be like him."
'Please,' Kaizen begged internally. 'Shut up. Stop talking to me. Every word you say decreases my life expectancy.'
Kaizen could feel the eyes on them. It wasn't just Lance Wind burning a hole in the back of his head. It was everyone.
Leo Crimson was a beacon. He was an anomaly.
In this year's intake of thousands of students, 99% were Rank E or F. They were fodder. Like Kaizen.
But there were four exceptions. The "Four Heavenly Kings" of the First Year. Four monsters who started at Rank D.
1. Leo Crimson. The Hero. The guy currently drooling over the thought of cafeteria food.
2. Lance Wind. The Villain. The guy currently fantasizing about murdering Kaizen.
3. Klaus Silver. The Demon kinf candidate. The guy reading a book on quantum mana physics while ignoring reality.
4. Cedric Alexander. The Rival. The cool, edgy, spear-user that… he hasn't seen yet….
Every eye in the hall was glued to these four. They were the stars. The solar system revolved around them.
And Kaizen?
He was just a piece of space debris caught in their gravity well. He didn't want this. He didn't want the negative attention. He didn't want the glare from Lance, or the dismissive sniff from the Ice Princess Rina, or the "Hero's Friendship."
He just wanted to go to his dorm, curl up in a ball, and sleep for twelve hours.
"Alright!" Leo clapped his hands together as the students began to stand up. The noise of shuffling feet filled the hall. "That was great! Hey, Kaizen, right? Which dorm are you in? We should walk together and—"
Leo turned to his left, flashing his signature blinding smile.
"I was thinking we could grab some—"
Leo paused.
The seat was empty.
There was no sound of footsteps. No back retreating into the crowd. Just an empty cushion that was slowly expanding back to its original shape.
"Huh?"
Leo blinked. He looked left. He looked right. He stood up and scanned the crowd.
Nothing.
It was like Kaizen had evaporated the moment the word "Dismissed" hit the air.
"Where did he go?" Leo scratched the back of his head, confused. "He was right here a second ago."
Leo chuckled, shaking his head. "Man. That guy is fast. He didn't even say goodbye. What a strange guy... he's interesting."
Leo turned to his other side. Rina, the Elf Princess, was gracefully standing up, dusting off her skirt. She looked like she had just endured a great ordeal by sitting near commoners.
Leo beamed at her. "Good ceremony, right?"
Rina looked at him, then at the empty seat where Kaizen had been, then back at Leo. She didn't say a word. She just gave a refined, "Hmph," and walked away with the elegance of a runway model.
"Tough crowd," Leo laughed.
Then, he turned to his right.
Klaus Silver was closing his book. Snap.
The sound was sharp. Klaus stood up. He was tall—taller than Leo. He adjusted his collar, his expression unreadable.
They stood face to face.
The air grew heavy.
Two D-Rankers. Two monsters.
Leo's smile didn't fade, but his eyes sharpened. He sensed it. The pressure rolling off this guy wasn't normal. It was dense. Dark. Heavy.
"I can sense you are strong," Leo said, his voice dropping the playful tone for a split second.
Klaus looked down at the Hero. His red eyes glinted.
"Likewise," Klaus replied smoothly.
They held eye contact for a moment. A silent clash of wills. Fire against Ice. Light against Dark.
Then, Leo broke the tension with a grin.
"I'm Leo! Leo Crimson. It feels like we're going to be seeing a lot of each other."
"Klaus Silver," the dark-haired boy replied. He tucked his book under his arm.
"Nice to meet you, Klaus! Hey, since we're neighbors in the auditorium, maybe we're neighbors in the dorms too? Which room did you get?"
Klaus checked the key card in his pocket.
"Wing L," Klaus said simply. "Room 616."
Leo whistled. "Wing L? That's on the opposite side of mine. I'm in Wing A. Well, catch you later, Klaus!"
Leo waved and bounded off into the crowd, chasing after the plot.
Klaus watched him go. His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Room 616..." Klaus muttered to himself. "I hope my roommate is quiet. I require silence for my research."
He turned and walked toward the exit, unaware that the 'plot' had already decided who was waiting for him in Room 616.