The morning sun poured over the Heavenly Dominion Academy, casting long shadows between the grand spires. Students gathered, murmuring with anticipation. Today's event was the Pressure Room challenge, where endurance, aura control, and intelligence would be tested to the extreme. For most, merely surviving was a feat.
Auren Vale adjusted his uniform, hiding his bubbling excitement behind calm eyes. He was ready—not just to survive, but to observe, calculate, and, secretly, turn every obstacle into power.
"Good morning, Auren," said Instructor Selene Maris, a woman in her mid-forties, elegant and commanding, yet with a warmth that could disarm even the most rigid student. "Today will be difficult, but I trust in your composure. Remember what I taught you."
Auren bowed politely. "Thank you, Instructor Selene. Your guidance continues to illuminate my path."
A small, barely perceptible smile curved Selene's lips. He's polite, composed… but there's something unusual there, almost mischievous.
The students in Class One were gathered, the elite of the academy. Among them, Lyria Cassandre, known as the Crimson Genius, stood out. Her aura shimmered with strength and elegance, unmatched by any other female in the class. Her amber eyes scanned the new arrivals casually, unaware yet that Auren, the seemingly insignificant boy, had already cataloged every nuance of her aura.
Interesting… she thought, curiosity tightening her brows. There's something different about him… I can't explain it.
The first demonstrations began, with geniuses showcasing their aura endurance and manipulation. Most failed after a few minutes under extreme pressure. Cassian Theron, the arrogant male genius from before, executed his movements with flawless precision, earning the admiration of his peers.
Finally, it was Auren's turn. He stepped into the Pressure Room with calm, polite steps, hands behind his back, posture immaculate. The doors slammed shut, and the room transformed into a chaotic arena of shifting gravity, slicing wind, and elemental attacks.
The students outside watched anxiously. Auren, however, moved with subtle grace, absorbing every fluctuation of pressure and aura, calculating how to convert attacks into energy without a single outward flare.
Cassian, watching from the observation gallery, frowned. "Impossible… he's just standing there. How?"
Minutes stretched into what felt like hours. Every attack, every spike of energy, was met with Auren's silent adaptation, storing it, analyzing it, and using it to strengthen himself further. Even the instructors' jaws dropped slightly, though they tried to maintain composure.
And then… the impossible happened.
Auren emerged from the Pressure Room after the longest time ever recorded. He had survived every trap, every challenge, every impossible scenario the room could generate. The elite had failed, and yet the boy from a minor noble family had done it.
Gasps filled the courtyard. Cassian's face turned pale with disbelief. Lyria, watching from the balcony, felt a spark of intrigue she couldn't ignore. Even Instructor Selene blinked, a mixture of astonishment and unease washing over her.
"This… this is impossible," Selene said softly. "No one should have survived this long. Not even the best of Class One."
"Perhaps a… glitch?" muttered one senior instructor, exchanging worried glances with colleagues.
Auren bowed lightly, maintaining calm. "I merely applied the principles you all taught… and observed carefully. Nothing more."
But the whispers spread quickly: there must have been a system error, a glitch in the room, because no one could believe a lowly student accomplished what geniuses failed to do. The academy administration convened immediately.
After deliberation, a shocking decision was made. Despite his accomplishment, Auren Vale was demoted to Class Six—the lowest-ranked class, populated with students considered hopeless or problematic.
What? Auren thought inwardly, a private chuckle escaping him. They really think I cheated? How amusing… they have no idea what's coming.
His calm exterior did not waver. He bowed politely to the administrators. "I understand. Thank you for the opportunity."
Outside, Lyria Cassandre's curiosity flared. She tilted her head, amber eyes following Auren's calm exit. Why does he seem… untouched by what just happened? And yet… there's a precision to him, a control… I need to watch him.
Instructor Selene stepped forward, her expression unreadable. "Auren… remember, strength is not always recognized immediately. But patience and diligence often reveal the truth in time."
Auren's lips curved faintly in acknowledgment. Noted, Instructor Selene… your words mean more than you know.
The other students looked on, murmuring. Some were skeptical, others resentful. Class One geniuses, humiliated by the impossible feat and annoyed that it was dismissed as a "glitch," muttered under their breath. Cassian's scowl deepened. I need to see him again… this isn't over.
As Auren walked toward the dormitories of Class Six, he cataloged the students around him. Their auras were weak, inconsistent, or poorly controlled. Most were brash or careless, dismissed by other classes as failures. Perfect, he thought. A playground for observation, growth, and… eventual dominance.
In his mind, he replayed the day's events. Every spike of energy in the Pressure Room, every whisper of doubt, every flicker of awe from instructors and observers—all stored carefully, forming a map for future strategy.
He entered the Class Six dormitory quietly. The other students, seeing a calm, composed boy among their ranks, muttered nervously. None suspected the depth of his observation, his internal calculations, or the bubbly curiosity that quietly thrived within him.
As Auren settled into the quiet chaos of Class Six, his eyes flicked toward the distant spires where Lyria Cassandre lingered, and for a brief moment, he felt the stirrings of a challenge that promised far more than the academy had ever demanded of him.