"Oh, so the senior has heard of me." Noctis nodded, looking at him with a playful glint in her eyes.
Jason and his crew weren't laughing anymore. Their eyes held a trace of resentment, but they knew exactly where they stood. "Sorry to bother you. We'll have plenty of time to catch up later."
Nina could only shake her head as she took Noctis's hand. "Welcome, Junior. The Principal is waiting. We'll drop off your luggage and head over. Marlon, out of the way."
"Big Sister, you know I hold you in the highest regard. Besides, my body might be in the Starship department, but my heart has always belonged to Class 16. Come on, introduce us—Noctis, what a beautiful name. Junior, interested in joining the Photography Club? Or maybe the Drama Society?" Marlon was utterly convinced he'd made a lasting impression on her.
Nina gave a helpless smile. "Marlon, surely you've heard the name 'Pupil God' before?"
In an instant, the realization hit the crowd like a lightning bolt. Their gazes grew even more fervent, yet they no longer dared to be so forward.
Marlon froze. Holy crap, it's actually her...
"Junior Noctis, I'm a huge fan! Can I get an autograph?" someone in the crowd finally plucked up the courage to ask.
Nina didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She had underestimated the persistence of this lot. The crowd didn't disperse; even Jason was still standing not too far away, watching.
Pupil God. A legendary name in the EMP. During her three-year pre-military specialized program, she had been a consistent top-three player in the entire Asian Sector. The top universities in the USE had fought to send her offers, and even the elitist top-tier academies of the NUP—including two from the "Big Ten"—had actively recruited her. Her choosing the Tianjing Academy of Combat Mecha had caused a massive stir at the time.
In a word: limitless potential.
"Senior, is there someone named Leo Kerr in your year?" Noctis suddenly asked.
The atmosphere turned stiff, bordering on awkward.
"Leo? You know him?" Nina blinked, stunned.
Noctis smiled. "Yes, Senior. I'd like to see him first before I go to the Principal."
Marlon, standing to the side, was electrified. What the hell is going on? There's a story here! "Junior, this is destiny! I don't know about anyone else, but Leo and I are tight. We're bunkmates—brothers. Hey, that's him right there, cleaning the table. Leo! Over here!" Marlon waved frantically at Leo's group. They were just packing up the Photography Club posters to head for lunch.
"Marlon, let's finish up and eat first," Leo called out. Suddenly, a sharp gaze locked onto him. His body tensed almost instinctively, but he forced himself to relax just as quickly. This was Tianjing.
Noctis walked toward Leo, step by step. Leo frowned, staring back without blinking. Everyone could feel that something was off.
Few people knew who Leo was, but everyone knew Noctis was Principal Long's pride and joy—the core of the plan to restore Tianjing Academy's glory. Offending her wouldn't end well.
Noctis looked at the man in front of her. Four or five years had passed, but there was no mistake. It was him.
They stood face-to-face. Leo's expression was calm as he did a quick mental scan. He was certain of one thing—he didn't owe her any money.
Noctis suddenly smiled and took a step forward, closing the distance between them. The onlookers held their breath.
She leaned in, her voice a slow whisper near his ear. "Leo, we finally meet."
A faint, clean scent drifted past his nose. Leo pulled back slightly. "Junior, I think you've got the wrong person."
Noctis looked him deep in the eyes. "I haven't. We have plenty of time ahead of us."
She didn't say another word, turning to follow Nina to the principal's office. She left behind a crowd of people standing there in utter confusion.
Dorm 4396. The atmosphere was electric, with three roommates suddenly turning into human question marks.
"Leo, you know the Pupil God???" Zack asked in disbelief. "Her marksmanship is legendary!"
"Noctis is top-tier in melee, too. She follows the NUP light-mecha style. I thought she'd go to the Moon for her studies; I can't believe she came to Tianjing. This is getting interesting," Wyatt added, clearly intrigued. This was a real expert.
"You two idiots, is that the point? The point is she's a goddess! Leo, what did she say to you? You guys are already at the whispering stage?" Marlon felt like a cat was scratching at his heart. These two were like parallel lines that should never have crossed.
Leo shrugged helplessly and tapped his temple. "The kid probably has me confused with someone else. Either that, or she's got a screw loose. I really don't know her."
Marlon clapped his hands. "Definitely a case of mistaken identity. I trust Leo's character. Leo, beautiful women are trouble, and Pupil God is the ultimate trouble. Avoid her at all costs."
Zack couldn't help himself: "Then why did you go after Senior Sienna? You show off your relationship every single day!"
"You don't understand. I'm sacrificing myself for the greater good. It's a spiritual thing—you wouldn't get it. Beautiful women devour men." The other three promptly offered him their middle fingers.
Leo laughed and nodded. "Can we eat now?"
"Brothers, the Photography Club just signed five new female members. Thanks for the help. Today, we feast!" Marlon was happy again. Of course, there were also three male juniors who joined, and they seemed like decent recruits too.
The Principal's Office.
Diana Long, thirty-five years old. A core member of the USE hardliners, with sharp black hair and a crisp, silver Solar Federation Major General's uniform. A scar on the left side of her forehead slightly marred her beauty, but it added an indefinable edge to her presence. She radiated authority. This was a woman who had fought in regional wars, cleared out interstellar pirates, and risen from the front lines to command.
When she received the resolution for her transfer, she hadn't hesitated for a second. The state of the military academies directly determined the USE's combat power. Having lived through various wars, she knew exactly where the USE's problems lay.
A knock came at the door. Diana Long set down her files. "Enter."
Nina and Noctis walked in and stood at attention, saluting.
Long smiled. "Xiao Tong is here. Welcome. Have a seat. Nina, give her a tour of the school in a bit."
"Yes, Principal."
"I'll be in your care then, Senior."
Long had called them in not just because of Noctis's importance, but for something else. The USE reforms had begun. Class 16 at Tianjing had been intended for this, but given the overall climate, it hadn't been very effective. The recent Pan-Solar Mecha Championship had stripped away the last of their excuses. She believed this failure was ultimately a good thing.
"Nina, Noctis, I called you here because I want to hear your thoughts on the current state of Tianjing Academy," Long said. An assistant entered to pour water for the two.
Neither spoke immediately. They weren't fools; they knew better than to sprout nonsense in front of someone like Long. This principal wasn't an academic; she was a combat veteran.
"Noctis, you first. I'm curious—why Tianjing? So many schools were headhunting you."
Nina was surprised. Everyone outside assumed Noctis was here because of Major General Long.
"Principal, I don't know much about Tianjing Academy's history. But looking at the championship results, the Tianjing team lacked individual skill and used outdated tactics. They didn't have that 'killer instinct.' They didn't win decisively when they should have, and they crumbled under pressure," Noctis said. She didn't mince words. She hadn't come here to be polite. "I'm hoping for more freedom here at Tianjing."
Long nodded. "Nina, you were the top freshman last year. If I made you Captain and let you pick your own teammates, could you build a squad that surpasses the senior team?"
Nina thought for a moment. "Principal, if Noctis joins my team, I'm 90% sure I can."
This was exactly what she wanted to do. She already had Wyatt; with Noctis, they would be unstoppable.
"Excellent. Nina is Captain, Noctis is Vice-Captain. You have full authority over the team. Send me your roster."
"Yes, Principal!" Nina was genuinely excited. Usually, an opportunity like this didn't come until junior year.
"Nina, there's a student in your class named Leo Kerr. What's his level?" Long asked suddenly.
Nina froze. That was the second shock of the day. First Noctis, now the Principal? She thought about it. "Principal, while Leo's grades aren't great, he's very balanced. He can easily complete an hour of training under double gravity. If he puts in more effort, I think he can improve. Please give him a bit more time."
Noctis's eyes flickered. Long nodded but didn't respond immediately.
"How about this. Put him on your team. Of course, whether you actually use him is ultimately up to you," Long said.
Nina looked stunned, but she nodded.
After leaving the office, Nina showed Noctis the main buildings of the academy. In terms of hardware, Tianjing was second to none in the Asian Sector. Noctis didn't seem to care much about the facilities. The two chatted as they walked. Women are strange creatures—if they don't get along, four people can create three different factions and play a game of internal espionage; if they click, they're like old friends within minutes.
"Noctis, how do you know Leo? He didn't seem to recognize you," Nina finally asked. Today was just too strange. Neither Noctis nor Principal Long should have been asking about someone like Leo. There was something she was missing.
Noctis tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and smiled. "We have a bit of history. By the way, does he have a girlfriend at the school?"
"I've never heard of him having one," Nina shook her head. Given Noctis's background, no one would even think of connecting her with him. "He was dead last in our class's annual assessment. I was worried he'd have trouble staying in the program, but from the Principal's tone, that doesn't seem to be the case."
"Senior Nina, grades don't mean everything. By the way, I heard the beef at the Tianjing cafeteria is legendary. Since I'm new, I'll have to treat you to a meal." Noctis smiled, hooking her arm through Nina's.
The Pupil God wasn't as cold as people imagined. But... Leo. A guy with no background who transferred from journalism into a specialized mecha class. Was there something she had overlooked?