Selene Vale’s crimson eyes swept across the gathered students briefly before she spoke to them.

"These are the final members of Special Class A."

Her cold voice instantly silenced the surroundings.

"There’s no need for introductions or pointless conversations. You’ll naturally learn who deserves your attention and who doesn’t."

Several students exchanged glances but remained silent.

Clearly, none of them wished to provoke her.

Selene turned around immediately afterward and walked toward the entrance of the silver tower.

"Follow me."

The students quickly moved behind her, following her without hesitation.

Logan calmly walked alongside the group while silently observing the individuals around him.

The black-haired young man from before casually stretched his arms behind his head while yawning lazily.

Despite his relaxed appearance, Logan could vaguely sense dangerous Origin fluctuations hidden beneath his body.

The girl with emerald hair continuously glanced toward Logan curiously.

Meanwhile, Ethan remained unusually silent.

His eyes occasionally shifted toward Logan with faint confusion and irritation.

Almost instinctively.

As though something deep inside him rejected Logan’s very existence.

Logan naturally understood why.

The protagonist’s fate was beginning to distort.

And subconsciously... Ethan could already sense it.

...

Soon, the group entered the tower.

The interior was astonishingly luxurious.

Bright white hallways extended throughout the building while transparent glass walls revealed training grounds, meditation chambers, libraries, and simulation rooms spread across different floors.

Numerous students outside the tower unconsciously stared toward them with envy.

Special Class students were treated differently.

Completely differently.

Resources. Authority. Protection, and privileges.

Everything inside the academy favored talent.

As the group entered a large elevator-like platform, Selene finally spoke again.

"Special Class students are not bound by normal academy regulations."

Her words instantly drew everyone’s attention.

"You possess greater freedom than ordinary students."

"But in exchange..."

A faint dangerous pressure leaked from her body.

"The expectations placed upon you are much higher."

The atmosphere became heavier instantly.

Logan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Selene continued calmly.

"You are monsters chosen from millions."

"The academy will invest absurd resources into your growth."

"Origin Gates."

"Combat simulations."

"Advanced cultivation techniques."

"You will receive access to things ordinary students will never even hear about."

Several students’ eyes immediately brightened.

Even Ethan’s gaze sharpened slightly.

However—

Selene’s next words instantly cooled their excitement.

"And in return..."

"You are expected to survive."

Silence.

Complete silence fell over the group of teenagers.

Selene’s crimson eyes swept across everyone.

"Special Class students possess the academy’s highest mortality rate."

"Every year, people die."

"Sometimes during missions."

"Sometimes during training."

"And sometimes..."

Her gaze became colder.

"By killing each other."

The atmosphere immediately changed.

The previously excited students stiffened faintly.

Even the black-haired young man stopped smiling.

Logan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

As expected. It was just as he’d written it.

It seemed that part of the novel remained unchanged.

The academy was never a peaceful school.

It was a machine created to forge monsters for humanity’s war against the Origin Gates.

Mercy. Safety. Equality.

None of those things mattered here.

Only results.

Ding.

The platform finally stopped, and the doors slowly opened.

What appeared before them was an enormous circular classroom.

Rows of elevated seats surrounded a massive combat arena at the center while holographic screens floated across the walls, displaying combat rankings, academy notices, and student statistics.

At the very front stood a gigantic transparent screen displaying one sentence repeatedly:

[WELCOME SPECIAL CLASS A]

The students slowly entered the classroom.

Unlike ordinary classes, the atmosphere here felt more like a military training ground.

There were no decorations or comfort. Rather, the room was filled with a vast amount of pressure.

Logan calmly took one of the seats near the middle while silently observing the others. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Everyone instinctively spread apart from one another slightly, not out of politeness, but caution.

These people would eventually become competitors fighting over resources, rankings, and opportunities.

Trust was nonexistent here.

Selene walked toward the center of the arena.

The moment her heels touched the platform—

BOOM.

A terrifying pressure exploded outward instantly.

Several students’ expressions changed drastically.

One girl nearly lost her footing entirely, and even Ethan’s pupils constricted slightly.

Logan himself felt his body grow heavier.

Selene calmly observed everyone’s reactions.

"Pathetic."

Her voice echoed throughout the classroom.

"This level of pressure already affects you?"

The students immediately gritted their teeth.

Nobody dared respond.

Selene continued emotionlessly.

"Listen carefully."

"The academy does not care about geniuses."

"It only cares about useful geniuses."

"Every year, countless talented students enter this place believing they’re special."

"And every year..."

Her crimson eyes swept across the room sharply.

"Most of them break."

The atmosphere turned suffocating.

Then suddenly—

The holographic screens around the classroom flickered.

A giant list of names appeared instantly.

[INITIAL SPECIAL CLASS RANKINGS]

Logan

Ethan Valecrest

Aria Laurent

Kaizen Wolfe

Elena Frost

Draven

Zephyr

Liora

Kael

Torren

The moment the rankings appeared, the room instantly became noisy.

"What?"

"Who the hell is Ethan? How is he ranked second?"

The students could understand Logan. After all, he was the only one with SSS-rank potential, but Ethan? How did he manage to surpass Aria, who tested for SS-rank potential, and Kaizen from the Wolfe family?

Several gazes immediately shifted toward the crowd, searching for who Ethan was.

Ethan himself appeared surprised for a split second before quickly calming down, already understanding the reason for his ranking internally.

His eyes briefly shifted to Logan, the irritation in his heart increasing once more.

He had to confront this mysterious silver-haired youth sooner or later and...

Maybe even kill him.

Vaguely, he felt that would be the only way the irritation in his heart would be cured.

Back at the center, Selene explained coldly.

"These rankings are temporary."

"They are based on overall combat evaluation, adaptability, Origin synchronization, and psychological potential."

"Everything in the academy runs on points, and the only way to obtain those points is by constantly putting your life in danger, clearing Origin Gates, and killing heretics for the academy with a high enough bounty."

"However..."

A faint smirk appeared on her face for the first time.

"These points can also be stolen."

The room instantly fell silent again.

"You and your opponent can agree on a bet, and whoever wins emerges with the total points gained."

Selene’s crimson eyes slowly landed on everyone, specifically Logan, and he seemed to see a faint curl at the corner of her lips.

"Tomorrow..."

"The ranking battles begin."

"And... a higher-ranked student cannot reject a challenge from a lower-ranked one!"

The moment those words left Selene’s mouth—

The atmosphere inside the classroom changed completely.

The previously tense students suddenly radiated sharp hostility toward one another.

Ranking battles.

Tomorrow.

That meant everything could change instantly.

Resources. Authority. Status.

They were all decided through strength.

Subconsciously, everyone’s gazes shifted to Logan...

Since a higher-ranked student couldn’t reject a challenge from someone of lower rank, that only meant one thing...

A lady licked her lips excitedly.

A flicker of killing intent appeared in Ethan’s eyes.

Logan could feel the overwhelming danger radiating from everyone, however, he was eerily calm.

Thankfully, it started tomorrow.

His eyes flickered with a calculating light.

He didn’t mind Snowy copying all these students’ talents before he eliminated them if they crossed his path!