Instructor Rhaelis narrowed her eyes.

’Is he one of them?’ She wondered. ’Commoners that cry about unfairness.’

"A stretch?" She repeated.

Luca said nothing.

A few seconds passed in silence before he sighed, scratched the back of his head and looked away.

"I have paid attention from the beginning." He said. "So, it is a stretch to claim that I haven’t for just a fraction of a moment where I was lost in thoughts."

Rhaelis rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair.

"Should I test your claim?"

Luca looked straight at her. A vague smile grew on his face.

"Do as you wish. You are the Instructor."

Perhaps it was because of the leisurely manner in which the Cadet spoke with their Instructor, but the boys had begun to wonder if there was some connection between them.

After all, they were aware of the one Cadet who was killed during their tasks.

It was news that had quickly spread... and seeing as they saw that very Instructor at their Assembly, one could only conclude that nothing came of it.

What less a Commoner?

’Interesting.’ Rhaelis dropped her leg and crossed the other over it. ’He should be aware of his peers who have been making a fool of themselves from the start of my lecture, yet, he doesn’t point fingers or call out the unfairness of me singling him out from the others.’

Cadets of high family background were the major contenders here.

She could see the boys who played away even now as she was speaking with Luca.

And a few others with either a video of some drama or movie and social media apps opened on their Holo-Screens.

This was natural for the first few months since these kids weren’t yet aware of the dangers of a lack of knowledge.

It didn’t bother her, though.

So, she had ignored it.

’I was simply looking for some thrill in the boy who has been making waves for his poor Synchrony score.’

It wasn’t something that could have been easily ignored even if you wanted to.

"Alright, then."

The large images changed once more as she tapped a button. Now, it reflected a representation of the human body with a white core in the head and vein-like pathways that led from it to the rest of the body.

"We had discussed a bit on the importance of Synchrony. Do you care to expatiate?"

Luca held his chin in deep thought.

"From what I recall in your teachings and from my knowledge, I believe it represents the attunement with one’s Archetypes."

He replied.

"Attunement means bonding. Archetypes affect our daily lives more than we realise.

Knights are known to grow more dutiful or obsessed with perfection.

Spell Casters are known for their increased hunger for knowledge and research.

Brawlers are known for loving the Frontline in battle.

Attunement doesn’t just bond us... It increases the amount of power we can draw from an Archetype.

The higher the number... the greater the power."

She smiled as the image changed once more.

"Wonderfully said, but there is something else.

A factor that we don’t often mention or teach you.

The influence of Synchrony in ranks."

Luca furrowed his brows.

"Synchrony affects ranks?"

The Theatre broke into unrestrained laughter.

"Kid doesn’t even realise he’s doomed?!"

"Is he for real or is he choosing to stay dumb?!"

"How pitiful!"

Luca looked around in confusion and even turned to Taren to find the boy avoiding eye contact at all costs.

’So there was more to it?’

He had his suspicions, but now it was clear.

There was another part of its function that he was yet to realise.

"Silence, Silence!"

With Rhaeli’s command, the theatre went silent.

She rubbed her temples as she exhaled.

’These kids will be the death of me.’

"Are you just playing dumb, Lucamir Elaric?"

He shook his head in response.

"I had my suspicions, but my method of information gathering hasn’t been authentic for a while now."

"I... don’t know what that means, but Synchrony directly affects what rank you can reach.

And someone like you with a 5% is destined to remain at the 4th Stage of the Explorer Rank."

Luca clenched his jaw.

’Shit. So that’s why.’

Perhaps he had gone overboard with the initial setting, but what could he do?

He would have to live with it until he found the right moment to adjust it.

’I’ll increase it after entering the Abyss... I’ll claim to have found a rare treasure.’

It would be a lie, but the proof couldn’t be explained otherwise.

"Well, better to make do with what you have then."

His response sent a ripple of shock through the entire Hall.

And this time, everyone paid attention.

Even the precious daughter of the Main Ardenthal House who could no longer ignore the commoner.

’What did he just say?’

Rhaelis chuckled slightly with a mocking glint in her eyes.

"You realise how useless you will be in a few years, right?"

Luca shrugged.

"It’s subjective if you ask me.

To the common man, I am still quite powerful.

Besides, Synchrony isn’t enough to define power.

It could set a limit, but who’s to say it’s permanent?"

He wasn’t exactly wrong since he was still seven times stronger than everyone in this room except the instructor, thanks to his title.

Titles could easily offset such a fate.

The Instructor narrowed her eyes.

’Where does his confidence stem from? Most Egoists would be wallowing in their weakness.

Unable to grow due to their own insecurities.’

"Enough of that."

She turned back to the task at hand.

"Fate will serve everyone what they deserve."

She tapped the button and the lecture continued as if it never stopped.

Her words dragged the attention of the cadets, who now made more effort than before in listening to her.

She didn’t understand the cause, but she was grateful for it.

Students who listened to their Lecturers were always a joy to them.

And so... the mid-morning Ego Control Class ran its course until it clocked afternoon.

The Theater room erupted with movements as the Cadets rushed out with excitement and much satisfaction.

It was now time for the afternoon duel session with Instructor Torquad and many looked forward to it.

This included Luca who walked beside Taren.

They moved in silence until they were out of the building and back onto the plain, sandy training grounds of the Silver Wing.

Luckily, Torquad had been waiting for them. Seated on the podium in a lotus with a great sword stabbed into the ground next to him.

He waited until the last of the Cadets joined before standing to his feet, alerting the group who quickly went silent.

"I see you’re all looking clean and fresh.

I’m guessing Rhaelis had a good hand with you all."

"Good hand?"

"What does that even mean?"

Some Apprentices spoke out loud while others just laughed quietly.

"Alright, let us begin. Everyone summon your weapons and wait on the fields.

I will call out names and whoever I call out will choose a sparing partner.

Those sparing partners will be your partners for the next three days and this method will be a rinse and repeat for the next month.

I will also be calling at random, so don’t expect any mercy."

A few groaned visibly.

Torquad ignored and pulled a tab.

It was the same as the ones used when Luca was receiving his resources.

After tapping a few configurations, a blue image with the profile of a Cadet popped out.

"Rank four hundred and seventeen, Doma Button."

"Shit." A Cadet with a large, muscular build and brown hair exclaimed as he walked out.

He swung his wooden longsword around uncharismatically.

"Also, this duel includes your challenges.

You can select a Cadet higher than your duel partner and challenge them for their position."

It didn’t take much reasoning for the boy to know whom he was going to choose.

He grinned from ear to ear as his gaze scanned the crowd until it landed on a particularly nonchalant boy.

Luca was not amused.

"Lucamir Elaric, sir." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Torquad nodded.

"Rank 50, Lucamir Elaric. Step out."

He raised his head from the screen as if recalling something.

"Also, you’re free to have multiple sparring partners. It all depends on your capacity."

A wave of excitement surged in the Cadets.

Luca bit his lower lip as he stepped out with his sword.

’That’s just targeting me at this point.’

Everyone would want to fight for the position of fiftieth from a boy they’ve registered as a weakling.

He wasn’t amused by the setting since it seemed a bit too targeted, but he welcomed the experience.

Standing face to face with Doma, a smirk tugged at his lips.

"I’m going to rip that smile off your face, pretty boy," Doma claimed with a cackle.

"Ohhhh... how scary."

He rolled his eyes.

"Try to last longer than the last guy."

Doma’s face twisted in disgust.

"Gross!"

"Begin." Torquad’s words came so silently and immediately that for a moment, no one heard him.

Until Luca moved.

It was a flash. A brilliant, golden flash that caused the air to bend.

His body blurred forward with his sword slicing through the air horizontally with that pale energy trailing its wake.

Doma’s eyes widened as his entire body froze– no, it didn’t freeze. He was just too slow to react.

’Wha–

Immediately, the sand rose and fell as feet crashed into the ground followed by an arm that extended like a coiled viper which locked on Luca’s extended hand.

His sword came to a sudden halt at the boy’s side. An afterbreeze surged and sliced at his target’s cloth before blowing him backwards.

Doma yelped as an eruption of wind and sound occurred and he was thrown to the floor– skidding onto sand and dust like a pebble before coming to a stop with a powerful force.

His mouth widened and his eyes flared.

The Training grounds went silent.

Instructor Torquad stared at Doma’s twitching form before turning to Luca.

"Another rule I forgot to mention."

He sighed.

"No killing."