[Supreme Spirit Academy — Nirvana Healing Hall]
One of the officials at Nirvana stood staring at the statistics board in amazement before speaking with a concerned tone.
"Supervisor Elora, take a look at this student's data! His numbers are exceptional. His combat potential is closer to that of a magical combat specialist... but at the same time, he doesn't possess an Aura Tree. Instead, he has a Mana Triangle! This is highly unusual. Should we report it to the examination supervisor? Or inform the Headmistress?"
Elora Vailan smiled faintly, her eyes shimmering beneath the glow of the magical crystals.
"There's no need. Let him drift with the current. Water always finds the place it was destined to reach."
[Supreme Spirit Academy — Male Dormitory]
The alarm had been ringing for over an hour.
Arian and his roommates lay motionless, like the dead.
Every time the alarm rang, Cloud would grab it and throw it out the nearby window. Yet somehow, the electronic chicken alarm would always return and resume its mission.
The cycle continued until Arian finally woke up.
He threw the window fully open and realized morning had long begun. Picking up the alarm, he checked the time.
Eight o'clock.
Like a whirlwind, Arian spun around the room. He dressed himself, washed his face, brushed his teeth, and somehow still managed to notice that both Cloud and Flar remained asleep.
He tried waking them repeatedly.
Nothing.
With a sigh, he kicked open the bathroom door and filled two buckets with water.
The first went straight onto Cloud.
"AAAH! THE ACADEMY IS FLOODING!"
The second landed on Flar.
"Is it... a flood?" he muttered sleepily.
Arian hurriedly buttoned his shirt.
"I'm leaving ahead of you two. I've already wasted enough time. If you don't catch up and go back to sleep instead, don't blame anyone but yourselves."
As he headed toward the door, he suddenly stopped.
Turning around, he grabbed his necklace.
"Ah... I almost forgot you."
[Academy Corridors — 7:30 A.M.]
Arian sprinted through the endless hallways, weaving between students, sliding around corners, occasionally bumping into someone and apologizing without even looking back.
"These hallways are ridiculous! It's like an endless maze!"
Suddenly—
Thud.
"Sorry! Sorry! I didn't see you!"
He raised his head.
Old Man Till stood before him.
Arian immediately brightened.
"Uncle Till! Good morning! Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. I was... I..."
"You got lost, didn't you?" the old man interrupted with a smile. "Where are you trying to go? I'll guide you."
Arian scratched his head sheepishly.
"Yeah... I want to find the cafeteria. Or anywhere with breakfast. I'm starving."
Old Man Till let out his distinctive laugh.
"Hohohohoho! Then take that turn over there and head right. You'll find a huge entrance without doors. That's George's Cafeteria. Enjoy yourself. He serves the best food in the world!"
Arian thanked him and helped him regain his balance before running off again.
"Thank you! Sorry again, Uncle Till!"
The old man watched him disappear down the corridor.
"Hohohohoho... Kids these days are full of energy..."
[Supreme Spirit Academy — George's Cafeteria]
Arian collapsed into a chair, breathing heavily.
"Finally..."
Before he could even pull the chair out completely, a voice spoke beside him.
"I'd bet you either overslept... or got lost."
Turning his head, Arian found Ran sitting nearby, smiling. She wore a beautiful white uniform.
"Oh... Gorilla—I mean, Ran! Good morning. Actually... both happened."
Ran handed him a tray.
"Here. Your breakfast, Arian."
Arian attacked the food like a starving beast.
He hadn't eaten for an entire day.
Yet as he ate, he noticed something strange.
Everyone in the cafeteria was staring at him.
"Ran... why is everyone looking at me?"
Her smile widened.
"Arian, do you know that applicants are supposed to eat breakfast at seven o'clock?"
"...And?"
"It's eight ten now."
Arian continued eating.
"So?"
Ran giggled.
"So everyone else is currently taking their entrance examinations."
She pointed at him.
"You're eating while they're being tested."
Then she added:
"If I remember correctly, you're supposed to be in Hall Twelve under Instructor Roger Cohen."
Arian froze.
Food still hung halfway out of his mouth.
"Roger Cohen... Right! Flar told me that yesterday!"
A second later, realization struck him like lightning.
He leapt from his seat.
"Hall Twelve! The entrance exam!!"
Ran sat there laughing as she calmly finished the food he had abandoned.
[Supreme Spirit Academy — Corridor Leading to Hall Twelve]
Arian ran like a madman.
Dodging students.
Jumping over fallen books.
Slipping around corners.
In less than ten minutes, he had somehow turned the academy into a circus whose animals had escaped on the first day.
At the same time...
A tall man slowly woke up.
His brown eyes, streaked with green, remained half-asleep.
Dark brown hair, long and curly, was tied loosely behind his head while several strands covered part of his face.
He looked to be in his thirties.
He glanced toward his alarm clock.
It wasn't there.
After searching under the bed, above and beneath the sofa, and even inside the bathroom, he finally found it.
"Come here, you annoying chicken... how many hours have—"
The alarm slipped from his hand.
The time read 8:25.
His face immediately paled.
A flood of memories assaulted him.
Every scolding from the current Headmistress.
Every scolding from the previous Headmaster.
Every punishment that followed.
[One Year Earlier — Headmistress's Office]
The entire academy heard the scream.
Furniture shattered.
"ARE YOU MOCKING ME OR MAKING FUN OF ME?! TELL ME! DO YOU WANT ME TO GO INSANE, SENIOR ROGER?! LOOK AT THIS!"
Reports flew across the room like deadly projectiles.
Roger calmly ducked beneath them before returning to his original position with his hands behind his back.
The Headmistress looked ready to explode.
"Every year! The same excuse! Are you even an adult? Your irresponsibility is going to cause a disaster someday! Every year it's 'the mechanical chicken alarm didn't wake me up'! Are you joking?! It was the same excuse before I even became Headmistress!"
She pointed directly at him.
"Listen carefully, Senior Roger. I'll be lenient this time because you were once my teacher. But if this happens again next year, you'll be punished exactly like you're punished for being late to your classes—or worse. Now get out!"
Roger left without much concern, scratching his ear.
"I wonder what George prepared for dinner today. Hopefully it isn't soup or boiled vegetables..."
Back in the present.
What incredible memory, Roger.
Unfortunately, now was not the time for it.
Realizing he had wasted enough time already, he bolted from his room.
"I'm late again... I don't want another lecture from the Headmistress. Those idiots kept me awake all night!"
[Supreme Spirit Academy — Hallway Near Hall Twelve]
Fate suddenly brought Roger and Arian together.
The two found themselves running side by side through the corridor.
"Right! Left! Avoid the girls! Jump over the kid who dropped his books! Hall Twelve! Hall Twelve!"
Chaos erupted.
A window shattered.
A statue collapsed.
Several students screamed.
And finally—
Both of them arrived before Hall Twelve.
Each grabbed one of the door handles.
Together, they pushed.
The doors burst open.
Silence filled the room.
Then a student whispered:
"Who's that person standing beside Professor Roger Cohen?"