The hazel eyes of the young man met Noah's ocean-blue ones.
Damien had stopped walking, staring directly at him.
Noah wasn't sure how to react to the sudden attention, but he maintained his composure. Wearing a gentle smile on his handsome face, he calmly met Damien's gaze.
Leonard, Emma, and Lyria also stopped after noticing that Damien had suddenly halted.
With a slightly confused expression, Emma raised an eyebrow.
"What happened, Damien?"
Her gaze followed his, and she soon spotted Noah standing a few meters away.
Curiosity flickered in Lyria's eyes as she glanced at Noah.
"Do you know Noah?" she asked, standing beside Damien.
"Yes, I do."
The reply came from Leonard, not Damien.
He clearly knew who Noah was. After all, they had met before at a family gathering.
Noah remembered him too. Leonard was one of the people who had never particularly liked him.
Meanwhile, Damien shook his head slightly, maintaining a calm expression.
"It's nothing… I just felt something. I guess it was only my imagination. Let's go."
He turned around and resumed walking, prompting the others to follow.
Leonard glanced at Damien with a warning expression.
"Hey, don't try to get close to that guy, Noah."
Emma nodded in agreement, her expression turning serious.
"Yeah. I've heard some rumors about him, and none of them were good."
Lyria, however, spoke softly, her expression gentle.
"Hey, you shouldn't say such things about someone when you don't even know if they're true."
'Fuck! I can hear you perfectly clearly!' Noah thought as he stood there.
He waited until the group had moved farther away before resuming his walk.
A faint smile appeared on his face as he muttered under his breath,
"Lyria really is such a kind soul."
If he had played the game, he was certain she would have been one of his favorite characters.
Noah then glanced in Damien's direction.
'That guy actually sensed someone staring at him… He's crazy!'
---
Two Days Later
Noah sat calmly on the back bench of the classroom, listening to the lecture.
At the front, Instructor Morgana's loud voice resounded throughout the room.
Her sharp violet eyes swept across the students as she began explaining.
"As you might already know, monsters, also known as mana beasts, are divided into ranks ranging from F to SS. They possess mana cores within their bodies, usually located near their hearts. As I explained yesterday, these cores are useful for absorbing mana and improving your strength."
Noah listened carefully.
On the first day, Morgana hadn't taught them anything. The second day had mostly been dedicated to explaining the power system, along with the proper methods of meditating and circulating mana.
On the third day, she had focused mainly on basic survival knowledge, such as what to do if they ever found themselves stranded in an unfamiliar place, along with several other important things.
Today, she was explaining the ranking system of monsters.
As the head instructor, Morgana was responsible for guiding the class and ensuring that the students learned everything they needed to know. She didn't hesitate to explain even the smallest details whenever she considered them important.
And honestly, it was a good thing.
After all, not many lectures had been conducted during the past three days. The academy was allowing the new students some time to get accustomed to their surroundings, including the academy's facilities, rules, and regulations.
However, that didn't mean they were getting any free time.
Since the lectures from the other instructors hadn't started yet, Morgana had been making them train for hours every day.
She would take the entire class to the training facilities and make everyone practice.
And anyone unfortunate enough to get caught slacking off was doomed to endure her scolding.
"Each rank has three stages: minus, neutral, and plus. For example, F-, F, and F+. The same system applies to every rank, all the way up to SS."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"An F-rank monster is roughly equal in strength to someone with a Dormant Core. Similarly, the minus, neutral, and plus stages correspond to the low, middle, and high stages of each core rank."
Her violet eyes surveyed the classroom.
"Likewise, an SS-rank monster is comparable to an individual possessing a Sovereign Core. Such creatures possess enough strength to destroy entire cities on their own."
Her explanation immediately drew Noah's full attention.
"Now, let's stop here for today's lecture. There's something important I need to tell you."
Morgana lightly tapped the board with her staff.
"Listen carefully. What I'm about to explain will directly affect your lives, both inside and outside the academy."
Several students immediately straightened in their seats.
Even Noah, who had been sitting comfortably at the back, shifted his attention fully towards her.
Morgana continued, her voice calm yet authoritative.
"Novaris Academy is not merely an educational institution. It governs the entire city of Novaris. Every shop, facility, training ground, and even certain restricted areas fall under the academy's authority. Most of you should already be aware of this."
A faint ripple of surprise spread through the classroom.
It was common knowledge, after all. While many students already knew about it, there were still quite a few who didn't.
Morgana smirked slightly.
"Yes. Which means your performance here doesn't just determine your grades. It also determines your status."
She turned towards the board and wrote two words.
Nova Points
"These," she said, tapping the board, "are your lifeline."
"Every student receives a fixed amount of Nova Points at the beginning of each month. Nova is simply short for Novaris."
Emma raised her hand slightly.
"What can we use them for?"
Morgana glanced at her before replying calmly.
"They function just like money. As I instructed earlier, I hope all of you have already downloaded the academy app. It contains all the information you need about the academy, including its rules, regulations, rankings, and your personal student information. You'll also receive notifications about important announcements."
She paused briefly.
"You simply need to log in using your student ID number. Once you've logged in, you'll be able to check your Nova Points and use them."
Morgana began pacing slowly in front of the classroom.
"You can spend Nova Points at cafés throughout the city, equipment stores, training arenas, private training rooms, and even on certain premium services. Of course, all these things can also be purchased using regular currency."
She paused, allowing the students to absorb the information.
"Your regular currency, Zela, still exists. However, Nova Points will serve as an alternative to money for most of your needs here."
By now, the entire class was paying close attention.
Lyria tilted her head slightly.
"So… does everyone receive the same amount?"
Morgana chuckled softly.
"If only the world were that fair."
She turned back towards the students.
"All students receive the same basic monthly allocation. However, the number of Nova Points you receive is also influenced by your rank."
A wave of anticipation spread through the classroom.
"Students ranked within the Top 50 receive additional bonus points."
Murmurs immediately broke out.
"And those ranked within the Top 10…" Morgana lowered her voice slightly, "…receive significantly greater rewards."
Leonard's eyes sharpened at that.
"Moreover, the higher your ranking, the larger your monthly allocation becomes. The difference between Rank 50 and Rank 1…"
She paused for a moment.
"…isn't small."
Noah leaned back slightly, listening quietly.
Morgana's gaze gradually hardened.
"This system exists for one reason."
She struck the board once with her staff.
"To create competition."
Silence fell over the classroom.
"No charity. No equality. Only results."
Her eyes swept across the room once more.
"If you want better resources, better opportunities, and better treatment…"
A faint, cold smile appeared on her face.
"Then climb."
No one spoke, even the atmosphere seemed to grow heavier.
At the back of the classroom, Noah rested his chin on one hand.
"…Now this," he muttered under his breath, "…is some real shit."
He took out his mobile phone and opened the academy app.
His personal profile appeared on the screen, displaying all his student information.
His eyes widened slightly.
"Make sure to check your apps. You should have received your monthly points in your accounts this morning," Morgana added.
Noah's gaze fell upon the number displayed on his screen.
100,000 Nova Points.
"One hundred thousand is the basic allocation… Then how much do they give to the person ranked first?"
He couldn't help but mutter in amusement.
Meanwhile, the classroom was once again filled with murmurs and excited chatter as students checked their newly received Nova Points.