The magnetic elevator doors slid open with a soft, hissing 'shuuut'. Davina and Reva stepped out, their shoes bouncing against the transparent polymer floor that revealed the flow of fiber optic cables beneath. The Candra Dormitory hallway was not just a corridor; its walls were ambient screens displaying silhouettes of a digital bamboo forest that moved according to the body temperature sensors of passing students.
"Insane, Vin! Is this a dorm hallway or a future art museum?" Reva shrieked, her hands busy touching the wall, which reacted instantly by emitting small light particles.
They stopped in front of room 304.
Tap.
Davina's silver card was tapped, and the door slid into the wall.
"FOR REAL?!" Reva immediately ran and jumped onto the bed, which hovered 20 cm off the floor using low-level anti-gravity technology.
"Is this a bed or a cloud? It's so soft, help! There's a mini-fridge filled with free Vur booster drinks! I don't want to go home, Vin! Fix, I'm staying here forever!"
Davina just shook her head, watching Reva act like a tacky tourist. She walked toward the large floor-to-ceiling window. From the 3rd floor, the view of Kidul Academy looked majestic; buildings with neo-vernacular Bali-Javanese architecture glowed neon blue amidst the darkness of New Jakarta.
Rich Brian's Hip-hop beat enters: Heavy Bass & Grime
"A beautiful view. But this is only the third floor. There are still nine floors above me. There are still thousands of warriors hungrier than I am. If I'm satisfied just being here, I'm nothing more than a statistical filler."
Davina clenched her fist; the image of her adorable younger sibling's face and her mother's smile flashed by. Her resolve hardened like steel.
KRUYUUUK...
The sound broke the silence. Reva grinned while holding her stomach.
"Vin... you heard that, right? My stomach is protesting for food rights. Please, let's go to the cafeteria! My one and a half million Atma points are already screaming to be spent."
Davina let out a long sigh. She took her headset, put it on, and played a Rich Brian track. The world was instantly drowned out by the thumping flow of fast rap. She walked out of the room, letting Reva trail beside her, chatting incessantly.
"Vin, did you see that senior in the lift earlier? So handsome, omg! Like a K-pop idol but a warrior version. And then they said there's one, Vin? Are you even listening to me?"
Davina remained silent, her eyes fixed straight ahead as she passed the grand garden separating the dormitory from Building C. Suddenly, her steps halted. The same happened to the other students around them.
"VASKY!!!! NOVAL!!!! GIVE IT BACK!!!! THAT'S THE RENDANG STUFF FOR TOMORROWWWWW!"
BRAK! PRANG!
Two figures dashed out of the cafeteria doors with abnormal speed.
Vasky ran while clutching two large sacks containing spices and raw meat, while Noval followed behind him with his mouth full of uncooked sausages.
"Relax, Chef! We're just 'borrowing' this for a midnight snack experiment!" Vasky shouted with a cheeky laugh, leaping over a hedge with a completely unnecessary flip.
Behind them, a stout chef chased them while brandishing a giant pot, his face as red as a bird's eye chili.
"Experiment, my foot! That's imported meat from the Bromo crater!"
Davina rolled her eyes.
"Useless seniors," she thought before walking back into the cafeteria.
Upon entering the 1st floor of Building C, Reva's breath caught again. This cafeteria looked more like a NASA control center. The room was vast, divided by transparent hologram partitions.
North Sector: European Cuisine (Aroma of butter and expensive cheese).
East Sector: Asian & Nusantara Cuisine (Sharp aroma of spices and sambal).
Central Sector: A giant hologram television displaying "OSIS-News" regarding the weekly training schedule.
While they were confused about what to choose, a beautiful girl with long black hair tied in an elegant ponytail approached them. She wore a grade 2 uniform with the Sakti Student Council (OSIS) emblem on her shoulder. Her steps were graceful, yet she radiated a friendly aura.
"Hai, Newcomers! Looks like someone is confused about what to eat?" the girl greeted them with a sweet smile.
"I'm Adelita, grade 2. Just call me Adel." Adel glanced at Davina, who was still wearing her headset. "It's rare to see a new student looking so 'Hip-hop' on the first day."
Davina lowered the headset to her neck.
"Davina."
"And I'm Reva, Sis! Are we really allowed to eat anything in this cafeteria?" Reva asked enthusiastically.
"You can, as long as your Atma is enough," Adel laughed softly. "I'll explain a bit so you guys aren't clueless. This building (Building C) is paradise. The 2nd floor has a Mall and a Game Station, the 3rd floor is the armory. If you get bored of studying, just come here."
Adel then pointed toward the window outside.
"Building A is where you get 'tortured' with theory. Building B is my headquarters at the Student Council and the sports field. And if you see Building D, which is the most heavily guarded... that's where the 'Big Bosses' are. The 4th floor is the Principal's office. Don't mess around there if you don't want to get kicked."
Suddenly, Adel glanced out the window where Vasky and Noval were still being chased. Her elegant face suddenly turned horrified.
"Oh no, I forgot... Sorry, I have to go. National duty calls to 'tame' those two prehistoric creatures before they eat the school's entire food stock," Adel sighed in frustration, yet still managed to give a wink. "Explore as much as you like, but my advice... never hang out with Vasky and Noval if you want your brain to stay sane. Ciao!"
Adel dashed away with impressive speed, leaving Davina and Reva in the middle of the cafeteria hustle.
"Vin... you heard her, right?" Reva stared at the hologram menu with sparkling eyes. "Building C floor 2 has a Game Station... but for now... RENDANG, I'M COMING!"
Davina only watched Adel's receding back. She began to feel that life at this academy would never be boring.
Davina and Reva stood in front of the Atma-Scanner terminal. Reva tapped her card with trembling fingers, her eyes closed as if she were praying in front of an ATM.
"TING! Atma Points Deducted: 25. Remaining Balance: 475."
"Phew... luckily there's still plenty left," Reva sighed in relief.
They carried their trays containing Crystal Rendang and Vur-enhancing juice toward a long, cold liquid-metal table. In the corner of the cafeteria, a giant hologram television suddenly switched broadcasts. The majestic SAKTI Student Council logo appeared, accompanied by dramatic orchestral background music.
SAKTI STUDENT COUNCIL REGISTRATION ANNOUNCEMENT
Time: 14:00 - 17:00 WIT.
Requirement: Scan ID Card at Building B.
Registration Officers: Vasky Pratama Anguis (Class A-2) & Adelita Qonita Az Zahra (Class A-2).
Davina almost choked on her juice. Her silver eyes stared intently at the screen.
"Vasky... Class A-2?" she muttered in disbelief.
"Eh? What's wrong, Vin? That silly guy who just got busted by Instructor Namarta? Why do you look so shocked?" Reva asked while devouring her rendang hungrily.
"A-2 is the highest class predicate for the second-year level, Re," Davina answered coldly. "It means, even though he looks like a street clown, according to the system, he is the elite."
"Exactly 100 points for Davina," a flat voice emerged from the next table.
Adam was already sitting there with a tray containing only salad and mineral water—extremely precise. In front of him, Gibran was demolishing a pile of chicken thighs like a starving monster.
"This academy's system isn't as simple as 'lucky numbers', Reva," Adam continued while adjusting his glasses. "Classes are divided into two major categories: Potential (A & B) and Normal (C & D). If you're in Class E, it means you're just a quota filler who will soon be kicked out."
CRUNCH! (Gibran snapped a chicken bone with his hands).
"Shut up, Dam! Just eat, no need to bring up statistics!" Gibran grumbled with his mouth full. "But it's true, for 1st years like us, labels like A-1 or B-1 are just formalities. But when you move up to 2nd year? Man, you have to bleed to maintain that 'A' predicate. The exams are insane, your Rank must rise, and your attitude is monitored 24 hours a day."
Adam ignored him and continued rambling, "Take that Vasky guy, for example. His class name is A-2. That means he's at level 2 with the Potential A class predicate. He might look like he only knows how to eat stolen sausages, but his Vur capacity and sword techniques... logically, they must be far above our average."
Davina fell silent, remembering how efficient Vasky's hand movements were when he was pulling weeds earlier. Damn, he was really hiding his fangs behind that ridiculous mask.
"So... we are A-1 right now," Reva murmured, her eyes sparkling. "That's so cool! That means we're top seeds, right? Vin, shouldn't we join the Student Council? Imagine the Atma we'll get!"
Davina didn't answer. She only looked at the digital watch on her wrist.
13:45.
Fifteen minutes until registration opened.
"I'm going to Building B," Davina said suddenly, standing up and tidying her tray.
"Eh?! Vin! Wait! My rendang isn't finished!" Reva hurriedly stuffed the rest of the rice into her mouth, while Gibran just laughed at Reva's panic.
"Good luck, elite warriors," Adam mocked quietly before refocusing on his salad. "Your chances of being accepted into Sakti Student Council are only 0.5%. But hey... who knows, luck might be bigger than logic today."
Davina walked quickly out of the Building C Canteen, followed by Reva, who was still choking. In the distance, the majestic doors of Building B were already being crowded by other ambitious students. Davina knew this was her first step to climbing to the 12th floor of the dormitory.
Building B – Student Council Registration Sector.
The atmosphere was more like a line for the latest iPhone release at Grand Indonesia than a school organization registration. Hundreds of new students were jostling, the scent of expensive perfume mixing with the heat radiating from hundreds of unstable Vur Plates. In the middle of the commotion, a long table stood with a hologram board that read:
"SAKTI STUDENT COUNCIL REGISTRATION".
Behind the desk, Adelita looked like an angel working like a horse on overtime. She smiled kindly—a forced professional smile—while distributing digital forms. "Scan here, Junior. Welcome to the Sakti Student Council registration," she said sweetly yet hauntingly.
Meanwhile, beside her... Vasky looked like he was having an existential crisis. He leaned his chair back until the two front legs were lifted, his head tilted back staring at the ceiling while talking to himself.
"Gosh, Adit is so mean... I should be scheduled for a nap, or at least looking for more cilok. Why do I have to be here looking at all these ambitious kids with tense faces? I'm hungry, I'm thirsty, I need entertainment..." he complained like a toddler who didn't get his ice cream.
Adelita only took a long breath, ignoring him completely because she knew scolding Vasky was a supreme waste of energy.
The line moved slowly. Davina finished her scan, her face flat even though internally she noted every detail of the room. Now it was Reva's turn.
"Okay, bismillah... Atma points, please don't decrease..." Reva was about to tap her card onto Adelita's scanner.
WUSH!
A hand roughly brushed Reva's shoulder, making the girl almost tumble. Arcadiaz stepped forward arrogantly, immediately tapping his card onto the scanner before Reva could react.
"Move it, Low-rank. My time is too precious to wait for you to do your makeup in front of a machine," Arcadiaz sneered without guilt.
"Hey! What's wrong with you? I was first!" Reva shouted, her face turning red. Davina immediately stepped in, her eyes narrowing sharply, sparks of static electricity beginning to dance at the tips of her hair.
"Can you show some respect? Get back in line."
Adelita frowned. "Junior, please, our system is fair. Get in line or I'll disqualify you from registration."
Arcadiaz laughed dismissively. "Disqualification? Do you know who I am? I entered here already as Bronze 2. While others are still learning how to breathe, I can already burn buildings down. This school needs people like me, not losers who queue just to be spectators."
KRIK... KRIK... KRIK...
The sound of a cricket suddenly echoed in the middle of the tension. Everyone's gaze shifted to Vasky. The young man was actually busy playing with a transparent cricket box on the table. He slammed his chair legs back to the floor with a loud Brak!
Vasky leaned back, draping his arms over the back of the chair in an incredibly annoying, cocky style. "Oh boy, oh boy... do you hear that, Tak? Someone feels like a king just because of Bronze 2," Vasky glanced at his cricket. "Even my cricket's Rank is already Gold, and he stays quiet."
"What did you say?!" Arcadiaz turned, his eyes flashing with anger.
"Look here, handsome but tacky junior..." Vasky grinned, showing his teeth. "Flaunting your Rank on the first day is like flaunting new underwear to people at the market. Nobody cares, Bro. You're only Bronze 2 and you already feel like the President? Totally tacky, absolute cringe."
Arcadiaz slammed Adelita's desk. "You're just a leftover senior whose job is pulling weeds! I challenge you to a duel right now. 200 Atma points on the line. Do you dare, Trash Senior?"
Adelita gave Vasky a look to stay quiet, but Vasky stood up while stretching lazily. "200 Atma? Wow, that's enough to buy meatballs for a week. Alright then, since I'm bored looking at your stiff faces. I accept."
Davina was shocked. She tried to scan Vasky's Vur circulation, but the result was nil. Why is his energy circulation like an ordinary person's? Instead, it's Arcadiaz whose circulation is exploding like a time bomb. Did he really just get lucky getting into class A-2?
The monitors throughout the Building B corridor suddenly changed displays. They split in two, showing Vasky and Arcadiaz's profiles. Below, the number 200 Atma blinked as the official bet verified by the system.
Inside the private Student Council room, Aditia sat calmly in his chair, his eyes fixed on the giant hologram screen in front of him. Beside him, Natasha shook her head while sighing.
"Vasky again... seriously, that guy. Can't he go a single day without making my blood pressure rise?" Natasha muttered in frustration.
Aditia remained silent, his fingers interlaced in front of his face. His sharp eyes observed Vasky's movements through the surveillance camera. "Let it be. Once in a while, new students need to know that 'numbers' aren't everything in this academy."
Davina and Reva stared at the screen in the hall with pounding hearts. One side was full of power explosions, the other full of ridiculous mystery.
Simulation Room 01 transformed. Its metal walls glowed red, indicating the "Official Duel" protocol was active. On the giant screen, the bet was displayed, sending shivers down the spine: 200 Atma Points. In this academy, a duel was not just a fistfight; it was a gamble on the future.
In the center of the arena, Arcadiaz stood with his legs wide, fire and lightning raging around him like a small storm. He began to recite his proud "pearls of wisdom" in a very theatrical tone.
"Listen, Trash Senior! Thrones are not given, thrones are taken! Today, history will record that a genius from Singapore has demolished the monument of failure named Vasky Pratama! Prepare yourself to kneel at my feet!" Arcadiaz continued to brag, his hands moving to the rhythm of his long-winded speech.
Vasky? He didn't even look at Arcadiaz.
Vasky was crouching down, very carefully placing his glass cricket box in a safe corner of the arena. "Be patient, Maman. Eat this salted fish first, after we win I'll buy pizza for us to eat together," Vasky muttered while sprinkling a bit of cricket feed into the box.
Vasky was just about to stand up from his crouching position. Before his knees were even fully straight—
WHIIIIINNNNEEE—BOOM!
The world seemed to slow down. Davina, watching from behind the safety glass, didn't even blink. In a fraction of a second, Vasky vanished from his position. Arcadiaz was still busy talking, his mouth having just formed the letter "O", when suddenly Vasky's face was right there, just a few millimeters in front of his nose. Their eyes met.
Arcadiaz froze. His pupils shrunk in shock.
THWACK!
Without a big wind-up, Vasky shoved Arcadiaz's chin with the back of his hand. A shove that looked light, but the effect was like being hit by a container truck. Arcadiaz was thrown 10 meters away, his body sliding across the simulation floor until he hit the protective wall.
Vasky stood casually, dusting off his hands as if he had just touched dirty dust. "Whoops, Junior... I think your powder is too thick. It even stuck to my hand. Next time use waterproof ones, so even if you lose, you stay glowing," Vasky mocked with a punchable, cocky face.
Davina was stunned. Her heart beat fast. "How can it be... his Vur circulation wasn't readable at all!"
The Tale of the Odd One from Pasar Manggis
Adelita, standing beside Davina, smiled mysteriously, leaning against the wall while watching the screen as if reading a bedtime story.
"Once, there was a strange new student," Adelita began in a dramatic storytelling tone. "During the entrance test, the system errored repeatedly. His Rank was written as Bronze 1, capped at Bronze 2. But strangely, in every combat exercise, he was on a different level. At the end of the first day, the expert team finally realized one thing... he was actually Bronze 7 since the moment he set foot here."
Adelita glanced at Davina. "And now, in second year, he's already comfortably sitting at Rank Gold 5. Higher than the Student Council President himself, Aditia Shafwan. That is him... Vasky Pratama Anguis, the Odd One from Pasar Manggis!"
"Gold 5 in second year?!" Reva nearly fainted. "Vin! That's how many levels above the average talented student!"
Davina couldn't hide her admiration. Her eyes gleamed with excitement. A Gold 5 Rank warrior... this is the level I've been looking for.
In the arena, Arcadiaz rose with exploding fury. His fire and lightning aura evaporated intensely, making the simulation room vibrate. "YOU... HOW DARE YOU EMBARRASS ME!"
Arcadiaz began to recite his family's ancient mantra. His voice was heavy, the ground beneath him cracked. In the instructor's room, Namarta began to worry. "Instructor Fatima, Arcadiaz might explode! His power could momentarily surge to Bronze 7!"
Fatima only rested her chin on her hand, smiling sarcastically. "Relax, Namarta. That Singapore kid lost the moment Vasky accepted this duel."
Suddenly Vasky smiled. He crouched low, holding the end of his sword's scabbard.
HHHHUUUUUUUUUU— (The sound of a heavy breath that vibrated the air)
Instantly, a dense Black Wind element flowed into his sword. The air around Vasky was sucked in. As Arcadiaz released his fire explosion, Vasky moved.
SHIIIIIIING!
Vasky shot forward like a silver line of light. He cleaved through Arcadiaz's firestorm like water being split by a sharp dagger. In the blink of an eye, Vasky was already behind Arcadiaz. He slashed Arcadiaz's back, but with the sharp edge of the blade reversed.
DHUAK!
Arcadiaz collapsed instantly, falling unconscious in the middle of a cloud of smoke. Davina was stunned. He channeled Vur into the sword... just like me, but the level... is far above the heavens.
On the simulation screen, Vasky emerged from behind the smoke while waving at the camera with the world's most cocky smile. "Hello, Chef! I'll replace the meat later! Don't stay angry, you'll get old fast!"
In the instructor's room, Namarta let out a very long sigh of relief. Fatima glanced at her with a naughty smile. "Ciee... quite a relief, huh? Are you that worried about the 'Delinquent'?"
"What are you talking about, Fatima! There's no way I'd fall for a silly student like him! Grow up already!" Namarta refuted with a reddening face.
Yet, in her heart, Namarta remembered a moment from last year. When she was insulted by an instructor from Wetan Academy because her student failed in the semifinals. That Wetan instructor belittled her because Namarta was too young. But suddenly, Vasky came by while casually chewing on jellyfish satay in front of them.
"Hey, Old Man," Vasky said last year with a mouth full of satay seasoning. "Wait until I get to second year. I'll lift the trophy in front of your face while eating a sack of jellyfish satay. Just so you know, Instructor Namarta is on a different level than you!"
Namarta smiled thinly without realizing it. Vasky might be silly, but he was the only warrior brave enough to bet his life for her dignity.
In the instructor's room, Namarta suddenly stood up straight. Her face, which had been flushed deep red, instantly changed into a cold professional mask. She straightened her black tactical suit, avoiding Fatima's teasing gaze.
"I have to meet the Principal," Namarta said curtly. "The candidate data for the Sakti Warrior Tournament across Academies next month must be submitted this afternoon. And... I need the medical data of that arrogant Singapore kid before he wakes up and claims insurance."
Fatima laughed softly, the sound of her shadow chains clinking finely. "Just say you want to show off that your 'favorite student' just won a 200 Atma lottery, Namarta. Good luck~"
Namarta did not reply. She stepped out with lightning speed, leaving the scent of masculine perfume and a firm coldness in the room.
Back at the Building B lobby. The crowd of students began to disperse, leaving behind admiring whispers that still filled the air. Davina and Reva stood in front of Adelita's desk, submitting their fully completed digital forms.
"Here, Sis Adel. It's all done," Davina said. Her eyes flicked to the side, where Vasky had sat back down in his chair. The young man didn't look at all like a gladiator who had just crushed someone's spirit; instead, he was busy blowing into the air holes of his cricket box with a super serious expression.
"Okay, perfect!" Adelita received the data with her signature sweet smile. "Remember, the official Student Council selection will be held Sunday morning. Don't be late, don't stay up late, and don't forget breakfast."
"Yes, Sis! Thank you so much!" Reva bowed politely, while Davina only gave a slight nod. They both turned, stepping away from the registration desk.
Adelita watched their backs, then nudged Vasky's arm with a pile of files. "Hey, Vasky! What do you think of the new kids? Especially the one with the flat face like a wall, Davina."
Vasky let out a wide yawn, his eyes still fixed on his cricket. "Huh? Who? A girl? Sorry, Del... I'm retired as an observer of the opposite sex. You better ask the bald guy about them."
"Ck! Be serious for once!" Adelita insisted.
Vasky finally leaned back, staring at the ceiling with a gaze that was suddenly blank yet deep. "Everyone has potential, Del. But potential is trash if there's no hard work. A pretty face won't be able to catch an Entity's slash. But... that Davina girl, she has 'hungry' eyes. People like that usually either become legends or die young."
Vasky suddenly grinned cheekily again, jumping to his feet. "Ah, whatever! Time to squander 'Mr. Throne's' 200 Atma points! Mas Tato's Meatballs, here I come!"
Vasky dashed away with a ridiculous running style, leaving Adelita who could only massage her temples. "Why do I have to be in the same organization as a prehistoric creature like him?" Adelita grumbled before entering the soundproof Sakti Student Council room.
Footsteps echoing in the metallic corridor...
A slow lo-fi beat begins to enter...
"Vin? Vin! Are you listening? Sis Adel said the selection is on Sunday! Gosh, I have to practice my breathing, or maybe buy a stamina-boosting potion at the Building C Mall..." Reva kept rambling, but Davina did not respond at all.
Davina's mind was stuck in the Simulation Room earlier. She replayed the memory of when Vasky crouched down.
"Mana Channeling... without a chant?" Davina thought uneasily.
For Bronze-level warriors, reciting a chant or mantra is an absolute requirement to stabilize the Vur exiting the body so it can merge with an object. Without a chant, that energy would usually run wild and explode before reaching the sword.
But Vasky...
He did it as if it were just a natural movement like breathing. It's highly impossible for a grade 2 student.
PUK!
"DAVINA SEIKA!" Reva tapped Davina's shoulder hard enough to make the girl startle.
"Eh? Sorry, Re... I was thinking about something," Davina said softly.
"You've been so weird since you saw Kak Vasky fight. Smitten, huh? Cieee..." Reva teased while poking Davina's waist.
"It's not that," Davina sighed, trying to normalize her heartbeat. "Let's go back to the room. We need rest. School starts tomorrow at 7 AM, and I don't want to be late on the first day of theory."
They walked toward the magnetic elevator, leaving behind the hustle and bustle of registration. Behind her headset, Davina silently promised one thing: she had to master that chantless technique, no matter what.
The first night at Candra Dormitory. The large window of room 304 displayed the glittering view of New Jakarta in 2026. The city lights below looked like a giant Mana circuit glowing blue and gold. Inside the room, Reva was performing a solo concert using a hair comb as a microphone, singing a K-Pop song with a somewhat forced high note.
Davina sat at her desk, her fingers tapping the surface of the hologram table that displayed Vur theory notes from Instructor Fatima. She was just about to touch the Sleep Mode icon on her desk lamp when the calm dormitory atmosphere suddenly changed.
KREEEEEEKKKK... CIT... STTTTT...!!!!
High-frequency static noise exploded from the internal speaker in the ceiling corner, sending Reva tumbling off her maglev bed. Davina instinctively covered her ears, her eyes fixed warily on the speaker. Not just in their room, this sound echoed throughout Candra and Surya Towers, waking up thousands of students who had just begun to dream.
"Hello? Hello? Check... one, two... Tak, is this mic on yet? Why is there no reverb like in a Rich Brian concert?"
Davina's eyes widened.
That shrill, relaxed, and confident voice...
She knew it very well.
"Gosh, Vas! Look, the panel is already blinking red! That means it's already On-Air, dummy! Hurry up with the message, before Ms. Namarta wakes up and disconnects our heart valves!" the second voice, Noval, replied, sounding panicked but still going along with it.
"Okay, okay. Ehem! Test... Test..." Vasky cleared his throat with a mock-authoritative tone, as if reading a proclamation text. "Hello? Mr. Satria Martabak at the back canteen of Building C? This is me, Vasky, the most handsome customer in all of Kidul Academy."
Reva gaped, her comb still hanging in mid-air. "Vin... is that Kak Vasky? He hijacked the emergency announcement line just to...?"
"I'd like to order one sweet martabak, Sir," Vasky continued over the speaker, his voice now sounding very sincere and full of longing. "The special one, Sir. Fill it with chocolate, cheese, sesame, and give it extra condensed milk until it's flooded. Oh, remember! No peanuts, Sir! My friend here is allergic to peanuts. If he sneezes, his Vur Plate might leak and ruin my aesthetic sleep time."
The entire dormitory corridor suddenly went silent for three seconds. A silence so heavy that even the ticking of a clock could be heard.
Then...
BWAHAHAHAHA!
An explosion of laughter erupted from the neighboring rooms. Students from grade 1 to grade 3 were all doubled over laughing. Even Davina unconsciously pulled the corner of her lips slightly, so slightly it was almost invisible.
"VASKY! THIS ISN'T A PRIVATE PHONE, YOU MORON! THIS IS THE ANNOUNCEMENT LINE FOR THE WHOLE ACADEMY! EVERYONE HEARS IT, INCLUDING THE PRINCIPAL!" Noval's voice was heard whispering-half-shouting, followed by the sound of a heavy object falling.
"Hah?! Are you serious? I thought this was the canteen drive-thru intercom!" Vasky's voice suddenly turned panicked. "Whoops... uh, so this.... how do you turn it off? Why did the screen turn into a dancing skeleton? Tak! Tak! Pull the cable, bald guy! Pull it with your teeth if you have to! PULL—"
DUM!! ZZZZT...
A small explosion sound was heard from the speaker, followed by the sound of a very convincing hissing smoke, and then...
Total silence. Quiet. Leaving only the remnants of student laughter that began to fade because they knew what would happen next.
The Aftermath
"Insane... Kak Vasky is a true legend," Reva muttered while clutching her stomach, which hurt from laughing.
Davina turned off her desk lamp; the darkness of the room was now only lit by the city lights. "He didn't just order martabak, Re. He just proved that this academy's communication system has a hole that a grade 2 student can breach."
"But it's still ridiculous, Vin!"
"Yeah... ridiculous," Davina answered shortly. She lay down on her maglev bed, staring at the ceiling.
In the distance, the faint sound of Instructor Namarta's booming voice could be heard from the dormitory control center, signaling that their peaceful night had just ended.
The morning sun of New Jakarta 2026 pierced through the anti-radiation glass of Building A. In the middle of the main field, a contrasting sight was presented. Vasky and Noval stood frozen under the holographic flagpole with physical boards hung around their necks: "I WILL NOT ORDER MARTABAK THROUGH THE EMERGENCY LINE AGAIN". Instructor Namarta stood before them, arms crossed with a gaze that could punch a hole through steel.
"You two," Namarta's voice was cold, "stay here until school hours are over. After that, go into an empty classroom for self-study until curfew. If I hear a cricket or smell butter... you will know what it's like to sleep in a solitary cell."
Namarta turned and walked away with firm steps. Vasky, despite being punished, still managed to nudge Noval. "Look on the bright side, Tak. At least the martabak really did arrive at the OSIS room. Adit even paid for it."
Inside the classroom, the atmosphere was much more serious. Instructor Fatima floated in—this time actually floating several centimeters above the floor using her shadow currents. She tapped her electronic ruler against the holographic whiteboard.
"Today we talk about Chanting," Fatima's voice flowed softly, yet full of sarcasm. "Or in cool terms: How to scream so you don't look stupid while blowing something up."
A few students in the back row chuckled. Arcadiaz leaned back arrogantly. "Instructor, isn't this preschool material? In Singapore, we've been taught the three-layer structure since age ten."
"Oh, really? Mr. Throne wants to show off?" Fatima smiled sweetly. "Try explaining to your 'less genius' friends here how to correctly chant magic according to the textbook."
Arcadiaz stood up, straightening his collar. "Easy. Use the structure [Magic Mention + Type] followed by [Form + Element]. For example, for a basic attack: [Magic + Level 1: Arrow + Fire] or for more complex ones: [Magic + Combination: Frozen + Wings]. That's the international standard."
"Exactly," Fatima nodded, then looked at the whole class. "That's what's taught to children so they can light birthday candles."
Fatima walked toward the classroom wall made of a metal-polymer alloy.
"The real world doesn't care about international protocols, Arcadiaz. Space Monsters won't wait for you to finish your long sentence."
Fatima took a breath.
The room's atmosphere suddenly became heavy.
Davina could feel the Vur circulation around Fatima suddenly condensing to an extreme degree.
"Observe the structure: [Element/Type + Form : Command]," she said while writing her own structure on the hologram whiteboard.
She raised her slender hand toward the wall. Her eyes flashed a dark purple.
"Holy Water, SHOOT!!!"
KRAAAAAAAKKKKKKK—BOOM!
It wasn't a small water fountain that came out, but a high-pressure water projectile compressed to be as sharp as a laser. The attack tore through the thick school wall, leaving a giant gaping hole. Through that hole, the students could see the outside of the school clearly. The wind from outside roared into the classroom.
Total silence enveloped A-1.
Reva gaped, her pen dropping to the floor. "Was that... water magic? It felt like a tank cannon."
Gibran swallowed hard, his muscles tensing. "Crazy... the power is far different from what Arcadiaz explained."
Adam immediately typed on his desk. "Analysis: Energy output increased by 500% or 5 times. But... look at the Instructor's Vur indicator."
The screen on the instructor's desk showed a significant drop in Vur.
"Do you realize?" Fatima turned around, her smile now looking very provocative. "Short chanting cuts through the energy bureaucracy within your bodies. The power is fivefold, but the price is expensive. The Vur you waste will be much more. This is a technique for warriors who want to end a fight in one strike, not for office workers who like to stall for time."
Nadia Asri narrowed her eyes, her fingers gripping the edge of her desk. "So... long chants are just for people who don't have enough Vur reserves?"
"You could say that, Nadia," Fatima replied. "Or for those who lack emotional control. The shorter the chant, the greater the pressure on your Vur Plate. If you aren't ready... crack, you explode along with your mantra."
Davina stared at the hole in the wall with eyes shining with a hunger for knowledge. She remembered Vasky yesterday.
No wonder he moved so fast. He might have already moved past the short chant stage to the stage of no chant at all.
"Now," Fatima tapped her desk again, the hole in the wall began to close itself with self-repairing material. "Your task is to find one short chant combination that best fits your element. Don't try to practice it now unless you want to sleep in the infirmary for a week."
[ To Be Continue ]