Owen woke up, stretched, and headed to the bathroom.
As he was bathing, a sudden knock on the door startled him.
He quickly wrapped a towel around his waist and opened the door.
A girl with silver hair and striking red eyes stood before him.
Her eyes widened. A deep blush spread across her face.
She quickly turned her head away. "T-Teacher told us to meet in Class 1816!" she stammered before bolting down the hall.
Owen blinked in confusion before sighing. "Well… that was awkward".
Closing the door, he dressed quickly and stepped out of his dorm.
The Academy's Five Wings
The academy was massive, divided into five wings:
Dorms – Where students lived.
Arena – Used for combat training.
Dungeon – A mysterious area for missions.
Classrooms – Where over 100,000 students studied.
Hall of Weapons – A vast arsenal for warriors.
Owen didn't pay much attention as he walked through the corridors.
He reached a large fountain, then spotted students vanishing into thin air as they stood in glowing circles on the ground.
When it was his turn, he stepped onto the circle…
Nothing happened.
A frail old man nearby chuckled. "You need to say your class number, boy."
"Oh… 1816," Owen muttered.
In an instant, he vanished—reappearing in front of a door, floating on an invisible floor surrounded by space.
Pushing open the door, Owen saw three other students inside—and an empty seat waiting for him.
He took his place, listening to the others whisper about the strange orb incident in the hall.
The door swung open.
Edwin stepped inside, his usual confident smirk in place.
"Alright," he said. "Let's begin with introductions."
A girl raised her hand—the same silver-haired girl from earlier.
"It's her…" Owen thought, recognizing her.
She stepped forward.
"Hi, my name is Lucy Hannah, and my power is Fire."
Next, a boy with messy brown hair stood up.
"Yo! Name's Connor Jackson. My power is Air!"
The third student—a tall, muscular guy with a sharp gaze—spoke next.
"Leonard. My power is Steel."
Finally, all eyes turned to Owen.
"Uh… I'm Owen Greyson. And my power is… actually, I have no idea."
A brief silence.
The others exchanged glances, thinking he was keeping it a secret.
Edwin didn't react much, just nodded. "Alright, that's all for today. You're dismissed."
Connor frowned. "Wait, that's it?"
Lucy crossed her arms. "What kind of class ends in five minutes?"
Edwin smiled but didn't answer. "See you all tomorrow."
As Owen headed back to his dorm, he couldn't shake the feeling that someone was following him.
He spun around, fist raised with magic
"Whoa, chill!"
It was Leonard.
Owen narrowed his eyes. "You? Why are you stalking me?"
Leonard raised his hands in defense. "No, no! It's not like that. I just…"
He hesitated before grinning. "I want to be your friend."
Owen blinked. "Friend? But… we barely know each other."
Leonard laughed. "That's how friendship works! We start as strangers and figure it out along the way."
Owen thought for a moment before smirking. "Alright then."
They shook hands.
"Call me Leon," Leonard said.
Owen nodded. "Got it, Leon."
Before they could say more, a familiar sneering voice interrupted them.
"Tch. Don't get cocky just because you're in 'Special Class.'"
The blonde noble from before stood in front of them, flanked by his usual lackeys.
"I'll prove to everyone that you're a fraud," he spat.
Leon stepped in front of Owen, glaring. "Move along, knucklehead."
The blonde clicked his tongue. "Tch. Let's go, boys."
With that, he and his lackeys stormed off.
Owen shook his head. "This guy really has it out for me."
Leon shrugged. "Eh, forget him. He's just mad you're better than him."
Owen smirked. "Maybe."
The two headed back to their dorms.