Luca Vitali shouldn't have been here.
He knew it. Everyone around him knew it. The furtive glances from the other students, the whispers behind closed doors at Genesis Institute, were clear signs. But here, in this imposing hall of steel and glass, the feeling of not belonging was heavy and suffocating.
The massive doors of the Institute had opened before him the moment he crossed the threshold with his score of 350/1000. Just enough to make the cut. The kind of achievement that earned neither respect nor congratulations.
The classes were divided by ruthless criteria. Each domain had a test scored out of 200 points. The Teamwork and Leadership test, where you were evaluated less on your skills than on your ability to manipulate others to make yourself shine. Sports, an arena where only exceptional athletes existed. Art, where imagination had to be as brilliant as discipline. Classic subjects, where pure intelligence was measured, and finally, questions about personal choices and values, which determined your place in this complex world.
Luca had scored 350 points. Far from being the best, far from excellence. He wasn't a sports prodigy, not a genius in art. He wasn't even particularly brilliant in academics, but he had managed to use his ability to observe, to understand the nuances of human interactions, and to manipulate his image in the shadows. He had made it here, simply because of his determination.
"F Class. That's where the last-minute talents end up, right?" one of the supervisors had whispered while scanning his name on the list, barely glancing at his score before classifying him among the least remarkable students.
But Luca knew something no one else seemed to understand. If given a chance, even the smallest one, he would take it. No matter the class, no matter the rules.
A bell rang.
The students began to move, heading towards their respective classrooms. The wind blew lightly outside, passing through the immense windows of the institute, carrying with it the last remnants of the outside world. Here, everything was about competition, rivalry, and well-kept secrets.
He had heard rumors about the other classes. The Starclass, a group of figures who illuminated the outside world but fought to stay on their pedestal. The Z Class, a group where geniuses from all walks of life clashed in a race for the shadows of the spotlight. And then, the A Class, the promising students who had shown exceptional potential but weren't quite ready to fully shine.
Luca knew that, for him, the F Class was a way out. The looks from the other students said it all. They thought Genesis's educational system left no room for those who failed. But Luca also knew another truth: in this system, everything could be used to his advantage.
In the hallway leading to the F Class room, he met another student, seemingly lost like him. A figure who didn't seem particularly equipped for this school, but who, according to rumors, hid a hidden talent. The boy, tall with black hair and a confident look, approached him.
"Do you think this test really means anything?" he asked, his tone almost mocking.
Luca shrugged slightly. "I think it means they judge us, but never enough to understand who we really are."
A half-smile touched the boy's lips. "Exactly. You're Luca, right? I'm Kai. You know, you don't look so bad for an F Class."
Luca shot him a look, intrigued by his remark. "You really think so?"
"I think if we learn to play by their rules, maybe we can get out of here with everything we want."
Luca remained silent, studying Kai. Something about him, a particular aura, suggested that this boy wasn't as simple as he seemed. But the fact that he was in this same class would surely put their plan to the test.
They arrived in front of their classroom door. The name "F Class" was inscribed in gold letters. The metallic sound of a lock being turned echoed inside before the door slowly creaked open. It wasn't an ordinary classroom. The space seemed almost too vast for the academic atmosphere that usually reigned in schools. The walls were adorned with electronic boards and interactive screens. A room built for challenges.
They entered.
The class was already full. A few students seemed engaged in quiet conversations, while others were lost in their thoughts. A man in his forties, with piercing eyes and graying hair, stood before them. He was the F Class professor, and from the rumors, there was no room for weakness in his domain.
He scanned the new arrivals, his eyes stopping momentarily on Luca before quickly dismissing him, as if there wasn't much to analyze.
"Welcome to F Class," he said in a calm but firm voice. "Here, you will learn what it means to be underestimated. You are not here to succeed. You are here to survive."
Luca fixed his gaze on the professor. These words resonated within him. He wasn't here to follow the curriculum. No, he was here to prove that, even in the shadows, one could shine brighter than the stars.
Meet the characters revealed so far:
GENESIS INSTITUTE - STUDENT FILE #C-117]
Name: Luca Vitali
Age: 14
Height: 1m72
Weight: 55 kg
Eyes: Piercing blue
Hair: Dark brown, slightly tousled
Class: F Class
Nationality: Italian
Type of Student: Observer / Strategist
Hobbies: Reading people, playing chess, sketching cityscapes
Dislikes: Arrogance, flashy behavior, being underestimated
Notable Traits: Calm, analytical, thrives in subtle manipulation and long-term strategy
Quote: "They judge us, but never enough to understand who we really are."
---
[GENESIS INSTITUTE - STUDENT FILE #F-089]
Name: Kai Nakamura
Age: 14
Height: 1m81
Weight: 66 kg
Eyes: Dark brown
Hair: Black, short and spiky
Class: F Class
Nationality: Japanese
Type of Student: Instinctive / Disruptor
Hobbies: Street basketball, philosophy podcasts, pranking authority figures
Dislikes: Rules for the sake of rules, fakeness, being boxed in
Notable Traits: Charismatic, unpredictable, reads situations fast
Quote: "If we learn to play by their rules… maybe we can rewrite them."
---
[GENESIS INSTITUTE - FACULTY DOSSIER - CLASS F]
Name: Dr. Marcus Havel
Age: 43
Height: 1m90
Weight: 86 kg
Eyes: Steel gray
Hair: Salt and pepper
Position: F Class Professor
Background: Former military tactician turned educator
Type of Instructor: Ruthless Mentor / High-Pressure Catalyst
Hobbies: Morning runs, tactical board games, whiskey tasting
Dislikes: Excuses, mediocrity, disloyalty
Notable Traits: Demands excellence through adversity, tests moral and mental endurance
Quote: "You're not here to succeed. You're here to survive."