The water hit Erix’s face hard.He stood in the middle of the school hallway during lunch, clothes dripping, cold water running down his neck and soaking into his shirt. Kids crowded around him. Some laughed out loud. Others just stared with mean smiles, happy to watch.Bones Blackstone stood right in front of him, skinny arms crossed. His bony face looked proud, like he had just won something.“I told you last week the amount doubles,” Bones said. “Sixty points. Now. Transfer them before I get angry.”Erix’s watch only had forty-two points. Everything he had left for the whole week. He opened his mouth.“Bu—”“Shut up.” Bones flicked his fingers. Another splash of water slammed into Erix’s chest. The cold made him shiver. “You talk too much for a Level 1 with no ability. Trash should stay quiet.”Laughter filled the hallway. Two teachers walked past. One looked at the wet floor, then at Erix, then kept walking without saying a word. A girl from his class whispered to her friend, “He

After lunch the instructors sent everyone to free training. Most students stayed on the main field. High ranks practiced flashy moves. Low ranks sat in groups and complained.Erix walked the other way.He followed the east wall until the noise faded. Behind a row of old storage sheds stood a low brick building with broken windows and a rusted door. No one was around. Lira had been right.He pushed the door open. Dust floated in the thin light that came through the cracks. The floor was concrete. A few old training dummies leaned against the wall, their stuffing half gone. It was quiet. Perfect.Erix put down his water bottle (the new one he had bought with three of his twenty points) and started moving.He practiced the same climbing motions from the obstacle course. He jumped and landed until his knees hurt. He swung from a low beam again and again. Every time the strange hunger rose, he pushed harder. Every time the ache in his chest returned, he forced himself to keep going instead

Morning came with the cleaning duty.Erix, Shota, Kael, Lira, Ren, and the others who fought stood in a line outside the dining hall. A junior instructor handed them buckets, brushes, and soap.“Scrub every table and floor until they shine,” the instructor said. “No talking. No breaks until I say so.”Ren stood three places away from Erix. His face was calm, but his eyes kept sliding over with quiet anger. The two older students from last night looked bored, like this was nothing new to them.Erix’s ribs still hurt when he bent down. Every time he scrubbed, the bruise reminded him of Ren’s punch. The strange hunger was worse today. His stomach felt empty even though he had eaten a small piece of bread that morning. Five points left on his card. Not enough for a real meal.They worked for two hours.When the instructor finally released them, Ren walked past Erix and spoke in a low voice.“Enjoy your five points. They won’t last the week.”Erix did not answer. He just watched Ren leave

Three days after the night watch, the academy announced a surprise ranking test for all first-years.The notice went up on every board:Compulsory Ranking Test – Tomorrow Morning All first-year students must take part. Results will update official ranks and weekly points. Failure to appear = automatic rank drop and point loss.The training field filled with nervous talk. High ranks looked excited. Low ranks looked sick.Erix sat with Shota, Kael, and Lira under their usual tree after classes.“This is bad timing,” Kael said. “Your ribs are still healing.”“I don’t have a choice,” Erix answered. “If I skip it, I lose everything I just earned.”Lira flipped through her notebook. “The test is usually three parts. Strength, speed, and a short spar. They match you against someone close to your current rank. But sometimes they mix it up on purpose.”Shota’s face was serious. “Ren will try to get matched with you. Or he’ll pay someone to hurt you during the spar.”Erix looked down at his

Two days later the student exchange practice began.The training field was divided into four large circles. First-year teams of four would face second-year teams in short matches. The rules were simple: stay on your feet, stay inside the circle, and protect your teammates. Winners received points and a small chance at rank movement. Losers received nothing.Erix stood with Shota, Kael, and Lira at the edge of Circle Three. Their opponents were already waiting — four second-year students, all C-rank or higher. They looked confident and a little bored.Ren watched from the sidelines with his new C-rank friends. He did not enter the matches himself. He only watched.The whistle blew.The second-years attacked at once.Shota met the first one head-on. Kael moved to the side and blocked another. Lira stayed close to Erix, eyes sharp.A tall second-year with short brown hair came straight for Erix. He was faster than anyone Erix had faced before. The first punch scraped Erix’s shoulder. The