Two weeks later, the Grand Hall was chaotic.

It was Result Day.

A massive magical hologram hovered in the center of the hall, displaying the rankings for the First Year Mid-Semester Assessments. A crowd of hundreds pushed and shoved to get a glimpse.

"No way…"

"Is the scoreboard broken?"

"How is he at the top?"

I stood at the back of the crowd, leaning against a pillar with a bored expression, while Ariana stood beside me, clutching my sleeve nervously.

"Did we pass?" she whispered.

"We definitely passed," I assured her. "The question is, where did we land?"

The crowd parted as Kael walked through. He looked confident. He had won the duel tournament. In his mind, and in the minds of everyone else, he was the undisputed Number One.

He looked up at the board.

And froze.

[First Year Combined Rankings]

Lucien Ashborne – [Total Score: 985/1000]

Kael Ardyn – [Total Score: 960/1000]

Celestia Aurelian – [Total Score: 940/1000]

Elisha Ravenscroft – [Total Score: 910/1000]

Ariana Solmere – [Total Score: 890/1000]

Silence descended on the hall.

"First?" Kael whispered, blinking. "But… I won the duel."

"Look at the breakdown," Bordon pointed out, his thick finger tapping the detailed score list.

[Practical Assessment]

Kael: 500/500 (1st Place)

Lucien: 485/500 (2nd Place)

[Theoretical Assessment]

Lucien: 500/500 (Perfect Score)

Kael: 440/500

I smirked.

While Kael was busy swinging his sword in a cave, I had aced the written exam. I knew the history of this world better than the historians who wrote the textbooks. Every date, every mana formula, every obscure demon biology fact—I got it all 100% correct.

The gap in our written scores was enough to bridge the gap in our combat scores.

"I won," I whispered to Ariana. "By being a nerd."

*****

[The Classroom]

The atmosphere in Class 1-A had shifted.

When I walked in, I wasn't greeted with glares of disdain. I was greeted with looks of confused respect. I was the guy who fought the Hero to a standstill and then outsmarted him on paper.

I sat in my usual spot. Ariana sat beside me, beaming with pride. She had ranked 5th—a massive jump from her previous rank near the bottom. The "Alchemist of the Arena" had made a name for herself.

"Congrats on First Place," a voice said.

I looked up.

Kael was standing at my desk. Behind him were Celestia, Elisha, and Mariella.

The tension was immediate. It wasn't hostile, but it was… awkward. We had tried to kill each other two weeks ago. My ribs still ached when it rained, and I could see a faint scar on Kael's cheek from my shotgun pellets.

"Thanks," I replied, keeping my voice neutral. "Congrats on the duel. You hit hard."

"You shoot fast," Kael replied stiffly.

We stared at each other. Neither of us knew how to act. We were rivals, enemies, and classmates all rolled into one.

"Okay, break it up, you two alpha males," Elisha laughed, leaning on Kael's shoulder. "You're making the air weird."

"We're just… acknowledging each other," Kael muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

He looked at Ariana. He tried to flash his signature, blinding 'Hero Smile'—the one that usually made noble daughters swoon.

"Congratulations to you too, Ariana," Kael said warmly. "Fifth place is impressive. Your potions were—"

Ariana turned her head sharply.

She didn't just look away. She glared at him with eyes full of unhidden, icy hatred.

"Hmph."

She deliberately picked up her book and held it up, blocking his face from her view.

Kael's smile froze.

"Uh…"

He looked confused. He wasn't used to this. Girls liked him. Everyone liked him. He was the Savior! Why was this quiet girl looking at him like he was a cockroach?

"Did I… do something wrong?" Kael asked, genuinely bewildered.

Ariana lowered the book just enough to show her violet eyes, narrowing them dangerously.

"You broke three of his ribs," she hissed.

Kael blinked. "It was a duel! He shot me with lightning!"

"You used a forbidden technique to crush him," she countered, her voice cold. "And you didn't hold back at the end. You could have killed him."

"But he used a Silver Slug! He almost stopped my heart!" Kael defended himself, looking at me for help. "Lucien, tell her! We were both going all out!"

I shrugged, suppressing a grin. "She's very protective. I have no control over the Alchemist."

Kael looked embarrassed. His ears turned pink. Being hated by a girl was a new, uncomfortable experience for the Protagonist.

"I… I didn't mean to…" he stammered.

Mariella and Elisha burst out laughing.

"Oh my god, look at him!" Mariella giggled. "The great Kael, the top scorer of duels is scared of tiny Ariana!"

"It's cute, really," Elisha teased, poking Ariana's cheek. "Are you angry at Kael because he hurt your boyfriend? Is that it?"

Ariana flushed red, but she didn't deny it. She slammed her book onto the desk.

"He barely walked for three days!" she snapped at Elisha. "Do you know how hard it is to heal Mana Burn? If Kael comes near us again, I'm putting laxatives in his lunch."

Kael took a terrified step back.

"Laxatives?"

"Ignore her," I said, patting Ariana's hand to calm her down (though I made a mental note to never anger her). "She just holds a grudge."

"A very scary grudge," Celestia noted with a smile. "But it seems our group has become… lively."

The Protagonist Party and the Villain Couple.

We were an odd mix. But as I looked around at them—laughing, arguing, and existing in this moment of peace—I realized that things were changing.

****

As the laughter died down and the class settled into their seats, a soft chime echoed in my mind.

It was the sound I loved most in this world.

[System Notification]

I blinked, opening the interface only I could see.

[Achievement Unlocked: Top of the Food Chain]

Condition: Rank 1st in the Mid-Semester Assessment.

Reward: 5,000 Points.

[Achievement Unlocked: Eye of the Giants]

Condition: Garner the attention of 3+ Platinum-Ranked Knights and 5+ Imperial Orders.

Reward: 3,000 Points.

[Reputation Update]

Current Title: The Anomaly / The Scholar Warrior.

Effect: Instructors will treat you with higher expectations. Enemies will prioritize you as a tactical threat.

[Total Points: 8,050]

I suppressed a grin. Eight thousand points. That was enough to buy a High-Tier skill or fully upgrade my Benelli. The struggle against Kael had drained my resources, but the payout was worth every bullet.

Bam.

The classroom door slammed open.

The relaxed atmosphere vanished instantly.

Instructor Samantha walked in. She wasn't wearing her combat armor today, but her sharp black uniform and the rapier at her hip were intimidating enough.

She walked to the podium, dropped a thick stack of papers on the desk, and scanned the room. Her grey eyes were cold, calculating.

"Sit down," she commanded.

Everyone straightened up. Even Kael fixed his posture.

"You have all seen the results," Samantha began, her voice devoid of warmth. "Some of you are celebrating. Some of you are despairing. But let me make one thing clear."

She tapped the stack of papers.

"The Imperial Academy is a meritocracy. We do not care about your noble titles. We do not care about your father's gold. We care about strength."

She picked up the first sheet.

"As per Academy regulations, the bottom 10% of Class 1-A will be demoted to Class 1-B effective immediately."

A collective gasp ran through the room.

"Cadet Miller. Cadet Vance. Cadet Jory…" She read out five names. "Pack your things. You are no longer elite cadets. Your seats will be taken by the top performers from Class B who are hungry for your spot."

The students whose names were called turned pale. One girl started sobbing quietly. Being kicked out of Class A was a massive stain on their honor. It meant fewer resources, worse teachers, and a harder path to knighthood.

"Do not look at me with those eyes," Samantha said sharply. "If you want your seat back, get stronger and take it back in the Finals. Now, get out."

The demoted students shuffled out, heads hung low. Moments later, five nervous-looking students from Class B walked in, looking like they had just won the lottery.

"Take the empty seats," Samantha ordered.

Once the shuffling was done, she turned her gaze to the rest of us.

"For those of you who barely scraped by above the cutoff line… do not sigh in relief."

Bordon, who was sweating profusely, froze.

"You are on thin ice," Samantha warned. "Starting tomorrow, the bottom twenty students will attend mandatory 'Remedial Physical Conditioning' every morning at 4:00 AM. If you are late, you are expelled."

Groans of despair filled the middle rows. 4:00 AM training with Samantha was essentially torture.

"And finally," Samantha turned her eyes to the front row. To me, Kael, and Celestia.

"To the high achievers. Do not get complacent."

She walked around the podium, standing in front of us.

"Being at the top makes you a target. The students behind you are sharpening their knives. If you slack off for even a day, you will be devoured. I expect you to maintain this standard."

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