A sudden understanding washed over him. That fleeting flicker, the Obelisk's confusion… it hadn't recognized him. His awakening was something beyond its comprehension.
So that's why it didn't react. It didn't know how to.
Kai's heart pounded a frantic rhythm against his chest, a wild mixture of disbelief and a burgeoning sense of exhilaration.
I'm not a failure… I'm something else entirely.
He risked a glance upwards just as the next student, a girl with fiery red hair, stepped onto the platform. A brilliant golden glow erupted from the Obelisk as her hand touched it.
"B-Rank!" the artifact announced, its mechanical voice echoing through the hall.
A collective cheer erupted from the crowd. The girl beamed, raising her hand in a triumphant gesture, basking in the adulation.
Kai looked back down at his own status screen, the impossible rank burning in his mind's eye.
Nobody else can see this. This incredible, unbelievable truth was his alone.
And I can't tell them. Not yet. Perhaps never.
They'd never believe it. They'd call him a liar, a delusional reject. Hell, even the system itself seemed to be struggling to process it.
If I tell them… they'll either lock me away, study me like some bizarre specimen, or worse… dissect me to understand what I am. The thought sent a cold wave of fear through him.
His fists clenched beneath the table, a silent vow forming in his mind.
So I'll let them think I'm nothing. Let them laugh, let them scorn. When the time comes, when the world truly needs it, they'll see what real power is.
Later that evening, the vibrant energy of the Awakening Hall had faded, replaced by a quiet melancholy that clung to the academy grounds. Kai wandered through the outer courtyard, the manicured gardens and elegant fountains now feeling alien and unwelcoming. His transfer application had already been automatically rejected – no class, no rank, no admission. By the cold light of dawn, he would be expelled.
He stopped by the largest fountain, its water cascading in gentle streams, the rhythmic splashing a lonely counterpoint to the turmoil within him. He stared into the rippling surface, his reflection a ghost in the dimly lit courtyard.
"What are you still doing here, failure?"
The voice, laced with arrogant amusement, cut through the stillness. It came from behind him, a familiar tone that made his blood run cold.
He turned slowly to see Dane, the golden boy of Sector 3. Everything about him exuded privilege and effortless superiority – the perfectly tailored uniform, the meticulously styled hair that seemed to defy gravity, the smug confidence that radiated from his very posture. A small entourage of equally polished followers stood behind him, their expressions mirroring Dane's disdain.
Kai met his gaze, refusing to let the other boy see the storm brewing inside him. He offered no reply.
"You should be packing your things," Dane continued, a condescending smirk playing on his lips. "Or do failures get confused about directions, too? Need someone to point you towards the gates?" His followers chuckled obediently.
Kai raised a single eyebrow, a silent challenge. "Didn't realize you cared so much about my schedule, Dane. Touched, truly."
Dane's smirk widened, but there was a hard edge beneath the amusement. "I just like seeing garbage where it belongs. Makes the academy grounds feel cleaner, you know? Besides," he added, his eyes sweeping over Kai with mock curiosity, "I've never actually seen a complete zero before. It's… kinda impressive in its own pathetic way."
Kai turned back to the fountain, the sound of the water a small comfort. "Then take a picture. It'll last longer."
A flicker of genuine anger tightened Dane's jaw. His followers shifted uncomfortably, sensing the shift in mood.
"I'm being generous here, you know," Dane pressed, stepping closer. The scent of his expensive cologne filled the air. "The rest of us had to actually earn our ranks. We bled, we trained, we pushed ourselves to the limit. You? You just… wasted everyone's time. A stain on the Awakening ceremony."
Kai remained still, his gaze fixed on the swirling water. The weight of Dane's judgment, and the judgment of the entire academy, felt heavy, but it no longer held the same sting. He knew a truth they couldn't even fathom.
"Nothing to say, zero?" Dane taunted, closing the distance between them. "Cat got your tongue? Maybe I should loosen it for you." He raised a hand, his knuckles gleaming in the dim light.
Kai finally turned to face him fully, his expression calm, almost bored. "You want to hit me?"
A predatory glint entered Dane's eyes. "I might. Just to see if you even react."
Kai shrugged, a gesture of utter indifference. "Go ahead. What's one more indignity? I've already got nothing to lose, right?" The words hung in the air, a quiet defiance that seemed to surprise Dane.
Dane's fist clenched tighter, poised to strike—but a sharp, authoritative voice cut through the tense silence.
"That's enough, Dane!"
Instructor Lira strode across the courtyard, her usually immaculate uniform slightly disheveled, her expression a mixture of annoyance and authority. The fabric of her coat billowed behind her, a silent testament to her swift approach.
"Dane," she snapped, her voice leaving no room for argument. "Back to your dorm. Now."
"But Instructor—" Dane began, his bravado faltering under her stern gaze.
"Now," she repeated, her voice dangerously low.
Dane shot Kai a final, venomous glare, his face a mask of frustrated rage. He turned on his heel and stalked off, his entourage trailing silently behind him.
Lira turned her attention to Kai, her sharp eyes assessing him. "You shouldn't be here, Ren. You're not on the academy roster anymore. Security should have escorted you out already."
"I know," Kai replied simply, meeting her gaze without flinching.
She watched him for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then, her stern features softened slightly. "You were… calm. During the Awakening. Most who fail, especially those with such… a blank result… they panic. Cry. Some even lash out. You didn't even flinch."
Kai shrugged again. "Nothing to flinch about." The lie felt surprisingly easy on his tongue.
Her eyes narrowed, just a fraction. "You felt something, didn't you? When your hand was on the Obelisk." It wasn't a question.
Kai hesitated, the weight of his secret pressing down on him. "What do you mean, Instructor?" He tried to sound nonchalant, but he could feel her piercing gaze dissecting his carefully constructed facade.
"The artifact," she elaborated, her voice quieter now, almost thoughtful. "It reacted. For a split second. I saw it. A flicker… a darkness."
Kai met her gaze, his own carefully blank. "If it didn't give a result, Instructor, then it doesn't matter, does it?"
"Doesn't it?" she asked softly, her eyes holding his. There was a strange intensity in her gaze, a flicker of something akin to curiosity.
He offered no reply, the silence stretching between them, thick with unspoken questions.
After a long, contemplative pause, she sighed, a hint of weariness in the sound. "I've seen irregularities before, anomalies in the readings. But never a complete blank… with a visible reaction. It's… unprecedented."
Kai remained silent, his secret a heavy stone in his chest.
"I'll make a note in your file," she said finally, her tone becoming more formal again. "Just in case. Perhaps a secondary evaluation can be arranged later."
He nodded once, a small, almost imperceptible movement. Hope, fragile and unexpected, flickered within him.
As she turned to leave, her silhouette framed against the dim courtyard lights, she called back over her shoulder, her voice carrying a hint of something he couldn't quite decipher. "You have one night left in the dorms, Ren. Make it count."
Kai stood alone in the now-darkened courtyard, the gentle breeze whispering through the leaves. He opened his interface again, the stark words on the screen a secret universe hidden from the world.
[Void Emperor (Sealed)]