Chapter 8:
Life at Sinjai Academy was anything but fair.
The academy—ranked 4th in the entire Velmora City Region—was considered a beacon for mid-tier Seekers, a place where the strong rose and the weak were left behind.
For someone like Aeren, it was the definition of a battlefield. And not the kind with monsters.
Sinjai's classes weren't organized by age or grade.
They were organized by strength.
Seeker level, bloodline rarity, and achievement points gained during hunting simulations or real-world missions determined everything—from your classroom, your living quarters, to your future.
The academy had five active class groups:
Class 1 – The bottom of the barrel. Where the weakest of the weak trained.Class 2 – Slightly above average, filled with those who had potential but little combat experience.Class 3 – Where most Iron and low Bronze-level Seekers stayed.Class 4 – Advanced class, a mix of high-Bronze and Silver-level Seekers.Class 5 – The elite. Reserved only for Silver High-Tier and Gold-level Seekers.
And Aeren?
He was in Class 1.
The lowest of the low.
The weakest among the weak.
Even among the misfits, he stood out—for how badly he failed.
His dream of graduating felt like a joke most days. To pass out of Sinjai Academy, a student had to survive 4 years, pass multiple solo hunts, team raids, and prove their advancement at least two ranks from their entry level.
Aeren hadn't even made it to Iron.
In contrast, Anshi—his childhood friend—was in Class 4.
Thanks to her rare windline bloodline, her combat instincts, and the fact that she reached Bronze Tier before even turning 14, she was one of the youngest students to ever enter that class.
Among her classmates were:
3 Bronze Seekers3 Silver SeekersAnd one Gold-level student—Reina Arvielle, class head and heir to the powerful Arvielle Clan.
Reina was quiet, distant, yet not arrogant. She was respected for both her strength and humility. And in Sinjai, where power usually bred cruelty, she stood as an exception.
Still, even Reina hadn't earned as much admiration from Anshi as Aeren did.
Because even though Anshi had been offered a place in the prestigious Skyreach Dominion Academy (Rank 2 in Velmora), she refused.
She chose Sinjai.
Because of him.
Aeren had saved her once—not with strength, but with heart.
She never forgot that.
Even if Aeren forgot his own worth.
Academy Rankings in the Velmora Region:
🏛 Solaris Edge Academy – Known for elite training in elemental bloodlines.🏰 Skyreach Dominion Academy – Famous for its heavenly-ranked secret arts.⚔️ Obsidian Fang Academy – Brutal, effective, ruthless. Trains monster-slayers.📘 Sinjai Academy – The balanced academy. Diverse. Discarded by some. Home to a few legends.