AM N. NOT.šš»(ļæ£ć¼ļæ£)
While Maki finally enjoyed a rare moment of peace, the rest of the accepted students were anything but calm.
Those who had received U.A.'s message were already preparing for the upcoming school days. Next week, U.A. would send its buses to escort them to the academy grounds.
The beginning of a new life.
Some students were at the mall, buying clothes and supplies they believed future heroes should own. Others had already finished preparing and were simply counting down the days. Many continued their daily training, pushing their bodies harder than ever. A few were still celebrating their acceptance with family and friends.
Joy. Pride. Anxiety. Anticipation.
The emotions of the chosen intertwined into something restless and electric.
But for those who weren't accepted, it was different.
Bitterness festered. Anger simmered. Some refused to accept the result. Others quietly questioned their own worth. Were they ever meant to protect lives? Were they truly cut out for hero work?
Some had already begun enrolling in other schools. Some tried to move forward with forced optimism. Others felt their plans crumble into dust.
The world wasn't fair. It never had been.
Failure came with a choice: try again, or walk away. Those who understood their limits would decide carefully. Those who still burned with ambition would rise and attempt once more.
That was life.
Meanwhile, the entire world had taken notice.
The new era of U.A. had officially begun.
And the world was watching.
Not just the hopeful citizens. Not just the aspiring heroes.
The other side was watching too.
Antagonists. Villains. Criminal organizations lurking in shadows. Whatever name they preferred, they were paying attention.
Strong individuals gathering in one place never meant peace.
It meant imbalance.
And imbalance invited storms.
The examinations and enrollment process were finally complete. Nearly ninety students had been selected for the first year of U.A. Academy.
Teachers were preparing lesson plans. Advisers were reviewing their assigned classes. Research files were being opened and re-opened. Schedules were finalized. Dorm assignments locked in.
Everything was set.
U.A. Academy would soon welcome its new first years.
Inside the principal's office, Nezu remained seated behind his desk, eyes fixed on multiple screens. He reviewed the new dormitory arrangements.
Everything had been meticulously organized.
The standard students were placed according to balance and compatibility. But the so-called blue bloods were different. Those of noble lineage, rare races, and influential backgrounds had been granted higher-level accommodations. The rooms above the thirtieth floor of the ring wing were reserved for themāespecially the elite members of Class S.
Some had already customized their rooms to suit their tastes. Renovated. Reinforced. Personalized.
Hierarchy was real, whether people admitted it or not.
However, Nezu had established strict regulations. Privacy protections. Conduct rules. Safeguards to prevent discrimination or abuse of status.
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It was a controlled battlefield.
Nezu leaned back slightly and reread the files he had prepared.
Then his gaze returned to one specific confidential profile.
Maki.
He had never encountered someone like him before.
Rare was an understatement.
To deny his existence would be to insult Nezu's own intelligence. His analytical ability left little room for error.
And yet, the more he thought about the boy, the more questions surfaced. What exactly was he? What could he become?
The most amusing part?
Nezu had discovered him by coincidence.
Or so it seemed.
A small, knowing smile curved across his face.
His attention shifted briefly to another tabāClass S.
An alarming lineup.
Nearly all blue bloods. Several nobles. Even individuals tied to royal bloodlines.
This generation was powerful.
Too powerful.
When strength gathered so densely, calamity was rarely far behind. Nezu had no doubt a great storm would come.
His eyes returned once more to Maki's file.
"Especially this one," he murmured to himself, tapping his fingers lightly against the desk as his thoughts deepened.
On the teachers' floor, Nemuri Kayama sat in her office, reviewing her assigned class.
As an adviser, she studied each profile carefully. Most of her students possessed genetic-based abilitiesāversatile, coordinated, tactically compatible.
It was her first time serving as a class adviser, and she understood exactly why Nezu had assigned this group to her.
Stillā¦
Part of her wished she had been assigned to Maki's class instead.
Her thoughts drifted to him.
What was he doing right now?
She glanced at the time.
15:58.
No wonder her back ached.
With a quiet sigh, she saved her files and shut down her computer. Grabbing her purse, she stepped out of her office and locked the door behind her. Another day had passed.
She wanted to go home.
Quickly.
A faint worry lingered in her chest, one she refused to fully acknowledge.
She entered the elevator and pressed the button for the basement parking lot. Moments later, she reached her car, slid into the driver's seat, and started the engine.
She didn't spare the campus another glance.
She just wanted to get home.
For reasons she didn't care to analyze, she was still worried about him.
And the engine roared as she drove away.
!!ć½(ļ¾Š“ļ¾ć½)(ļ¾ļ¾Š“ļ¾)ļ¾!!
AM N. NOT.