The hall remained silent as the instructor stood at the podium, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room.
"We are going to teach you how to conquer the Veil and become an Ascended," he announced, his voice booming through the massive space.
The words hung in the air, heavy with expectation.
For some, it might have sounded like a promise—a chance at greatness.
For others, it was nothing more than a reminder of the brutal path ahead.
Hope didn't react.
He simply listened.
"The next two weeks of your stay here will be intense," the man continued. "Starting tomorrow, there will be classes held in this very hall."
A few murmurs rippled through the crowd, but they were quickly silenced as the instructor pressed on.
"Combat training and wilderness survival training—these will be your focus."
Hope's fingers curled slightly as he heard that.
"Combat training."
He had avoided fights for most of his life.
If he ever fought, it was when he had no other choice—and even then, his goal was to escape rather than win.
But now?
There was no avoiding it.
Whether he wanted to or not, he would have to learn how to fight.
How to kill.
The instructor continued, his voice firm.
"You all will have to attend."
That much was expected.
But then, something else.
"Because of the large population, your classes will be divided into rows. This will ensure that each and every one of you receives the full attention of your tutors."
Hope let that sink in.
"Rows, huh?"
The way he said it made it clear—it wasn't random.
Each person would be grouped.
Most likely, based on skill.
Or maybe background.
And if there was anything Hope had learned in life, it was that people like him—scavengers, nobodies—were always placed at the bottom.
His eyes flickered to the students in the front rows—the ones with perfect postures, the ones who carried themselves with confidence.
Those were the ones who would be placed in the higher tiers.
Given better training.
Hope already knew where he would end up.
"No use complaining about it," he thought.
He had been born at the bottom. He had survived at the bottom.
And if he had to, he'd claw his way up from the bottom.
The instructor continued.
"And one last thing—try to make connections and friends with people."
Hope almost groaned.
"Oh, this again."
It was the second time today someone had told him that.
First Cara, and now this.
"Make connections? With who?"
Hope had spent his entire life avoiding people.
Connections, friendships—those were luxuries.
He wasn't stupid—he knew that, in a place like this, having allies could make the difference between life and death.
But how was he supposed to make connections when everyone here was already separated by status?
The rich, the powerful, the trained—they had their own circle.
And people like him?
People from the outskirts?
They were already dismissed as inferior.
Hope exhaled softly through his nose.
"Not my problem."
The instructor finally took a step back from the podium.
His sharp gaze lingered on the crowd for a moment longer before he nodded.
"Make friends. Obey the rules. Follow the standards."
Then, just as he was about to leave, he suddenly paused.
He turned back to the crowd, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Oh, and—meal will be served soon."
That instantly changed the atmosphere.
Some students perked up, visibly brightening at the news.
A few even cheered softly, relieved that they would finally get food after such a long day.
Others, however, looked completely indifferent, as if food was beneath them.
Hope?
Hope was happy.
He didn't show it, but the moment the instructor mentioned food, his mind sharpened.
"Free food?"
That was rare.
Back in the outskirts, free food didn't exist.
If you wanted to eat, you had to fight for it, steal it, or trade something valuable for it.
But now?
They were just giving it away.
Hope wasn't stupid.
He wasn't going to let free food slip through his fingers.
Not when he had spent most of his life hungry.
His stomach tightened in anticipation.
He didn't know what kind of food they'd be serving, but as long as it was edible, he would eat until he was full.
The thought alone was enough to make his mouth water.
He licked his lips subtly, making sure no one noticed.
The instructor finally turned on his heel and left the stage.
The moment he was gone, a low murmur spread through the hall as students began whispering among themselves.
Some were talking about the training.
Others about the row system.
But a good number of them were only focused on one thing—food.
Hope leaned back slightly in his chair.
He wasn't interested in small talk.
He had only one thought in mind.
"Where's the food?"