Jihu sprinted through the grand marble streets of the Academy grounds, his lungs burning as he pushed himself forward. The massive entrance gate was closing in front of him, inch by inch, the gap narrowing to a mere sliver. He had miscalculated the time it would take to reach the assembly, mostly because he had taken the longest possible path to avoid potential fights and unnecessary dangers.
But now? He was about to be locked out of the most prestigious academy in the galaxy on his very first day.
"Just my damn luck!" he cursed under his breath, gritting his teeth.
The towering, ornate gates—made of some indestructible alien alloy—creaked ominously as they neared full closure. The headmaster's voice echoed from the announcement system, reminding the students that latecomers would be punished severely.
"Like hell I'm getting punished on my first day!" Jihu thought.
He threw himself forward in a last desperate dive—his body twisting mid-air as he slipped through the shrinking gap—just as the gates slammed shut behind him with a resounding boom.
Jihu hit the ground, tumbled once, and popped up to his feet in one fluid motion, brushing imaginary dust off his pristine black uniform. He was in. Barely.
Silence.
Hundreds of students stood in neat formation, all staring at him with varying expressions—confusion, amusement, pity.
A tall guy in the front row with a cocky smirk muttered just loud enough for the crowd to hear, "What a shit show."
A group of students whispered amongst themselves, shaking their heads. A blue-skinned girl from a rare aquatic species nudged her friend and murmured, "That was either really impressive or really embarrassing. I can't decide."
Jihu stood frozen, sweat running down his back as he processed the situation. "…Well, this is awkward."
Before he could think of a way to salvage his dignity, a booming voice echoed across the assembly ground.
"Newcomer, step forward!"
Jihu blinked. "Wait… me?"
The crowd parted as the headmaster himself—a towering man with silver hair and an eyepatch—stood at the front, arms crossed. His presence alone commanded attention, his sharp gaze practically piercing into Jihu's soul.
"Come to the stage. Now."
Jihu's brain short-circuited for a moment. "Wait, what? Why? What did I do? Am I getting expelled already? That would be a new record."
A red-haired girl with sharp golden eyes, standing in the front row, smirked. "Looks like the newbie's getting some special treatment. Hope you can handle the pressure."
With a resigned sigh, Jihu shoved his hands into his pockets and casually walked to the stage as if he owned the place, his expression completely nonchalant. His heart, however, was racing.
"Maybe they just want me to introduce myself… yeah, that's probably it."
The headmaster nodded toward him. "Since you arrived in such an… grand manner, you'll be doing the introduction speech."
Jihu's eye twitched. "…Excuse me?"
The students murmured in disbelief. Giving the introductory speech was normally an honor reserved for the highest-ranking noble student—someone from the top ruling families. Yet, here was a random guy who almost got locked outside being handed the microphone.
Instead of panicking, Jihu yawned, grabbed the microphone, and started talking. "Alright, let's get this over with."
What the crowd didn't know was that Jihu, being bored out of his mind during the journey to the Academy, had already read up on all the Academy's rules, traditions, and history. So, without missing a beat, he flawlessly recited all the necessary details—student conduct, dormitory assignments, class structures, and training schedules—with an air of absolute nonchalance.
Halfway through, students started whispering.
"Wait… is he reading from a script?"
"No, he's not even looking at a screen. He's just… saying all of this."
"Damn, that's kind of impressive."
Even the headmaster raised an eyebrow, intrigued. When Jihu finally concluded, there was a brief silence before a few students—mostly those who appreciated efficiency—started clapping.
Jihu handed the mic back and stretched lazily. "Cool, all done. Can I go now?"
The headmaster's lips curled into an almost-smile. "Dismissed."
Jihu exhaled in relief and casually stepped off the stage. He was about to slip away when—
"Jihu Kang, report to the Elder Council's office immediately after the assembly."
He froze mid-step.
The students gasped.
"The Elder Council?!" someone whispered.
"He must've done something insane! What did he do?!"
Jihu's mind was screaming. "What do they want with me? Did they already figure out I'm not a normal noble kid? Is this a trap?!"
With a forced grin, he waved to the crowd. "Uh, sure thing. I'll be right there!"
But the moment the assembly officially ended, Jihu did what he did best—sneaked the hell out of there.
—
To be continued…