After the battle bot assessments, the students were given a brief break before being escorted to their dormitory rooms. The air was filled with the hum of excited chatter and speculation about their rankings. Alex couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed. Tier D. He had never expected to be placed at the bottom of the ranks. But as he made his way to his room, thoughts of his ghoul abilities gnawed at him. He had to find a way to improve, to become stronger, or else he wouldn't survive in this academy.
The door to his dorm creaked open, revealing his new home for the foreseeable future. The room was small but cozy enough. Two beds, a shared desk, and a large window that showed a view of the academy grounds. It wasn't much, but it was enough for now.
As Alex was settling in, he noticed Kirito was already in the room, unpacking his things with a calm efficiency. Kirito didn't seem too bothered by his Tier D rank either. He was taking it in stride, not dwelling on the outcome like Alex had been doing.
Alex gave him a smile. "You did well out there during your assessment. Your sword technique was impressive."
Kirito turned, offering a small nod. "Thanks. It wasn't perfect, but I'll improve. Everyone has room to grow." His voice was calm and steady, not a hint of frustration in his tone. It was clear he didn't let something like a tier ranking bother him.
"I could barely keep up in my assessment," Alex admitted with a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "I thought I'd be stronger. But I guess I still have a lot to learn."
Kirito looked at him thoughtfully. "Strength isn't just about raw power. You have your own unique abilities. You're just starting to understand them. We all have to work on our weaknesses."
Alex was silent for a moment, considering Kirito's words. He still didn't fully understand his abilities, but he knew he had to get better. He wasn't about to let his halfling status hold him back.
Meanwhile, outside the dorm room, Miranda and Zane were having a conversation near the hallway. Zane, ever the popular figure, was surrounded by a small group of students who had clearly come to congratulate him on his impressive performance during the assessment.
Miranda, standing a little apart from the crowd, couldn't help but roll her eyes as she watched Zane play the role of the aloof celebrity.
"Zane, aren't you popular?" she called out, her voice full of playful sarcasm. "Don't you want to avoid talking to people like me or alex"
Zane turned toward her with a smirk. "I talk to whoever I want, Miranda. You know that. Besides," he added with a wink, "you are one of the few who actually doesn't fawn over me."
Miranda raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, that's exactly why I can't stand you sometimes."
Zane laughed, but it was a good-natured laugh. "You're no fun," he teased. "But fine, I'll leave these people behind. Let's head to the dorm. I'm sure Alex and Kirito are waiting for us."
As they walked toward their shared dormitory, Miranda couldn't help but notice how different Zane was when he wasn't in front of a crowd. His cocky persona faded, and he seemed almost... normal.
Back inside the dorm room, Alex was still deep in conversation with Kirito. The two of them had started talking about their experiences with their abilities and the struggles they had faced. Kirito shared his own frustrations about not being able to perform at his best during the assessment, despite his swordsmanship. He explained that his body wasn't quite fast enough to keep up with the precision his sword technique required.
"You're a skilled swordsman," Alex said, genuinely impressed. "You'll get better, I'm sure of it."
Kirito smiled slightly, his gaze calm but determined. "We'll see. But for now, we have a lot to work on."
The door suddenly swung open, and Miranda stepped in with Zane trailing behind her. She grinned when she saw Alex and Kirito talking.
"Hey, look who's bonding!" Miranda teased, taking a seat on one of the beds.
Zane walked in more slowly, his usual air of superiority not as pronounced now that they were alone. "You guys have settled in already, huh?" he said, glancing around the room. "Not bad for a dorm."
Kirito nodded in agreement. "It's simple, but it'll do."
Zane didn't say much more, but his presence was enough to fill the room with a strange tension, as though he didn't quite fit in with the other two. Miranda, noticing the subtle discomfort, decided to break the silence.
"So," she said, leaning back against the wall, "what's the plan for tonight? Are we all just going to mope about our rankings?"
Alex couldn't help but chuckle at her bluntness. "I guess that's one way to put it."
"Well, if you're not going to mope," Miranda continued, "how about we plan for tomorrow? We have a whole year ahead of us, right? Might as well start making some friends… or enemies, depending on how you look at it."
Zane smirked. "I don't need to make any enemies. They seem to find me on their own."
Miranda rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I bet. Anyway, you're not the only one here, Zane."
The room fell into a comfortable silence after that, with each person lost in their own thoughts.