I returned to my dorm, and not in a good mood. The weight of the day pressed down on my shoulders. Between the sparring with Nebula and that conversation with Amelia, my mind was spinning. Especially the latter. That left a bitter taste in my mouth.

I needed to freshen up.

Greeting Lilian and kicking off my boots, I made my way to the bathroom, letting the steam from the hot shower clear my head.

It felt nice. The water poured down, washing away the tension from my muscles, but my thoughts were still on the conversation earlier. I sighed. Her worries were visible, but she had basically said I shouldn’t expect any help from her if I got busted. Maybe it was dumb, but I was expecting some promise of help instead. Well, she has her own duties.

Just like I had mine.

There was no choice but to make my cult, not when the fate of my life, as well as the fate of the planet, rested on its creation. Even if it caused trouble, I couldn’t stop recruiting people. I couldn’t just start a cult and half-ass it. That’d ruin the point.

I stepped out of the shower, drying off quickly, the cool air of the room helping to reset my focus. Just as I wrapped the towel around my waist, there was a knock on the door.

"Lilian, could you get that?" I called out, knowing the maid was probably lurking somewhere nearby, as usual.

“I’m making your tea. Can’t you take it?” Lilian called from the kitchen.

“I’m almost naked,” I responded, hearing a grumble. Then her footsteps moved across the room. I expected her to open the door and retreat into her space like she usually did whenever guests came by back home, but this time was different.

The sound of the door creaking open was followed by a voice. "Iskandaar?"

I froze for a second. It was Solara. Why is she- ah right, the meeting. "Come in," I called out, quickly putting on pants. Lilian walked in, and Solara stepped behind her, her eyes sweeping over the space before landing on me. She raised an eyebrow at my shirtless state but didn’t comment on it.

“Young master, there’s a guest, can’t you be more modest?” Lilian said, holding back a cackle. At first, I didn’t mind if Lilian stayed around this time—her curiosity was getting the better of her, and honestly, there was nothing to hide—but her annoying remark made me reconsider. I shot her a glare as she looked away.

I grabbed a shirt from the nearby chair and pulled it on quickly, ignoring the two girls. When I was done, I looked at Solara. "I take it you're here for that," I said.

She nodded, her expression serious. "Yes. As promised, I wanted to try bringing out my wings. And then see if I can… fly."

"Good," I responded, motioning toward the center of the room. "How about you try it here? Spread your wings. The room’s big enough."

Solara looked at where I pointed and took a deep breath, stepping into the middle of the room. Lilian’s eyes glinted with curiosity as she leaned in a bit closer, interested in what was about to happen. I didn’t tell her to back off, it wasn’t dangerous. If she wanted to watch, I wasn’t going to stop her.

“Alright, then…” Solara stood still for a moment, closing her eyes and exhaling slowly. Then she looked at me, locking her gaze with mine. A silent question passed between us, and I nodded in encouragement.

Her wings burst out of her back with a suddenness that filled the room with light.

I heard Lilian gasp behind me, but I was too focused on Solara to pay attention. The wings were different this time, fuller in volume and more alive. They unfurled like the petals of a flower, the fiery glow brighter than before, casting flickering shadows around the room.

She stood there for a moment, breathing heavily. Her green eyes met mine, and her shaky lips curled up into a small grin. I smiled back. The sheer power of her wings seemed to fill her with renewed energy, and I couldn’t help but laugh as I watched her.

“They look gorgeous,” I said, walking over and gently touching her feathers. They were warm to the touch, flinching as I ran my finger over. She shivered a little as I observed her wings with interest. Can they really fly? I wondered, watching her clear her throat.

I think it felt tickling? Her face looked weird. I pulled back my hand and looked at her. “Ready?" I asked, already nudging her toward the balcony door.

She followed my gaze and swallowed her saliva.

Her eyes flicked toward the open doorway. She could see the drop below—two floors down to the courtyard. Not a big fall, but enough to make her hesitate. "I won’t fall… right?" she asked, her voice shaky despite the grin on her face.

"You won’t," I reassured her, pushing the door open wider. A true phoenix didn’t need to learn how to fly, she could just try and do it. "And even if you do, it’s not like a drop that small would kill you."

Solara took a deep breath, nodding as she stepped through the door. The cool night air hit her face, causing her wings to flutter slightly. She moved to the edge of the balcony, peering over the railing at the ground below. I could see the hesitation still lingering in her eyes, the fear of failing tugging at the back of her mind.

She took another breath… and jumped.

Solara plummeted toward the ground, face first, like a rock. For a second, my heart stopped. The wind caught her wings, but it wasn’t enough to slow her fall. She was going to—

Her wings snapped open with a loud whoosh, flapping against the air, and just before her face could meet the ground, she was flung back up into the sky. And she was flung fast.

I watched as she soared higher and higher, her laughter ringing out through the night. She rose above the buildings, towering over the grand expanse of the academy, the dozens of marble buildings. She looked like a little sun illuminating the world below.

Her wings caught the moonlight, and for the first time, I saw real joy in her eyes. She laughed, her voice echoing across the academy grounds, her face alight with pure exhilaration. She looked down at the world beneath her, then up at the sky above, and kept laughing, her wings carrying her higher, freer than she had ever been.

“Ha…hahaha!” She laughed, circling above me, looking at me. “I am flying! I- I did it! We did it!” She shouted at the top of her lungs, grinning down at me.

Lilian appeared beside me, handing over a glass of tea without a word. She stood quietly as I leaned against the balcony railing, sipping the tea, watching Solara conquer the sky.

"She looks happy," Lilian commented softly, her eyes following Solara’s flight.

"Yeah," I agreed, my voice low. I couldn’t help but smile as I watched her. She wasn’t just happy. She was alive, truly alive, for the first time in who knew how long.

The scenery was blissful. The only sound was her laughter, accompanied by the gentle breeze and the occasional flap of Solara’s wings as she danced through the air. I took another sip of tea, letting the moment stretch on. It wasn’t every day you got to see a Phoenix take to the skies for the first time.

…Seven Stars of the Heavenly Demon, I looked at her as I recalled the seven important characters from [Chronicles of the Heavenly Demon God]. The swords of the cult leader. How does the title Phoenix Star sound?

The night moved on, and I stayed where I was, watching the girl laugh and fly until the stars began to dot the sky.

****

The next morning came quickly, and before I knew it, we were walking toward the class building. The cool morning breeze was refreshing, and the sun peeked through the trees, casting long shadows on the academy grounds.

Nebula and Mirella were walking alongside Solara and I this time. Lilian, of course, tagged along as usual, though she and Mirella were about to split off toward their own duties.

We were mid-conversation when I saw someone waving at us from a distance. It was Riasmin. She jogged over, her fiery hair bouncing behind her, and flashed a small smile. "Morning,” she greeted, and then her eyes fell on Solara. “Solara… It was you last night, right?”

“Big sister Riasmin,” the girl stepped over and hugged my sister. Their red hair brushed against one another, although Solara’s carried a tint of orange. Riasmin laughed, hugging her back. Soon Solara canceled the hug and grinned, “It was me, yes. How’ve you been?”

“I’ve been great,” Riasmin said, opening her mouth before closing again. “Listen, girl, let’s catch up this evening, alright? I don’t want you to be late for your class.”

Solara nodded easily. As the girl who’d have been her sister-in-law if her brother was still alive, Solara found Riasmin really close to her. We also exchanged greetings with her, and she turned to me in silence. "What’s up?" I asked, curious about her timing.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Riasmin hummed. “I just wanted to drop by and apologize. I was supposed to attend your guys’ class today as a volunteer for your dungeon exploration, but…” she trailed off, scratching the back of her neck sheepishly. “My mentor gave me a sudden task, and I can’t get out of it. These old [Knights] are such a pain to argue with.”

Nebula froze for a second, her eyes widening. “Wait, dungeon exploration class?”

Riasmin blinked, and then her eyes widened too. “Oops!” She bit her tongue, realizing her slip-up. “I wasn’t supposed to say that. Shoot. It was supposed to be a surprise for the first-years. You guys pretend you didn’t hear that, alright?”

Nebula’s gaze shifted to me, and I could already see that her mind was racing. She took the Academy really seriously. I guess I should start doing the same, too. A dungeon class was something we’d normally be told about ahead of time—but Katheran liked to pull surprise tests. It was an event in the game, too.

“Hey wait,” I saw Lilian furrow her brows in confusion as she glanced at Riasmin. “Did you just say your mentor is a Knight? Why? You’re a mage?”

“Hmm?” Riasmin tilted her head, confused for a moment before she smiled again. “I’m not a Mage,” she corrected, placing a hand on her chest proudly. “I’m a Knight.”

Lilian’s face went slack for a second. "You’re a Knight? No way." she echoed, stunned, her ears twitching as she processed the information. She was probably recalling the gold sand incident before the orientation, which did seem like magic to normal people.

The rest of us didn’t react much. Solara looked at me, confused as to why my personal maid was so confused about common information. Everyone already knew that Riasmin was famous for her prowess as a Knight. Surprisingly, it was Iaskin who was a Mage. I’ll have to explain to Lilian about some stuff later on.

Riasmin giggled at the maid’s confusion. “You’re cute. Come complain to me if my brother tries to mess with you.

I shook my head, deciding to move away from this conversation. "Anyway if you can’t volunteer, what about Iaskin? Couldn’t he come today?"

Her smile faltered slightly, and she sighed. “Iaskin… has been acting really weird lately. Busy with stuff he avoids telling me about,” she said vaguely, shrugging her shoulders. There was something in her tone that made me pause. Her words weren’t as light-hearted as before.

My expression darkened. Does she suspect his affiliation with those people already? She’s sharp. Shit, I need to do something about Iaskin before it’s too late. I nodded, not wanting to push the subject.

“Anyways, you guys will be late. See you,” Riasmin waved and ran off. We waved at her. As the conversation wrapped up, Lilian and Mirella also exchanged quick goodbyes and parted ways, heading off toward their own maid school. That left me, Nebula, and Solara walking toward the classroom.

The walk was quiet, and Nebula looked tense. She worries too much about this stuff, I noted again. There was an air of anticipation, especially with the mention of the dungeon exploration class. To be fair, I should be on guard too. I had an odd feeling things could go wrong here. My instincts were telling me to be ready.

As we entered the classroom, we found our usual seats and settled in. Students were filing in one by one, most of them looking just as clueless as we were. The atmosphere was still casual—too casual.

It wasn’t long before our teacher, Professor Katheran, strolled into the room with his usual nonchalant attitude. With his sunglasses still on, he walked over to the front of the class without much fanfare.

“Morning, brats,” he said lazily, not even waiting for us to respond before launching into what he had to say. “Hope you guys didn’t eat anything heavy during breakfast. Barfing in the dungeon is always disgusting, from what I’ve observed.”

“Huh? Dungeon?” A collective murmur rippled through the room, the students exchanging confused glances.

“So she wasn’t joking…” Nebula’s head turned toward me, her brow furrowed. This dungeon thing was definitely news to everyone.

“It’s okay, Nebula, you’re strong,” Solara said. “I’ve been to a dungeon once, and while it can be dangerous, the ones regulated by the Academy can’t be deadly.”

“Depends on the dungeon. The Academy also has dangerous ones. But you’re right, we first years will definitely get a safe attempt,” I added, making the two girls consider my words.

As we turned back to the front, I felt something odd. A gaze. It wasn’t hostile, but it was unmistakable—someone was watching me. Not just casually glancing but fixating.

I had a feeling who it was. I didn’t turn to look, keeping my face neutral. My gut feeling might not have been a false call if it was who I guessed it was.

****

The class followed Professor Katheran outside, the murmur of footsteps and hushed conversations filling the air as we walked.

After a decently long walk, the pristine buildings of the academy gave way to something else, something older, more worn down. The building we approached was nothing like the grand, polished structures of the academy grounds. It looked ancient, its stone walls weathered and cracked, ivy creeping up the sides. It felt out of place here, like a relic from a forgotten era.

"This," Katheran began, gesturing toward the building with a lazy wave of his hand, as he approached the gate, “is an old dungeon. It used to be a school building a long time ago, until one day it turned into a dungeon after an… incident. Since then, it’s been used for training students for decades—maybe even longer than I’ve been alive.”

His sunglasses reflected the dim light as he continued. “Not that dangerous since it’s kept clean of deadly monsters regularly, but still enough to make some of you piss your pants. But don’t worry,” he added with a smirk. “You’ll be accompanied by help. I’ll be outside, relaxing."

Some students shifted nervously, while others glanced at each other with excitement. Dungeons were notorious for being unpredictable, even if they were maintained. And Katheran’s tone, as usual, didn’t exactly inspire confidence.

We reached the entrance, and passing the gate, we found a heavy, iron-clad basement door embedded into the ground. That was the door that led to the dungeon below.

Besides that, we found out what he meant by ‘help’ just now. Nine upperclassmen stood beside the door, waiting for us, each carrying a distinct air of experience and power.

They smiled as they watched us approach. Some of their postures relaxed, while some wore scary expressions. It was clear they knew their role in this little show, and it looked like they were enjoying it.

The whispers spread almost immediately among the first-years. Some of the girls admired the senior boys, while the guys seemed more focused on sizing up the female seniors. They all looked capable, and I could feel the subtle shift in the air as our class began to realize that one day, they, too, could earn that kind of aura around themselves.

There were barely any fourth-year students in that group, though. I did notice one of them, though. Someone important, with dark skin and light blonde hair tied in a long braid that fell over her white-and-blue uniform. She was a foreigner at first glance, with the insignia of a fourth-year student on her uniform, as a blue cape with golden lining fluttered from her shoulders. She was yawning when she paused, noticing me looking.

She tilted her head and shrugged. When she looked away, her eyes fell on Orion. Her casual expression changed, and a scowl crossed her features. She turned away quickly to avoid being noticed.

Zahra Al-Zahiri, the illegitimate daughter… of the Erebian Emperor. Although I doubted anybody else knew that here. She’d get in serious trouble if people found out.

Katheran clapped his hands once, breaking the murmurs. “By drawing lots, I’m going to divide you into groups of five,” he explained. “Each group will be assigned to one of these seniors who volunteered to guide you through the dungeon.”

He pulled out a box from under his arm, shaking it slightly. The sound of papers rustling inside filled the quiet courtyard. “Anybody up to volunteer?”

I felt a familiar sense of anticipation settle in my gut as he called for a volunteer to draw the lots. Without missing a beat, Calista Valenford raised her hand and stepped forward. I watched her closely as she walked up to the front, her face neutral but her movements precise, like someone who already knew the outcome.

A minute later, she dipped her hand into the box, pulling out a small slip of paper. Katheran nodded, allowing her to read the names.

“Nebula Carlstein,” she called first, and Nebula sighed. She definitely wasn’t expecting to be called at the very beginning. She looked at me and then soon stepped forward with her usual composed demeanor. Her eyes didn’t betray much emotion as she walked ahead, waiting for the rest of her group.

“...Orion Ethenar,” Calista went on, and I frowned. Orion stepped forward with a smirk. Soon, the names continued, one after another, and slowly, the first group was formed, totaling five.

Just like in the game, the other three members were Prince Alaric Roshmar, Princess Sathari Nezehra, and Edward Blackwood, who was some countryside Baron’s son. It bothered me a little that Nebula wasn’t on my team, but she’d be fine. There was an event in the game with this group in the dungeon, and luck and fate worked together to make it happen.

“Alright, who wants the Prince’s group?” Professor Katheran asked, looking at the seniors. Zahra Al-Zahiri raised her hand, as did a bunch of other nobles who wanted to impress the prince. The professor nodded at Zahra, “I’ll leave his group to you. Next.”

The group gathered around Zahra, who led them into the basement door, while Calista continued her name call. Each time five names were called, one of the seniors stepped forward, volunteering to lead that group into the dungeon.

I glanced at Solara beside me. Her lips were pressed together, her brows slightly furrowed as she watched the process unfold. She looked like she was really hoping to be grouped with me. We were both waiting, our names yet to be called.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Calista’s voice rang out again.

“Iskandaar Romani.”

I exhaled quietly and stepped forward.

“Solara Fenixia,” she added, and Solara joined me, giving me a sidelong glance that conveyed both relief and curiosity.

Then came the twist I had been waiting for.

“Calista Valenford.” Her own name. My eyes flicked toward her. I wasn’t really surprised, we were basically the only students remaining by now.

She looked at the professor, and he nodded. She took a step forward out of theatrics, her movements deliberate. Something about her demeanor was off, but I didn’t dwell on it. Lastly, two other students, Lucan Thorne and Elias Fendrel, completed our group. They looked relieved more than anything to be in the group with two recommended students. That made me feel relieved in turn. So not a part of Victor’s group.

By now, only one senior remained without a team. A third-year boy adorned in the usual uniform of Waybound students, with purple hair and an arrogant smirk that immediately set off alarms in my head. I recognized him from the game. Sevrin Nightshade, a pawn of Victor Seraph, the son of the Nightshade Viscount Household, who was a pawn of Duke Seraph. Generational lackey.

My gut wasn’t lying to me earlier. The way his eyes lingered on me as we gathered made it obvious. His smile widened just enough to show that he was enjoying this far too much.

This wasn’t a coincidence. There was a plan in motion, something brewing behind the scenes, and I was right in the middle of it.

“That’s Team 9,” Katheran, completely oblivious to the tension building in the air, made a note on his clipboard, ticking off names as if it were just another day. If he noticed, he didn’t care about the subtle machinations at play, nor did he care that this grouping had been engineered.

“Alright,” he said, dismissively waving his hand. “Get moving. Head into the dungeon. And try not to die. It’s a hassle explaining to the nobles why their kids didn’t make it back.”

“Don’t worry, teach,” Sevrin said, smiling. “I’ll make sure to protect them really well.” I met the purple-haired bastard’s gaze as we moved toward the basement door. His smirk only widened, a flicker of dark amusement in his eyes. I took another look at his Level.

[Level 65]

5th Ascension. Meaning he’s one of the better third-years… We made our way down into the basement, the air growing colder as the shadows swallowed us whole.

This wasn’t going to be easy.