In a class filled with teenagers, a boy in a black uniform stood at the front, giving a presentation on the 'safe dissection of silver-scaled wolves.'
A hexagram insignia hung from the left shoulder of his uniform, marking him as one of the elite. When the presentation ended, the boy returned to his seat—at the far right corner of the middle bench among the three front-row benches.
Over a hundred students filled the room. With projectors and desk-mounted screens, they learned through presentations, animations, and live discussions with professionals—many of whom were ATP alumni now excelling in various careers.
The presenter was none other than Cain, now only a few months away from turning fifteen. Alongside him, on the other front-row benches, sat few of the most brilliant teenagers in the academy—including the top three scions of EmberWake from their batch.
Next to him was a slender, pretty girl with blond hair and blue eyes. Her name was Delilah, one of Cain's few friends at the academy. Unlike the invisible wall Cain felt between himself and most students, Delilah—an orphan like him—made him feel at ease. Around her, he didn't have to hide.
All nine students sitting in the three front-row desks bore the hexagram insignia—a symbol of exceptional merit.
This class, designated G-1, consisted of the elite students in the current batch of the General Studies course at the Academy of Technological Progress (ATP). After spending three years in the foundational curriculum, students could select from specialized courses designed to train them for critical roles in the vast national machinery of Dzonal.
Nearly 80% of ATP students took longer than three years to complete the foundation course. The journey of becoming one of the nation's top minds was grueling.
Unlike other departments, General Studies had no dedicated professors. No regular alumni visits. Instead, the class was directly overseen by the Headmistress herself.
Each week brought a new agenda, and every month, students were sent in teams to research institutes and even NDMEA to familiarize themselves with how major organizations operated. These included site visits, fieldwork, and observation of management practices.
If students impressed the authorities, they might be invited to intern or apprentice. A successful internship often led to early recruitment offers—even before graduation. The hexagram insignia marked these students as paragons—those who embodied what the academy stood for.
Cain had earned his hexagram during his internship at EmberWake. The scions, however, earned theirs through work at NDMEA and the Wormwood Research Institute.
***
Later, Cain, Delilah, and Derick—one of the EmberWake scions—were having lunch in the cafeteria. Derick and Cain weren't exactly friends, but Delilah bridged the gap between them. While Derick didn't flaunt the arrogance of wealth, his manners revealed the pride of someone who always excelled.
With green eyes and neatly combed brown hair, Derick animatedly spoke of his experiences at NDMEA: training with war-robots, acing strategic simulations, and the thrill of mock battles near the Western Front. At one point, he even admitted he'd briefly regretted choosing ATP over NDMEA.
Cain listened quietly. Soon, he, Derick, Delilah, and others would visit the Western Front on a field trip—a region bordering Dzonal's western perimeter, where wars raged between nations, rogue beast tribes, and even monsters.
Silver-scaled wolves, dominant among the abominable beasts of the northwestern borders, were just one of many dangers that roamed the area.
This would be Cain's first journey far beyond the concrete sprawl of Dzonal's central cities.
***
In quieter moments, Cain and Delilah spent time in ATP's Central Library, one of the largest surviving sanctuaries of paper books in Dzonal. While Cain usually preferred the smooth scrolling of a tablet screen, the tactile awkwardness of turning real pages felt oddly pleasant when shared with Delilah.
They didn't get much leisure, but when they did, they often ended up beside each other. And though neither said it aloud, Cain believed she felt the same comfort in his presence that he did in hers. Over time, the scent of paper had come to remind him of her.
***
A week later, Cain and a select group of students were scheduled to depart for the Western Front. Alongside Cain were Delilah, Derick, Casper—another EmberWake scion—and about a dozen others. Most of their names Cain didn't even know.
Their safety and logistics were entrusted to the 42nd Battalion of the SDFD—the Self-Defense Force of Dzonal.
Every able-bodied Rank One citizen between 18 and 21 was required to serve two years in the military.
Graduates from NDMEA often went on to become commissioned officers. Many were recruited even before completing their education, trained directly on the front lines.
Some ATP graduates entered the military too—as engineers, combat medics, and military doctors. A few even rose to the rank of officer through grit and service.
The scions of EmberWake, by law, were exempt from compulsory military service, All of them were Rank Two citizens.Yet, since the founding of Dzonal, their families had always had a presence in the military—serving as officers.
EmberWake was also the principal weapons manufacturer of Dzonal.
This field trip was meant to expose Cain and the others to the raw edge of national defense.
But fate had other plans.
Accidents would occur. Derick and Cain would grow closer. But young Cain had no idea yet—
—that Derick was meant to become his enemy.
***
During the field trip, Cain and Derick grew closer. Both had a natural talent for piloting war machines and shared a quiet thrill for strategic simulations—scenarios that reminded Cain of lifelike video game ads he'd seen as a child, though this felt far too real.
Cain and Delilah spent long hours studying the unique ecosystem—rare alpine plants, small endangered mammals, birds that mimicked human voices. They even dissected the corpse of a silver scaled wolf prepared by the 42nd Battalion, its musculature fascinating and grotesque.
In the final week, students were to pilot war machines across the rough terrain near the northeastern foot of the TianShan mountains. Not quite the border, but close. That's when tragedy struck. No one from ATP died, but most of the 42nd Battalion did and Cain vanished for two weeks.
When he was found, he was barely conscious, face half-melted, body covered in scars. Most of it was a blur—except the memory of Kasper forcing himself on Delilah. Cain's rage. The fight. Acid hurled at him. Derick arriving just in time… but only telling Kasper, "Stop being a disgrace to EmberWake ." before taking him away. No anger,No remorse. Wasn't Cain supposed to be Derick's friend.
Cain was left alone in a tent with Delilah sitting by his side, her face pale and terrified.
"I'm sorry," she began, voice trembling. "I should've—"
"Don't worry," Cain whispered, managing a smile. "My face doesn't hurt that much. My eye still burn a little, but… the skin doesn't."
Delilah stared, wide-eyed, guilt pooling in her expression… then a bit of shock—shock because half of Cain's face seems to be melting, yet he was relaxed.
She opend her mouth to say something but before she could—screams erupted.
Gunfire rattled. A soldier shouted: "M!I!S!" — Monsters in sight.
That was the last thing Cain remembered.