The day after the trials, a messenger arrived at Caelum's inn just after sunrise.
Clad in the navy and silver uniform of the Eidaleon Imperial Academy, the envoy stood tall before presenting a sealed parchment engraved with a golden imperial crest.
"By order of the Imperial Academy," the envoy declared, "Caelum Virellian is hereby accepted into enrollment, effective immediately. Classification: Platinum Class. Dormitory and class details enclosed."
Caelum took the scroll without a word, nodding briefly. As the envoy departed, he cracked open the seal and scanned the letter:
Name: Caelum Virellian
Class: Platinum Class
Assigned Dormitory: Argent Hall
Adviser: Instructor Ardan Veyne, Exalted Tier
Orientation Time: First Bell, Grand Lecture Hall
Platinum, he thought, folding the letter. As expected.
Platinum Class was reserved for the elite — A-Tier potential and above. It attracted not only prodigies from noble lineages but also rare talents unearthed from distant provinces. The class came with superior resources, tougher trials, and close monitoring from top instructors.
But it didn't impress Caelum. If anything, it amused him.
Still the same class... The same people who became monsters.
Oh wait, I'm one of them.
Caelum chuckled then goes inside the inn while ignoring the mouths of the people nearby that are so wide open in surprise.
He returned inside the inn, ignoring the stunned gazes of nearby patrons. Inside his rented room, Caelum sat on the bed and examined the new uniform folded atop his bag.
This again…
He breathed in slowly and exhaled, clearing the unnecessary noise in his mind.
I should stop thinking about things currently beyond my reach.
I'll focus on getting every resource in this academy first.. arg fuck, I didn't even go outside this empire my last life?? So now I have to attend this academy..
He sigh as he cross-legged, he activated a personal technique from his past life — dual channeling, drawing both mana and aura simultaneously. Where others split paths, he filtered both energies together, circulating them in harmony. A practice unheard of in modern times.
Most would never even attempt such a thing.
But he wasn't most.
____
Next Day
The academy was a marvel even to those who had seen palaces. Sprawling gardens, mana-lit walkways, and floating towers stretching into the sky. The central plaza was bustling, filled with first-years sorting into their assigned classes.
Marble archways marked the class paths:
Bronze Class — E to Peak D Tier potentials
Silver Class — Low C Tier to Peak C Tier potentials
Gold Class — Low B Tier to Late B tier potentials
Platinum Class — Peak B Tier and above potentials
Caelum walked beneath the arch for Platinum, drawing a few looks from already-uniformed students.
"That's him, right? The crystal-breaker?"
"Caelum… something. From a fallen house?"
"Who cares about that? If he's Platinum, then he's dangerous. So shut up"
He ignored them.
He wasn't here to entertain curiosity or silence doubt.
The Platinum Lecture Hall was impressive even by noble standards. Mana-lined marble shimmered subtly beneath polished stone floors. Floating chandeliers glowed with soft blue light. Runes etched into the walls pulsed like a heartbeat — feeding the resonance array built into the foundation.
Caelum took a central seat.
From his peripheral vision, he noticed a few new arrivals.
A silver-haired girl entered silently, her gaze cool and unreadable. She wore her uniform like it was armor, and her posture was flawless.
Selene Rhiannon, Princess of Myrielle. One of the few who reached S-Tier power before the war in Caelum's previous life. Her ice magic had once frozen an entire battalion.
She passed Caelum without a glance, taking a seat two rows behind him.
"Some of them are already watching each other," Caelum thought. "They sensed it. This class isn't ordinary."
Another student strode in with casual confidence. Flame-like strands of golden hair, a fiery gleam in his eyes. The moment he stepped through the doors, the temperature seemed to rise.
Zephyr Arkwyn, Prince of Solmere. A wild card. Ruthless, impulsive, and deadly in his domain. His flame domain could melt barriers and leave battlefields in ruin.
He gave Selene a brief smirk as he walked past, then paused when his eyes met Caelum's.
"...Huh. Never seen you before," he muttered under his breath.
Zephyr took a seat diagonally across, resting a foot on his desk as if he owned the room.
The next to enter was cloaked in quiet shadows — quite literally. Her black uniform seemed to blend into the ambient light, and even her footsteps made no sound.
Elandra Voss, heiress to the Voss Apothecaries. Venom arts, shadow spells, and later... spirit affinity. Feared as the 'Silent Thorn' in Caelum's previous life.
She took the furthest back seat, her eyes scanning the hall once, briefly stopping on Caelum.
Caelum noticed her gaze but didn't return it. Instead, he glanced once toward the entrance.
Draven Thorne and Iryss Valcairn entered next.
Draven walked like a ghost — tall, black-haired, and silent. His movements were clean, refined, and eerily efficient. An aura user, once infamous for his blade domain.
Iryss, in contrast, looked like a walking storm of curiosity. Starfire-blue eyes and a lively stride. She practically hummed with mana, her affinity already noticeable even to untrained senses.
"They're all here." Caelum noted.
The bell rang with a deep, magical chime.
Silence followed as the doors opened once more.
Instructor Ardan entered, his presence commanding attention without effort. Tall, with golden hair tied back and eyes that burned like emerald fire, he stood at the center of the room.
"I am Ardan Veyne," he announced, "Exalted-Tier combatant and adviser to the Platinum Class."
There was no applause. Only silence and anticipation.
"You were chosen because you possess the potential to change this world. But potential is not power. Potential is weight. And your shoulders must grow strong enough to bear it."
"For today though, we will only review the power system of the empire."
He raised his hand, and a glowing glyph hovered mid-air. It unfolded into a cascading diagram — the Resonance Tier System.
Resonance Tiers
E – Awakener: Entry-level. Basic energy manipulation.
D – Channeler: Stable flow. Low-tier spells and body enhancement.
C – Resonator: Personalized styles. Energy begins responding to will.
B – Ascender: Manifestation. Aura fields, mana domains, early control.
A – Breaker: Battlefield dominators. Domain breakers. Tier of war captains.
S – Exalted: Legendary. Empire defenders. Rare and revered.
SS – Crowned: Nation-founders. Forces of calamity.
??? – Primordial: Connected to the Origin. Believed only in myth.
Each tier has sub-ranks: Low, Mid, High, and Peak. Advancement is not just about raw power — but control, resonance, and purpose.
Ardan let that linger before adding, "Platinum Class is the forge. If you are S-Tier in potential, you are expected to reach Exalted or break trying."
He glanced around.
"Some of you are already D-Tier. Others, still E. But make no mistake — even an Awakener can outshine a Channeler… if they learn properly."
A few students straightened at that.
"Tier B – Ascender. They're rare, even among high-ranking nobles or fourth-year students. Anyone who reaches this level already possesses enough power to wipe out an entire village."
He let the weight of those words settle before continuing.
"Tier A – Breaker. These individuals operate on a national level. There might be only three to five in an entire kingdom, though our Empire has more than a few. They can shatter domains and raze entire cities. Most of them serve as generals, elite magi, or heirs of powerful noble houses."
As the explanation ended, a student near the back cautiously raised his hand. Instructor Ardan gave a nod, signaling for him to speak.
"Instructor, why are you only explaining Tier B and above?" the student asked.
Ardan blinked, as if genuinely puzzled by the question. Then, with a slight scoff, he replied,"Huh? Why would you even bother caring about those weaker than you?"
The student awkwardly sank back into his seat, as if realizing he had just asked something foolish.
Caelum smirked faintly, remembering just how ambitious Instructor Ardan had always been. And why wouldn't he be? He had every right to be confident—after all, he was an S-Tier Legend. An Exalted.
Ardan's tone deepened as he continued his lecture.
"Tier S – Exalted. These are legends on an empire-wide scale. Maybe ten to fifteen exist across the Empire, including powerful warriors, archmages, or those whose names are carved into history. Since this is the Empire's premier academy—the place where future pillars are forged—some Exalted are stationed here as protectors. Their role is not just to teach, but to defend... should something ever threaten us from beyond."
He let the words linger, his eyes sweeping across the class with heavy meaning.
"Tier SS – Crowned," he said, slower now.
"This level is reserved for only one or two individuals per empire. They are not soldiers. They are deterrents. Living calamities. The only publicly acknowledged Crowned in our Empire is none other than His Majesty—the Emperor himself."
A hush fell over the room. Even the proudest nobles quieted.
Caelum's face remained still, but a faint shadow crossed his gaze.
The Crowned tier… They talk like it's the peak. Like the Emperor is some untouchable legend.
His jaw tightened slightly.
The Empire that praises strength turned on me the moment it was convenient. Even the gods—those arrogant parasites—tried to bend me to their will when they couldn't break me.
A cold breath left his lips, barely audible.
I didn't fall because I was weak.
I fell because I trusted them.
He looked back toward the front of the class, eyes calm but distant.
Ardan broke the silence with a sharp exhale and crossed his arms.
"Let me say this now," he said. "Tier B might sound like a stepping stone to greatness, but even reaching that level is rare. Very rare."
His voice grew heavier.
"So what if someone has talent? So what if they have potential?" he scoffed. "I've seen dozens of gifted youths with 'great futures'—dead before twenty. Killed in real battle. Devoured by ambition. Or worse, broken by failure."
He leaned slightly forward.
"Only those who are truly special… truly monstrous… ever push past Tier B. The rest?" He tapped the side of his head. "Forgotten. Potential means nothing if you don't survive to realize it."
A few students visibly swallowed their pride.
Instructor Ardan folded his arms.
"You will train. You will fight. You will also learn the truths buried beneath politics, titles, and family crests. And if you survive, you may rise."
"Dismissed. Go and check your dorm assignments, and return here tomorrow for orientation drills."
The Platinum Class was small — barely a dozen students. Only those with confirmed Peak B-Tier potential or higher were admitted, and even then, only after intense scrutiny. In a school filled with ambition and arrogance, the Platinum Class wasn't just respected — it was revered. Students from other classes might challenge them, but never lightly. To stand among them meant you were more than gifted.
As students stood and began moving out, Caelum remained seated for a moment longer.
So many names. So many stories waiting to happen.
But this time, he'd be there before they rose — not after.
And maybe… this time, things would end differently.