"The Ascension Academy, as most would love to believe or are told, is in Grade B, no?" The voice rang through the mini-living room space, where sofas were arranged in a circular format.
The True Ten Ultima Geniuses were taking their seats, and at the centre stood none other than Sir Kierna, an astral holograph projected in front of his face.
"But the Ascension Academy is actually not located in Grade B. You all might see the little academy space stationed in Grade B, but that isn’t the true Ascension Academy."
"That is just where they conduct mini-tests and experiments, serving as a connection point to Grade B."
"They have these bases all over the city grades."
"The true Ascension Academy is actually located in Grade A." Sir Kierna declared, causing some of the students to gasp in shock.
Grade A!?
That was the most secretive grade, where almost no geniuses knew a single thing about it—only that it was the best of the best City Grades.
"This plane is currently moving at a speed of Mach 10, and for that reason, it should take us at least 10 hours to arrive at the academy airspace. That’s almost a half-day journey..."
’And hopefully, we don’t face any complications from flying beasts along the way...’ Sir Kierna completed in his thoughts.
"There are a total of ten rooms around this place, and each of you can choose one to stay in for the next 10 hours. It has everything you’ll need temporarily."
"And a personal piece of advice from me: if possible, try and make a friend amongst yourself."
"You all could be faced with another test the second you arrive at the academy, or find yourselves in a situation where it is you ten against the remaining ten geniuses from other families."
"It will do you all good if you’re well aware of your abilities and potential, and not irked by each other’s presence. The other family geniuses will use that against you."
"And speaking of being irked by others’ presence, I’m speaking of you, Darius, and Alaric!" Sir Kierna stated, his gaze thinning as the eerie geniuses turned to look at two others.
One of them was a genius with long dark hair and a weird blade mark coursing down his left eye, making him look scary, even though he seemed to be quite a handsome guy, if not for the scar.
He was Darius Crescent, and to Ryuk, ’He was the one who had carved up Quinn.’
The other guy had silver hair, a cold aura surrounding his body, and his expression was as frosty as ice.
He was none other than Alaric Frostshard, the one Ryuk remembered Quinn had described as being able to control ice just like himself.
"Huuuuh?" Darius’s thick voice echoed through the room as he raised an eyebrow at Sir Kierna, while Alaric’s expression didn’t change at all.
"Both of you, throughout the entire duration of the test, have never been noticed associating with another person in a normal way."
"One of you never even talked to a single genius for six months straight, while the other finds joy in performing wicked deeds."
"You must remember to throw this attitude away and get to know at least one person. It will be you against the other family geniuses. You cannot come across as divided."
"You’ll all be getting to know each other! Do you understand?" Sir Kierna said, as the students merely forced out a faint "uhh" from their noses.
"This service is in the name of the Devilish Fallen Family! Now, do you all understand?"
"Yes, Sir!" They all said at the same time, even Alaric opened his frosty lips and gave a "yes" in reply.
To the weird scene of the students who weren’t interested suddenly becoming enthusiastic, Ryuk raised an eyebrow.
’When simply ordered, they simply forced out half-hearted yeses."
"But once the name of the Fallen Family was added, their entire demeanour immediately changed, and they suddenly became filled with life.’
’So, this is what loyalty to the Fallen Family looks like...’ Ryuk silently thought to himself as Sir Kierna gave a good-natured nod before leaving the room.
Now it was just the ten students left together, and the one who received the most attention was none other than Ryuk.
The entire Fallen genius group, except for Morgaine, bore threatening gazes into him, and Ryuk could swear if gazes were knives, he would have been diced to pieces.
"Um—"
"YOOHOO!"
The loud, echoing voice broke through the deadly stares as all the geniuses turned their heads to the side, where a lanky-looking Fallen boy with short silver hair could be seen.
He arrested Ryuk’s attention due to the most eye-catching thing about him, which was none other than the blindfold over his eyes.
"It’s you again, Eryth!" The one who spoke out was none other than Darius in his thick, scary voice as the blindfolded boy turned his attention to him.
"Oh, Darius, my good friend! How’s life been hitting you? Hard or fairly hard, hehe..."
"I’m not your friend, you bastard! And life will be hitting you pretty hard soon, once I get my hands on you!" Darius spat out in anger, while the other couldn’t help but giggle loudly.
It seemed both of them had a little skirmish every now and then.
"Well then, good luck in being able to catch me."
"Since we have all been necessitated to introduce ourselves with the Fallen Name, then I will be the first. As you all know..."
"I am none other than the sovereignty-named Eryth Caelum from the Lost and Most Powerful Family of the Midnight Spires!"
"Our godly and unrivalled ability is our teleportation and—"
"Hold it there! The Midnight Spires is not the most powerful Lost family," a genius instantly interrupted Eryth’s grand motion, huffing.
"More like the hardest to catch family..." another genius bit in, causing Eryth’s expression to drop.
Ryuk watched as Eryth suddenly faded away from his seat, and in the next instant, he stood before the genius who made the "hard to catch" comment.
"And what about youAreal? Your damn Shadow Family, even with your weird-ass shadow abilities, you still can’t catch me? Huh?"
"So Shut the fuck up and don’t interrupt my grand introduction, you four-eyed schmuck!"