CHAPTER 48: A FAILURE [1]

The Next day.

Leon gazed outside the window from the lecture hall. After waking up from his eight-day coma, Leon finally decided to attend all the lectures starting today.

Leon was a research scholar, which already gives him the privilege of bunking classes and not getting his credit points deducted.

But Leon didn’t want to risk it. Because that privilege comes with a price.

To make up for those ’class-bunks’ Leon would have to provide some worthwhile research to earn himself [Credit Points].

’I’m not in the mood for doing any research.’

That would be time-consuming.

"..."

The day outside was clearer than yesterday, as Leon saw a few labourers repairing the roofs.

’Eula hasn’t reached out to me yet.’

The half-crumbled monuments reminded him of Eula, who was supposed to grant Leon a position in the Twilight Order after the fight.

But she hadn’t contacted him since the day he lost consciousness.

’Wait...’

A sudden memory flashed in the back of his mind. In his memory, he recalled himself falling, then losing consciousness, followed by Eula catching him, and then slapping his face continuously.

A vein popped on his head.

’Eula... one day, I’ll return every single slap with interest.’

Shifting his gaze to his side, he saw Ethan, who was busy scribbling in his notebook.

’What a weirdo.’ Leon clicked his tongue inaudibly.

The class hadn’t started yet, so what note was he taking?

Leon had no idea.

Glancing at his note, he saw a few passages written on it.

Without controlling his curiosity, he finally asked.

"Hey, what are you even writing?"

"A report." Ethan replied.

Leon, blinking, asked.

"On what?"

Ethan narrowed his eyes.

"Don’t play dumb. I’m sure that your brain figured it out the moment you saw me scribbling like a madman."

It was true. Leon had already pieced it together.

Still, he sneered and said, "Haha, so the king must’ve been rough on you, huh?"

Ethan sighed.

"He ordered me to write down everything that happened that night and submit a report."

Leon’s eyes narrowed knowingly.

"You mentioned the Twilight Order?"

"I had to," Ethan muttered. "I told him I got an anonymous message that lured me to Shinra that night, where I ended up encountering Lucian. I twisted the story so that all suspicion would fall on the Twilight Order."

Leon nodded, impressed.

"Smart. That way, they’ll believe it was the Twilight Order that dragged you into this game. Very clever."

"Pretty much."

"Hmm," Leon thought, before adding, "and the king believed all that?"

Ethan grinned a little before saying.

"He has to, after all, this incident happens to involve me."

But Ethan didn’t look pleased with the praise. He remembered that kind woman from the Twilight Order, the one who told him herself to throw their name around if he needed to.

Using her words like a shield left a sour taste in his mouth.

Lowering his voice even more, Ethan asked,

"Tell me this... are you acquainted with them?"

Leon paused for a second, then smirked.

"I might have... and I might not."

Ethan didn’t press, "heh, look at you."

Leon knew that Ethan wouldn’t snitch to anyone.

Still, Ethan leaned closer and whispered.

"Then at least tell me... what skill did you use to press that Primordial? Was it a unique skill?"

Landing a blow on a Primordial wasn’t something just anyone could do. Yet Leon had gone beyond the laws.

"Yes," Leon admitted calmly. "I used a unique skill. That’s all I can say."

’It’s crazy. I wonder how far I could take it with him?’

Ethan had his own reasons for not forcing Leon to spill everything. If he pushed too hard, Leon would simply do the same.

For now, Leon decided not to disturb him before the professor arrived.

’I need to choose my subjects today as well.’ While pondering, his gaze shifted to the second row diagonally ahead. A boy with blonde hair and brown eyes sat there, and beside him, Alice sat with her arms crossed.

He instantly recognised the boy.

’Cyan Miller?’

One of the main characters of the game.

Born a commoner, Cyan would befriend Ethan during the upcoming ’Class Allotment Test’. A natural-born genius with Fire Affinity, he was destined to become the renowned ’Flame Master’.

Handsome, popular, and gifted, he had always been a centre of attention among the girls besides Ethan.

Leon frowned slightly. He hadn’t even noticed Cyan was here until now.

’Well, the Class Allotment Test hasn’t happened yet.’

The curriculum at Eclipse was far harsher than at most other Magic and Arts academies across the globe. In their very first week, they held the [Class Allotment Test].

It was the test that decided where each student belonged.

With nearly 2,000 candidates enrolled in the first year across multiple departments, it was impossible for the staff and professors to monitor every individual closely.

And mixing a less talented student with geniuses would only crush him.

That was why Eclipse had established its class ranking system—

Class F through Class S.

There will be a total of six classes each year.

Class S, the pinnacle, took only 100 students. Classes A and B admitted 200 each, while Classes C through F steadily increased to 500 seats apiece.

The design wasn’t just about prestige, but it also allowed the professors to properly track both the gifted and those who needed more work.

And as written in the game’s story, every popular character, including the main cast, would end up in Class S.

Meanwhile, Leon Valentine, with his trash-tier stats and skills, was originally meant to fall into Class D.

But things had changed.

’If I want to keep an eye on the game’s plot, I need to stay close to the main characters.’

That meant getting into the top 100.

Resting his chin on his hand, Leon looked around the room.

’Rinna, Alice, Cyan, and Ethan.’

These four made up the main cast of the first year in Eclipse.

Leaning back in his chair, he lifted his chin and made up his mind.

’I’ll get into the top ten.’

.

.

[A/N] : We won WPC 2025, thanks for the support! And For the 2 days gap, I was hospitalized, and had to undergo treatment, anyways, now that I am fine, I will be back on regular updates.