Chapter 6: introduction(2)
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Kai stood among the crowd of first-years, arms loosely crossed, eyes flicking across the room.
He already didn't like the energy.
The way people talked—loud, hopeful, clueless. It made his skin crawl. There was too much optimism. Too much pride. Most of them were standing around like they'd just walked into some magical fairytale where effort always paid off, where they'd make friends, form teams, unlock some ancient spell and have a shiny moment of glory.
Kai had read the novel. He knew what happened to people like that.
They were cannon fodder. Cut down in group tests. Burned alive in duels. Quietly replaced between Chapters with better, stronger, more plot-relevant students. No one mourned them. No one even noticed they were gone.
The woman at the podium waited just long enough for the chatter to settle. She had the patience of a professional—or a predator.
And then she smiled.
A little too wide. A little too rehearsed.
Like she was about to say something she'd memorized, but still enjoyed watching the fallout every time.
Kai already knew what she was going to say, and yet he still felt his head throb when the words started to flow.