Leon set his alarm for 6:30 AM. Earlier than usual, but the assembly started at 8:00 and he wanted time to prepare properly.

  Noah was already asleep, breathing deeply from his bed. Leon turned off his desk lamp and lay down, trying to quiet his mind.

  He closed his eyes and waited for sleep.

  Morning came quickly. The alarm pulled Leon from a dreamless sleep. He sat up, rubbing his face, and noticed Noah was already moving around.

  "You're up early," Leon said.

  "Couldn't sleep well. Kept thinking about today." Noah was pulling on his uniform. "You?"

  "Same."

  They got ready in relative silence, both lost in their own thoughts. By 7:15, they were heading down to the cafeteria for breakfast.

  The dining hall was more crowded than usual for this hour. Students filled the tables, conversations buzzing with nervous energy. Everyone was talking about the assembly, speculating about what would be announced.

  Jay and Emma were at their usual table, but they looked rushed, barely touching their food.

  "Morning," Leon said as he and Noah sat down.

  "Hey." Jay glanced at his phone. "We can't stay long. Need to get to the assembly hall early."

  "Why so early?" Noah asked.

  "Want to get decent seats." Emma stood up, grabbing her tray. "See you guys there."

  They left quickly, leaving Leon and Noah to eat in relative quiet. Around them, the cafeteria continued its anxious hum.

  After finishing, they headed out. The hallways were filling with students.

  They were almost at the dorm exit when someone nearby spoke up. "Hey! Some D3 student is waiting outside the gate for someone."

  Leon and Noah exchanged glances but continued outside.

  Sure enough, standing just beyond the dorm entrance was Alvin. He was leaning against the wall, checking his phone, looking completely relaxed.

  When he saw them, he straightened. "Leon. Noah."

  They stopped. "Alvin," Leon acknowledged.

  "Come with me."

  Noah frowned. "Where are we going?"

  "You'll see."

  "The assembly is starting soon," Leon said. "We need to get to the auditorium."

  "We're going to the auditorium. Just taking a different route." Alvin was already walking. "Come on."

  Leon and Noah followed, keeping a few steps behind. They joined the flow of students heading toward the main campus, but Alvin led them on a slightly different path, taking a side street that ran parallel to the main route.

  Noah leaned closer to Leon, whispering, "Do you think he just didn't want to walk alone? Maybe he doesn't have friends to go with?"

  Leon suppressed a smile, the image of the usually composed Alvin being lonely enough to recruit them as walking companions was oddly amusing.

  The auditorium came into view—a massive building that could hold thousands. Students were streaming through the main entrance, security checking IDs at the doors.

  But Alvin walked past the main entrance, leading them around the side of the building to a smaller structure nearby. Modern architecture, lots of glass and steel. A sign read: "Conference Center."

  "Wait, where are we going?" Noah asked.

  "I told you. You'll see."

  At the entrance, a security guard stepped forward. "Student IDs."

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  They all pulled out their cards. The guard scanned Alvin's, then looked at Leon and Noah's.

  "D rank students aren't permitted in this building."

  "We are guests," Alvin said. "Conference room 17H."

  The guard checked something on his tablet, then nodded. "Confirmed. But based on your inviter's status designation, you're restricted to the second floor only. Third floor and above are prohibited."

  "Understood," Alvin said.

  They entered. The interior was sleek, high-tech in a way that the D region buildings weren't. Everything was polished surfaces and clean lines. Digital displays showed room numbers and directions.

  What caught Leon's attention immediately was the elevator system. Multiple elevators lined the wall, but each one was marked differently.

  "Elevator 1: First Floor Only"

  "Elevator 2: Second Floor Only"

  "Elevator 3: Third Floor Only"

  Guards stood stationed at each elevator bank.

  "Why are they separated like that?" Noah asked quietly.

  "Security," Alvin said, heading toward Elevator 2. "Each floor has different clearance requirements. Easier to control access this way."

  They rode up to the second floor in silence. The doors opened to a corridor with numbered conference rooms. Alvin led them to one marked 17H.

  He pressed the intercom button. "It's Alvin."

  A girl's voice came through, soft and warm. "Finally! Come in, come in."

  The door unlocked with a soft click. Alvin pushed it open.

  Inside was a conference room that looked more like a comfortable lounge. Leather sofas arranged around a low table. A massive screen on the far wall showing a live feed of the auditorium interior. Two people were already there.

  A girl sat on one sofa, relaxed posture, friendly expression. Her student badge showed C2. Opposite her, a guy with a more serious demeanor sat reviewing something on a tablet. His badge read C3.

  "Alvin!" The girl stood up, her voice gentle and affectionate. "You made it. And these are the kids you mentioned?"

  "Yes." Alvin gestured to them. "Leon Ashford and Noah Clove. Both D4, first years."

  The girl smiled at them, the kind of smile that immediately put people at ease. "I'm Leah Crest, second year, C2 rank. This is my assistant, Nick Wilson, also second year, C3."

  Assistant Nick gave them a brief nod of acknowledgment, then returned to his tablet.

  Leon and Noah both automatically bowed their heads slightly, unsure how to address someone of such high rank.

  "Oh, there's no need to be so formal!" Leah said, laughing softly. "Please, sit down. Make yourselves comfortable."

  They sat, though comfort felt impossible. Leon's mind was racing. Why were they here? What did a C2 student want with two D4s?

  Noah apparently had the same thought. "I'm sorry, but... why did you bring us here?"

  Leah's expression remained gentle. "I'll explain everything later. For now, let's focus on the assembly. It's about to start."

  Nick looked up from his tablet, his expression grim. "I still can't believe the council is actually proceeding with this monstrous tournament."

  The word "council" triggered something in Leon's memory. During orientation, there had been a brief mention of a student council alongside the academy faculty and administration. But no details had been provided.

  Noah spoke up carefully, his tone polite. "Are you referring to the student council? Are they responsible for decisions like this tournament?"

  Nick's expression turned serious. "The Student Council isn't just some advisory board. It's—"

  "Nick, let me," Leah interrupted gently. She turned to Leon and Noah, her friendly demeanor shifting slightly to something more... instructive. "The Valorian Academy Board of Council is the highest authority in this institution. Not the faculty, not the directors, not even the academy chairperson. The council."

  Leon leaned forward slightly. "But it's made up of students?"

  "Not just any students," Nick said. "Only A1 and A2 rank students can be council members. A1 students serve as Primary Council Members with ultimate decision-making power. A2 students are Secondary Council Members with advisory and voting rights."

  "Everything that happens in this academy—every rule, every policy, every major decision—goes through them," Leah continued. Her voice was still soft, but there was weight behind it now. "Even the faculty cannot oppose their decisions. The council has absolute authority."

  Noah looked stunned. "Students have more power than the actual administration?"

  "That's how this academy works," Alvin said quietly. "It's always been this way."

  "The council currently has four A1 members and six A2 members," Leah added. "Ten people who effectively control everything that happens here."

  "And they approved this tournament?" Leon asked.

  "They didn't just approve it," Nick said darkly. "They designed it. This whole thing is a council initiative."

  Before anyone could respond, the massive screen on the wall flickered. The live feed of the auditorium sharpened. The camera showed the interior filling with students—thousands of them, organized into sections.

  Leon could see the clear divisions. The front sections, closest to the stage, had comfortable seating with good lighting. Those were labeled for C3 students. Behind them, progressively less comfortable sections for D1, D2, D3, and finally D4 at the very back. The worst seats, the furthest from the stage, cramped and poorly lit.

  "There's Jay and Emma," Noah said, pointing at the screen. They were visible in the D4 section, near the back.

  "Why are only D and C3 students there?" Leon asked, scanning the crowd. "Where are the higher ranks?"

  Alvin answered. "You won't see them at assemblies like this. Higher ranks were only at orientation because it's the one event where all students start equal—everyone's a freshman. Otherwise, B and A rank students don't attend general assemblies. They get information through private briefings."

  "It's actually very difficult to even see students in the B ranks," Leah added. "And A ranks? Most students go their entire time at Valorian without ever meeting one in person."

  "But they still control everything," Nick muttered.

  "It's starting," Leah said softly.

  The room fell silent. Everyone's attention fixed on the screen.

  The dean tapped the microphone. The sound echoed through the auditorium, and the crowd noise began to die down.

  "Good morning, students," the dean's voice came through clearly, amplified by the screen's speakers. "Thank you for your attendance. This assembly has been called to announce a significant event