The sun cast its golden light over the grand spires of the Academy of Arcanum, its imposing silhouette visible from miles away. To the commoners, it was a symbol of hope and magic, a place where dreams could come true—if you were born with the right bloodline.

For Vax, it was a reminder of how far he had to climb.

He adjusted the strap of his worn satchel, keeping his head low as he walked through the bustling courtyard. Around him, the sons and daughters of nobles, clad in robes lined with gold and silver thread, strode with the     confidence of those born to greatness. Vax’s simple attire—patched tunic and scuffed boots—  stood out like a crow among doves.

“Look, it’s the F-rank again,” someone sneered. Laughter rippled through a cluster of students nearby.

Vax didn’t turn to face them. He kept walking, his hands tightening into fists.

The academy’s ranking system defined everything. Students were sorted from S-rank, the elite prodigies destined for glory, down to F-rank, the supposed failures barely worth their place in the school. And Vax, the son of a poor farmer, had been branded the lowest of the low.

“Pathetic,” said a voice as sharp as a blade.

He glanced up to see Aisha, the academy’s golden girl, standing on the steps to the main hall. Her long, silver hair shimmered in the sunlight, and her emerald eyes radiated disdain. She was the epitome of A-rank perfection, both in beauty and power.

“You don’t belong here, commoner,” she said, her voice carrying loud enough for the nearby students to hear. “Why don’t you go back to the fields where you came from?”

Vax met her gaze, defiance flickering in his dark eyes. “Maybe I will,” he muttered under his breath. “After I prove I deserve to be here.”

But he said nothing more. He knew better than to challenge someone like her openly. Instead, he turned and walked away, ignoring the laughter that followed him.

Inside the lecture hall, Vax found a seat at the very back, as he always did. Theoretical lessons were his sanctuary, the one place where rank didn’t matter. The equations, incantations, and magical theories written on the chalkboard were a world he could escape to.

As the professor droned on about elemental resonance, Vax’s hand moved swiftly across the parchment. His notes were precise, detailed, and far beyond what most students could comprehend. But no one noticed. No one cared.

He glanced down at his hand, where faint, golden runes glimmered for the briefest moment before fading away.

Vax clenched his fist. No one could know what he was capable of—not yet.