Creation Of All Things

The next morning, Adam stepped out of his dorm—no, his mansion.

The Celestial Dorm wasn't like the others. While the rest of the students were crammed into large, fortress-like buildings, the Celestial Dorm was something else entirely. Massive, luxurious, and eerily empty.

Each mansion belonged to a single person. No roommates. No shared space. Just you and whatever insane power got you ranked high enough to be here.

Adam smirked as he stretched, taking in the golden sky above. "Guess they know strength when they see it."

With a lazy jump, he took to the air, flying effortlessly over the dorms. But just as he was about to head out, something caught his eye.

Or rather, someone.

Floating near another mansion, looking just as confused as yesterday, was Joshua.

Adam exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "Figures."

He dropped down in front of Joshua, arms crossed. "Alright. You being here confirms it."****"We need to figure out what you are. Fast."

Joshua blinked, still adjusting to the whole 'flying' thing. "I'm telling you, man, I don't feel any different."

Adam gave him a flat look. "You got put in the Celestial Dorm. That means you're either a god, a monster, or something worse. If you don't figure it out soon…" He let the words hang.

Joshua swallowed. "I won't last here."

Adam nodded. "Exactly."

Before Joshua could process that, a loud BOOM shook the air. A pulse of golden energy erupted in the distance, sending out a shockwave strong enough to rattle the academy grounds.

Both of them turned, eyes locking onto the source.

The Battle Arena.

Joshua frowned. "What the hell was that?"

Adam's smirk returned. "Looks like someone just challenged the rankings." He glanced at Joshua. "Wanna see what happens when people actually fight around here?"

Joshua hesitated for half a second before exhaling. "Screw it. Let's go."

With that, they both shot toward the arena, the air crackling around them.

Today was about to get a whole lot more interesting.

As Adam and Joshua soared toward the arena, the closer they got, the more intense the energy became. The very air trembled, crackling with raw power.

When they finally reached the edge of the massive coliseum, Adam landed lightly on one of the towering stone walls, arms crossed. Joshua, still getting used to flying, dropped down beside him—less gracefully.

"Damn," Joshua muttered, staring down at the battlefield below. "This place is huge."

It was. The Battle Arena was like something ripped straight out of mythology. Massive stone pillars circled the battlefield, covered in glowing symbols. The ground was cracked and scorched from countless fights, and above, floating platforms hovered in midair, offering perfect spots for spectators.

And right now? All eyes were on the fight below.

Two figures stood in the center of the arena. One was a giant of a man, covered in thick obsidian armor, his fists glowing with molten energy. The other was a young woman with short, silver hair and golden eyes, her hands lazily resting in her pockets.

Joshua raised an eyebrow. "Wait… that tiny girl is fighting that guy? He's built like a damn tank."

Adam scoffed. "Size doesn't mean shit here."

As if to prove his point, the armored giant roared, his entire body bursting into flames as he slammed his fists together. "Come on then, Celestial! Show me if you're worthy of that title!"

The silver-haired girl yawned. "Alright, if you insist."

Then she vanished.

Joshua barely had time to process what happened before the sound hit.

A deafening CRACK echoed through the arena as the giant flew backward, his massive body skipping across the battlefield like a pebble on water before slamming into a pillar—shattering it to dust.

Joshua's mouth hung open. "What the actual—"

The girl tilted her head, still standing where she started, looking almost… bored. "Too slow."

The crowd erupted. Some cheered, others groaned in frustration, probably losing bets. Meanwhile, the giant groaned as he pulled himself out of the rubble.

Adam smirked. "See? Told you."

Joshua exhaled. "Alright… noted. Strength here is on a whole different level."

Just then, a deep, booming voice echoed across the arena.

"Winner: Sylvia. She moves up in the rankings."

A massive golden screen appeared in the sky, shifting the names on the academy's ranking board. Sylvia's name climbed, while the giant's dropped.

Joshua frowned. "Rankings, huh?" He turned to Adam. "Where the hell do we even rank?"

Adam scratched his head. "No clue. I don't even know how this system works."

Joshua stared at him. "Wait—hold up. You're telling me you don't know anything about this place either?"

Adam sighed. "Nope. Got dumped here same as you. Just rolling with it."

Joshua groaned. "Fantastic. So we're both clueless."

Before they could say anything else, a few students near them whispered excitedly.

"Holy shit, is that him?"

"No way… why is he here?"

Joshua followed their gazes and froze.

A figure was walking onto the battlefield. Tall, draped in black, with piercing eyes that practically glowed. His presence alone seemed to drain the energy from the air, making everything feel heavier.

Adam narrowed his eyes. "Looks like things are about to get serious."

"Yeah, real serious."

A calm voice cut through the noise, making Adam and Joshua turn.

A girl stood behind them, her violet eyes cold and unreadable. But Adam knew the moment he saw her—she was human.

"I'm Aurora. Aurora Ashborne of the Ashborne Family… or Order, if you prefer." Her voice was flat, almost emotionless.

Adam barely spared her a glance before turning back to the arena. "Oh, another one from Earth. Great. Guess we're collecting humans now." His tone dripped with sarcasm.

Aurora didn't react. "I know you're being sarcastic, but you're wrong." Her gaze flicked to Joshua, her expression unreadable. "We're the only ones left. Every human who came before us? They weren't strong enough. They're dead."

Joshua swallowed hard. "…Shit."

Adam frowned. "And how exactly do you know all this? You just got here too."

Aurora didn't answer right away. Instead, she turned her eyes toward the towering ranking pillar at the edge of the arena—the one Adam had been staring at earlier. Names shimmered in golden light, shifting with every battle.

At the very top of the new student rankings was a name that made Adam's brow twitch.

1st: Adam Dhark

2nd: Aurora Ashborne

3rd: Joshua Jeremiah

Joshua exhaled sharply. "What the hell is going on here?"