The Sovereign System.

[Warning: Imminent failure detected.]

'What!?' Luke almost screamed aloud as the flashing red window popped up in front of him. Panic surged through his veins, his heart pounding as he tried to understand what was happening. His eyes darted around, taking in the sneers and mocking gazes of the other students—and even Master Gale himself.

'Wait… why are they already against me? We didn't even do any introductions.' Suspicion mingled with his growing anxiety, but then he noticed it. A flicker of disdain, quickly masked, passed across Master Gale's face as their eyes met.

'That bastard.' The realization hit Luke like a punch to the gut. Master Gale must have tipped off the other students about his commoner status before he arrived. There was no other explanation for the instant hostility. And with him and Kayson Diego being the only latecomers, it was obvious who the commoner was.

Luke's mind raced as he struggled to ignore the flashing red window. 'I need to turn this around. Fast.' He thought, but how? What could he do?

"You there. Luke Drakon, was it?" Master Gale's voice cut through his thoughts, laced with impatience. "Choose your weapon."

Luke flinched at the sound of his name but froze when he heard the last part. Drakon.

For a moment, a memory flashed through his mind—him scribbling down that last name on the identification forms. He hadn't put much thought into it at the time, just thought it sounded cool. But now, something about it felt… significant.

Drakon. The Greek word for dragon. A mythical creature that ruled the skies, with the power to flatten cities with a single swipe of its claw. Fearless, unmatched.

Luke straightened, a strange warmth rising in his chest.

'That's me. Luke Drakon.' 

Something stirred within him—a stubborn resolve, a quiet voice that refused to back down. No, he was Luke Drakon. He may have been thrown into this world without a choice, but he would not bow down to anyone.

At this moment, the flashing red screen disappeared from his vision, alongside his earlier panic. A domineering expression appeared on his face unknowingly, 

Ignoring the stares, Luke's gaze locked onto Kayson Diego. The blond teen raised an eyebrow, as if surprised by the change in his demeanor. Then, a small, approving smile crept across his face.

Luke stepped forward, his eyes scanning the weapon rack. He ignored the swords and spears and plucked the small wooden bow from the edge of the rack. He could feel the eyes of the entire class on him, but he didn't flinch.

"Haha! He's choosing the bow?" a voice jeered from the crowd, followed by a wave of laughter.

Not paying them any mind, Luke retrieved a single training arrow from the quiver and slowly walked to the center of the courtyard. He stopped around 100 feet away from Kayson, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips.

"A single arrow is all I need," Luke announced, holding up his index finger.

For a moment, silence fell over the courtyard as everyone stared in disbelief. Then, the jeers began.

"One arrow? Is he planning to miss us all at once?" A student jeered, causing a ripple of laughter through the crowd. Luke even saw Master Gale smirk, seemingly amused by the situation.

Luke ignored them. His focus was on Kayson, watching for any sign of a reaction. Sure enough, a frown creased the teen's face, his facade dimming slightly. 

'Good.' Luke thought. 'Let him underestimate me.'

"Very well," Kayson said, his tone calm but with a hard edge. "It seems your arrogance has clouded your judgment. Allow me to fix that for you."

"Get him, Kayson!"

"Kick his ass!"

The courtyard echoed with the crowd's cries, their voices like the roar of an arena. But Luke barely registered them. His mind felt cold and sharp, as if he were standing in the middle of a battlefield, already planning his next move. It was a strange feeling, but it settled over him like a second skin, making the noise of the crowd seem distant.

Master Boyd, who had been quiet until now, stepped forward. His hoarse voice rang out, cutting through the noise. "The rules are simple. The match stops when your opponent gives up, or is unable to continue."

Luke nodded, his lips curving into a confident smile. He took the practice arrow and nocked it smoothly into the bowstring, his hands moving with an ease that felt… right. The system's proficiency seemed to hum through him, guiding his movements as though he had done this thousands of times before.

Master Boyd raised his hand, casting a quick glance at Luke, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. "Alright. Let's begin."

His hand dropped.

The moment Master Boyd dropped his hand, Luke saw Kayson kick off the ground, charging straight for him. His opponent's wooden sword gleamed in the sunlight, held high in preparation to deflect any incoming arrow.

Luke's mind whirred in the background, scanning Kayson's approach, hunting for any weaknesses in his stance. But there were none—Kayson was poised, experienced, and focused, the perfect predator bearing down on his prey. 

'He's done this before…' Luke thought, panic starting to edge its way into his thoughts.

'There's no openings…' Luke cursed inwardly, his heart pounding. He couldn't face Kayson head-on, not like this.

Then, just as despair threatened to overwhelm him, an idea sparked in his mind. A desperate, unorthodox, despicable idea. Every fiber of his conscience screamed against it, but it was the only play he had left.

'Sorry in advance,' Luke thought, a crooked smile forming on his lips as he raised his bow and aimed directly at Kayson's chest. The approaching teen didn't even flinch. He was ready to take the hit and close the gap in one swift move.

But Luke never intended to fire at Kayson.

Just as Kayson reached within twenty feet of him, Luke lowered his aim and released the string. The arrow whistled through the air before bouncing off the stone with a sharp ting, its trajectory shifting upward.

Kayson's confident expression twisted into shock as the arrow hit its mark—a man's most vulnerable spot, hidden beneath his robes.

"HIIIIK!" The high-pitched squeal that escaped Kayson's lips echoed through the courtyard. His body, which had been sprinting at full speed, suddenly crumpled as his legs gave out beneath him. He tumbled forward, sliding across the stone, his face scraping against the ground as he skidded to a stop only a few feet from Luke.

Luke lowered his bow, staring at the fallen Kayson, whose limbs twitched slightly in the aftermath. The courtyard had fallen deathly silent and Luke felt as if every eye was on him, from the gaping students to the wide-eyed Masters.

With an almost casual shrug, Luke looked over at Master Boyd. "Master Boyd, I believe Kayson can't continue."

For a moment, nobody moved. Then, snapping out of his stupor, Master Boyd cleared his throat. "W-Winner, Luke Drakon."

Luke exhaled a long breath, relief flooding through him. As the adrenaline ebbed away, he realized just how close he'd been to a beating. The sight of Kayson charging at him had been more terrifying than he cared to admit. If not for the dirty trick he'd pulled, he would've been a goner for sure.

"What are you doing!? Take him to the infirmary!"

Luke heard a voice bellow, his gaze snapping to Master Gale, who was striding forward, his face a deep shade of purple. The sight was almost comical—his fury paired with his stark white beard—but the menace in his eyes was anything but funny.

"You better hope that your antics haven't cut off the City Lord's lineage," Master Gale spat, his voice low and dangerous.

Luke's stomach dropped. 'Oh, shit!'

He had been so focused on not failing the system quest that the reality of his actions hadn't even registered. If he'd done any serious damage to Kayson, the son of a City Lord no less, there was no way he'd escape punishment. No matter how talented he was.

[DING]

The sudden chime of the system broke through his spiraling thoughts, the sound a lifeline in the storm of panic.

[Quest complete]

[Skill: Domineering Air acquired]

Luke blinked, momentarily stunned. The pit in his stomach vanished, replaced by a wave of exhilaration. Another quest done, another skill unlocked. He barely even cared to check what the skill did—he was just relieved he'd dodged another bullet. For now, he was safe. Sebastian wouldn't be hunting him down for a failed mission.

But something felt different in the courtyard. As Luke glanced around, he noticed the wide-eyed, almost fearful expressions on the students' faces. They stared at him as if he'd just sprouted horns.

'Huh? Is it my new skill?' Luke wondered, curiosity bubbling up. He decided to test it out.

"You heard the Master," Luke said, his voice carrying an unusual weight. "Take him to the infirmary."

A subtle shift seemed to ripple through the air as Luke spoke, like the invisible weight of authority had settled on his shoulders. The students seemed to not only hear his words but also feel them.

The group of well-dressed students straightened like soldiers at attention, moving in unison. "Y-Yes!" they stammered, rushing to obey his command as if they were under a spell.

Luke couldn't help the grin that tugged at his lips.

He turned to Master Gale, attempting a smile meant to be reassuring. But judging by the deepening purple shade on the old man's face, it clearly wasn't taken that way.

"You imbeciles!" Gale roared, voice booming across the courtyard. The students froze mid-step, unsure whom to obey.

But before the tension could stretch any further, Master Boyd stepped forward, silent as ever. With a single fluid motion, he hoisted Kayson's limp form over his shoulder as if the teen weighed nothing. His gaze lingered on Luke for a moment but said nothing more, his expression calm and unreadable.

Luke nodded to himself, relieved at how things had turned out, at least for now. As for whether Kayson would make a complete recovery, he could only silently pray. The training arrows were blunt, wrapped in cloth and something soft—probably wool. After a few days of rest, everything should be fine.

'Or at least I hope so…'

Luke turned toward Master Gale, waiting for further instructions. He couldn't help but notice the old man's face had gone from a deep shade of purple to crimson. 

'Maybe I can chart his mood by the shades he turns.' The thought amused him more than it should have.

"That's enough for today," Master Gale finally said, his beard trembling. "Take them to their quarters."

Luke's attention was drawn to a group of figures emerging from one of the doors. His eyes widened slightly as he realized they were women—maids, judging by their black robes.

"Please follow us," one of them said, her voice light and melodic. A shiver ran down Luke's spine at the sound. The one who spoke had her long, silky hair tied elegantly atop her head, exposing her slender neck. Her deep brown eyes seemed to shimmer, drawing him in, but it was her ample bust that truly caught his attention.

Luke faltered for a split second before catching himself. 'Close call.' He thought, sending a nod in response

He did his best to keep his expression neutral. It had been hard work to make an impression on the other students—it wouldn't do to ruin it now.

But as she turned to lead them, his eyes lowered on instinct, and the sight of her swaying figure sent a jolt through him. His body stiffened, and he nearly tripped over his own feet.

'Stay focused, stay focused…' he mentally chided himself, though it was easier said than done.

Just as he recovered, the maid glanced back, her eyes meeting his for the briefest of moments. A flash of something crossed her face—anger? Disdain? It was gone before he could be sure, replaced with a polite smile.

However, cold sweat trickled down Luke's back. That fleeting look made him feel as though he'd been standing on the edge of a cliff, staring into an abyss.

His instincts seemed to be on high alert, warning him of potential danger.

'I need to be more careful...' Luke thought, gulping subconsciously.