The Sovereign System.

Upon returning to the Academy, Zack was escorted out of the estate by armed soldiers. It didn't matter which minor noble family he belonged to—with Master Gale's status, no one would dare go against his orders.

Even the City Lord treated the old man with respect.

The results of the mock battle were not announced, at least not by the old Master. But it was clear who had failed the test. In addition to Zack, two other students were removed from the Academy, both of whom were from Luke's intake.

Luke was nonchalant about it. He had secured his victory in overwhelming fashion, just as the system had asked.

Later that night, he lay in bed and glanced at his system window, as he often did. It had become a nightly ritual, much like playing mobile games in bed before falling asleep.

User: Luke Drakon

Title: Officer in training

Subordinates: 1

Stats:

Ambition: E+

Charisma: E-

Intelligence: C+

Prowess: D

Zeal: F

Loyalty: F

Additional notes: An officer in training with mild intelligence.

'Finally…' Luke thought, letting out a sigh of relief.

The system had updated its evaluation of him from "unremarkable brat" to "someone with mild intelligence." While he still believed this assessment was harsh, it was a significant improvement over what was written previously.

Seeing a C+ grade for intelligence left him feeling exasperated. Despite reading almost 14,000 books over the past three months, his intelligence stat had only increased by four grades.

'Just how many books would I need to read to reach the highest grade?' he wondered, feeling a headache coming on.

'Perhaps it's not the quantity of books, but rather the scope of knowledge?' he thought briefly. Unfortunately, there was no guide for this system, so he would have to figure things out as he went.

The next piece of good news was his prowess, which had increased all the way from F to D grade. By making use of his Scholarly Pursuit skill, he had been able to learn techniques quickly from Master Boyd, who appeared to be an expert in multiple weapons.

While he had managed to learn and execute these techniques effectively against his fellow students, he had little doubt that he would fail against a well-trained enemy soldier.

Of course, he had managed to subdue the large soldier earlier that day, but that was only because he had caught the man off guard. In the middle of a pitched battle, Luke knew he would stand no chance.

Satisfied with his status window, he decided to check out the new skill—Eagle Eye.

Luke willed the skill to activate, and his body suddenly froze. In the next moment, it felt as if his soul had left his body, rising straight up into the air, through the ceiling, and into the night sky.

His stomach churned as he experienced extreme motion sickness, similar to playing VR games back on Earth. Thankfully, the sensation subsided as he came to a stop several hundred feet in the air.

As his mind adjusted to the awkward feeling, Luke realized he could see the sprawling Academy estate and the surrounding streets of Clayton City. The area was illuminated by oil lanterns scattered around the buildings and winding paths.

He could see guards wielding spears making their rounds through the estate, their armor reflecting the light of the lanterns.

Luke squinted slightly, trying to make out their faces, only to have his vision zoom in like an optical lens.

'Holy shit, this is crazy…' he exclaimed inwardly.

With a thought, his vision returned to the bird's-eye view, allowing him to survey the estate once more. Just as he was about to deactivate his Eagle Eye skill, something caught his attention—a figure moving stealthily on the east side.

'Who is that?'

Zooming in on the figure, Luke saw someone garbed completely in black from head to toe, their face fully covered. The way they moved, slipping between shadows and avoiding the guards, gave Luke a sinking feeling.

'Wait… That's our building!'

His breath hitched as he watched the figure leap onto the roof of his dormitory. Panic set in, and the sudden jolt caused his Eagle Eye skill to end abruptly, bringing him back to his room. His stomach churned from the motion sickness, but there was no time to waste.

Springing off the bed, he ran to Kayson, who was sleeping soundly, and shook him awake.

"Kayson, there's an assassin—get up!" Luke hissed, his voice urgent as he shoved at Kayson's chest.

It only took one push. Kayson was not a deep sleeper, and he bolted upright, instantly alert. Grabbing the sword beside his bed, he seized Luke by the collar and dragged him to the corner of the room.

"How many?" he asked, his voice calm despite the situation.

Under any other circumstances, Luke would've been impressed by how quickly Kayson shifted from deep sleep to battle-ready. But right now, his own life was on the line.

"Wait a moment," Luke muttered, closing his eyes.

He reactivated Eagle Eye and returned to the bird's-eye view, nearly letting out a shriek when he saw the scene below. There was no longer just one figure in black—now there were six, all converging on the east side of the building.

'Fuck! Where are the guards?' he cried inwardly.

"There's at least six," Luke said, his voice trembling slightly. "They're approaching the east side of the building."

Kayson didn't ask how Luke knew this or waste time questioning him. Instead, he issued a calm order. "Grab your weapon and stay away from the windows."

'Weapon? I'm still a damn amateur with anything but a bow,' Luke complained to himself. But there was no time to argue. Keeping his head low, he crawled to his bed and retrieved the short sword lying close by.

Before he could steady himself, the sound of shattering glass thundered through the room.

Luke's grip on the sword faltered, and he almost dropped it as his gaze snapped upward.

A figure in black crashed through the window, shards of glass glinting in the moonlight. The assassin's dagger gleamed as it caught the pale light, poised to drive straight into Luke's chest. Time seemed to slow down as the assassin neared, their bloodlust causing goosebumps to appear on Luke's skin.

'Is this the end?' Luke thought bitterly. His short life was about to end—not on the battlefield, nor by the whims of the system, but at the hand of some nameless assassin.

A hollow laugh escaped his lips as the absurdity of it all struck him. He, who had been gifted with The Sovereign System, would die before even scratching the surface of its potential.

'How… underwhelming,' he thought with a twinge of regret. 'At least I won't be leaving behind much. Sebastian will be able to live a normal life after I'm gone… maybe he'll even wed Hilda.'

"LUKE!"

Kayson's shout was like the toll of a gong, shaking him from his fatalistic thoughts.

Before Luke could process what was happening, his body moved on its own. He stepped forward, closing the distance with the assassin, and swung his short sword in a low, upward arc.

The assassin twisted in mid-air with uncanny agility, raising their dagger to parry the blow. Sparks burst from the collision, briefly illuminating the dark room. The force of the clash sent vibrations through Luke's arm, making his hand throb with pain.

The assassin landed nimbly on their feet, rolling to recover before lunging at him again. Luke barely had time to react, raising his sword to defend himself. But before the blades could meet, Kayson's sword swept in from the side, a gust of wind trailing the swing.

The assassin's reflexes were almost feline as they blocked Kayson's strike. Still, the sheer strength behind it sent them stumbling, their balance momentarily lost.

Instinct took over. Seeing the opening, Luke gripped his sword with both hands and lunged forward, putting all his weight behind the thrust.

The blade tore through the assassin's black robe as if it were paper, sinking deep into their abdomen. The sickening resistance of flesh against steel sent a shudder through Luke's entire body, and his stomach churned at the sensation.

A pained groan escaped the assassin as they crumpled to the ground, their limbs folding like a ragdoll. Even with the dim lighting, Luke could tell his strike had pierced their spine, rendering them immobile.

Everything had happened so quickly that Luke's mind struggled to catch up. He stood frozen, his hands trembling around the hilt of his sword.

Kayson moved with practiced efficiency, kicking the dagger from the assassin's grip before kneeling on their chest. With one swift motion, he yanked away the fabric covering their face.

It was a man, no older than thirty, with scars etched across his clean-shaven face. His eyes burned with defiance, even in defeat.

"Who sent you?" Kayson demanded, his voice rough and unyielding.

The assassin didn't answer. Instead, a faint smile flickered across his lips before his body began to convulse violently. White foam bubbled from his mouth, spilling over his chin.

Luke and Kayson stepped back instinctively, watching in stunned silence as the man's body seized for a few moments before going completely limp.

"He… poisoned himself," Luke muttered, his voice barely audible over the pounding of his heart.

Kayson clenched his jaw, his expression hardening. He turned to Luke, about to say something, but was interrupted by the sound of screams echoing from nearby rooms.

"Shit!" Kayson spat, his eyes blazing with determination. "We need to help them."

Luke, however, was still grappling with the weight of his actions. The assassin's death lingered in his mind—not as an abstract concept, but as a vivid, visceral memory. He hadn't dealt the killing blow, yet his thrust had undeniably sealed the man's fate.

His stomach churned, bile threatening to rise, but before he could succumb to the shock, a notification flashed across his vision:

[Steady Heart activated]

A strange calm washed over him. The nausea receded, and his racing heartbeat slowed. The corpse before him no longer seemed like a person who had been breathing moments ago—it was just an object, a lifeless thing.

"We need to notify the guards," Luke said, his voice steady and unnervingly composed.

Kayson hesitated, glancing at the body, then back to Luke. "R-Right. You go ring the alarm, I'll check on the others." He retrieved his sword and made for the door.

"Stop."

Luke stepped in front of him, his arm outstretched. "Are you so eager to die? Did you not hear the screams? They're likely already dead—killed in their sleep."

Kayson froze, his face pale as realization set in. The words stung with brutal truth, and for a moment, he seemed to teeter on the edge of panic. But he didn't argue.

Luke leaned against the door, pressing his ear to the wood. He listened intently, the muffled silence outside amplifying his focus. After several seconds, he nodded and turned to Kayson, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"Follow me to the main entrance. Watch my back."

Without waiting for a response, Luke eased the door open and peeked into the hallway. With his Eagle Eye skill passive, he was able to see clearly despite the dim moonlight.

Seeing no immediate threat, he crouched low and moved along the wall, keeping his steps light and deliberate. The short sword in his hand made the maneuver awkward, but he adjusted. Kayson followed closely, his breathing steady but his grip on his weapon visibly tight.

The journey to the entrance was uneventful, yet the tension coiled tighter with every step. When they finally slipped outside, Luke let out a quiet breath, his senses still on high alert.

He reached up and pulled the rope attached to the estate's warning bell. The toll was deafening, slicing through the still night like a blade.

"Stay sharp," Luke ordered, his eyes scanning the darkened grounds. "We're not safe yet."

The distant clinking of armor soon reached their ears. Armed soldiers arrived, spears at the ready, their expressions a mix of alarm and resolve.

"What's going on?" one asked.

"Assassins," Luke replied bluntly. "At least five. Send the order to secure the estate. If we're lucky, we might catch one alive."

The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances but nodded. The sense in Luke's words outweighed any hesitation about following orders from a student. One soldier ran off to relay the message, while another took over ringing the bell.

Minutes later, reinforcements arrived—around twenty in total. Two remained to guard the entrance, while the rest stormed inside.

Kayson shifted beside Luke, his body tense. "I should go with them—"

"No."

Luke's hand shot out, gripping Kayson's shoulder. "It's too late for the others. Whatever happened, we can't change it now."

Kayson's jaw tightened, but he didn't resist.

As the Steady Heart effect wore off, fatigue crept in. Luke clenched his fists, forcing himself to maintain a calm façade as they waited for the soldiers to return.

The sound of heavy footsteps pulled his attention. A massive figure approached, garbed in a simple robe beneath his gleaming armor. In his hands was a weapon that demanded attention—a guan dao, its curved blade spanning nearly half its six-foot length. The weapon exuded power, its weight and menace unmistakable.

Luke recognized him immediately.

"Master Boyd," he said under his breath.

The instructor's deep voice cut through the night like a hammer striking stone. "Tell me what happened."