prisoner in the academy

The city stretched before Rod like something out of a dream—or a nightmare. Towering buildings, their glass facades reflecting the sky, rose in every direction. Metal beasts with glowing eyes—cars, as Leon called them—roared down the streets in an endless stream. Screens flickered with advertisements, colors shifting so fast they made his head ache. The sheer noise of it all—the chatter, the honking, the rhythmic thud of hurried footsteps—felt like a thousand voices screaming at once.

Rod kept his face blank, but inside, he was reeling. He had known the world outside the prison would be different, but this? This was overwhelming.

Yet nothing had prepared him for the women.

He had never seen one before. Not in real life. The old man in prison had told him about them—soft voices, sharp eyes, long hair like silk—but words had never been enough to paint the full picture. Now, as he watched them walk past, some laughing, some arguing, some lost in their own world, he found himself staring a second too long.

"Rod."

Leon's voice snapped him out of it.

Rod blinked and turned away, shoving his hands into his pockets. "What?"

Leon arched an eyebrow, a knowing smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Try not to look like a caveman. You'll scare people."

Rod scowled but said nothing. He didn't like feeling out of place, but it was obvious that, here, he was out of place.

They spent the next hour shopping for what Leon called "the essentials"—clothes, shoes, a phone, and other things Rod didn't even know the purpose of. Every time they entered a new store, Leon found himself entertained by Rod's confusion.

Rod picked up a toothbrush and frowned. "Why do I need this?"

Leon sighed, rubbing his temples. "To clean your teeth."

Rod scoffed, tossing it in the basket. "I thought my teeth were fine."

"They're not."

Rod narrowed his eyes but didn't argue.

After what felt like an eternity of shopping, they walked deeper into the city. The streets became quieter, less crowded. Then, suddenly, they weren't quiet at all.

A massive gate stood before them, pulsing with an eerie glow. The air around it shimmered, warping like heat rising from the ground. People were running away from it, some shouting warnings, others simply fleeing in blind terror. The smell of something unnatural clung to the wind—burnt metal, ash, decay.

Rod stopped, eyes narrowing. "What the hell is that?"

Leon followed his gaze and exhaled. "A Gate."

Rod glanced at him. "That explains nothing."

Leon crossed his arms, watching as figures in sleek, high-tech armor rushed toward the portal. "A tear between dimensions," he elaborated. "The world on the other side was once like ours, but it was destroyed. Now, it's a breeding ground for monsters, chaos, things that shouldn't exist."

Rod studied the glowing rift. A chill crawled down his spine, but he ignored it. "How many of these are there?"

"Too many," Leon said grimly.

More armored figures arrived, forming a defensive line around the Gate. They moved with precision, their weapons humming to life. Rod noticed the way the crowd murmured as they appeared—fear mixed with admiration.

"Who are they?"

Leon watched as one of them, a tall man in a crimson mask, stepped forward. "Heroes," he said simply. "They stop monsters, villains, threats. That's what you'll become when you graduate."

Rod wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Before he could say anything else, Leon turned and gestured for him to follow. "Come on. You'll learn more about them at the academy."

Rod hesitated for a second longer, then turned away from the Gate.

—

They arrived at a quiet residential area, far from the chaos of the city center. The buildings here were simpler, more compact. Leon led him up a few flights of stairs in an apartment complex before stopping in front of a door.

"This is yours now," he said, unlocking it and stepping aside.

Rod peered inside. The apartment was small but clean. A single bed, a couch, a tiny kitchen—far better than anything he'd had before.

"You can do whatever you want with it," Leon added, tossing him a key. "Now, let's talk about the important stuff."

Rod leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Go on."

Leon took a seat on the couch, exhaling. "As I told you, Nine Star Academy is divided into four groups. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses."

Rod listened, silent.

"The first group, Phantom Lotus, is made up of the best. The elite. The ones with overwhelming talent, skill, and power. They're untouchable."

Rod's expression remained unreadable.

"The second group, Storm Vipers, is built on intelligence. They don't rely on raw power—they outthink and outmaneuver their opponents. Every move is calculated."

Rod scoffed. "Sounds exhausting."

Leon smirked but continued. "The third group, Obsidian Crow, is made up of those with strong bloodlines—children of champions, descendants of legendary warriors. If you don't have the right ancestry, you don't get in."

Rod's jaw tightened slightly, but he said nothing.

"And finally," Leon leaned forward, his eyes sharp, "there's our group. Ashen Wolves. The leftovers. The ones no one expects to amount to anything. The weak, the unwanted, the failures."

Rod raised an eyebrow. "Sounds inspiring."

Leon grinned. "Doesn't it?" His grin faded as he continued, "Every year, the academy holds an intergroup competition. In two months, the next one begins. If we don't place at least second, Ashen Wolves will be disbanded."

Rod tilted his head. "And?"

"And if you lead the team to second place, I'll tell you why you were imprisoned."

Silence.

Rod met Leon's gaze. He wasn't sure if he trusted the man, but he did trust that Leon wasn't bluffing.

After a long pause, Rod nodded once. "Fine."

Leon smiled, satisfied. He stood and handed Rod a neatly folded uniform. "I've already registered you. Tomorrow, wear this. You'll take the level assessment."

Rod took the uniform without a word.

"Get some rest," Leon said, walking to the door. "You'll need it."

And with that, he was gone.

Rod sat on the couch, staring at the uniform in his hands. Two months. That was all the time he had.

The city outside his window buzzed with life, unaware that someone like him had just stepped into its world.

A world that was about to change.