My Special Ability is Growing Muscles

The Great Nexus Hall had emptied of the banners and glitter, but the freshers were given no time to bask in the grandeur of orientation.

As soon as Principal Aelthar departed, another figure walked out from the side doors, a lean, sharp-eyed man in a long black teaching coat etched with runes at the cuffs.

His stride was brisk, his aura precise, like a blade honed over decades.

As soon as he entered the hall, the murmurs quieted.

"I am Professor Caldrin Veyr," he announced, his voice clipped but ringing clear across the chamber. "Combat Studies and General Discipline, first tier".

"You will see much of me in the next three years, that is if you're lucky enough to survive that long."

The words struck like hammer blows, leaving the freshers a little unsettled and uneasy and from the faint smirk curling his lips, Caldrin knew it.

"First," he continued, "you are no longer children of noble houses, or survivors of slums, or prodigies adored by family banners".

"Here inside the walls of the Academy, you are all cadets of Nexus Academy and every single one of you have the same status, no exceptions," he dragged the last part of his sentence with a stern gaze to drive home his point.

"Every single one of you will obey our rules, or you will be expelled without hesitation. Nobility does not matter here. Here in these walls, nobility and talent does not matter, all that matters is survival and growth".

He let the weight of that sink in before pacing slowly down the steps.

"There are a few rules that all of you should know".

"Disobedience to instructors, infighting beyond sanctioned duels, and reckless use of your abilities inside Academy walls will be punished. Expulsion is the least of your worries," he glared at the students. "Do not test us."

His gaze swept across the chamber. For a fleeting moment, Kairo swore Caldrin's sharp eyes lingered on him, but then again, maybe it was paranoia.

Caldrin lifted a hand, and a holographic projection of the class lists flickered above their heads.

"Like every other year in Nexus Academy, there will be three divisions of first-year cadets, Class 1A, 1B, and 1C."

Murmurs immediately spread. Everyone had heard of the infamous A Class, the crucible of geniuses. Most students who graduated from Class A in Nexus Academy were now famous Heroes and pillars of humanity.

For most of the nobles who entered the Academy, the goal was not just to get admission in, but to also make it to Class 1A.

Only the best students among the freshers could make it there.

Professor Caldrin continued. "Classes 1A and 1B will each hold fifty students. As for Class 1C, it will hold sixty four."

As he spoke, the names cascaded in glowing script as gasps and protests immediately filled the chamber.

Professor Caldrin ignored all of the protests at the sight of the glowing scrit. He continued, unbothered. "All scholarship cadets, every one of you will join Class 1A."

That… was a shocker.

The hall erupted in shock, envy, and fury.

"Silence!" Caldrin's voice cracked like thunder. "Yes, this is the first time in Academy history that all scholarship cadets have been placed in Class A. It is not a kindness, rather, it is a test".

"If you cannot keep pace, you will be expelled or humiliated long before graduation. Here in these walls, survival is the only reward."

Kairo felt dozens of noble eyes burning into him, Mira, and the others. The Monster Trio were already there, standing effortlessly at the top, and now the survivors were being thrown into their midst.

"Next," Caldrin said, "your curriculum. Nexus Academy teaches both Core Courses and Electives. Core courses are mandatory. As for Electives, you will choose to sharpen your individual strengths".

The hologram shifted again, this time listing subjects.

[Core Courses:]

*Mana Theory & Application

*Combat Tactics and Strategy

*Weapon Proficiency 1 (basic sword, spear, and dagger)

*Hand-to-Hand Combat

*Physical Conditioning & Endurance Training

*Battlefield History & Demonology

…

[Electives: students must choose 2 minimum]

*Advanced Swordsmanship

*Dual-Wielding Techniques

*Marksmanship and Ranged Combat

*Summoning Studies

*Illusion and Deception Magic

*Enchantment & Forging

*Healing Arts

*Beast Taming and Familiar Contracts

*Elemental Specializations (Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Lightning, etc.)

*Virtual Reality Training (simulated battlefields that replicate real combat scenarios)

At the mention of Virtual Reality Training, a ripple of excitement moved through the students.

It was one of the most popular among the Electives in Nexus Academy. Not many academies across the human domain had virtual reality technology, but Nexus Academy was one of the few to have it.

The best technologies in the human domain were concentrated here in Nexus Academy, and it was why it was such an alluring attracting to Awakened.

"This is not a game," Caldrin snapped as he noticed the excitement among the students. "Inside the VR chambers, the system links directly with your mana core. Injuries there echo into your real body. Death is simulated, yes, but pain is not. Do not treat it lightly."

Several freshers visibly swallowed hard.

"Finally," Caldrin said, folding his hands behind his back. "By the end of this week, each of you must choose your Major Discipline".

"This will shape your three years here. It will determine the skills you learn, the instructors you follow, and the legacies you will leave behind."

He paused deliberately, letting the weight of his next words fall.

"Choose wrong, and you will die before graduation."

Silence stretched across the hall.

Caldrin's eyes narrowed, and a faint smile touched his lips. "Orientation is over, your first lessons begin now. Report to your assigned dormitories. At dawn tomorrow, you attend your first class. Do not be late."

With that, he swept his cloak and exited, leaving the hall buzzing with equal parts excitement and dread.

Kairo stood frozen for a moment, staring at the class lists still hanging in the air. Class 1A… Him, Mira, the survivors, and the Monster Trio.

The weight pressed on his shoulders like a boulder, but inside, something else stirred… a sense of achievement.

A grin tugged at his lips.

'If this is their strongest class, then this is exactly where I belong!'