NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5: Government School of Kolkata
Date: 08/03/2020
Time: 7:55 AM
As Ankush approached the school gates, he looked up at the massive iron archway, its metal structure gleaming faintly under the soft glow of morning mana lights. The inscription on top read:
"Jadavpur Government Higher Secondary School"
A century-old institution, one of the last remaining government schools in Kolkata, standing resilient even after decades of war, dungeon invasions, and a rapidly changing world.
This school had existed since 1905, built during the Bongobhongo movement, a time when education wasn't just a necessity but an act of rebellion. The school had once been a haven for revolutionaries, a place where Bengali minds sharpened themselves against the chains of colonial rule. But now, in this modern mana-driven era, it was one of the last places where ordinary students without wealth or power could still receive an education.
Yet, even though it had survived, it could not compete with the elite private institutions of this world.
Ankush sighed.
Back in his previous life, government and private school students had to sit for the same exams. Everyone had an equal chance to succeed if they worked hard enough. But here?
That fairness no longer existed.
The elite high schools for the rich and powerful provided their students with free attribute fruits, mana injections, artifact training, and dungeon-ready combat simulations. Their classrooms were filled with A-rank awakened instructors, and some even had direct access to training dungeons controlled by the government.
Meanwhile, his school?
They had basic classrooms, outdated textbooks, and no proper combat training.
Other government schools were in even worse condition. Some didn't even have proper mana boards, and most of their students barely had a chance of answering even ten questions in the Pre-Awakening Exam.
To call it a disadvantage was an understatement.
He exhaled deeply and stepped forward, entering the school grounds.
---
The School Grounds – A Fusion of History and Mana Technology
Walking past the main gate, the contrast between old and new hit Ankush instantly.
The school building itself still had its century-old colonial architecture, with weathered red brick walls, arched windows, and tall pillars that spoke of a different time. The nationalist movement of the early 1900s had been born in places like this, and somehow, the echoes of that past still clung to these walls.
But alongside that history, modern mana technology had crept in, blending the past with the future.
Floating mana boards replaced traditional notice boards, their holographic displays shimmering with announcements. Ankush glanced at one:
> "Pre-Awakening Exam: 3 DAYS REMAINING."
His stomach clenched slightly.
Further inside, he spotted the physical training section, where students were testing their physical attributes under the supervision of instructors dressed in reinforced mana uniforms.
Each student stood inside a mana-measuring ring, a glowing blue formation inscribed on the ground that displayed their strength and agility in real-time. However, mana stat measurements were impossible before awakening, so it wasn't included in the assessment.
A digital leaderboard hovered above them, ranking their stats against others.
> Rank 1: Sumit Ray – Strength: 24 | Agility: 23
> Rank 2: Debojit Das – Strength: 23 | Agility: 21
> …
> Rank 53: Ankush Halder – Strength: 10 | Agility: 10
Ankush's eye twitched slightly.
His stats were completely average, meaning no one expected anything from him.
In truth, that was a blessing—he could work unnoticed until it was time to shock them all.
Shaking his head, he continued deeper into the school.
---
Inside the School Building – The Classroom of the Forgotten
The moment Ankush entered the classroom, he immediately noticed the difference between mana-powered schools and normal schools from his past life.
Each desk had a built-in mana screen, glowing faintly as students interacted with holographic textbooks. There were no paper books here—everything was digitized, connected to the school's central mana system.
At the front, the teaching board wasn't a simple whiteboard—it was a floating mana projection, capable of displaying 3D models, real-time combat simulations, and advanced calculations with the flick of a finger.
Even though this was a government school, the presence of mana technology was unavoidable in this world.
However, despite all these advancements, there was a clear feeling of inferiority.
The students here knew they were the bottom class of society.
Unlike the high-ranking academy students who walked with confidence, most of his classmates sat quietly, speaking in low voices about the upcoming exam, their worries clear in their expressions.
> "If I don't answer at least 10 questions, I'm finished."
> "20 is impossible… No one in our school has ever reached it."
> "I heard the questions aren't even about magic… how are we supposed to prepare?"
Ankush sighed as he walked toward his seat.
He had never been a particularly social person in either of his lives. In his previous life, he had been too focused on engineering studies, and in this one, he simply didn't fit in with the mindset of students who had already accepted their fate.
However, there was one person he could consider a friend.
He turned to the seat beside him, where a tall, well-built young man sat casually, arms crossed, head tilted slightly in boredom.
Soymojit Halder.
His only friend in both lives.
Standing at almost six feet tall, Soymojit had a naturally strong physique—a body perfect for physical combat, yet completely wasted on someone from a government school.
Unlike Ankush, who had an average presence, Soymojit stood out easily in a crowd.
As soon as Ankush sat down, Soymojit turned toward him and raised an eyebrow.
"You look like you saw a ghost."
Ankush smirked slightly. "Close. More like I saw something… unbelievable."
Soymojit leaned back, placing his hands behind his head. "That so? Well, whatever it is, don't let it distract you. The Pre-Awakening Exam is in three days, and I don't feel like watching you cry afterward."
Ankush chuckled. "Don't worry about me. You'll be the one who's surprised."
Soymojit snorted but didn't reply.
As the morning bell rang, signaling the beginning of class, Ankush leaned back in his chair.
His gaze shifted toward the floating mana board, glowing faintly as the day's lesson was uploaded.
Just three more days.
And then, everything changes.