After the lesson learned on the first day, Kieran took the time to lay down the rules before the second day's competition. The first rule, unsurprisingly, was the prohibition of taking medicine. But there was another, more surprising rule: no using your awakening skill state during the competition.

  It wasn’t uncommon for some wealthy students to hire external awakeners to temporarily boost their strength or even dull the pain, which gave them an unfair advantage. This rule was clearly aimed at putting a stop to that.

  In short: You could only rely on your own body, your own strength, and your willpower to get through this.

  With just five days left before the big exam, Kieran’s grueling special training finally came to an end. Looking down at his exhausted students, who were sprawled out on the ground like dead dogs, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride. You’ll thank me later, little guys.

  The students looked up at him, some trembling with exhaustion. Despite only being five days into the training, it felt like it had been a lifetime of torment. In the beginning, some had tried to slack off, but by the third day, Kieran had hopped onto his motorcycle and started following them from behind, ready to smack anyone who slacked off with a baseball bat.

  A few students winced at the thought of it. They still felt the sting in their butts every time they saw him.

  "I know, I know... you all hate me right now," Kieran said with a grin, "But don’t worry. You’ll thank me later." He scanned the group, his eyes lingering on Theo, Cassia, and Axel.

  He was an experienced veteran with a middle-grade first-level awakening, and he’d seen many talented kids over the years. But even so, these three were something else.

  Theo and Cassia, in particular, were on another level. They had solid foundations, their Force had been steadily growing for three years, and their physiques were incredibly strong. Now, after taking the pill, their Force had shot up, radiating power. It was clear—given the right push, either of them could awaken at any moment.

  "The next five days…" Kieran’s voice shifted, drawing everyone’s attention. They’d just begun to relax, but now they were on edge again.

  Was he about to drop more torture on them?

  "The first five days were brutal, but the next few… they’ll be different." Kieran paused. "You can read books, take a bath, even get a massage if you want. Do whatever you need to rest and recover. But get your body and mind into the best possible state."

  The students blinked in disbelief. Was this a joke? Did they just hear him right?

  "After all that running and exhaustion, the goal was to push your limits and help your body integrate the Force better. "

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  "This is a special training method for soldiers—when you get to the war academy, you’ll be learning other methods. But for now, a lot of that is too dangerous for you."

  "So, we’re done with the grueling stuff. Don’t skimp on the raw stones. Stay in top form."

  A wave of relief washed over the students, but it was tinged with sadness. This meant their high school training was officially over.

  Kieran looked at their faces, noting the mix of exhaustion, confusion, and relief. He sighed inwardly.

  Sometimes, he couldn’t help but envy them. They were about to become awakeners—a whole new class of people with privileges.

  Laws would be bent for them.

  Big corporations would offer them anything they wanted, whether they were combat specialists or not.

  In Dune, a first-class awakener could easily rise to a bureau-level leader. But awakener status also meant you had to face mutant beasts and infected humans outside the safety of the walls. When the beast tides came, and the mutant creatures attacked the city, it would be the awakeners leading the charge at the front lines.

  “Thank you all for your hard work. Now, let me go over the application process for this year,” Principal Mason said, his eyes scanning the room. He’d been keeping a close eye on the students' progress over the past few weeks.

  “Everyone here is aiming for a spot at the war academy. As we know, there are currently 32 war academies,” he continued, his voice steady.

  “Last year, the admission cutoff was a Force value of 95. I expect that this year’s highest will be no more than 97.”

  A few students shifted uncomfortably, but Mason quickly added, “Don’t be discouraged if you don’t hit 95. If you do well enough in the cultural exams, you can still make up for it. The standards are flexible in that regard.”

  The mention of the war academy lit up the faces of the students. There was no denying it — everyone was chasing after that dream.

  “On behalf of the school,” Mason said, his voice a little louder now, “I’m pleased to announce that, in addition to the rewards already mentioned, there will be bonuses for anyone who hits over 100 Force points on test day. Each of you will receive 100,000 dollars for that.”

  He let the words sink in before adding, “And for those of you aiming for the top four war academies, if you’re accepted there, you’ll receive an additional one million dollars.”

  There was a stunned silence in the room. The truth was, getting into one of the top four academies was next to impossible.

  Their cutoffs were absurdly high. For non-awakeners, they needed 147 Force points to even be considered. Even for awakeners, the bar was set at a minimum of 120 Force points. In other words, those four top-tier schools were looking for only the absolute geniuses.

  Every year, fewer than 2,000 students from the entire country were admitted.

  Half an hour later, after handing out reward pills, Principal Mason and Kieran exited the room.

  Ryder stood up, clapping his hands together. “Alright, classmates, I’m treating you all to a meal today!”

  A few of the students cheered, but when Ryder glanced over at Axel, Cassia, and the others off in the distance, his smile faltered for a moment.

  “Vale, go and invite Axel?” Ryder asked, his voice carrying a touch of hesitation.

  Vale looked over, then shook her head. “Him?” She eyed Axel and the others for a moment before dismissing the idea. “No, thanks.”

  Axel was talented, sure. Third place in the elite class was no joke. But Vale had already figured it out. There were plenty of students in the academy who were better than Axel. She wasn’t someone who made compromises when it came to choosing her circle.

  “Alright, forget it,” Ryder said, his tone shifting. From a business perspective, he would’ve liked to smooth things over with Axel, but as Vale had said, one more person or one less didn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things.